The term came about because dancers were required to remove their hard-soled shoes to protect the varnished floor of the gymnasium.
Sock hops were commonly held at high schools and other educational institutions, often in the school gymnasium or cafeteria. They then became a fad among American teenagers in 1948. Sock hops were held as early as 1944 by the American Junior Red Cross to raise funds during World War II. Dance event Sock hop at Shimer College, Illinois, in 1948Ī sock hop or sox hop, often also called a record hop : 199 or just a hop, was an informal sponsored dance event for teenagers in mid-20th-century North America, featuring popular music.
