Figure 1.-- Here we see Carl wearing a support garment consisting of shoulder straps and belt. Carl would have mostly worn black long stockings. |
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The boys would also have worn support garments to hold up their pants and long stockings. All of these children could have worn similr support garments, the various support devices, although similar in function, are actually different from each other. There were several different choices for mothers to choose from. The choices could be affected by age. We will show some different choices both to reflect age differences and to show some of the different garments available.
The younger children in 1900 probably would have worn an underwaist.
Under waists tended to be worn by younger rather than older children. The most likely possibility is a sleeveless knitted bodice with rows of buttons around the waist for attaching knee pants and other garments. It might have two cloth loops at the sides (which you can't really see) for pinning on the hose supporters for long stockings. The garters had safety pins at the top for attachment to the underwaist. Of course the underwaist is worn over the other underwear which may have long or short sleeves. All three boys would have worn long stockings although the younger boy might have worn socks in the summer. If they had lived in the country they might have gone barefoot, but these are city boys.
Here is the informayion we have on our three brothers.
For a boy like Tom who was 4 years old, the underwaist would have been a common choice. If the underwaist has two rows of buttons, one row is for the underpants and the other row is for the knee pants. If the underwaist has only one row of waist buttons, these are for the trousers. The garters pin on to the underwaist at the sides over the hips. The garter tab for the boy's underwaist. It is attached to the waist at the sides. Note the two little tabs for the safety pins of the hose supporters. These are for the safety pin of the hose supporter. But also that some waists had buttons at the shoulder straps to allow for size adjustment.
The underpants are probably buttoned to one row and the trousers to the other row. But the underpants didn't necessarily have to button onto the waist. However, at each side of the underwaist (just over the hips) there should be a little garter tab, probably with metal eyelets, so that the safety pin of the hose supporter can be fastened on. Tom like his brothers might have worn black long stockings, especially during the Winter. Unlike his brothers, he might also have worn three-quater-length socks during the Summer. He might also have worn white long stockings as he is quite young. This would have been primarily when he was dressing up.
Carl wears a gray union suit with short sleeves and short legs. Like all union suits of the period, it has a drop seat in the back with three buttons for closure. Over his union suit, Carl wears a Dr. Parker-style garter waist. This consists of adjustable shoulder straps that cross in back that attach to a web belt with a front-button closure. The web belt has two attachments in front for the black hose supporters. These may be eyeletted tabs or just tape loops through which the safety pins of the garters can be
fastened. The supporters are made of black (or white) elastic and have a buckle for adjusting the length. The elastic part then divides into two non-elastic pendants in a Y shape with clasps at their ends for attachment to the stockings. The clasps consist of two parts--a rubber button that goes under the top of the stocking and a metal loop that goes over the button to hold the
stocking securely in place. Most Dr. Parker-style garter waists were white, but the supporters worn with them could be either black or white. Carl would have mostly worn black long stockings.
John might have worn a suspender waist. These garments were commonly worn by older boys. This garment is a little bit complicated because it is a combination of suspenders for the boy's knee trousers and hose supporters for the stockings. The three leather attachments (one in back and two in front) button on to John's trousers. So if you show John without his trousers
(for the underwear only), the three attachments would just be hanging loose and unattached. But the black hose supporters would be attached to the stockings. His knee pants were attached to the suspender fasteners (one in back, two in front). When John is wearing his shirt and tie, the suspender straps would go on top of the shirt. But of course the illustration shows the suspender straps only going over the union suit because he hasn't put the shirt on yet. John would put the union suit on first, then the suspender waist, then the stockings, then the dress shirt, then the knee pants. A bit complicated, isn't it? John would have long blacl long stockings, not only during the winter, but also during the Summer.
We note some illustrations from contemprary mail order catalogs and magazines. We are especially interested in period illustrations as they are more reliable than modern illustrations. A good example is a 1900 Montgomery Ward illustrayion for a Boy's Special Double Ve Waist.
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