Eaton's G.H.I. Shoulder Brace and Hose Supporter Combined (Canada, 1901)


Figure 1.-- Here is an ad for hose supporters from the Eaton's 1901-02 Fall and Winter catalog. There are two different models. It appeared on p. 77. The garment is referred to as a "G.H.I. Shoulder brace and hose supporter combined."

We have some information from the Eaton's catalog on support garments. Here is an ad for hose supporters from the Eaton's 1901-02 Fall and Winter catalog. There are two different models. It appeared on p. 77. The garment is referred to as a "G.H.I. Shoulder brace and hose supporter combined."

T. Eaton Department Store

T. Eaton's was a well known Toranto department store. Their catalogs provide a good indication of the styles popular in Canada at the time. This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.

Garment

We have some information on support garments from the Eaton's catalog. Here is an ad for hose supporters from the Eaton's 1901-02 Fall and Winter catalog. There are two different models. It appeared on p. 77. The garment is referred to as a "G.H.I. Shoulder brace and hose supporter combined. The garment here is referred to as a "G.H.I. Shoulder brace and hose supporter combined." I have no idea what the initials G.H.I. stand for. This is the familiar harness-like belt with waist buttons, shoulder straps that cross in back, and Y-shaped hose supporters suspended from the right and left sides. Garments very similar in construction to this device were later referred to (in the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s) in both Canada and the U.S. as "Dr. Parker's garter waist." It came in three sizes--for ladies, misses (girls in their upper teens), and children (both boys and girls up to about 14 or 15)--and was available in either black or white. The shoulder straps and the supporters are both adjustable for size by means of buckles. The text reads: "G.H.I. Shoulder brace and hose supporter combined, Lindsay fastener, black or white, ladies', 35 c. pair; misses', 30 c. pair; child's. 25 c. pair." The "Lindsay fastener" was a patented clasp for attaching supporters to the stockings comparable to the "Velvet grip" clasp that became popular about a decade later.

Garter Waists in Canada

Long stockings were an important grment in Canada, in part because of the cold Winter garment. We see garter waists being offered n Canadian clothing caalogs into the 1930s and 40s. A good example is Eaton's garter waists offered in 1939.





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Created: 5:06 PM 5/4/2005
Last updated: 3:41 AM 5/10/2005