Bee Waists (1894)

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Figure 1.--We note an ad for Bee Waists designed for boys, published in the Elyria, Ohio, Republican (Movember 8, 1894), page 5. The special innovative feature of this waist is that it has three elastic straps on the back with button-hole ends to be fastened to the boy's underpants.

We note advertisements in newspapers during 1894 for Bee Waists. We are not sure what company produced these waists, but the company and associated retailers apparently placed ads in nespapers all over the country for the underwaists they profuced. Newspapers were a major advertising medium in the 20th century. This was also the case in the 19th century, at least the late-19th century. This was clearly the case in the 1890s, by which time lithography was becoming increasingly sophisticated so that detiled images could be added to text. Many boys of the period wore one-piece union suits which meant that under drawers were self-supporting since they were already attached to an undershirt in a single garment (the meaning of "union" in union suit). But some boys wore separate undershirts and drawers, and the drawers would tend to slip down without adequate support. The Bee Waists were designed to address this problem. The innovative feature was three straps on the back of this waist to hold them in place.

Company

The brand of waist illustrated here is the "Bee Waist", a brand that HBC has not encountered as yet. We do not know who the manufactuer was.

Newspaper

Newspapers were a major advertising medium in the 20th century. This was also the case in the 19th century, at least the late-19th century. This was clearly the case in the 1890s, by which time lithography was becoming increasingly sophisticated so that detiled images could be added to text.

Underwaists

Underwaists were another type of support garment. Underwaists (sometimes called panty-waists) were worn by younger boys and girls to support additional underwear (such as bloomers or panties) or outer clothing (such as trousers or skirts). These bodices tended to be worn by boys only until about age 10, although some models came in ages for boys as old as 12. Some models were specifically for girls and others for boys, but the great majority of styles could be worn by both boys and girls. They tended to be made of elastic knitted fabric (and therefore rather form-fitting) or of cambric material and a bit looser. They nearly always were equipped with reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs for attaching hose supporters. The popularity of underwaists declined in the later 1930s and early 1940s although they were still available, usually in the preferred knitted style, up until about 1945. When long stockings stopped being worn by school children, the main function of the underwaist ceased to exist.

Underwear

Many boys of the period wore one-piece union suits which meant that under drawers were self-supporting since they were already attached to an undershirt in a single garment (the meaning of "union" in union suit). But some boys wore separate undershirts and drawers, and the drawers would tend to slip down without adequate support. The Bee Waists were designed to address this problem. The innovative feature was three straps on the back of this waist to hold them in place.

Hose Support

The waist also of course has two hose supporters attached for support of the long black stockings which come up over the drawers. This means of supporting underdrawers was apparently only necessary for younger boys, those from 3 to 10 years of age. Older boys might still be wearing waists to hold up trousers and of course long stockings, but they would probably wear union suits or else didn't need the additional support for separate drawers.

Reinforcement Straps

Notice the reinforcement straps built into the waist that go over the boy's shoulders like suspenders so that the elastic attachments for underwear do not pull the waist out of shape.

Material

We are not told the material used but it is probably a sturdy jean, drill, or cambric fabric which would hold up well in the laundry and would be strong enough to support the tug of both underwear and garters for long stockings. A bit later, waists were made of knitted fabric that fitted the body more snugly. Notice that this waist, like most boys' waists, buttons down the front whereas girls often preferred waists that buttoned in back.

Eyria, Ohio Advertisement

The Bee Waist here was on sale at a dry goods store in Eyria, Ohio, the George T. Biggs Company (figure 1). The ad was placed in the Elyria, Ohio, Republican (Movember 8, 1894), page 5. The special innovative feature of this waist is that it has three elastic straps on the back with button-hole ends to be fastened to the boy's underpants. There may also be buttons on the front for this purpose although these, if present, are not illustrated. We have seen other such waists with suspender straps in back for attachment to knee pants, but in this case the straps seem intended to support underpants, which is very clear from the illustraion since the black long stockings come up over the underpants and the knee pants are shown still lowered with the boy pulling them up. In order to promote the waist, the shop was offering a pair of black elastic hose supporters, attached to the sides of the waist, not by safety pins (a slightly later technology) but by buttons at the edge of the waist. This combination of underwaist and supporters is priced at 50 cents. Waists and supporters were often sold separately although sometimes stores sold them as a package deal to attract buyers. Here is the text of the ad copy transcribed: "Mothers, have you seen the Bee Waist? It is for your Boys. Something new, and you must not be without one. The Bee Waist is the best on earth. You get a pair of improved stocking supporters to match the waist when you buy a Bee Waist. Boys can't pull their buttons off with a Bee Waist on. You can rest. [I.e., no extra sewing required to replace buttons.] In sizes 3 to 10 years. The patent straps take all strain off boys' clothes. The Bee Waist is the only waist you can buy which will give you a waist and a pair of stocking supporters, all for 50 cents. Your Dry Goods Clthing Stores know all about the Bee Waist."

Newark, New Jersey Advertisement

We have noticed another Bee Waist advertisement. This one appeared in the Newark Daily Advocate in New Jersey (September 25, 1894). The illustration here clarifies the suspender attachment on the back of the waist, which was less clear in the Ohio advertisement. Here the three suspender straps at the back are clearly buttoned onto the knee pants of the boy and not to his underdrawers (as we previously thought). So I think we need a revision of our initial explanation. What was confusing in the previous ad was what looked like white underwear buttoned to the waist with the dark knee pants lowered about half-way. This, however, seems to be a misintrepretation of the drawing.






HBC





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Created: 1:50 AM 5/13/2010
Last updated: 8:39 PM 5/13/2010