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Here is a new model suspender waist advertised in Perry, Iowa, in the Perry Daily Chief (November 25, 1903), page 3. The illustration is interesting because it shows the waist being worn with two-piece long underwear (shirt with three buttons on the chest, plus drawers that fasten onto the suspenders in front) rather than the more common union suit. The suspenders probably attach to the drawers in back as well, although the drawing doesn't reveal this. What is curious about the design is the way ths suspender-ends are attached to both the underwear
and the long stockings. The suspenders in front have Y-shaped ends (like modern button-on suspenders), but one branch of the Y buttons onto the drawers while the other branch is attached in a sling arrangement (or pulley) to the top of the hose supporter. No age or price is given in the ad. I suspect that the age sizes were from 2 to 14, since this was the usual age-range for waists and supporters. The
price would be, I think, less that $1.00 in 1903. Here is the text transcribed: "Something New. Boys' Suspenders and Hose Supporters Combined. Mothers will find this to be a practical invention for their boys and
one that has long been needed. For sale at Roddans Clothing House (Perry, Iowa)."
Here is a new model suspender waist advertised in Perry, Iowa, in the Perry Daily Chief (November 25, 1903), page 3.
The illustration is interesting because it shows the waist being worn with two-piece long underwear (shirt with three buttons on the chest, plus drawers that fasten onto the suspenders in front) rather than the more common union suit. The suspenders probably attach to the drawers in back as well, although the drawing doesn't reveal this. What is curious about the design is the way ths suspender-ends are attached to both the underwear
and the long stockings. The suspenders in front have Y-shaped ends (like modern button-on suspenders), but one branch of the Y buttons onto the drawers while the other branch is attached in a sling arrangement (or pulley) to the top of the hose supporter. Thus the garment has a certain resemblance to the Wilson Garter, of which we
already have several examples.
But this is clearly a different product from the Wilson Garter. It is also similar to the Kazoo suspender waist, but different in that the suspenders are apparently worn underneath the boy's shirt (like a
garter waist) and do not apparently hold up the trousers.
No age or price is given in the ad. I suspect that the age sizes were from 2 to 14, since this was the usual age-range for waists and supporters.
The price would be, I think, less that $1.00 in 1903.
Here is the text transcribed: "Something New. Boys' Suspenders and Hose Supporters Combined.
Mothers will find this to be a practical invention for their boys and one that has long been needed. For sale at Roddans Clothing House (Perry, Iowa)."
A comparable waist with shoulder straps and supporters is shown in 1899
(four years earlier) as costing 25 cents. This is referred to in the
ad as a "hose supporter waist":
This example of the
Kazoo suspebnder waist(1912) shows the suspenders being worn over a
shirt rather than under the shirt like a garter waist. The Kazoo in
1912 (nine years later than our 1903 waist) sold for 50 cents or 75
cents depending on whether the suspenders had leather ends or not. So
our speculation about costs being under $1.00 is apparently correct.
The price range for such garments over a decade or so were 25 cents to
50 or 75 cents.
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