Figure 1.--The primary underwear for men and children in the late-19th and early 20th century was the union suit. We have just begun to collect information on underwear in 1908. We have found an advertisement for a Nazareth waist union suit. It's one of the earliest ads we have found for for waist union suits. HBC has generally dated the invention of waist union suits (the combination of a child's union suit with an underwaist in a single garment) to the 1910s.

The primary underwear for men and children in the late-19th and early 20th century was the union suit. We have just begun to collect information on underwear in 1908. We have found an advertisement for a Nazareth waist union suit. It's one of the earliest ads we have found for for waist union suits. HBC has generally dated the invention of waist union suits (the combination of a child's union suit with an underwaist in a single garment) to the 1910s. But the Nazareth Waist Company (founded in Nazareth, Pennsylvania) was one of the more important innovators in this style of garment, and here we have an advertisement in the Kansas City Star newspaper. Such advertisements were common at the time.

Newspaper Advertisemen

We commonly see advertisements for underwear and support garments in newspaper adverisements during the early 20th century. This ad is one of the earliest ads for waist union suits that we have seen. HBC has generally dated the invention of waist union suits (the combination of a child's union suit with an underwaist in a single garment) to the 1910s. But the Nazareth Waist Company (founded in Nazareth, Pennsylvania) was one of the more important innovators in this style of garment, and here we have an advertisement in the Kansas City Star (October 18, 1908, page 8A) illustrating the new kind of underwear. The ads are very helpful to HBC's assessment because they are so specifically dated.

Jones Dry Goods Company

Advertisements like this in loval newspapers were placed by local stores. The manufacturer may have helped pay for the ads. In Kansas City the firm offering these suits for sale was the Jones Dry Goods Company. A dry goods store was a very common type of store in the United States during the 19th and early 20th century. They varied greatly in size. There could be small ones in rural towns. The larger ones like the Jones Dry Goods Store in alarge city like Kansas City developed essentially into department stores. Dry goods are non perishable products like textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and a wide range of sundries. The items might include everything not offered by hardware stores and grocery stores. The term apparently originated in England. The Jones Dry Goods Store wasone of the largest such stores west of the Mississppii River. By the tme this ad was placed it was in all but name a department store. After the company went it a receivership in 1910, kt was purchased by John Claflin in 1911.

Nazareth

We notice the Nazareth Waist Company active in the 1920s. We have some basic information on the company. It was founded by Gustav Adpolphus Schneebeli (1853-1923), a German immigrant, born in Neusalz, Germany, who settled with his parents in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and attended the Moravian Parochial School in Bethlehem. Schneebeli moved to Nazareth in the 1880s and founded the Nazareth Waist Co., a knit-goods firm that specialized in children's underwear. Later he established a lace manufacturing company of which he became the sole owner (1888). He was elected to the U. S. Congress as a Republican representative from Pennsylvania (1905), but served only a single term . He died in Nazareth, Northampton County, Pa., February 6, 1923, and was buried in the Moravian cemetery there. The Nazareth Waist Co. founded in the 1880s became a very prominent manufacturer of children's waist suits, and indeed the term "Nazareth Waist" became a household word throughout the nation. The company had offices in New York City and mills in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

Waist Union Suits

In the early 1920s the waist union suit was developed and remained popular until the 1940s. This garment (for both boys and girls up until about the age of 13) combined the basic one-piece union suit, the standard form of children's underwear, with the underwaist (with reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs) so that a single garment could do duty for two. Wearing one layer rather than two made getting dressed easier, and mothers saved money by not having to buy both a union suit and an underwaist or garter waist. These suits were sometimes referred to as "combination suits." Waist union suits came in both summer and winter styles. The summer style was usually made of nainsook and was like a junior version of adult BVDs. It had short legs and was usually sleeveless so as to be cool. Usually the girl's summer style was a bit different from the boy's summer style, the latter having front buttons from the neck to the crotch. The winter style was knitted like ordinary union suits and could be had with short sleeves and knee-length legs or with long sleeves and ankle-length legs.

Popularity

The waist union suit became popular for two reasons: (1) it was cheaper than buying separate shirts, drawers, and underwaists, and (2) it cut out a layer of underwear since the upper body of the union suit made the wearing of a separate support garment on top of the undershirt unnecessary and was therefore less bulky and restrictive.

Drop-seat Feature

Another interesting feature of this ad is the flap seat, visible in the illustration since the boy is facing away from the viewer. Most union suits for boys and girls in the 1900-1930 period were made with 3-button drop seats that buttoned to the back of the garment just below the waist band. The garment on offer here has the more modern flap seat with a single button that is similar to what adult men wore and easier for younger boys and girls to manage.

Item Details

Nazareth solved the support problem by knitting into the garment tape straps that passed over the shoulders and also reinforced the area underneath the arms where the attachments for supporters were located. The tabs for supporters at the sides are metal pinning tubes, an innovation that kept the garter pins securely in place and prevented tears as well as permitting greater freedom of movement. The ad copy read, "Nazareth Waist Union Suits, 75 cents. Section C, Second floor, Main Street Building. These are the newest undergarmnts for children. They are practically 3 garments in one--shirt, drawers and Nazareth waist. [The Nazareth Waist Company also made separate underwaists with the same features--tape reinforcments over the shoulders, taped-on buttons for fastening trousers, skirts or bloomers, and metal attachments for hose supporters.] They are made of medium weight finely bleached cotton--with the Nazareth waist taping and buttons on body. There are two rows of buttons, the upper row being reinforced by tape [for knee trousers and skirts], and there are pin tubes at the sides for supporters. The Union Suits are made in open front style and is sateen trimmed. Sizes 2 to 12 years. 75 cents." [Some waist suits were made for boys and girls as old as 14, but the larger sizes were apparently developed later after the waist union suit had become better established in popular use.] The ad also lists two other products, Women's Hand Trimmed Underwear, 75 cents, and "Boys' Heavy Weight Woolen Union Suits, $1.50. They are fine ribbed worsted yarn--7/8 wool and perfectly proportioned. boys' sizes 8, 10, 12, and 15." These heavy weight suits for boys are not waist suits and therefore lack waist buttons and supporter attachments. Boys who wore these would therefore have to wear an additional underwaist for the support of long stockings and trousers.

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Created: 1:29 AM 1/30/2009
Last updated: 1:29 AM 1/30/2009