Figure 1.--This H & W Company advertisement for children's "corset waists" appeared in the "The Ladies Home Journal" (October 1914). The garments appear to be in fact underwaists. Selling a garment referred to as a corset for boys would be complicated by the fact boys would no doubt object. |
This H & W Company advertisement for children's "corset waists" appeared in the The Ladies Home Journal (October 1914). The garments appear to be in fact underwaists. Selling a garment referred to as a corset for boys would be complicated by the fact boys would no doubt object. The H & W Company was primarily a woman's corset maker and this marketing problem appears not to have occurred to company executives. Perhaps children's waists was a very small part of theif product line. The firm was based in
Newark, New Jersey, and specialized in women's corsets and undergarments. Their advertising motto was "Style, Health and Comfort from Infancy to Old Age." Most of their waists were made for women and
girls, but they also made underwaists. The ones in the ad here was for boys aged 2 to 12 in 1914. They were included in a full-page ad for women's corsets that
shows the two basic styles for girls and boys. Both models are made of
jean material and have reinforcement straps over the shoulders to
support the weight of additional clothing (trousers, skirts, drawers,
panties, etc.). The girl's model has lace trim around the neckline,
two rows of bone buttons around the waist, and tabs for supporters at
the sides so that garters for long stockings can be attached. The
girl's model fastens in back. The boy's model has a lower neckline and
fastens in front--also with two rows of buttons around the waist and
tabs at the side for hose supporters. Although the H & W corset waist
for boys was made in sizes up to age 12, most boys of ten or older
graduated to skeleton waists or suspender waists as a more grown up
means of holding up long stockings. The girl's model is labeled Style
No. 43 and sells for 50 cents. The boy's model is No 220 and costs the
same, 50 cents.
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