Stuart's " Allheneeds " Underwear for Little Boys, 1915


Figure 1.-- Stuart offered these bloomer suits. They were made in as large a size as the Oliver twist and sailior (middy suits. They come with elastisized above the knee knicker pants. Notice the innovative "Allheneeds" waist suit in the lower tight hand corner. .

Notice the waist suit or underwear offered here by Stuarts for younger boys at the bottom right hand corner. They were pattented as "Allheneeds" meaning that he only needed this one single garment, not separate under shirt and pants as well as a stocking supporter or waist. They could be worn with these tunic suits. Note the boy is holding one of the straps that could be used to hold up long stockings.

Tunic Suits

These tunic suits with bloomer knickers were made in as large a size as the Oliver twist and sailior middy suits. They come with elastisized above the knee knicker pants as in figure 1.

Frederick H. Sprague Co.

This little boy's summer waist union suit was made by the Frederick H. Sprague Co. and manufactured in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The company's brand is called "Allheneeds". The company also had similar "Allsheneeds" for girls. We note other ads for Allheneeds, such as a 1917 ad.

Allheneeds Underwear

Notice the waist suit or underwear offered here by Stuarts for younger boys at the bottom right hand corner. They were pattented as "Allheneeds" meaning that he only needed this one single garment, not separate under shirt and pants as well as a stocking supporter or waist. They could be worn with these tunic suits. Note the boy is holding one of the straps that could be used to hold up long stockings. The "Allheneeds" waist suit had an innovative garter tabs that allow the boy to wear his garters inside or out. e. I believet this feature appeared for the first time about 1915. The Sexton waists suits, which you've already added, also had this kind of garter tab. See the 1921 Good Housekeeping ad.

Features

This illustration for "Allheneeds" is interesting because it shows a then new innovation in boy's underclothing--one of the first waist union suits on the market. The material is apparently nainsook (like that used for men's summer BVDs). It is one-piece garment serving three distinct purposes: (1) it combines shirt and underpants in a single garment; (2) it serves as a waist with buttons around the waist so that short pants can be buttoned on; and (3) it has garter tabs so that hose supporters can be attached for long stockings. One unusual feature of this garment is that it is designed so that the garters can be worn either inside or outside the underwear. There are little slots on either side underneath the garter tabs so that the supporters can be worn inside next to the leg (as shown on the boy's left side) or outside on top of the underwear (as shown on his right side). This option was apparently provided so as to avoid the underwear bunching up under the supporters if the stockings were worn higher on the leg than the hem of the underwear pants. Some later boys' waist suit ads in Good Housekeeping magazine (during the 1920s) show this feature. I've seen these and will try to find an example for you.






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Created: March 19, 2004
Last updated: 2:02 AM 7/2/2005