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The 1916 Kazoo ad which appeared in the Ladies' Home Journal, has a text
which is too small to read. I've done my best to recover it but have not so far succeeded. We did however find another Kazoo ad in Good Housekeeping (May, 1917, p. 114), which presents exactly the same Kazoo illustration but with a different text. No need to copy the same picture twice.
Good Housekeeping first appeared May 2, 1885. It was one of of several popular women's magazines established suring the 1880s and 1890s. The magazine provided information about running a home and raising children. This the modern Good Housekeeping conytinues today. The Good Housekeeping seal of approval was developed to assure housewives of a product's value. Letters from readers were an important facet. The early magazine, however, also included a broad range of literary offerings. Good Housekeeping was founded by journalist-businessman Clark W. Bryan in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The magazine moved to Springfield, but by 1911 the circulation was only 0.3 million. This changed when it was purchased by the William Randolph Hearst and moved to New York. The citculation was soon in the millions of copies. Many well known writers have contributed to Good Housekeeping, including Somerset Maugham, Edwin Markham, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Frances Parkinson Keyes, and Evelyn Waugh.
The Kazoo Suspender Waist was made by the Harris Suspender Co., New York. We note them here as manufacturers of suspender waists for children. They also offered a line of suspenders, braces and garters for adults. Suspender waists were a support garment to hold up other garments. So-called “suspender waists” were invented at the turn of the 20th century and were popular mainly with boys who wore knee pants and needed a way of supporting their long stockings—almost always black. Although some models of the suspender waist (such as Kazoo) were manufactured in styles that could be worn also by girls, the main wearers of these waists were boys. We were unsure where the idea for the Kazoo brand name came from. A reader explains, "I can explain the trade term Kazoo. Before Harris took over the manufacture of this suspender waist, it was produced (for a year or two) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. "Kazoo" is a slang abbreviation for the town of Kalamazoo, hence the name. But then,somehow, Harris began making the garment, probably because the patent for it was sold to Harris." The corporate history of the Harris Suspender Co. is complicated, but we have collected some basic information.
Suspender waists were a support garment to hold up other garments. So-called “suspender waists” were invented at the turn of the 20th century and were popular mainly with boys who wore knee pants and needed a way of supporting their long stockings—almost always black. Although some models of the suspender waist (such as Kazoo) were manufactured in styles that could be worn also by girls, the main wearers of these waists were boys. They were called “suspender waists” because they combined trousers suspenders with hose supporters and had leather suspender attachments for holding up knee pants in addition to hose supporters for long stockings. The style did not last very long and was most popular during the 1910s. N.B. Suspender waists are not to be confused with the older style of garter waists (such as the Dr. Parker waist) which also had suspender-like straps over the shoulders, a waist belt (sometimes with waist buttons for outer clothing), and hose supporters.
This ad copy in the illustration makes the point about the Kazoo Suspender waist serving not only as a hose supporter but as a "body developer" which helps children maintain "an erect posture". In addition it claims that the suspender waist "holds the shoulders in a comfortable position" (pretty much the same thing, I guess, as a shoulder brace).
The Kazoo ad copy in 1917 read, "Suspender Waists for Boys and Girls. Mothers have discovered that the Kazoo means a neat appearance, perfect comfort and an erect posture to their children. That is why 2,000,000 growing boys and girls are wearing the Kazoo Suspender Waists. The Kazoo is really three complete articles in one--a suspender waist, hose supporter, and body developer. It distributes the weight of the clothing and allows full freedom to run and play, at the same time holds the shoulders in a comfortable position. If your store cannot supply the Kazoo, write us direct, mentioning dealer's name. Price is 50 c. each--75 c. finished in leather mountings (10 c. additional in Canada). If you are not thoroughly satisfied with Kazoo, your money will be cheerfully refunded. Send for our booklet, "The Right Way to Dress Kiddies." Harris Suspender Co., Dept. G, 694 Broadway at 4th Street, New York."
The Kazoo suspender waist is made in several different styles to accommodate boys as well as girls and also different ages of boys. Style B is for boys from age 4 to 12. This style is similar to the Dr. Parker garter waist, has shoulder straps, a waist band, waist buttons, and hose supporters which are worn on top of the underwear but under the shirt or dress. Style G
is for girls only and is made for ages 4 to 18. This, I think, has waist buttons for bloomers or panties. Another version of style B is designed for older boys (from 8 to 18). This has suspender straps that are worn on top of a shirt (like adult suspenders) with attachments for trouser buttons sewn inside the waist of the trousers; these trouser attachments are available
in "leather mountings" so that they look more like adult suspenders, because
of course they are visible outside a boy's shirt. But this waist also has hose
supporters which are part of the same strap as the shoulder strap of the suspenders. Carl wears this type of suspender waist in the 1900 Getting Dressed illustrations.
For a clearer picture, see
1920 Kazoo ad.
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