Kazoo Summer Suspender Waist, 1918


Figure 1.--Here is the Kazoo Summer waist. Unlike the regular version it did not have attachments for supporting long stockings.

The Harris Suspender Company of New York advertised the Kazoo suspender waist in Good Housekeeping (June 1918), p. 125, "The Summer Kazoo" for children from 2 to 12 years of age. This was a suspender waist for boys and girls who had switched from long stockings to ankle or knee socks for the summer months and hence did not need the hose supporters that came as part of the regular Kazoo suspender waist. The girl on the left in the illustration is wearing the "Summer Kazoo" which has the suspender straps, the waistband, and the waist buttons for supporting other clothing such as skirts and knee pants but that is missing the hose supporters for long stockings.

Harris Suspender Company

The Kazoo Suspender Waist was made by the Harris Suspender Co., New York. The purpose of a suspender waist was to hold up long stockings. We are unsure where the idea for the Kazoo brand name came from. A kazoo is a type child's mouth organ, but were are not sure if it came before or after the Kazoo suspender waist brand. An example is a Kazoo suspender waist 1916 advertisement. The corporate history of the Harris Suspender Co. is complicated. It was founded as the Wire Buckle Suspender Co. consisting of William Silverman, Charles R. Harris, Joseph E. Austrian, and William Freeman in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. in the 1890s. Harris was also involved in the Cygnet Cycle Co. manufacturing bicycles in Williamsport around the same time. In 1897 the suspender manufacturing company moved to New York as the Harris Suspender Co. manufacturing suspenders, braces and garters at 142 W. 14th St.

Good Housekeeping

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. Following the death of President Calvin Coolidge his widow, Grace Goodhue Coolidge, memorialized him in its pages. In an efforts to stay close to its audience, Good Housekeeping accepts articles by ordinary readers who are not professional writers. No one individual is more associated with Good Housekeeping than famed American children's illustrator Jesie Wilcox Smith. Over two decades, Good Housekeeping brought her work into millions of Americans homes every month (1917-33). In all she did more than 200 covers for the magazine.

Suspender Waists

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. With true suspender waists only the garter part of the waist can be classified as underwear because the shoulder straps would be visible (like ordinary modern suspenders) on top of a shirt.

Summer Waist

The Harris Suspender Company of New York advertised the Kazoo suspender waist in Good Housekeeping (June 1918), p. 125, "The Summer Kazoo" for children from 2 to 12 years of age. This was a suspender waist for boys and girls who had switched from long stockings to ankle or knee socks for the summer months and hence did not need the hose supporters that came as part of the regular Kazoo suspender waist. The girl on the left in the illustration is wearing the "Summer Kazoo" which has the suspender straps, the waistband, and the waist buttons for supporting other clothing such as skirts and knee pants but that is missing the hose supporters for long stockings. The boy at the right wears the traditional Kazoo suspender waist with hose supporters for his long black stockings. Interestingly, the summer Kazoo was considered appropriate only for younger children who would wear socks in the warmer months.

Regular Suspoender Waist

Older boys and girls continued to wear long stockings even in the summer, which is why this advertisement gives the buyer both options. The summer Kazoo comes in only a single style for both boys and girls. The Kazoo Suspender Waist (with hose supporters) comes in several styles, one of which--for boys only--has actual suspender attachments for a boy's knee pants. Style 4 (the one shown) fits boys from 8 to 18 years old. Style B (for both boys and girls) fits children from 4 to 10 years old. Style G is for girls from 4 to 18. In the boys-only style, the suspenders are visible on top of the shirt.

Ad Copy

The ad copy read, "Kazoo Suspender Waists For Summer Time. Little boys and girls wearing socks can be perfectly comfortable during the hot months--if they wear the new Summer Kazoo. It's carefully constructed just as the other Kazoo Suspender Waists are--and it, too, is a suspender waist and body developer. The Summer Kazoo costs 60 cents. Same as the Kazoo Suspender Waist--20 cents extra in Canada. If you cannot get the Summer Kazoo (or the Kazoo Suspender Waist with hose supporters) order direct giving us name of nearest dealer. Every penny returned to you if you don't like the Kazoo. Our booklet, "The Right Way to Dress Kiddies," sent free on request. The Harris Suspender Company, Dept. G, 694 Broadway at 4th St., New York."






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Created: 6:10 PM 10/12/2004
Last updated: 6:10 PM 10/12/2004