American Mail Order Catalogs with Boys Clothings: Sears Fall-Winter 1938-39 Catalog--Waist Suits


Figure 1.--Sears offered a wide range of waist suits for boys and girls in the Handwear store brand. The Sears ad copy read, "Keep 'Em Happy! Let 'Em ... play outdoors, romp indoors, stretch, jump, bend, twist. Just Be Sure They're in Sears Long Wearing Waistsuits! Handywear--Our Own Trade Mark."

Sears offered a wide range of waist suits for boys and girls in the Handwear store brand. The Sears ad copy read, "Keep 'Em Happy! Let 'Em ... play outdoors, romp indoors, stretch, jump, bend, twist. Just Be Sure They're in Sears Long Wearing Waistsuits! Handywear--Our Own Trade Mark."

Sears

The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane te first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.

Waist Suits

The Sears ad copy read, "Keep 'Em Happy! Let 'Em ... play outdoors, romp indoors, stretch, jump, bend, twist. Just Be Sure They're in Sears Long Wearing Waistsuits! Handywear--Our Own Trade Mark 1. Flatloked Seams 2. Bar Tacked 3. Strap Reinforcements 4. Firmly Fastened Buttons 5. Heavy weight 6. Full Standard Sizes 7. Tailored Seat 8. Choice of Lastex Top or Button Drop Seat Ages 2 to 12 Years The best, longest wearing cotton waist suits you can buy, we sincerely believe. And mothers agree with us--our sales prove that. Famous Handywears, heavy weight for warmth; ribbed-knit for stretch and fit; well reinforced to stand a lot of punishment. Read their features above. Convenient garter tabs and taped buttons. Button-front style for boys or girls. Color: White. Age-Sizes: 2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 years. State age-size. See Size Scale, Page 296. Shpg wt., ea., 9 oz; 3, 1 lb. 10 oz. 59c Each Suit; 3 Suits $1.72.

2-Button Drop Seat

There were four different button drop seat suits. 16 K 7085--Dutch neck, short sleeves, ankle length. 16 K 7092--Dutch neck, short sleeves, trunk length. 16 K 7094--Dutch neck, short sleeves, short legs. 16 K 7087--High neck, long sleeves, ankle length.

Lastex-Top Seat

There were four different lastec-top seat suits. 16 K 7115--Dutch neck, short sleeves, ankle length. 16 K 7117--Dutch neck, short sleeves, trunk length. 16 K 7118--Dutch neck, short sleeves, short legs. 16 K 7116--High neck, long sleeves, ankles length.

Age

These waist suits were worn by both girls and boys up to the age of about 12.

Support Devices

These waist suits were designed with strap reinforcement strips over the shoulders to support outer clothing such as button-on short pants and skirts. These suits are also equipped with garter tabs at each side--in this case tape loops through which the pin of hose supporters could be fastened to accommodate boys and girls who wore long stockings.

Seat Design

Some mothers preferred the lastex seat closure in back since it relieved children of the need to fuss with the three buttons of the standard drop seat. A reader writes, "We notice that the seat has double fabric on part of it. This seems true for waist suits and I know for boy's underwear (briefs) in general (in the United States) until sometime in the 1980s."

Union Suits

Not all children who wore long stockings wore waist suits, however. Some wore ordinary union suits, either short or long legged, with a separate garter waist on top of their underwear for the support of long stockings.








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Created: 2:43 AM 9/20/2004
Last updated: 2:07 AM 9/21/2004