American Advertisements for Boys Clothing: Scovill Gripper Fastners (1940)


Figure 1.-- We notice the use of grip snap fastners on underwear. This is the ealiest use we have noticed, although the snap fastners may have actually appeared earlier. This ad illustrates a bit of new technology in boy's underwear and sleepwear--namely the use of the snap fastener instead of buttons.

We notice the use of grip snap fastners on underwear. This is the ealiest use we have noticed, although the snap fastners may have actually appeared earlier. This ad illustrates a bit of new technology in boy's underwear and sleepwear-- namely the use of the snap fastener instead of buttons. Snap fasteners had the advantage of being easier than buttons for younger children to manage. Also they didn't come off in the laundry or get pulled off through repeated use. The boy in the illustration seems to be about eleven years old, but such union suits, like others of their type, were probably made for boys from about 2 to 14 years of age. Presumably the drop seat in back also has the snap fasteners rather than buttons. This ad appeared in Parents Magazine for September, 1940, p. 93, just when parents would be shopping for school clothes for their children. The advertisement doesn't tell us what the brand of underwear is that has adopted the new technology because the snap-fasteners are being advertised--fasteners that were used on a variety of children's and adult garments. The firm for "Gripper Fasteners" was the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut. We know nothing about the company at this time. The caption reads; "[Boy's] One-Piece Knitted Union Suit" "The laundry-proof snap fastener that ends button bother."








HBC







Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main American mail order 1940 page]
[Main photo/publishing page] [Store catalogs] [Fashion magazines]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Cloth and textiles] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Topics]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Satellite sites] [Tools]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Eton suits] [Knickers] [Short pants] [Long pants]
[Suspender pants] [Button-on styling] [Jeans] [Long stockings] [Stocking supporters] [Waists] [Underwear] [Fastners]



Created: 10:47 PM 1/20/2005
Last updated: 10:47 PM 1/20/2005