Underwear Chronology: The 1920s

Figure 1.-

In the early 1920s the “waist union suit” for children was invented, which combined the functions of the adult-style underwear with those of the “waist” so that only one undergarment was necessary. Waist union suits became popular for children (both boys and girls) from about age 2 to age 13 or 14. They went out of style in the mid-1940s when boys ceased to wear long stockings with either shorts or knickers into their teen-age years and began to wear long trousers at earlier ages. Boys who didn’t wear waist union suits but continued to wear long stockings in the period from about 1920 to 1945 wore regular men’s style underwear with separate garter waists to hold up their stockings.

Major Changes in America


Union Suits

The changing trends in underwear fashions can be observed at several different companies.

Ward’s Union Suits for Men and Boys (1929)

This ad shows underwear in many different styles for the entire family, adults as well as children. At the upper right we have long-legged union suits with long sleeves for boys. These are mainly of lighter weight fabric even though they are designed for winter wear—i.e., mainly cotton knit. Note that at the lower left Ward’s also advertises waist union suits. The models shown are girls—younger as well as teen-age girls—but these models were also available for boys up to about the age of 14. The ad shows also several styles of men’s underwear—union suits, sleeveless undershirts and shirts, and men’s sleeveless, short-legged union suits. [Image not yet loaded.] Partial Text: “450 Montgomery Ward Stores Show These Remarkable Values. Each is typical of hundreds of Fall and Winter Styles . . . and boasts the same fine quality to be found in more than 40,000 items of merchandise sold by this company.”

Waist Union Suits


Nazareth Waist Union Suits (1920-21)

This image, taken from a shipping box in which Nazareth children’s underwear was shipped, shows a boy wearing a short-sleeved, short-legged waist union suit. Note that the legs are shorter here than in the previous 1915 Nazareth ad. This is because knee pants had begun to be replaced by short pants and the long stockings worn by boys had begun to be made in longer lengths. The underwear is designed not to show under the shorter clothes that were coming into fashion. The usual reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs are built into the suit. [Image not yet loaded on HBC]

Sexton Summer Waist Union Suits for Boys (1921)

The boys in this illustration are essentially wearing an older boy’s version of the Allheneeds nainsook waist advertised in 1915 by Stuart’s. Notice the three-button drop seat in the rear. The suit is cool to wear for summer and well reinforced over the shoulders for the support of additional clothing such as knickers or short pants. The garter tabs are of the same kind as in the Stuart’s ad, allowing the boy to wear hose supporters either outside or inside his underwear. Older boys still often wore long black stockings with their shorts or above-the-knee knickers even in the warmer months. See HBC page.

Waist Suits


Ward’s Waist Suits for Children (1929)

This Montgomery Ward ad from Saturday Evening Post shows a range of underwear for the entire family, including union suits for men, boys’ and youths’ union suits at the upper right, and waist union suits at the bottom left. For the latter, the models are girls—both a teenage girl and a girl of about 10—but this style of waist union suit was made for both genders. Boys up to about age 13 or 14 wore them to support short pants and long stockings. They have the usual reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs. [Image not yet loaded on HBC]

Waist Union Suit


Nazareth Waist Union Suit for Boys (1929)

This waist union suits for boys appeared in Parents’ Magazine. The boy model appears to be about twelve years old. The suit has short sleeves, short legs reaching to mid-thigh, reinforcement straps over the shoulders, waist buttons at the sides for the attachment of short pants, and “pin tubes” (metal garter tabs for attaching supporters for long stockings). In 1929 most boys wore either above-the-knee knickers or short pants with long stockings. See HBC page.

Underwaists


Ward’s Underwaists (1922)

Ward’s shows four different styles of children’s underwaists here. All are both boys and girls from ages 2 to 12. The upper left model shows the standard knitted waist with strappings, buttons, and garter tabs. It slips over the head and has no closure buttons. The upper right model is made of “Cambric” and buttons in back. It also has waist buttons and garter tabs. This model would be preferred for younger children, probably, although it comes in sizes up to 12. The lower left model has a front button closure and adjustable shoulder straps to allow for a child’s growth. The lower left model is called a “skeleton waist” because of its brevity. It is cut with wide arm openings and covers only part of the chest to allow for greater lightness and is less restricting. It has a cross piece across the chest to keep it from slipping off the shoulders but has no button closure. The garter tabs have metal pinning tubes for hose supporters. This model was especially popular with boys because of the greater freedom and athletic design, but most boys who wore this waist tended to abandon it by about the age of 10 and graduate to a different style of garter waist.

Sears Underwaists (1929)

Sears advertises six different styles of underwaists for children, both boys and girls. These styles are very similar to the ones available in the Ward’s 1922 ad, but a change in age has intervened. Most of these styles are now available in sizes up to 6 years of age, which shows that underwaists were being restricted mainly to very young children. The exceptions are the front-buttoning waist with adjustable shoulders for children up to 10 and the skeleton waist (the same as the Ward’s 1922 model) for children up to 12. Although not specified, these latter two models seem more appropriate for boys than for girls, although either gender could wear them.

Garter Waists


Ward’s Belt with Supporters (1921)

This is another version of the so-called “Dr. Parker” waist, although the term is not used. An older boy is shown wearing the waist. The available ages were 2 to 12. See HBC page.

Ward’s Hose Supporters (1926)

A later version of the Dr. Parker waist, here worn by a smaller boy. But the ages were still 2 to 12. Notice the cross piece across the chest to keep the shoulder straps from slipping.

Sears Belt and Hose Supporters (1927?)

Two styles of garter waists are illustrated here. The first is a version of the Dr. Parker style waist with a belt, shoulder straps, and side supporters. The second type is a waist with closure at the back and underarm reinforcements straps to which over-the-hip supporters are attached. Both styles are available for both boys and girls from 2 to 12, although the second type (with the back closure) seems more appropriate for girls.

Pin-on Garters


Butler Hose Supporters (1929)

Another famous brand of children’s garters. Available in black or white, although black was the more popular color. Safety pins at the top. See HBC page.





HBC






Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main 20th century underwear page]
[Return to the Fashion magazines and store catalogs]
[Main photo/publishing page] [Fashion magazines] [Manufacturing]



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



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





Created: 8:25 AM 10/15/2004
Last updated: 8:25 AM 10/15/2004