Stocking Supporters and Waist Manufacturers: Harris Suspender Company


Figure 1.--Here is the Kazoo Summer waist. Unlike the regular version it did not have attachments for supporting long stockings. The ad here appeared in a 1918 "Good Housekeeping" advertisement.

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.

Product Line

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 Waist

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.

Kazoo Brand

We were 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. 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."

Corporate History

The corporate history of the Harris Suspender Co. is complicated, but we have collected some basic information. 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. Interestingly, although Harris lent his name to the enterprise, principals included Joseph E. Austrian and William Freeman but not Harris himself. Harris Suspender stayed for a protracted time on 14th St. (until around 1912). During this time the officers consisted of William Freeman, Edwin M. Silvermann, and Harry W. Silvermann (Joseph E. Austrian seems to have dropped out early on) until 1910. As of Feb. 5, 1910 this partnership was dissolved, and the two Silvermanns took control of the company. The company relocated to 694 Broadway (1912). About this time they acquired the Kazoo Suspender Company. The company then moved to 1230 Broadway (1921). Then in 1924 they seem to have closed down, only to re-surface in 1936 at 368 W. 148th St. In fact, there may be no connection between the Harris Suspender Co. of 1936 with the earlier firm that moved from Williamsport. They may have been totally unrelated enterprises, sharing the same name. This new version of the company moved to 50 W. 29th St. in 1938 and stayed until 1942. Like the earlier version, they then moved to two Broadway locations, with remarkably similiar addresses: 644 Broadway (1942) and 1239 Broadway (1946). This second version of Harris Suspender went out of business around 1948.

Advertising Campaign: Red-blooded, Masculine Appeal to Boys

The Harris Suspender Company launched an advertising campaign designed to make the case to mothers, that their product was more acceoabtable to boys that the garter waists offered by many competitors, the company published a lengthy essay by Frederick C. Kendall about the Kazoo Suspender Waist in Printer's Ink, a trade journal, (February 27, 1919, pp. 53-56. The title read, "Red-blooded, Masculine Appeal to Boys Sells Kazoo Suspenders." A subcaption reas, "Be a Regular Fellow. You’ve Outgrown Nursery Days.” The article read, "What is the attitude of the American boy toward much of the boy advertising? Does he resent being garnished with feminine adjectives and placed in the same beribboned class with his shy and giggly sisters? And does his opinion cut much ice anyway? From time immemorial, fond mothers have wept many buckets of salt tears to witness little Willy ferociously scrapping with the uncouth errand boy who sassed him. Yet it is a debatable question whether these same mothers would not have endured pangs of mortification had their youthful prodigy failed to double up his chubby fists to vindicate his outraged honor."








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Created: 12:01 AM 11/6/2004
Last updated: 7:49 PM 12/2/2013