Figure 1.-- We also notice that Eaton's offered a range of different types of stocking supporters for long stockings that were still worn in Canada. We note six different styles of garter waists in Eaton's 1949-50 Winter catalog. Click on the imagee for the ad copy/ |
We also notice that Eaton's offered a range of different types of stocking supporters for long stockings that were still worn in Canada. We note six different styles of garter waists in Eaton's 1949-50 Winter catalog. Unfortunately we can not easily read the available copy of the assocoated ad copy.
This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marrys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.
This category applies to a broad variety of devices for holding up long stockings. Theoretically it would apply to any garment worn on the upper body used for this purpose (including underwaists, pantywaists, and suspender waists). But HBC uses the term to apply specifically to waists with hose supporters already attached, even though in some cases these supporters are detachable. Most of these garments are designed to have the strain of the garters carried by the child’s shoulders. Some have waistbands and some do not, but all are worn under the outer clothing and therefore as a species of children’s underwear. One of the first such garments we notice was in the Sears 1902 catalog Sears refers to a "combination belt and supporter, but the garment was essentially a garter waist. The use of different terms somewhat complicates the assessment if the garments. Interestingly, even when the wearing of long stockings was supposedly declining in the late 1930s and early 1940s, a proliferation of styles of garter waist became very prominent in the Sears and Wards catalogs of this period. We have more different styles for this period than for any other on HBC. A good example is the Sears 1939 garter waists.
Te ad copy from the catalog page provides some interesting information about these garter waists.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "14. Child's Cotton Waist. Good quality, in White only. With taped-on buttons and garter tabs. Push-up button over the shoulder straps. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8,
10, 12. 0-2705. Price $1.10." This waist is apparently for either boys or girls. There are two button-holes on the shoulder straps so that the straps can be expanded as the child
grows taller. This waist buttons down the back and would therefore be especially suitable for younger boys or for girls, not that it is made for children as young as 2 years old. The garter tabs consist of metal pinning tubes to which the pins of pin-on hose supporters can be
attached. Note that they are placed at the sides so that supporters are worn over the hips.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "15. Cotton Waist for Girls. Practical back-closing style with garter tabs and taped-on buttons. White only. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. 10-2724. Price 79 c."
This waist is designed in a way that closely resembles the German Leibchen although no hose supporters are attached. Note that the two garter tabs are fixed on reinforced straps that pass over the shoulders and are placed in front rather than at the sides. The tabs for attaching supporters appear to be tape loops rather than metal tubes. This may be one reason for the lower price. This waist has the garter tabs and buttons slightly higher on the chest than most of the comparable models, which means that the hose supporters worn
would have to be a bit longer than some. This arrangement would be practical for extremely long stockings worn very high on the thigh. Although the ad specifies that this waist is "for girls," undoubtedly because of the back-buttoning style, it is also suitable for younger boys whose mothers would help them get dressed.]
The Eaton's ad copy read, "16. Skeleton Waist and hose supporter of White Cotton. Button front closing, with two sets of two garters. Adjustable shoulder straps. White only. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. State size. 10-2705 89 Price $1.00." This garter waist is designed equally for boys and girls. There is an elastic part at the base of the straps in the rear so that the straps function like modern-day suspenders for trousers and thus fit the upper body closely. The shoulder straps can be adjusted for length on the chest. The elastic
supporters are attached not in front but at the sides so that the expandable part of the garter stretches over the hips. The double garters appear to be attached not by pins but by adjustable buttons so that a choice of three different lengths is possible. This garter waist is similar in construction to the well-known Dr. Parker waist, advertised by Eaton's as early as 1912-14 and also by Ward's in the United States. Sears sold a very similar waist but usually designated it as "Kern's Child's waist" or "Kern's Daisy waist." This style of waist was favored by boys and girls as more athletic and lighter in weight than the other waists. It was designed to allow for maximal freedom of movement and to be less restrictive than some other models. Boys also preferred this style as more grown up than the alternative "pantywaists" or underwaists that served the same function of holding up long stockings. We note, however, that the skeleton waist was also worn in some cases by very young children as well as by older ones.]
The Eaton's ad copy read, "17. Long-Wearing Cotton Waist fitted with garter tabs. Button-back style, wide-bound shoulder straps. White only. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. State size. 10-2725 Price 89 c." Although possible for both boys and girls, this waist seems primarily designed for girls or boys younger than 8. Older boys preferred waists that buttoned in front. This waist has waist buttons for the attachment of panties, bloomers, or perhaps outer clothing. There are two metal pinning tubes in front, not at the sides, for attaching supporters.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "18. Fleeced-Lined Cotton Waist for Girls. Four-button front closing with tapes facing down front. Wide shoulder straps, garter tabs. White only. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. State size. 10-2721 Price 89 c." Although the ad copy specifies that this waist is "for girls," this type of fleeced waist with front buttons was also extensively worn by boys. We know this from the fact that the same style is advertised for boys as well as girls in earlier Eaton's, Ward's, and Sears catalogs. The words "for girls" may indicate simply that by 1949 long stockings were more commonly a style for girls than for boys in Canada. But we know that in Quebec especially, long stockings continued to be worn by boys through the 1950s. The fleece lining ads warmth to the garment--a feature that would be useful during cold Canadian winters. The reinforcement straps over the shoulders end at the sides of the waist where the supporters were attached, almost certainly by the use of metal pinning tubes.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "19. Good Quality Cotton Waist. Button-back style. Two sets of two garters. Taped-on buttons; firmly finished throughout. White only. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. 10-2726 Price $1.15." This is the most expensive waist, better made than the alternatives and having the detachable supporters already pinned on to the metal garter tabs. Note that they attach in front rather than at the sides. The back-buttoning feature makes this waist mainly for girls although smaller boys might also wear it--i.e., boys about 8 or younger.]
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