|
An advertisement for Lewis Stein stocking supporters appeared in The Youth's Companion (1885). By 1885 American boys were commonly wearing kneepants with long stockings. Thus stocking supporters appeared to hold up the long stockings. The Stein illustration in The Youth's Companion shows a girl wearing the Stein stocking supporters, but the same supporters were equally for boys. One interesting feature here is that the hose supporters for children were made in two forms. This advertisement is interesting because it is one of the earliest advertisements for hose supporters that HBC has archived.
Before A. Stein and his brothers established the firm for making the well-known Paris garters and Hickory hose supporters in Chicago, another Stein brother, Lewis Stein, had already set up the "Lewis Stein Company" in New York City. Lewis Stein was also in the hose supporter business.
An advertisement for Lewis Stein stocking supporters appeared in The Youth's Companion (December 31, 1885, p. 567). The Youth's Companion described itself as "An Illustrated Weekly Paper For Young People and the Family." It was established in 1827. The magazine was published in Boston, Massachusetts, by the Perry Mason Company, 201 Columbus Avenue. It appeared under this title until 1929. It was in the late 19th century one of the most popular weekly periodicals in America and known for the quality of the writing. The magazine catered to teen-age boys and girls especially, containing articles on sports, on hobbies, and on various literary and cultural interests. But it was really a family magazine and had many advertisements for clothing, both adult and children's. The magagazine had a very strict policy about the advertising carried because its readers were mostly children.
I am not sure whem childrens stocking supporters first appeared but believe regular usage probably began in the 1870s when boys, especially older boys first began wearing kneepants--necesitating stocking supporters. Only some younger boys wore knee pants in the 1860s, but ny the 1880s it was very common for boys-- even older boys to wear knee pants. As it wasn't considered proper for boys and girls, especially older ones to appear bare legged, these kneepants were mostly worn with long stockings. This led to a problem. How to hold the stockings up. This was a special problrm for active boys. To address this problem, stocking supporterd were develoed in both shouldr and waist styles.
The Stein illustration in The Youth's Companion shows a girl wearing the Stein stocking supporters, but the same supporters were equally for boys. One interesting feature here is that the hose supporters for children were made in two forms-- (1) a garter with only one clasp and (2) a garter in the Y-shape with two clasps. The one-clasp supporter was two cents cheaper. Another
interesting point: the Lewis Stein supporters for boys and girls seem to have attached to a waist or a belt at their tops by buttons rather than by the safety pins that became virtually universal at a slightly later period. The illustration shows the girl wearing the two-attachment supporters "with a belt".
Curiously, the text of the ad seems to suggest that the belt was only available in the larger sizes for "Misses" and "Ladies". Perhaps we are meant to think that the girl in the image is not a child but an older teenager or young woman to whom the term "Misses" could apply. The image is a bit confusing.
In 1885 boys and girls up to the age of about 13 or 14 would have attached hose supporters to underwaists, although Sears as early as 1902 advertised a combination belt and supporters with shoulder straps.
This advertisement is interesting because it is one of the earliest advertisements for hose supporters that HBC has archived. Hose supporters were invented in the later 19th century to replace the constrictive round garters that tended to cut off
circulation around the thighs. This is why Stein refers to them as "Safety Stocking Supporters." They were endorsed by most medical authorities as a more comfortable and more healthful way of holding up stockings. The "Brighton Gents' Garter" was presumably a forerunner of the famous "Paris Garter" pattened about 1906 by the Stein Co. in Chicago.
The Stein ad copy read, "Stein's Safety Stocking Supporters. No More Blood-Strangling Garters [i.e. round garters]. Recommended by All the Leading Physicians. Children's one attachment . . . 8 c. a pair. Children's two attachment . . . 10 c. a pair.
Misses' two attachment . . . 13 c. a pair.
Ladies' two attachment . . . 15 c. a pair.
Misses', with a belt . . . 20 c. a pair.
Ladies', with a belt . . . 25 c. a pair.
Stocking, Abdominal, and Catanienial Bandage Supporter combined . . . 50 c.
Health Skirt Supporter . . . 25 c.
Brighton Gents' Garter . . . 15 c.
For Sale by all First-C;ass Stores or on receipt of price in 2 c. stamps by Lewis Stein, Sole Owner and Manufacturer, 178 Centre Street, New York."
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main American mail order 1885 page]
[Return to the Main U.S. catalog chronology 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]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Headwear]
[Sailor hats]
[Dresses]
[Kilts]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Sailor suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Coats]
[Long stockings]
[Underwear]
