|
A Lincoln, Nebraska retailer placed a newspaper advertisement (April 30, 1900) which reproduces parts of an underwear catalogue from which they bought their stock. The advertisement provides a good indication of the various stocking support garments worn in America during 1900. The dry goods store was Miller and Paine in Lincoln. Fifteen different styles of children's underwaists for boys and girls are illustrated and described. The ages vary from infants to boys and girls of 12. And there is a style for teenage girls also (referred to as "misses"). The notable absence here is suspender
waists with hose supporters for boys older than 12. These were probably sold under a different heading, usually in the men and boys departments of stores where men and boys would buy ordinary suspenders, collars, belts, and other haberdashery. Boys older than 12 didn't like wearing underwaists, although we know from other advertisements that regular underwaists with supporters, or at least attachments for supporters, were sold in sizes up to at least 14. But the larger sizes for boys are not mentioned here. Most boys older than 12 wore suspender waists or skeleton waists.
The Miller and Paine Dry Goods Store was a Lincoln, Nebraska retailer. Lincoln was the capital of Nebraska. While not a major American city, it was a substantial city with a well established downtown retail sector. We do not know much about the Miller and Paine store. m It was apparently a dry goods store and not a specifcally clothing store, although clothing was probably the bulk of its stock. We suspect that it was a typical large dry goods store in medium sized American cities.
Major stores commonly placed advertisements in local newspapers. Miller and Paine placed this a newspaper advertisement (April 30, 1900, p. 4) in the local newspaper, The Evening News.
Miller and Paine for the advertisement reproduced part of an underwear catalogue from which they bought their stock. We do not know what the name of the catalog was. Thus we do not know all of the manufacturer of the various underwaists, although the brand names are often mentioned in the ad copy.
Most boys at the turn of the 20th century wore black long stockings. There were other types of hosiery, but long stockings were by far the most common. They were worn both for casual and dress wear. And black was by by far the most common. Younger boys might wear three-quarter white socks or white long stockings when dressing up. One problem with long stockings was that they needed to be held up to look smart.
American children at the turn of the 20th century, both boys and girls, almost universally wore underwaists to hold up outer clothing and long stockings. These underwaists were sleeveless vest-like garments that usually buttoned down the front and had strappings over the shoulder to which waist buttons were sewn for the support of knee pants, skirts, drawers, etc. These underwaists also had cloth tabs, sometimes eyeletted, or tape loops at the sides so that hose supporters could be fastened on. Later on these waists were mainly for children ten years old or younger, but in 1899-1900 boys and girls wore them up until the age of 13.
The ages for these underwaists varied from infants to boys and girls of 12. And there is a style for teenage girls also (referred to as "misses"). The notable absence here is suspender
waists with hose supporters for boys older than 12. These were probably sold under a different heading, usually in the men and boys departments of stores where men and boys would buy ordinary suspenders, collars, belts, and other haberdashery. Boys older than 12 didn't like wearing underwaists, although we know from other advertisements that regular underwaists with supporters, or at least attachments for supporters, were sold in sizes up to at least 14. But the larger sizes for boys are not mentioned here. Most boys older than 12 wore suspender waists or skeleton waists.
The advertisement provides a good indication of the various stocking support garments worn in America during 1900. Fifteen different styles of children's underwaists for boys and girls are illustrated and described. Fifteen different styles of waists for boys and girls from 2 to 12 years of age. Some of these waists are for boys only, some for girls (or “misses”—teenage girls), and some are for both boys and girls. Three brand names already represented by HBC are given—Nazareth waists (made by Nazareth in Nazareth, Pa.), “M” Waists (made by Minnesota Knitting in Minneapolis), and Ferris Waists (made by Ferris Corset Company). All of these waists are designed to support outer garments such as trousers or skirts and also underwear (“drawers” or bloomers). They are also equipped with attachments at the side for supporters for long stockings. In some cases the supporters are already attached. In other cases only the attachments are supplied—usually either buttons or sturdy loops for garter pins. Interestingly, these waists are only offered for children up to the age of 12 (with the exception of waists for misses, i.e., teenage girls). Boys older than twelve often wore knee pants in 1900 and therefore required supporters for long stockings. These boys presumably wore suspender waists, which are not mentioned here.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing catalog/magazine pages:
[Return to the Main American 1900 stocking supporters page]
[Return to the Main American mail order 1900 page]
[Return to the Main American mail order 1900s page]
[Main photo/publishing page]
[Store catalogs]
[Fashion magazines]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[Essays]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor hats]
[Sailor suits]
[Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits]
[Rompers]
[Tunics]
[Smocks]
[Pinafores]
[Long stockings]
[Underwear]
