Figure 1.--Since it was somewhat bulky (and hot in summer) to wear both a union suit and an underwaist, the children's underwear manufacturers invented the "waist union suit"--a union suit for boys and girls that incorporated into it the waist buttons and garter tabs of the waist, thus making it possible for one garment to serve as both a union suit and a waist at the same time. Waist union suits became very popular with mothers for their boys and girls from about 2 years old to 13, and such suits continued to be sold up through the mid 1940s, when they dropped out of use, mainly because the wearing of long stockings in America had pretty much disappeared .

This ad from the Sears Spring and Summer catalog of 1915 (p. 311) provides useful information on the features of boys' waists and waist suits during the 1910s. Almost all children, both boys and girls, during this decade wore union suits as their basic underwear style both summer and winter. The winter union suits usually had long sleeves and long legs whereas the summer union suits tended to have short sleeves or be sleeveless and have knee-length legs. And most children--at least to the age of 12 and often beyond--wore long stockings with knee pants, above-the-knee knickers, or dresses even during the hot weather. They therefore needed to wear underwaists in addition to the union suits for the purpose of anchoring hose supporters and for buttoning on trousers, skirts, bloomers, etc.

Sears

The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) in 1895 bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane te first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.

Long Stockings and Support Garments

This ad from the Sears Spring and Summer catalog of 1915 (p. 311) provides useful information on the features of boys' waists and waist suits during the 1910s. Almost all children, both boys and girls, during this decade wore union suits as their basic underwear style both summer and winter. The winter union suits usually had long sleeves and long legs whereas the summer union suits tended to have short sleeves or be sleeveless and have knee-length legs. And most children--at least to the age of 12 and often beyond--wore long stockings with knee pants, above-the-knee knickers, or dresses even during the hot weather. They therefore needed to wear underwaists in addition to the union suits for the purpose of anchoring hose supporters and for buttoning on trousers, skirts, bloomers, etc.

Waist Suits

Since it was somewhat bulky (and hot in summer) to wear both a union suit and an underwaist, the children's underwear manufacturers invented the "waist union suit"--a union suit for boys and girls that incorporated into it the waist buttons and garter tabs of the waist, thus making it possible for one garment to serve as both a union suit and a waist at the same time. Waist union suits became very popular with mothers for their boys and girls from about 2 years old to 13, and such suits continued to be sold up through the mid 1940s, when they dropped out of use, mainly because the wearing of long stockings in America had pretty much disappeared or at least had become a minority fashion by 1950.

Waist Suit Styles

Various styles of the new "waist union suit" are illustrated here. One type, shown at the extreme left, is made of nainsook (like adult BVDs) and is cool and fits loosely with open legs (like modern boxer shorts). There are two knitted styles as well. The girl on the left is wearing a mesh waist suit which has air-holes in the fabric so that it can breathe more easily. A third style is shown at the right, where the girl and boy are both wearing a cotton knitted waist suit. All these suits have some interesting features in common. They are all sleeveless (so as to be cooler in hot weather). They all have knee-length legs so that boys and girls won't have to wear long stockings over long underwear (as would be common in winter). All the waist suits have a single design, making no distinction of gender in their construction; and all of course have the waist features--i.e., reinforced straps over the shoulders to support the weight of attached outer clothing (trousers or skirts and also bloomers in the case of girls) and pin tubes at the sides so that supporters for long stockings can be pinned on.

Children's white cotton nainsook combination waist union suit

This item was illustrated lower left; boy model. The ad copy read, "39 c. Each Suit. Children's white cotton nainsook combination waist union suit. This is a new idea in waist suits and one of the most practical garments a boy or girl can wear. Reinforced by straps where the strain comes. Has pin tubes [for the attachment of supporters for stockings]. Sleeveless, knee length. Made in ages 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 years. All sizes have drop seat [secured with three buttons]. State age. Color: white. Shipping weight, each suit 8 ounces. No. 16 V 7076. Each suit 39 cents."

Children's Summer Weight Mesh Cotton Combination Waist Suit

This item was illustrated lower left; girl model. The ad copy read, "39 c. Each Suit. Children's Summer Weight Mesh Cotton Combination Waist Suit. Flat knit from fine quality cotton yarn. A cool and serviceable garment for boys and girls. Reinforced with tubular straps. Also nickel plated pin tubes to secure the garters. [The nickel plating made the garter attachments rust-proof when the suits were laundered.] Color, white. Sizes to fit ages 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 years. Be sure to state age. All sizes drop seat. Shipping weight, each suit, 10 ounces. No. 16 V 7073. Price, each suit 39 cents."

Children's Knitted Cotton Waist Union Suit for Boys and Girls

This item was illustrated lower right; girl and boy modeling same suit. The ad copy read. The ad copy read, "39 c. Each Suit. Children's Knitted Cotton Waist Union Suit for Boys and Girls. Combination waist and undergarment. It has all the features of a perfect fitting union suit with all the advantages of a waist. Properly strapped and with the required amount of buttons to hold up the outer clothing. Low neck, sleeveless, knee length. Well made from selected cotton yarn of good quality Jersey, elastic ribbed, perfect fitting. Pure white in color. Buttons down the entire front to crotch. Drop seat. Nickel plated pin tubes for the garters. Made for boys as well as girls. Sizes to fit ages from 2 to 13 years. Be creful to state age of child when ordering. Shipping weight, each suit, 19 ounces. No 16 V 7095 Price, each suit 39 cents."

Underwasts

Underwaists were another type of support garment. Underwaists (sometimes called panty-waists) were worn by younger boys and girls to support additional underwear (such as bloomers or panties) or outer clothing (such as trousers or skirts). These bodices tended to be worn by boys only until about age 10, although some models came in ages for boys as old as 12. Some models were specifically for girls and others for boys, but the great majority of styles could be worn by both boys and girls. They tended to be made of elastic knitted fabric (and therefore rather form-fitting) or of cambric material and a bit looser. They nearly always were equipped with reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs for attaching hose supporters. The popularity of underwaists declined in the later 1930s and early 1940s although they were still available, usually in the preferred knitted style, up until about 1945. When long stockings stopped being worn by school children, the main function of the underwaist ceased to exist.

Waist (Underwaist) Styles

In addition to the waist suits, Sears also offered underwaists. Seas refers to these garments as "waists" in the ad copy, but they would be more correctlty called underwaists. Sears offered three versions (at different prices) of the traditional knitted waist for mothers who wanted their children to wear two garments instead of one--i.e., an ordinary union suit with a waist on top making a second layer of underwear over the chest. Two of these waists are unisex, although at a slightly earlier period nearly all waists had been manufactured in different models for boys and girls. The third waist offered here preserves the gender distinction and comes in two styles--one for boys (with high neck) and the other for girls (with low neck). In knitted waists, there was never much difference between the boys' and the girls' design, but girls tended to want waists with lower necklines so that their underwear wouldn't show under dresses and blouses. The boys' necklines were usually higher, because they wore shirts with ties or high collars under which an underwaist wouldn't show. The Sears underwaists here are illustrated without models in the center panel.

Boys' and Girls' Elastic Ribbed Knit Waist

The Sears ad copy read, "9 c. Each Waist. Boys' and Girls' Elastic Ribbed Knit Waist. Made from good quality cotton, medium in weight, reinforced at the sides and over the shoulders with straps. Nickel plated pin tubes to which to fasten the garters. Color, white. Ages 2 to 12 years. State age. Shipping weight, each waist 4 ounces. No 16 V 7071 Price, each waist, 9 cents."

Boys' and Girls Elastic Ribbed Knit Waist

The Sears ad copy read, "14 c. Each Waist. Boys' and Girls Elastic Ribbed Knit Waist. Knit from excellent quality cotton yarn. Neatly trimmed. Well made throughout, strongly reinforced by knitted straps. Plenty of buttons to hold up the underclothing. Nickel plated pin tubes [for supporters]. Color, white. Ages 2 to 12 years. State age. Shipping weight, each suit, 5 ounces. No 16 V 7070. Price, each waist, 14 cents."

Standard Knit Cotton Waists for Boys or Girls

The Sears ad copy read, "19 c. Each Garment. Standard Knit Cotton Waists for Boys or Girls. Made from selected cotton. Medium weight. Tubular bands running over the shoulders and down the front and back. Pin tubes for the garters. Sizes to fit ages 2 to 12 years. State age. Shipping weight, each garment, 5 ounces. No 16 V 7072. Waist for boys. Sleeveless, high cut neck, white. No 16 V 7074 Waist for girls. Sleeveless, low cut neck. Price each garment, 19 cents."

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Created: 1:04 AM 11/23/2005
Last updated: 1:04 AM 11/23/2005