BVD Union Suits (1922)


Figure 1.--This BVD ad appeared in "The Youth's Companion" in 1922. The ad mkes the point that boys want to wear underwear and otyher clothing like their fathers.

We note a BVD ad for boys' underwear--a summer-weight union suit for "youths" or teen-age boys in exactly the same style as that worn by their fathers. The advertisement makes this clear. It is another one in the series of father-son underwear ads. It appeared in The Youth's Companion (April 13, 1922, p. 209). It was reprinted in several later issues of the magazine. In the 1920s boys 12 or 13 and younger tended to wear waist union suits (with waist buttons and garter tabs for long stockings), but older boys wore underwear which was essentially a junior version of what their fathers wore.

BVD

BVD is a major brand of underwear in the United States. We have only limited historical information on the company at this time. The B.V.D. brand of underwear became so famous in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s that "BVDs" after a time became the standard word for any one-piece summer underwear in the same way that "Frigidaire" became synomymous with any refrigerator or "Hoover" with any vaccum cleaner.

The Youth's Companion

This ad appeared in The Youth's Companion (April 13, 1922, p. 209). It was reprinted in several later issues of the magazine. "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.

Union Suit

The union suit is a close-fitting underwear garment. The term union refers to the fact that a union suit involves the combination of both a shirt and pants (drawers) in a one piece suit. The garment commonly included a drop seat. This term began to be used in the 1890s. The term union suit was commonly used for adults. The children's version was a waist suit or a waist-union suit. Women also wore union suits. So did girls. But they were associated mainly with men because more men than women wore them. With boys and girls, I'm not sure. I think waist union suits were equally popular for boys and girls because of the waist feature. Union suits for children were essentially combination suits. But union suits without the reinforcement straps were mainly a boy's garment.

Adult Styles

Many ads in the 1920s stressed the fact that boys wanted to wear clothes styled like their fathers. This is one of many examples. We note a BVD ad for boys' underwear--a summer-weight union suit for "youths" or teen-age boys in exactly the same style as that worn by their fathers. The advertisement makes this clear. It is another one in the series of father-son underwear ads. In the 1920s boys 12 or 13 and younger tended to wear waist union suits (with waist buttons and garter tabs for long stockings), but older boys wore underwear which was essentially a junior version of what their fathers wore.

Garment

This union suit is made of nainsook material, is sleeveless and knee-length. It buttons all the way down the front and has a button-flap seat in back. BVD also made "Coat Cut Undershirts" and separate "Knee Length Drawers" for men and youths; these are mentioned in the advertisement but not illustrated.

Ad Copy

The BVD ad copy read, "The text of the ad reads: "BVD Underwear is Identified by This Red Woven Label: Made for the BVD Best Retail Trade. Trade Mark Reg. (US Pat. Off and Foreign Countries). No Underwear is B.V.D. Without It. The Youths' B.V.D. Union Suit gives the young fellow the same comfort and the same long wear afforded his Dad by the Men's "B.V.D." Union Suit. Youths' B.V.D. Sleeveless Closed Crotch Union Suits (Pat. U.S.A.) $1.00 the suit. The B.V.D. Company, New York, Sole Manufacturers of DVD Underwear. B.V.D. Sleeveless Closed Crotch Union Suits (Pat. U.S.A.) Men's $1.50. B.V.D. Coat Cut Undershirts and Knee Length Drawers. Men's 85 c. the garment."







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Created: 10:48 PM 1/19/2005
Last updated: 10:49 PM 1/19/2005