Figure 1.-- This page from the Wards Fall and Winter catalog for 1936-37, advertising three grades of gasrters (hose supporters, four models of garter waists, a set of baby's garters, a pair of sock garters (for knee socks), and two kinds of underwaists. The hose supporters and garter waists were to support long stockings which were still widely worn by both boys and girls in the late 1930s. |
Wards in its Fall-Winter 1936-37 catalog offered three grades of garters (hose supporters), four models of garter waists, a set of baby's garters, a pair of sock garters (for knee socks), and two kinds of underwaists. The hose supporters and garter waists were to support long stockings which were still widely worn by both boys and girls in the late 1930s. They included Hickory and Dr. Parker waists--both popular styles. The major purpose of these waists was to hold up long stockings. They were also considered to be beneficial for posture. These were worn by both boys and girls. These four garter waists are arranged in the descending order of their price. The most expensive model, the Hickory Brand Garter Waist, seems to have detachable supporters. This ad, unlike most of the other garter waist ads in the Sears and Wards catalogs, has girl models predominating.
Notice that the supporters on these waists are relatively short, presumably because the stockings being worn by boys and girls in the 1930s were extra long to accommodate the short pants and skirts then in fashion.
Although the word "consumerism" has a modern ring, it was personal concern for an early consumer movement, the "National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry," That inspired a young traveling salesman named Aaron Montgomery Ward to start the world's first general merchandise mail-order company in 1872. Aaron Montgomery Ward was born on February 17, 1844, in Chatham, New Jersey, to a family whose forebears had served as officers in the French and Indian Wars as well as in the American Revolution. Looking for something more compatible, Monty left home and followed the river to Lake Michigan and the town of St. Joseph, county seat and market for outlying fruit orchards. Chicago was the center of the wholesale dry goods trade and in the 1860s Ward joined the leading dry goods house, Field Palmer & Leiter. As a retailer, Potter Palmer had previously built a reputation for fair dealing. Ward absorbed these principles while working as a clerk for $5. The Chicago City Directories for 1868 through 1870 listed Ward as a salesman for Wills, Greg & Co. and later for Stetthauers & Wineman, both dry goods houses. In 1870, after canvassing territory in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ward was again footloose. The plan shaping in Ward's mind was to buy goods at low cost for cash. By eliminating intermediaries, with their markups and commissions, and cutting selling costs to the bone, he could offer goods to people, however remote, at appealing prices - for cash. Since its founding in 1872, the company has literally "grown up with America" and has had a major impact on the shopping habits of a nation of consumers. Montgomery Ward & Co. discontinued its catalog operations in 1985 as part of its restructuring effort to change itself into a modern, competitive chain of value-driven specialty stores, a move which for a time saved the company. week.
The Hickory" label was another brand name for the most popular kind of hose supporters for boys and girls. Hickory was the brand, not the manufacturer. Hickory garters were manufactured by the Stein company in New York. But the Hickory name was very
widespread throughout America--almost as well known as Campbell's Soup or Kellog's Cornflakes at the time. We see ads for Stein's Hickory garters throughout the 1910s, 20s, and 30s. Some examples are ads in 1916 and 1932.
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.
One of the recurring terms in the American mail order catalogs is the “Dr. Parker” waist, a style of garter waist that persisted from the late 1890s until the mid-1940s. It consisted of suspender-like shoulder straps with a cross piece across the chest to hold the straps in place, a waist belt (sometimes with additional buttons for the attachment of trousers , skirts, or, in young children, panties), and two elastic hose supporters in a Y-shape hung from the waistband. We are not sure, however, just who Dr. Parker was and what company made them. We first notice them about 1910. They were offered in major mail order catalogs (Eatons, Sears, and Wards). We are not sure, but assume they were also sold in retail stores.
Wards offered three grades of pin-on hose supporters.
The Wards ad copy read, "Sturdy Lisle Elastic. Low priced . . . but you'll find they are
unusually serviceable! Firmly woven lisle elastic Hose Supporters with
non-elastic pendants. Metal parts are easy to adjust . . . even for
little fingers! Colors: Black or White. State color. Ship. wt. 2 oz.
16 C 4531--2 to 4 years
16 C 4534--4 to 6 years
16 C 4535--6 years to 9 years.
Choice. Pair 9 cents."
The Wards ad copy read, "Famous for Long Wear! Strong lisle elastic tops; rustproof fittings,
non-elastic pendants. Colors: White or Black. State color. Ship.
wt. pair 2 oz.
For 2 to 4 years: 16 C 4536--Pair 20 cents. For 4 to 6 years: 16 C
4537--Pair 20 cents. For 6 to 9 years: 16 C 4538--Pair 20 cents. For
9 to 12 years: 16 C 4539--Pair 20 cents."
The Wards ad copy read, "Firmly Woven of Strong Mercerized Cotton Elastic for Long, Hard Wear.
Rust-proof Metal Buckles, Fittings. Fine quality throughout, yet Wards
own Hose Supporters cost no more than ordinary ones! Easy-to-adjust
buckles; strong rubber buttons to protect the hose against rips. For
boys or girls. Colors: Black or White. Be sure to state color. Ship.
wt. pair 2 oz.
16 C 4541--2 to 4 years. Pair 19 cents.
16 C 4542--4 to 6 years. Pair 19 cents.
16 C 4543--6 to 9 years. Pair 19 cents.
16 C 4544--9 to 12 years. Pair 19 cents."
Ward's here offered four different styles of garter waists. They are a good illustration of the types og garter waists children wore in the 1930s. The waists here included Hickory and Dr. Parker waists--both popular styles. The major purpose of these waists was to hold up long stockings which were still commonly worn at the time. These waists were also considered to be beneficial for posture. These were worn by both boys and girls. Boys wore them with short pants and sometimes also with knickers. Note that
the name "Dr. Parker" is used here. We first notice this name being applied to a particular style of garter waist about 1910. The style persisted but was often designated by other names such as "Kern's Daisy Garter Waist" sold by Sears in 1939-40.
The Wards ad copy read, "Baby Garter Set. Pair of rayon finish pin-on garters about 2 1/2 inches long; 12 gold color Safety Pins about 3/4 inches long. Pink, Light Blue, White.
State color. Ship wt. 2 oz. 16 C 4455--Set 9 cents." [HBC note: These supporters are designed to be pinned onto baby's underpants or diapers. The safety pins are for pinning diapers. Note that the garters come in Blue (for a boy) and Pink (for a girl) and
White (for either a boy or a girl). In the 1930s most babies wore long
stockings in the cooler months and therefore required supporters to
hold them up.]
The ad copy read, "Sock Garters [for knee socks--generally worn with knickers or short pants.] Rayon and Cotton elastic; 3/4 inches wide. Leather re-inforced pad.
Adjustable to fit age-sizes 8 to 15 years. Red and Navy plaid. Ship.
wt. 2 oz. Pair, 9 cents."
Wards offered two styles of underwaists.
The Wards ad copy read, "23 cents each. 2 for 45 cents.
Warmly knit and easy to launder! Re-inforced bone buttons taped on for
outer clothing. Metal pinning tubes for garters. White. Age-Sizes 2
to 13 years. State age-size. Ship. wt. each 4 oz.; 2 waists, 7 oz. 31
C 2000--Each 23 cents. 2 for 45 cents. [HBC note: This is the standard knit underwaist popular with both boys and girls. It was worn especially in winter because of its additional warmth. It has waist buttons for attaching button-on trousers or
skirts or additional underpants or drawers or bloomers and metal tubes for pinning on supporters for stockings. A version of this kind of underwaist was worn by many boys and girls throughout the first half of the 20th century. Sometimes it was sold with the garters already attached, in which case it would be designated a garter waist.]
The Wards ad copy read, "23 cents each. 2 for 45 cents. Sturdy and durable Cambric for long wear. Buttons firmly taped on--strongly re-inforced. Well made, cut for comfort! White only. Even Age-Sizes: 2 to 8 years. State age-size. Ship. wt. each. 3 oz;
2, 5 oz. 31 C 3042--Each 23 cents. 2 for 45 cents." [HBC note: This underwaist has no garter tabs for pinning on supporters. But it does have extra buttons at the sides to which home-made garters might be buttoned perhaps. This style of waist
appears to have been designed only for quite young boys and girls, no
older than 8 years of age.]
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