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A Ward's page for children's bath robes, suspenders, and hose supporters. The combination of these items on the same page of the catalog (Ward's Fall and Winter catalog, p. 313) seems a bit unusual. Possibly the idea of warmth or coziness is what links the bath robes with the necessary devices for long stockings. All these items seem to be gender neutral--equally suitable for both boys and girls. The ad copy for the suspenders and hose supporters read reads, "Comfy, Flexible, Strong Supports for Stockings ... Shoulders ... Clothing ... Children's and Misses' Sizes."
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.
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.
Ward's offered children's bath robes, suspenders, and hose supporters on the same page. The suspenders and hose supporters were in the same illustration and the bathrobes a separate illustration. The combination of these items on the same page of the catalog (Ward's Fall and Winter catalog, p. 313)) seems a bit unusual. Possibly the idea of warmth or coziness is what links the bath robes with the necessary devices for long stockings. The ad copy for the suspenders and hose supporters read reads, "Comfy, Flexible, Strong Supports for Stockings ... Shoulders ... Clothing ... Children's and Misses' Sizes." It was fairly common to put suspenders and hose supporters and waiists together. We have seen that in many other catalogs. I supose the common link here was the support function.
All these items seem to be gender neutral--equally suitable for both boys and girls.
Here are the different suspenders offere by Wards. Notice Wards uses the term "suspender braces". Braces are of course the term for suspenders in Britain. Griwing up in the 1940s we only said "suspenders". Possibly erlier Americans also used the term bracers like the Bt=ritish. Here I an not sure. The Ward's ad copy read, "Good. 14 cents. Better. 15 cents. Best. 33 cents. For shorts, slacks, skirts, leggings. Clasp-on grip, adjustable elastic insert. Ship. wt. each 4 oz., 2 7 oz. Be sure to state size and color. [N.B. The use of an elastic insert for the suspenders rather
than all-elastic construction reflects the rubbed shortage during the War. America was solving the problem with a new synthetic rubber industry, but rubber for consumer products was still sharply curtailed.] Good: Rayon and Cotton Webbing. Adjustable straps. Colors Blue, Maroon. Fits to 10 years. Each 14 c.; 2, 27 c. Better: Double woven Rayon Twill webbing; Colors as above. Fits to 10 years. Each 33 c.; 2, 63 c. Best: Longest wearing. Hickory Brand. Rayon and cotton elastic webbing. Colors: Brown, Green, Navy. Fits up to 16 years. Each 35 c.; 2, 67 c.
Garters were designed to hold up long stockings. The Ward's ad copy read, "Good. 10 cents. Best. Hickory Brand 29 cents. Two qualities of garters with rubber buttons, adjustable metal
fittings. Non-elastic pendants. Attached safety pins. Sizes: 1 to 3,
3 to 5, 5 to 7, 7 to 10. [N.B. In earlier years Wards had advertised children's garters up to size
12. The smaller age range here probably reflects the decline of older boys and girls wearing long stockings in 1943-44.] Good Quality. Rayon, lisle elastic webbing. Colors: Black or White.
Ship. wt. pr. 2 oz; 2 prs 3 oz. State size, color. Pair 10 c.; 3
pairs 29 c. Best Hickory Brand. Firmly woven lisle elastic. Longer wearing.
White. Ship wt. pr 2 oz. State size. Pair 24 c. 2 Pairs 47 c."
Ward's offered two underwaists, although they referred to them as garter waists. Reatilers and manufacturers were not consistent in the terms used. HBC has thus developed standard terms and accotding to HBC terminology these are underwaists. But an underwaist becomes a garter waist the minute you attach the garters, so some manufacturers referred to underwaists as garter waists on the
assumption that the support of hose supporters was the principal function.
The Ward's ad copy read, "Cambric Garter Waist 33 cents. Cambric strips over shoulder equalize garter strain. 2 rows of taped-on waist bone buttons. Buttons back or front [to appeal to both boys and girls since boys prefer front buttoning]. Bias bound edges. Metal eyelet pin tabs [for supporters]. White. Sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8. Ship. wt. 3 oz. 2, 5 oz. State size. 31 C 2042--Each 33 c.; 2 63 c.
The Ward's ad copy read, "Cotton Elastic Knit 33 cents. Preferred by many for extra garment [i.e., additional warmth in the winter months]. Rib knit Waist. Reinforced self strips over shoulders. Metal pin tubes [for supporters]. No ironing. Extra side buttons for
outer garments. White. Sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. [N.B. Although hose supporters were sold for children only up to age 10, garter waists, often with supporters attached, were still made in larger sizes--for boys and girls up to age 12.] Wt. 5 oz.; 2, 9 oz. State size. 31 C 2000--Each 33 c.; 2, 63 c."
Ward's offered two different garter waits. Notice the similarity to underwaists only with the garters for long stockings added.
The Ward's ad copy read, "Cambric Two-in-One 43 cents. Cambric Two-in-One 43 cents.
Cambric Waist with adjustable elastic Garters attached. 2 rows of taped-on buttons at waist. Buttons back or front [to suit preferred style for girl or boy]. Pin tubes, i.e., metal eyelets [so that
supporters can be removed or replaced]. White only. Sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. Ship. wt. 4 oz.; 2, 7 oz. State size. 31 C 2032--Each 43 cents; 2, 83 cents."
The Ward's ad copy read, "Hickory Waist-Support 59 cents. Nationally advertised brand. Our best [Garter waist]. Fine mercerized Sateen waist. Adjustable, detachable elastic garters. Cotton web cross straps hold waist firmly. Bone buttons. White. State Sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. Wt, 5 oz.; 2, 9 oz. 31 C 2078--59 cents; 2, $1.15.
Ward's offered two types of hose supporters designed to hold up long stockings.
The Ward's ad copy read, "Shoulder Supporter 39 cents. Hickory brand. Eases strain on hose. Adjustable cotton tapes. Elastic web attached garters. White or Black. Ship. wt 3 oz. State color.
31 C 2063--Child's size. About 23 inches. Each 39 cents; 2, 75 cents. 31 C 2064--Misses' Size. About 30 inches. Each 43 c.; 2, 83 c.
Skeleton garter waists were often referred to as Dr. Parker's style waists. Boys, especially older boys, often preferred this style because of the lighter weight and more athletic
construction.. The Ward's ad copy read, "Waist Supporter. 49 cents. Cotton shoulder straps. Wide belt with 2 rows of taped-on bone buttons. Attached elastic top garters. White. Sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10,
12. Wt. 4 oz. State size. 31 C 2007--Each 49 cents; 2, 95 cents. 31 C 2045--Narrower [waist] band. 1 row of buttons. 43 cents; 2, 83 cents." [N.B. This style of garter waist was made in two qualities. Both styles have detachable hose supporters fastened onto metal pinning tubes. Notice the little pad over the hips where the supporters are attached so as to avoiding chafing or rubbing.]
Wards offered two different styles of robes for children. The difference was the pattern. One was for toddlers andte other for slightly older children. Both were offered for both boys and girls. The Ward's heading read, "Practical Snug Robes for Children." Robes were still commonly worn by children in the evening, although we suspect a social-class convention is offered here.
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