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Canadian children mostly wore long stockings throughout the 1910s. We note stocking supporters. There was an advertisement for children's underwaists in the Fall and Winter 1916-17 Eaton's catalogue. Most of these waists are designated as a "Child's Waist" and are therefore gender-neutral, although several of the ads make it clear that the waist in question were "suitable for boy or girl."
T. Eaton's was a well known Toranto department store. Their catalogs provide a good indication of the styles popular in Canada at the time. This Canadian retailer began publishing mailorder catalogs in 1881, at least that is we begin noticing them. We have catalogs from the 1970s, although we do not know about the company's current status. The 1970s catalgs were full of clothes which look like American styles. Timothy Eaton, founder of the huge all-Canadian department store
chain bearing his name, was an Irish immigrant born on a tennant farm in northern Ireland. He was born in 1834 and followed his brothers to Canada in 1854. His brothers had opened a small dty goods store in St. Marys. Timothy Eaton began his business with a small dry goods business in Toronto during 1869. He built a giant retail store in Ontario’s capital city along with a country-wide mail-order business and a big new branch store in Winnipeg, by the time of his death in 1907. The Winnipeg branch was the first of many branches. Eaton Company business establishments eventually spread all across Canada when Timothy’s family successors extended the Eaton
empire. Timothy masterminded the company during the crucial period of its early development, spanning nearly 40 years. It was Timothy who implemented the concept of the "Department Store", in Canada, a concept which were already flourishing in London, Paris, and New York.
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.
Eaton's offered four underwaists in its Fall and Winter Eaton's catalogue for 1916-17 (p. 155). These underwaists are designed, in the main, for children from 6 to 12 years old and, in one case, from 6 to 14. In a few cases the ages ranges are younger--5 to 7 years only. Most of these waists are designated as "Child's Waist" and are therefore gender-neutral, although several of the ads make it clear that the waist in question is "suitable for boy or girl." These bodices were widely worn in Canada and the United States for the
support of additional underwear, skirts, and trousers and also, of course, for long stockings, almost universally worn by both boys and girls. We note very similar children's underwaists offered in the Spring-Summer 1917 catalog. The sizes are expressed in chest sizes.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "98-1502 Child's Fleece-Lined Waist, well stayed to prevent stretching, suitable for boy or girl, may be fastened at the back or front. [Boys preffered waists that fastened in front.] Colors White or Natural." This waist apparently has no tabs for supporters and only functions as a support for garments other than stockings. Pin-on supporters could perhaps be attached to the body of the garment, but there are no tabs.
Notice the two colors--white and "natural" (unbleached or undyed material, apparently).
The Eaton's ad copy read, "98-1501. Child's Waist, of fine ribbed Cotton. Well stayed with strong tape, fasteners of hose supporters, suitable for boy or girl, may be fastened at the back or front." Boys
normally preferred to fasten waists in front, girls in back. The type of fasteners for the supporters is not specified. They could be either metal tubes or tape loops.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "Waist of Twilled Cotton, well stayed to insure good service, two rows of taped bone buttons for underwear, strong tabs at the side on which to fasten hose supporters." The illustration shows that the tabs are eyeletted for the safety pins of the pin-on supporters. This waist is gathered in front and would probably have been especially attractive to girls although boys could wear it also. Notice that it
fastens in back.
The Eaton's ad copy read, "98-1504. Waist of White twilled Cotton, well stayed and corded. The bone buttons are threaded with strong tape and fastened to the waist with stays of sateen. Adjustable shoulder straps." Apparently no garter tabs on this waist, but it would be worn by both boys and girls for the support of garments other than long stockings.
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