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Strawbridge and Clothier (a Philadelphia department store) published a quarterly magazine, the "Strawbridge and Clothier Quarterly" which was essentially a catalogue of clothing with emphasis on women's and children's wear. One example
of their advertising is an illustration of two types of early stocking supporters for girls and boys (they would later be called garter waists) for children from 3-12 years old. This appeared in the Strawbridge and Clothiers Quarterly (Winter issue, 1885-86), p. 419.
I was doing some early research on American department stores and came across an interesting mention of a quarterly magazine published by Strawbridge and Clothier of Philadelphia, a local department store
founded in 1868 by Justus C. Strawbridge and Isaac H Clothier. It was incorporated in 1922. The firm operated on Quaker principles of simplicity and community service. Control of the establishment
remained with the founding families, especially the Strawbridges, for four generations. The department store catered mainly to middle-class clintelle in Philadelphia. It eventually became a chain with branches
in the suburbs, and one of the spin-offs of the firm was a popular Clover line of discount stores with "Clover Day" sales. The company was eventually absorbed by the May Department Store Company of St.
Louis, which had previously bought the Wanamaker chain in 1996.
Strawbridge and Clothier published a quarterly magazine, the Strawbridge and Clothier Quarterly which was essentially a catalogue of clothing with emphasis on women's and children's wear. It thus includes a lot of use detail about period fahions and garments.
I am not sure whem childrens stocking supporters first appeared but believe regular usage probably began in the 1870s when boys, especially older boys first began wearing kneepants--necesitating stocking supporters. Only some younger boys wore knee pants in the 1860s, but ny the 1880s it was very common for boys-- even older boys to wear knee pants. As it wasn't considered proper for boys and girls, especially older ones to appear bare legged, these kneepants were mostly worn with long stockings. This led to a problem. How to hold the stockings up. This was a special problrm for active boys. To address this problem, stocking supporterd were develoed in both shouldr and waist styles.
Two Strawbridge and Clothier garment in their Quarterly (catalog) is two types of early stocking
supporters for girls and boys (they would later be called garter waists) for children from 2-12 years
old. This is useful because it shows an early stage of the development of these items. As long stockings became increasingly worn by American children, clothing compnies began designing and perfecting supporters specifically designed to hold them up. These supporters appeared in the Strawbridge and Clothiers Quarterly (Winter issue, 1885-86), p. 419.
The ad copy read, "Shoulder-Brace Stocking Supporter; supports the stocking from the shoulder; price, 40 cents." The first style is a shoulder brace with hose supporters attached and a connecting strap that keeps the brace in place. The supporters are apparently adjustable in length. The second style is a belt with shoulder straps and connecting front and back straps to keep the suspender straps in place. Hose supporters are suspended from the waist band.
The ad copy read, "Children's Adjustable Waist and Stocking Supporter; sizes, 3 to 12 years; price 55 cents." The second style (No. 27) appears to be an early version of the skeleton waist that eventually acquired the name of the "Dr. Parker" garter waist. This is one of the earliest examples of commercial
garter waists (or skeleton waists) that we have yet encountered.
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