Ferris Good Sense Corset Waist (United States, 1890)


Figure 1.-- The ad copy of the Ferris Good Sense Corset Waist does not mention posture benefits, but primarily focuses on stocking support. We believe that posture control would have been understood by the mothers who purchased these garments. The use of the term corset suggests this. As does the phrase "Your Child Must Be Kept Healthy or She Cannot be Beautiful". The ad does not explain how the Ferris corset waist here helps the child stay healthy so she can be beautiful, but surely the reference here is to posture. this ad seems to be the same as the 1899 ad with only the position of the girl's head changed from profile to full front. The same ad copy is used in both.

This advertisement for the Ferris Good Sense Corset Waist seems to have been widely printed in newspapers and magazines of the 1890s. It was also by Marshall Field in Chicago as well as in other stores. The Good Sence Waist was manufactured by Ferris Brothers, 341 Broadway in New York City. Ferris was a well known company in the 1900s. The company made mainly underwaists and corsets for girls and women. The garment shown here is clearly designed for girls (notice the frilly collar), but Ferris also made a boy's waist that performed more or less the same function. The Good Sense corset waists began as a rebellion against the custom of tight lacing that characterized women's corsets at the end of the 19th century and that actually deformed women's bodies and especially the growing bodies of girls whose clothes imitated those of their mothers. Ferris Good Sense waists for children buttoned down the front for greater ease of putting on and taking off. They were also made with taped-on buttons that allowed for flexibility between the additional underwear to be buttoned on, buttons that couldn't easily be pulled off by the tug and weight of added clothing. Many hose supporters were advertized with the thought as posture control as well. The ad copy of the Ferris Good Sense Corset Waist does not mention posture benefits, but primarily focuses on stocking support. We believe that posture control would have been understood by the mothers who purchased these garments.

Newspaper Advertisement

This advertisement for the Ferris Good Sense Corset Waist seems to have been widely printed in newspapers and magazines of the 1890s. It was also by Marshall Field in Chicago as well as in other stores.

Ferris Brothers

The Good Sence Waist was manufactured by Ferris Brothers, 341 Broadway in New York City. Ferris was a well known company in the 1900s. The company made mainly underwaists and corsets for girls and women. We note Ferris corset waists in the 1880s. This ad here shows that they also made a model for boys. There are lots of Ferris waist advertisements in the early magazines but almost always for girls. This ad, which uses the word "manly" prominently, shows that the Ferris company was trying to get mothers to buy Ferris waists for their sons as well as for their daughters. So this ad is one of historical importance. We do not know a great deal about the company, except that it was located in New York and the company was operating at least as early as the 1880s.

Gender

The garment shown here is clearly designed for girls (notice the frilly collar), but Ferris also made a boy's waist that performed more or less the same function. Good Sense waists were mainly designed for women, but boys also wore them, although not, of course, with any emphasis on the cruelties of the wasp-waist look.

Corsets and Lacing

The Good Sense corset waists began as a rebellion against the custom of tight lacing that characterized women's corsets at the end of the 19th century and that actually deformed women's bodies and especially the growing bodies of girls whose clothes imitated those of their mothers. There was a fairly widespread movement against tight lacing of women and girls based on a sensible appeal to naturalness and good health.

Corset Waist

We also note referenmces to corset waists. An example is an advertisement for a corset waist in a Good Housekeeping advertisement (1889). We were not at first sure if there was any essential difference between a corset and corset waist. The corset is primarily an adult garment, but we have noted various references to children wearing them. This is especially true of corset waists. We notice corset waists in sizes for children in advertisements and catalogs. We are not entirely sure why children would be dressed in corsets, but believe that it was primarily to mold figures. We believe that these garments were primarily for girls, but have very little information at this time. Our initial assessment is that corset waists were in part garments that had only minor stiffening and which served some of the functions of a child's underwaists. Other corset waists appear to be really underwaists with out any stiffening at all. A reader confirms that the term "corset waist" was just Ferris Brothers way of marketing underwaists.

Construction

Ferris Good Sense waists for children buttoned down the front for greater ease of putting on and taking off. They were also made with taped-on buttons that allowed for flexibility between the additional underwear to be buttoned on, buttons that couldn't easily be pulled off by the tug and weight of added clothing. Notice the two buttons on either side of the waist for bloomers, panties, or drawers. Underneath the side buttons, the waist had a"ring buckle" for the attachment of hose supporters for stockings. Later on, early in the next decade, garters would be attached by safety pins and tape loops or pin-tubes sewn onto the waist. A few waists even used extra buttons for this purpose. The "ring buckle" seems, however, to have been a feature unique to the Ferris Bros. design.

Ad Copy

The text of the ad is revealing, "Your Child Must Be Kept Healthy or She Cannot be Beautiful. Sensible Mothers Buy Good Sense Waists. Ferris' Pattented Ring Buckle at Hip for Hose Suppoerters. Tape-fastened Buttons that won't pull off. Cord-edge Button Holes that won't wear out. Best Materials Throughout. Best for Health, Comfort, Wear and Finish. Thousands now in use in the United States, England and Canada. For sale by Leading Retailers or mailed FREE on receipt of price, by Ferris Brothers, Manufacturers, 341 Broadway, New York. Marshall Field & Co., Chicago, Wholesale Western Agents. Satisfaction Guartanteed or Money Returned. Try Them. Fits all Ages, Infants to Adults. Child .50, .70. .75. Miss .70 .75 .80 .85. Young Ladies $1.00 $1.10. Ladies $1.00 $1.25 $1.50 $1.75 $2.00."

Posture

Many hose supporters were advertized with the thought as posture control as well. The ad copy of the Ferris Good Sense Corset Waist does not mention posture benefits, but primarily focuses on stocking support. We believe that posture control would have been understood by the mothers who purchased these garments. The use of the term corset suggests this. As does the phrase "Your Child Must Be Kept Healthy or She Cannot be Beautiful". The ad does not explain how the Ferris corset waist here helps the child stay healthy so she can be beautiful, but surely the reference here is to posture.






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Created: 9:32 PM 3/21/2007
Last updated: 7:07 AM 5/5/2007