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An advertisement for Ideal Waists in the Ladies Home Journal (October, 1904) (page 62) explains a feature we have not adequately addressed before--"removable elastic suspenders". Ideal was a major brand of children's waists iduring the first 20 years of the century. We see many advertisements in local newspapers. But this is the first illustration we've come across.
An advertisement for Ideal Waists in the Ladies Home Journal (October, 1904) (page 62) explains a feature we have not adequately addressed before--"removable elastic suspenders". Ideal was a major brand of children's waists iduring the first 20 years of the century. We see many advertisements in local newspapers. But this is the first illustration we've come across.
"Ideal Underwaists and Corset Waists for Babies, Girls, Boys, Misses and Ladies. 25 cents to $1.00. Of all Leading Dealers. The Buttons Won't Come Off. They're attached by double tape and stand the hardest tug. The Eyelet-Tabs for Hose Supporters Won't Rip Out. Style 555 (illustrated) is a boy's perfect waist. Made in sizes from 2 1/2 to 12 years, of fine coutil, with removable elastic suspenders for trousers, and detachable hose supporters. By use of adjustable shoulder straps the waist can be made desired length. Price 50 cents. Ask your dealer to show you this garment. If he can't supply you, send age of your boy and 50 cents, and we will supply you direct, charges prepaid. Look for this trade-mark, woven in red on all our waists. You will find them satisfactory and as represented. Try them and be convinced. Send for our handsomely illustrated catalogue. It's free. The Lay & Way Co., 54 Bleeker St., N. Y."
There are three interesting destincrive features to the Ideal waist here. >nr>
The shoulder straps are adjustable for size. Notice that in the illustration the boy (about ten or eleven) is buttoning the shoulder strap at the correct level for his size. Adjusting shoulder straps allows the boy to raise or lower the level of the waist buttons so that they are correct for his height. Boys grow up quickly, and this feature allows him to wear the same waist when his height increases.
The waist is equipped at the back with three short removable elastic straps that function as suspenders and button onto the boy's knee trousers to hold them in place. These elastic straps are removable. They attach to the waist by buttons at the level of three higher buttons on the back. At the lower level (waist level) there are button holes in the straps to be attached to the boy's trousers (like separate suspenders would be). The waist is designed so that the boy needs no external belt. His trousers button onto the waist in front (not shown) and in back (with the suspender straps) so there is no binding around the waistline and the trousers can hang freely and unrestricted. This arrangement was considered both more healthful and more comfortable than a belt which was thought to be more restricting. Suspenders for both boys and men were commonly worn in the late 19th and early 20th centuries because it was believed that the trousers hung more evenly and made a better appearance.
The detachable white hose supporters (shown in the illustration) are atttached to the waist at the sides by means of "eyelet tabs". Note the small illustration of the attachment device which shows the safety pin of the garter top pinned through the two eyelets of a strong tape extension. This device keeps the pin of the supporter firmly attached and immovable so that it does not slip, slide, tug at the waist uncomfortably and does not become unpinned. It also prevents the safety pin from tearing the fabric of the waist. Later on, pin tubes for the garter pins were used as a substitute for the eyletted tabs. We see pin tubes used on Nazareth and Hickory waists. Some waists (as for instance the E-Z brand) preferred tape loops with no metal for attachment of the garter pins, arguing that metal attachment fixtures tended to get crushed in the wringers of washing machines or to stain the fabric by rusting. Another interesting feature of this illustration shows the boy wearing very long black stockings so that the elastic hose supporters can be correspondingly short. We sometimes see evidence, especially as early as 1904, of shorter long stockings that obviously require longer supporter straps.
Notice also that the boy is wearing long underwear (probably a union suit) under his "Ideal Waist". During the first decade of the 20th century both boys and men ordinarily wore long underwear most of the year. This advertisement appeared in the Ladies Home Journal for the month of October, 1904, when long underwear would have been the usual kind for both boys and men.
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