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This illustration for Sears underwaists and waist union suits (1915) actually shows a boy's trousers buttoned onto the waist buttons of his union suit, so the same procedure would apply to underwaists
that had the same kind of waist buttons. Obviously boys who buttoned their trousers to underwaists couldn't wear tuck-in shirts. Maybe it would be a good idea to link this image to our discussion of the
function of waist buttons.
The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948). Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) in 1895 bought Roebuck's interest in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane te first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.
This illustration for Sears underwaists and waist union suits (1915) actually shows a boy's trousers buttoned onto the waist buttons of his union suit, so the same procedure would apply to underwaists
that had the same kind of waist buttons. Obviously boys who buttoned their trousers to underwaists couldn't wear tuck-in shirts. Maybe it would be a good idea to link this image to our discussion of the
function of waist buttons.
Originally stocking supporters had been suspended from vest-like underwaists (also called "pantywaists"), sleeveless bodice-like undergarments, worn by both boys and girls, which had buttons for attaching the garters and other clothing such as underpants, bloomers, skirts, and trousers. This style of garment eventually developed by the first decade of the 20th century to provide special tape loops, eyeleted tabs, or metal-pinning tubes for attaching the supporters by means of safety pins. But these "pantywaists" (as they were sometimes called in common parlance although usually not by the manufacturers or advertisers) proved most suitable for younger boys up to about age 8, and although they continued to be manufactured for children up through the age or 12 or 13, were hated by older boys as effeminate and juvenile. Underwaists came in a variety of styles but two types predominated--the knitted style which was warmer and close-fitting and the cambric, non-knitted style which was somewhat looser. Both types had waist buttons, reinforcement straps, and supporter tabs. Some opened in front, some in back, and some simply slipped over the upper body and had no closure buttons at all. Some underwaists had button closure at the shoulders to allow for a child's growth.
In the early 1920s the waist union suit was developed and remained popular until the 1940s. This garment (for both boys and girls up until about the age of 13) combined the basic one-piece union suit, the standard form of children's underwear, with the underwaist (with reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs) so that a single garment could do duty for two. Wearing one layer rather than two made getting dressed easier, and mothers saved money by not having to buy both a union suit and an underwaist or garter waist. These suits were sometimes referred to as "combination suits." Waist union suits came in both summer and winter styles. The summer style was usually made of nainsook and was like a junior version of adult BVDs. It had short legs and was usually sleeveless so as to be cool. Usually the girl's summer style was a bit different from the boy's summer style, the latter having front buttons from the neck to the crotch. The winter style was knitted like ordinary union suits and could be had with short sleeves and knee-length legs or with long sleeves and ankle-length legs. All these garments, whether winter or summer, or whether for boys or girls, were equipped with waist buttons for outer clothing and tabs for hose supporters. Waist union suits normally had all the features of an underwaist plus the usual features of a summer or winter union suit. These went out of style in the mid-1940s when long stockings ceased to be widely worn and when garter tabs on underwear were no longer necessary.
The ad here for Sears waist suits and underwaists appeared in the Fall 1915 catalog, p. 349:
The ad copy read, "42 c. Each Suit. Combination waist and undergarment. It is one of the most practical undergarments that has ever been developed for childrn's wear; has all
the features of a perfect fitting union suit and in addition has all
the advantages of a waist. Properly strapped, with the required number
of buttons to hold up the outer clothing. It does away with the
necessity of an additional waist. The garment here quoted is made
specially for fall and winter wear. Description. Knit from selected
cotton, medium heavy weight, with a soft brushed fleecing on the
inside. Bleached white in color. Buttons down the front to crotch,
closed crotch, drop seat. This garment is suitable for boys as well as
girls. Six sizes to fit ages 2 and 3, 4 and 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and
11, 12 and 13 years. Be very careful to state age of child in
ordering. Shipping weight, each suit, 10 oz. No. 16D7087 High neck,
long sleeves, ankle length legs. Price, each suit . . . 42 cents." [This
waist suit has taped buttons for trousers, skirts or bloomers in front
and in back plus garter tabs on either side for the attachment of hose
supporters. The ad does not specify whether tape loops or metal pinning
tubes are provided for the supporters, but they are probably metal
tubes since the waists advertised below all have these. The drop seat
fastens with three buttons.]
The ad copy read, "14 c. Each Waist. Knit from excellent quality cotton yarn. Neatly trimmed. Well made throughout, doubly reinforced by knitted straps. Plenty of buttons to
hold up the underclothing. Nickle plated pin tubes [for supporters].
Color, white. Ages, 2 and 3, 4 and 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11, 12
and 13 years. State age. Shipg. wt. 5 oz. No. 16D7070. Price, each
waist 14 cents."
The ad copy read, "19 c. Each Waist. Standard Knit Cotton Waist for Boys. Made from
selected cotton. Medium weight. Tubular bands run over shoulders and
down front and back. Pin tubes for garters. Color, white. Sizes to fit
ages 2 and 3, 4 and 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11, 12 and 13 years.
State age. Shipping weight, each waist, 5 oz. No 16D7072. Price, each
waist 19 cents." [This waist is designed specifically for boys, having 6
buttons down the front and a higher neck than the girls' model.]
The ad copy read, "19 c. Each Waist. Medium low
neck. Made from good quality cotton. Medium weight. Tubular bands run
over shoulders and down front and back. Pin tubes for garters. Color,
white. Sizes to fit ages 2 and 3, 4 and 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11,
12 and 13 years. State age. Shipping weight, each waist, 5 oz. No
16D7074. Price, each waist 19 cents." [This model is almost identical to
the boys' waist described above, but differs from it by having a lower
neck and only five buttons down the front as opposed to the six on the
boys' waist. Girls preferred waists with lower necks so that that they
would not show under open-necked dresses. Boys' waists did not show
under shirts with collars and provided a little more warmth on the
upper chest. It is interesting that in 1915 both boys and girls wore
underwaists for the support of long stockings up to the age of 13.
Boys older than 13 continued to wear long stockings with knee trousers,
but usually opted for suspender waists or skeleton waists, later
referred to as "garter waists," for stockings rather than the more
juvenile underwaists.]"
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