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Hickory Garters were an important brand of childrens garters. Hickory garters were a brand name for garters made by A. Stein & Co. in Chicago. Hickory was a national brand name. They were sold all over the country in various stores and were widely advertised in magazines. The rubber button on the garter clasp was considered an improvement because it prevented tearing at the top of the stocking where the hose supporter was attached. Earlier models had used metal buttons which tended to tear stockings. We note rather amusing ads that Stein placed in several different magazines fof Hickory Garters. The purpose of the garters was of course to hold up the long tockings widely worn by American children in the 1910s.
The rubber button on the garter clasp
was considered an improvement because it prevented tearing at the top of the stocking where the hose supporter was attached. Earlier models had used metal buttons which tended to tear stockings.
The Stein Co. in Chicago made Hickory Garters. Hickory Garters were were an important brand of childrens garters, widely used by American children to hold up their long stockings. Hickory was a national brand name. They were sold all over the country in various stores and were widely advertised in magazines. Stein advertized extensively in national magazines like Parents' Magazine and Goof Housekeeping as well as local newspapers. The fact that they were also sold by Sears doesn't rule them out. They also made Paris Garters.
This amusing ad for Hickory Garters appeared in Good Housekeeping Magazine (October, 1916, p. 106). The ad was just in time for school children who would be changing from summer ankle socks to long stockings although of course, for dress occasions, older boys wore long stockings at all seasons of the year.
This amusing ad for Hickory Garters appeared in Good Housekeeping Magazine (October, 1916, p. 106). Good Housekeeping first appeared May 2, 1885. It was one of of several popular women's magazines established suring the 1880s and 1890s. The magazine provided information about running a home and raising children. This the modern Good Housekeeping conytinues today. The Good Housekeeping seal of approval was developed to assure housewives of a product's value. Letters from readers were an important facet. The early magazine, however, also included a broad range of literary offerings. Good Housekeeping
was founded by journalist-businessman Clark W. Bryan in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The magazine moved to Springfield, but by 1911 the circulation was only 0.3 million. This changed when it was purchased by the William Randolph Hearst and moved to New York. The citculation was soon in the millions of copies. Many well known writers have contributed to Good Housekeeping, including Somerset Maugham, Edwin Markham, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Frances Parkinson Keyes, and Evelyn Waugh. Following the death of President Calvin Coolidge his widow, Grace Goodhue Coolidge, memorialized him in its pages. In an efforts to stay close to its audience, Good Housekeeping accepts articles by ordinary readers who are not professional writers. No one individual is more associated with Good Housekeeping than famed American children's illustrator Jesie Wilcox Smith. Over two decades, Good Housekeeping brought her work into millions of Americans homes every month (1917-33). In all she did more than 200 covers for the magazine.
The ad was just in time for school children who would be changing
from summer ankle socks to long stockings although of course, for dress
occasions, older boys wore long stockings at all seasons of the year.
The purpose of the garters was of course to hold up the long tockings widely worn by American children in the 1910s. An example hre is another 1916 Good Housekeeping advertisement offering Black Cat Stockings .
The ad shows a boy showing off his new Hickory garters to his female school chum. "M-m, you can't guess what I've got? The patent rubber clasp saves darning, buckle is easily adjusted, the pin--," "Huh, I know that, smarty! They're Children's Hickory Garters. My mother says they're the best she ever got me." "These improved garters save darning; hold up stockings neatly and securely. A trial pair sent for 15c. State child's age. Patent rubber clasp saves darning. 15c and up, per pair. A. Stein & Co., Makers. Paris Garters, 325 W. Congress Street, Chicago."
Here is an similar advertisement for Hickory Garters that also took a humerous approach. This one appeared in the Pictorial Review during 1916. It shows a boy and girl discussing the fact that their mothers have bought them Hickory pin-on hose supporters for their long stockings, which virtually all American children of both genders wore in 1916. Notice that in this case both children are wearing white long stockings with black elastic hose supporters, clearly displayed on the boy's leg. Hickory supporters were probably the most widely advertised of any in the United States. Advertisements for them appeared almost everywhere--in popular magazines, in local newspapers, in mail order catalogues and on placards in dry goods stores and department stores throughout the nation. Hickory garters could be purchased at Five-and-Ten-Cent Stores, because their price was often as low as 15 cents and rarely went above 25 cents. The Hickory brand (made by Stein & Co. in Chicago) also extended to other products, perhaps most prominently Hickory underwaists which were designed to be worn with the garters and which had pin-tubes at the side for the safety-pin attachment at the top of the garters. The ad presents an imaginary dialogue between the girl and the boy who are taking the roles of teacher (the girl) and pupil (the boy) in school.
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