Figure 1.--Here are the various styles of underwaists offered by Montgomery Ward in its Fall-Winter 1924-25 catalog. Underwaists were widely worn by both boys and girls in the 1920s. Most of these garments are unisex, but one model has lace edging and seems to have been designed to appeal to girls. All of these waists have waist buttons for attaching panties, bloomers, skirts, or short trousers, and most of them are also equipped with garter tabs so that hose supporters for long stockings can be attached.

Here are five different styles of underwaists, advertised in Ward's Fall and Winter catalog for 1924-25, p. 98. Underwaists were widely worn by both boys and girls in the 1920s. Most of these garments are unisex, but one model has lace edging and seems to have been designed to appeal to girls. All of these waists have waist buttons for attaching panties, bloomers, skirts, or short trousers, and most of them are also equipped with garter tabs so that hose supporters for long stockings can be attached. Some of these waists are knitted and fit the upper body closely, while others are made of cambric and are somewhat looser and cooler. All of these waists are made in age sizes from 2 to 12.

Montgomery Ward

Although the word "consumerism" has a modern ring, it was personal concern for an early consumer movement, the "National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry," That inspired a young traveling salesman named Aaron Montgomery Ward to start the world's first general merchandise mail-order company in 1872. Aaron Montgomery Ward was born on February 17, 1844, in Chatham, New Jersey, to a family whose forebears had served as officers in the French and Indian Wars as well as in the American Revolution. Looking for something more compatible, Monty left home and followed the river to Lake Michigan and the town of St. Joseph, county seat and market for outlying fruit orchards. Chicago was the center of the wholesale dry goods trade and in the 1860s Ward joined the leading dry goods house, Field Palmer & Leiter. As a retailer, Potter Palmer had previously built a reputation for fair dealing. Ward absorbed these principles while working as a clerk for $5. The Chicago City Directories for 1868 through 1870 listed Ward as a salesman for Wills, Greg & Co. and later for Stetthauers & Wineman, both dry goods houses. In 1870, after canvassing territory in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ward was again footloose. The plan shaping in Ward's mind was to buy goods at low cost for cash. By eliminating intermediaries, with their markups and commissions, and cutting selling costs to the bone, he could offer goods to people, however remote, at appealing prices - for cash.

Underwaists

Underwaists were another type of support garment. Underwaists (sometimes called panty-waists) were worn by younger boys and girls to support additional underwear (such as bloomers or panties) or outer clothing (such as trousers or skirts). These bodices tended to be worn by boys only until about age 10, although some models came in ages for boys as old as 12. Some models were specifically for girls and others for boys, but the great majority of styles could be worn by both boys and girls. They tended to be made of elastic knitted fabric (and therefore rather form-fitting) or of cambric material and a bit looser. They nearly always were equipped with reinforcement straps, waist buttons, and garter tabs for attaching hose supporters. The popularity of underwaists declined in the later 1930s and early 1940s although they were still available, usually in the preferred knitted style, up until about 1945. When long stockings stopped being worn by school children, the main function of the underwaist ceased to exist.

Gender

Here are five different styles of underwaists, advertised in Ward's Fall and Winter catalog for 1924-25, p. 98. Underwaists were widely worn by both boys and girls in the 1920s. Most of these garments are unisex, but one model has lace edging and seems to have been designed to appeal to girls. The variety of styles offered shows that such underwaists (sometimes called panty waists)were very commonly bought by mothers for children of both genders.

Support Garment

All of these waists have waist buttons for attaching panties, bloomers, skirts, or short trousers, and most of them are also equipped with garter tabs so that hose supporters for long stockings can be attached.

Construction

Some of these waists are knitted and fit the upper body closely, while others are made of cambric and are somewhat looser and cooler.

Ages

All of these waists are made in age sizes from 2 to 12. Girls wore them up to age 12, as did a few boys. But most boys over ten years old graduated to more grown-up garter waists if they continued to wear long stockings at ages 11, 12, 13, or 14. The hose supporters that were worn with these waists were bought separately and were attached by safety pins--in some cases to metal pin tubes, in other cases to eyeletted tabs or tape loops.

Ad Copy

Here is the ad copy for the different underwaists shown in the illustration.

Combed Cotton. Child's Waist

The ad copy read, "43 c. Knit Combed Cotton. Child's Waist made of soft knit combed cotton. Reinforced seams of self material, metal pin tubes for supporters at sides. Open front with round neck. Bone buttons. A very duraable and neat little waist at this low price. Sizes: 2 to 12 years. State size wanted. 32 N 702--Whiate only. 43 c. Postage, 2 c extra."

Childs' Knit Waist

The ad copy read, "29 c. Childs' Knit Waist. A comfrotable and strong Waist of fine knit combed cotton. Seams reinforced with self material. Metal pin tubes for supporters on each side. Closes in front with bone buttons. The low price makes this a value that mothers will appreciate. Sizes: 2 to 12 years. State size wanted. 32 N 700--White only. 29 c. Postage 2 c. extra."

Cambric Waist

The ad copy read, "39 c. Cambric Waist. Child's open front cambric Waist. Fastens with taped buttons. Reinforced. Adjustable shoulder straps, tabs for supporters attached. Sizes: 2 to 12 years. State size wanted 32 N 697. White only. 39 c. Postage 2 c. extra. [N.B. The supporter tabs on this waist are apparently not metal pin tubes. They are probably tape loops. Notice the openings at the shoulder to allow for expansion as a child grew larger.]

Skeleton Waist

The ad copy read, "35 c. Skeleton Waist. This garment made of good quality cambric is suitable for boy or girl. Finished with taped bone buttons and metal pin tubes for hose supporters at sides. Sizes: 2 to 12 years. State size wanted. 32 N 695. White only. 35 c. Postage 2 c. extra. [N.B. This "skeleton waist" was especially popular for boys because of its light weight, wide arm holes, and athletic design. It was also aparently more popular than the other styles with older boys, being less cumbersome and a bit more masculine.]

Child's Puff Waist

The ad copy read, "48 c. Child's Puff Waist. Val lace edging finishes neck and armholes. Made of good quality cambric. Reinforced seams and tape bone buttons. Supporter tabs attached [probably tape loops]. Sizes: 2 to 12 years. State size wanted. 32 G 698. White only 48 c. Postage 2 c. extra. [This waist is the most expensive of the group and seems to be mainly for girls although smaller boys might perhaps wear it. It apparently opens down the back and might be difficult for very young children to manage.]

Fine Quality Cambric

The ad copy read, "25 c. Fine Quality Cambric. Cambric Waist suitable for boy or girl. Taped bone buttons in back where garment closes and at waist line. Strongly reinforced. Sizes: 2 to 12 years. State size wanted. 32 N 696. White only 25 c. Postage 2 c extra. [N.B. This is the only waist in the group that seems to lack tabs for supporters, although it has waist buttons for the attachment of other clothing. If supporters were worn with this waist, they would have to be attached to the buttons or pinned directly onto the waist band. Perhaps the low price accounts for the omission of garter tabs.]

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Topics]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Satellite sites] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [Buster Brown suits] [Eton suits] [Rompers]
[Tunics] [Smocks] [Kneepants] [Knickers] [Short pants] [Long stockings] [Stocking supporters] [Underwear]

Created: 11:48 PM 5/11/2005
Last updated: 11:48 PM 5/11/2005