Figure 1.--

We have begun to collect different terms for stocking supporters in different countries. The various terms used for stocking supporters in different countries is complicated. This is in part, the garments used to hold up stockings varied from country to country. American stocking supporters seems more varied and complicated than was the case in many other countries. A HBC reader reports another confussion has arisen in this discussion because of the British use of the term "suspender" to refer to a hose supporter or garter and the American use of the word "suspenders" to apply to a device to hold trousers up. The term "suspender waist" is American, not British, however, and the garment to which the term applies is also American. HBC has no information about suspender waists and are unsure how British children kept their long stockings up. The actual british term for suspenders is braces.

Dutch

The Dutch word for garters is kouseband(en) The word for stocking supporters (suspenders) is sokophouder.

English

The generic Englishlanguage terms are stocking supporters and garters. There were several different garments used for supporting stockings. Some were dedicated stocking supprters. Others had multiple purposes. The major garments were garters, garter waists, and suspender suits. The British used the terms garters and liberty bodices. A HBC reader reports another confussion has arisen in this discussion because of the British use of the term "suspender" to refer to a hose supporter or garter and the American use of the word "suspenders" to apply to a device to hold trousers up. The term "suspender waist" is American, not British, however, and the garment to which the term applies is also American. HBC has no information about suspender waists and are unsure how British children kept their long stockings up. The actual british term for suspenders is braces.

French

A French Canadian reader writes, "Suspender belts with stockings attachment were called 'porte-jarretelles'. This term is more appropriate for the woman 'garter belt'. I just remember that we used the term "jarretières" for both suspender-belts and rubber bands (garters) indistinctly. In a fiction narrating a story of two girls in 1942 Montreal ("Thérèse et Pierrette à l'école des Saints-Anges" by Michel Tremblay), one of the girls have some problem with attaching her stockings to the clasp and she shouts: "Ma jarretière s'est encore détachée". ( My garter is untied again). To tell the truth, I think there was no word for suspender-belt but I am not sure. I just remember that we sometimes called the suspender-belt an "attelage" in reference to horse harness because we boys disliked this kind of apparel which was always getting entangled. That is why we prefered rubber bands or "jarretière"." A French reader writes, "I think you are right about the French langage interpretation. The french dictionnary says both "jarretelle" or "jarretière", as an elasticated strap, put around the leg or around the thigh, to support socks or stockings. I think the garment is both for boys and grils, men and women. "Porte-jarretelles" is a woman garment, a waist to support the "jarretelles" or "jarretières". It is only a woman garment, more suitable, more feninine, with a lot of lace or decorative materials. I think that we could say "harnais" for the children's harness used to support stockings. But I don't belive that this garment has ever existed in France."

German

The principal German garment was the Leibchen, similar to a garter waist. The German term for gater is Strumpfband

Italian

The Italian term gor garter is giarrettiera.

Polish

Portuguese

Russian

The Russian term for garter is podvyazka.

Spanish

The Spanish term for garter is liga.

Created: 5:11 AM 5/26/20054
Last updated: 10:08 PM 5/27/2005