Figure 1.--Long stockings were widely worn in Europe, but were especially prevalent in America during the late-19th and early-20th century. They were worn not obly for forma; ecentsm but for both school and even casual play. This phptograph is undated, but was probably taken in the 1900s. This created a problem of how to hohd them up. A wide range of devices were invented. A reader writes, "At first I thought the boy tio the right was wearing beige stockings, but since there are no wrinkles visible I think he is wearing shoes with no hosiery at all. This seems somewhat unusual for the period, but some boys dis not wear hosiery. In rural areas of course masny boys went barefoot.

The primary purpose of an underwaist was to support long stockings. But to support the stockings, garters designed to grip the stockings had to be attached. Many mothers used safty pins, but this was not very satisfactory because it led to wear and tear on the shirt/blouse or other garments as well as the stockings. Not only was the regular material not strong enough to stand stress, but there was no elasticity in the arrangement. So gradually companies began to desiign more efficient garments to support the long stockings. This was a huge potential market as virtually all American children wore long stovkings. Quite a number of individuals and companies designed a variety of items and refinements to address this problem. These garments became more and more important as long stockings became increasingly important for both boys and girls. One of the garments created was the undewaist. This provided a sturdy garment for supporting hosiery and other garments. Another step was creating the garters designed to grip the stockings with out tearing them. And finally it was necessary to design a way of attaching the garters to the waist. They were also used on waist union suits. Several methods were invented for this: 1) pin tubes, 2) eyelets, 3) and tape loops. So we are speaking here of various styles of garter tabs, i.e., ways of attaching the supporter to an underwaist or waist union suit. One of the most important methods was the pin tunbes. We note they were also called "metal garter tabs".

Support Garments

Children in the late-19th and early-20th centuries wore a range of support garments. Some like the underwaist and suspender waist were a pure support garment. Others like the waist union suit were garments with support fearures. The primary item to be suppoted was long stockings. They also might support pants. Pants could be supported through button on features, suspenders, or belts. Long stockings, however, required special featutes. These garments were especually prominant in America because long stockings were so widely worn in America. This was a huge potential market as virtually all American children wore long stockings. Quite a number of individuals and companies designed a variety of items and refinements to address this problem. These garments became more and more important as long stockings became increasingly important for both boys and girls. One of the garments created was the undewaist. This provided a sturdy garment for supporting hosiery and other garments.

Long Stockings

the increasing popularity of knee pants (approximately 1870 and later) made the wearing of long stockings almost mandatory, at least for boys older than about 6 years old. Bare legs and knees were thought immodest and inappropriate for children older than five or six. Elastic hose supporters for women and children were invented about 1875 and became the commonest means of holding up long stockings, although round garters worn on the upper thigh were sometimes substituted. In the later decades of the 19th century and well into the 20th century, boys normally wore underwaists to which the supporters were fastened by buttons or safety pins. Alternatively, boys wore various kinds of suspender waists or skeleton waists consisting, usually, of shoulder straps with belts or waistbands on which the hose supporters were anchored. Boys did not wear tights with their knee pants. After the turn of the 20th century knicker-style trousers became popular for boys, gradually displacing knee pants. But long stockings were still worn with knickers because the knickers tended to be fastened above the knee. By the 1920s it became fashionable to buckle knickers below the knee rather than above, and knee socks often replaced long stockings.

Garters

Historically the garter was a device to hold up stockings. In the late 19th century, garters were specifically developed to hold up children's long stockings. To support the long stockings, a device was needed to connect support garment to the stockings. This device thatv proved vmost effective was the elastic suspended strap garter. The garters were designed to grip the stockings and were attached to the support garment. Many mothers used safty pins, but this was not very satisfactory because it led to wear and tear on the shirt/blouse or other garments as well as the stockings. Not only was the regular material not strong to stand stress, but there was no elasticity in the arrangement. So gradually companies began to design more efficient garments to support the long stockings. Another step was creating the garters designed to grip the stockings with out tearing them.

Attaching the Garters

And finally it was necessary to design a way of attaching the garters to the under waist andcwaist union suits. This was not necessary for suspender waists because the gaters were sewn on. They were also used on waist union suits. Several methods were invented for attaching on the garters: 1) pin tubes, 2) eyelets, 3) and tape loops. We we are speaking here of various styles of garter tabs, i.e., ways of attaching the supporter to an underwaist or waist union suit. These might be seen as different types of garters, but there were other features of the garters besides the ways they were attached to the waist. One of the most important attachment methods was the pin tunbes. We note they were also called "metal garter tabs".

Created: 11:31 AM 12/20/2004
Last updated: 4:46 PM 1/16/2010