See how a woman wore the suspenders above
clothing using open-crotch underpants.
See belts that
hold pads
See how a woman wore
a belt in a Dutch ad. See a classy 1920s ad for a
belt and the first ad (1891) MUM has for a belt.
See how women wore
a belt (and in a Swedish ad). See a modern belt for
a washable pad
and a page from the 1946-47 Sears
catalog showing a great variety.
More ads for
napkin belts: Sears,
1928 - modern
belts - modern washable - Modess, 1960s
Actual belts in the museum
And, of course, the first Tampax AND -
special for you! - the American fax
tampon, from the early 1930s, which also
came in bags.
See a Modess True
or False? ad in The American Girl
magazine, January 1947, and actress Carol Lynley in
"How Shall I Tell My Daughter" booklet ad
(1955) - Modess . . .
. because ads (many dates).
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Ads and
patents for suspenders to
hold menstrual pads (U.S.A., late
19th century) (Non-menstrual
suspenders ads here.)
Women seem to have always had
problems getting their menstrual
gear to work comfortably and
problem-free - just think of today
- but they must praise the day
tampons and cups appeared when
they look at "the most
convenient article for ladies'
use ever known," the
menstrual pad suspenders right
below.
Belts for pads seem to have been
truly unreliable to inspire this
device, but not unreliable enough
to prevent its extinction. I have
seen no advertisements for
suspenders after the very early
20th century.
As for "Bandage
Suspender," in the ad
right below: bandage manufacturers
- Johnson
& Johnson (Modess) and Kimberly-Clark
(Kotex) in America, and Paul
Hartmann (Mulpa, WWs, etc.)
in Germany (and perhaps
elsewhere), to name three - found
it profitable to make menstrual
pads. But "bandage" can also
reinforce the pathological feeling
about menstruation, even though
menstrual blood and tissue do
spring from a kind of wound inside
the uterus that heals naturally.
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Brochure from
the 1870s advertising a
suspender menstrual supporter.
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Text of the
ad, starting under the title:
In adjusting the Suspender, place
the long strap at the back [see why here];
the short strap in front has our
[?] on the under side of it, the
point of the hook or holder being
outward.
Catch the end of the bandage in
the hook, [?] the point of the
hook under the guard. It is a
perfect safety fastening and can
not be displaced.
No. 36 for ladies whose bust
measure is less than 36 inches.
No. 40 for ladies whose bust
measure is less than 40 inches.
No. 44 for ladies
whose bust measure is more than 40
inches.
It can be used with any bandage a
lady may wear; suspending the same
from the shoulders; and is
attached to the bandage, both
front and back, by means of our
New Improved Safety Skirt and
Bandage Holder.
This Suspender is the most
convenient article for ladies' use
ever known [advertisers'
exaggerations have a long
history]. Every lady knows the
inconvenience and annoyance it
gives them to suspend the bandage
in the old way, with a string or
band around the waist, as well as
the uncertainty of its holding the
bandage at all. Our Improved
Bandage Suspender will hold the
bandage exactly in place, will
hold it securely, is easily
adjustable, and will give [?][?]
relief to the wearer than any
thing else she may use for the
purpose. They can be washed as
easily as any under-garment
without removing the hooks and
slides.
No body will be with out one when
she has once tried it or seen it
used.
They are sold by our Lady Agents
at 60 cents.
QUEEN CITY SUSPENDER COMPANY
Sole Proprietors and Manufacturers
for the United States and
Canadas[sic?]
No. 179 Main Street, [?]
Cincinnati, O.
AGENTS WANTED
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I added to the
drawing some lines lost in
reproduction.
Brochure
reproduced from
"Menstrual technology in the
United States, 1854 to 1921," by
Laura Klosterman Kidd, 1994
(Ph.D. dissertation)
Brochure courtesy of L. Bellais
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Below: U.S. patent No.
463, 819, 1891, granted
to Annie Willoughby.
The trough holds
absorbent material, sometimes wood shavings ("wood
wool").
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Below: The
suspenders at left, simplified,
worn under all clothing.
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A woman could wear
the suspenders above her
underclothing wearing the
era's open (crotchless) underpants
- see here.
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The drawing at above
left - I added some
lines to replace those lost in
reproduction, and the word "bag"
and the two pointing lines - shows
how the suspenders
sat
on the woman's shoulders to
support the pad, or in this case,
a bag
hanging between her legs that
collects the menses. Eliza Kerwin
created this patent No. 514, 717,
granted in 1894.
See how a woman
wore the suspenders
above
clothing using open-crotch
underpants.
Reproduced from
"Menstrual technology in the
United States, 1854 to 1921," by
Laura Klosterman Kidd, 1994
(Ph.D. dissertation)
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See belts that
hold pads, ads for non-menstrual
suspenders and how women wore the
menstrual suspenders.
© 2000 Harry Finley. It is illegal to
reproduce or distribute any of the work on
this Web site in any manner or
medium without written permission of the
author. Please report suspected violations
to hfinley@mum.org
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