Suspenders and Sleeve Garters

I was looking at a photograph of my Great Grandfather whom I knew well. He was wearing his white shirt buttoned at the neck with sleeve garters and his vest. Looking at this picture I cannot remember a time when he wasn't dressed in a similar fashion. He always wore suspenders as well. I know he wasn't a gambler or in a Dixie Land band and didn't sing in a barbershop quartet so why the sleeve garters ? A little research gave me my answer. In the early days of manufacturing,store bought shirts sleeves were made in one length only,long. The sleeve garters were to adjust the sleeve length. It was as simple as that. A good idea from the manufacturers standpoint. For years only the wealthy wore tailored shirts that didn't require the use of these items. Sleeve garters were also commonly called mums. My Great Grandfather always seemed to have the same ones on but maybe not I'll never know the answer to that question.

As to the vest,or waistcoat,as he would often call it I always figured it was just part of his suit. It was but had a function of its own besides being fashionable. It was to cover the suspenders ! Believe it or not suspenders were once considered underwear and not to be seen in polite company ! The common working man,being crass and uncouth.may expose his suspenders but a gentleman never did. Also it is not proper to wear suspenders and a belt. One or the other never both. Reading about the subject I discovered belts never really became the norm or popular until after WW1.

At an earlier time frame the waistcoat also functioned as a corset. It had whalebone stays and laced up the back. Just as a woman's corset it gave you a slimmer waist instantly. This was before my Great Grandfathers time and I wonder what he would have thought about that.

My Great Grandfather never left his home without his suit jacket on. He carried a cane and always wore a hat. A proper gentleman. I have seen photographs of him working in the garden and he wasn't wearing his waistcoat then and his suspenders were showing ! Perhaps that is what attracted Great Grandmother to him. A sexy figure for the times I am sure. Funny how things change that way. Suspenders as underwear ? Now you see underwear all the time as a fashion statement.