Date: c. 1920s
Origin: United States
Fabric: Silk ribbon
Brand: Custom made
These garters are made from an outer of floral printed ribbon and interior of elastic. There are two matching pairs, and both have the unusual addition of pink silk encase ‘padding’: on one pair this is on the interior of the garters, and on the other on the exterior on top of ribbon rosettes. The garters were mostly stitched by machine, with the padding and rosettes added by hand.
Garters were commonly worn to keep stockings up just above the knee until the popularisation of suspenders, whether attached to corsets or a belt. Until the invention of elastic, garters were tied onto the body with ribbon. Elastication allowed for a more comfortable and flexible fit.
From the collection of Karolina Laskowska
