The "Gartlet"

Lord and Taylor advertised these combined garter and hose in a 1909 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher. I wonder if, when the ad was printed, the inventors of the "Gartlet" had any inkling that one day, little elastic bands attached to the tops of socks, would virtually wipe out the garter business.

Gargantuan Garters!

In 1909, the boardwalk at Atlantic City was home to a 40 foot tall, full color, light-up Brighton garter ad! The largest in the world!

Your Best Asset

This ad copy is an absolute gem! It's so motivating! It just makes you want to get out there and tailor your way to success, "through the sheer attractiveness of good clothes!"

Oh, don't say that!

Some issues of The Clothier and Furnisher had a special gossip column. Not just a chatty column referred to as "the gossip column" in moments when it's official title was forgotten, mind you, but a full blown page, with an elaborate header proclaiming exactly what you would find below.

And in the gossip section of a 1909 issue, I found the following delicious tidbit:

My, what a powerful writer's voice! Our gossip seems tickled giddy, over the introduction of purple silk belts to the 5th avenue menswear scene. I wonder how many gentlemen took full advantage of the new purple accessories, and became "things of beauty" and "joys forever?"

Rah Rah Heels

With these 1909 King Quality Rah! Rah! style balmoral boots, a gentleman could make his feet appear a whole 3 sizes smaller, all while gaining a whopping two inches in height! Now that's a win-win for tiny folks with big feet!

Advertisement from a 1909 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher.

Sock Buddies

I think this little illustration has a really elegant yet charming simplicity to it. Just a couple of pals, having a cozy chat in their Wayne knit socks. This ad is from the 1909 Clothier and Furnisher. 

Pick Your Garter!

Garter ads are everywhere, in The Clothier and Furnisher, but most of them are in black and white, and only feature one, or maybe two illustrations of the product. This two-page spread of Boston Garters from 1909, however, is a spectacle to behold!

 I never knew that Boston garters came in so many different colors and materials! From pale pink cotton to deep blue silk. 

One Fancy Illustration

A Swallowtail butterfly, a peacock, a mirror, and a Regency Dandy! I don't think a page header could get much swankier!  

This magnificent piece was printed in a 1909 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher,
above an article, listing of the latest trends in menswear.