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Menstrual sanitary aprons, underpants, etc. in mail-order catalogs from
1918 - 1941 (U.S.A.)
The Charles William Stores catalog, 1918, New York
City
Sanitary aprons, aprons made of waterproof material worn under women's
dresses to protect them from stains (as from menstrual blood), seem to have
been a hot item in the first half of the 20th-century in America. My guess
is that menstrual pads, tampons and other devices to absorb menstrual discharge
must not have worked very well, a thought that an early visitor to the museum
in my house supported.
The black woman from Washington, D.C., said that blacks tend to gush
blood the first couple days of their periods. She saw the sanitary apron
on a mannequin hanging from the ceiling and
said, "THAT would sell BIG in the African-American community here!"
I had thought sanitary aprons disappeared in the early 20th century
but the contributor of these scans found one in a 1941 Sears, Roebuck catalog.
Women were used to wearing cumbersome clothes in these years; I doubt many
women today would tolerate them. Just try jogging
in this "Athletic Hip Confiner and Girdle" (bottom of page).
See washable pads and ads for them,
early Kotex, "sanitary underpants
& panties" and more belts.
I thank again the generous contributor from Oregon for these scans
and his research!
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Below: The pads in
tubes in the Tourist Set remind me of a later American pad in a tube,
Delicate, which had a belt attached. Traveling
women must have had a difficult time while menstruating. Before disposable pads they undoubtedly burned or otherwise tossed
the washable pads.
Try jogging in the "Athletic Hip Confiner and
Girdle" (bottom of page).
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© 2007 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
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