Get your next hat at Sears, Roebuck & Co. - 1904

" A Regular $5.00 Fall and Winter Hat for $1.95 "

"Cut out and return this ad, enclose $1.95, and we will send you this newest style Dress Hat by express. Examine it, note the fine materials, the fashionable shape and style, try it on and see how becoming it is, compare it with the most expensive hats of your home milliners, and if you do not say that it is a value that is simply astonishing, the prettiest, most stylish and most becoming hat you ever saw, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE it is worth very cent at $5.00, return It and we will immediately return your money.

The latest, most stylish shape of the season, peculiarly becoming to old and young alike, especially desirable for street wear, for tailor made gowns, or as a fine dress hat. Made of genuine mirror silk velvet, hand made on a buckram frame. The shape is uprolling with a slightly pointed front. The back rim fits closely to the hair, the very newest mode. The facing is artistically draped with the very best quality black mirror silk velvet, which velvet is also in gathered and shirred folds and edged all around the brim with a loose fold of the latest novelty braid, edged with silk chenille cord. The upper trimming Is made of a draping of long nap black mohair wool felt and black mirror silk velvet. Bows of back silk taffeta ribbon are arranged in the center of the crown, and falling over the back are extended to the all around silk velvet bandeau, and then made Into long bows. On the left side are three excellent quality genuine black ostrich tips, gracefully drooped over the side of the brim. A large gilt slipper buckle is on the left side of the brim and is the latest style of ornament used on most expensive hats. This hat, as described In black, Is very beautiful, but It can also be ordered in golden brown or navy blue, although the ostrich feathers are always black.

$1.95 barely covers the cost of the material. We make the low price simply as an advertisement for our millinery department. If you order this beautiful pattern hat you will be saving more than half in price, and you will be getting a hat that is really distinctive, something by far more stylish and up to date than what will be shown In small towns. Our Free Millinery Catalogue, sent on request, shows our complete line of fall and winter hats, shapes and trimmings, laces, ornaments, feathers, ribbons, ect. all at wonderfully low prices, very Interesting to every lady. Our Free Millinery Catalogue offers a big opportunity for anyone to start in a profitable millinery business with almost no capital at all. Don't fail to write for our FREE MILLINERY CATALOGUE.

Address SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO., Chicago, Illinois."

Buy your suit from Montgomery Ward & Co. - 1904

"Our clothing is made in clean, well aired and lighted work shops. When you buy from us you get the very best."

Boston Fashion from 1904

Here's some of the patterns you could buy from The Brown Book of Boston...simple little numbers you could whip up. easily. Right?

The Brown Book of Boston - 1094

This is the October, 1904 issue of The Brown Book of Boston with a cover illustration by Harold Matthews Brett.

"It's as simple as Dropping Coins In a Slot!" - White Sewing Machine -1954

Since I'm in Las Vegas right now this caught my eye..."simple as Dropping Coins In a Slot".
Sort of an odd phrase don't you think?

Betsy McCall Paper Doll + Betsy's Farm Weekend - 1969

Remember you can click twice to enlarge this and then if you print it out somebody can play paper dolls!

It was the hottest, muggiest day. Daddy came home carrying his hat and jacket. "Wouldn't everybody like a nice, refreshing weekend on a farm?" he asked. I shouted, "Wowie!" Mommy thought a second and said, "Well, why not?" Daddy turned to Kerry. "And you, sir, any objections? And you, Miss Merry, will you join us?" They just rattled their playpen. "Good," said Daddy. "We're all agreed." It turned out to be the most fun I ever had in my whole life. In a directory, Daddy found a farm only three hours away. It belongs to the Reed family, They have darling little pigs, and four ducks, and a hound dog named Elvis, and a white pony, Angel, with a golden mane. And a daughter, Trudy, just my age. We helped her mother frost a cake -strawberry- and we got the bowl to lick. The twins ate home-baked bread with jam and got their faces and their hair sticky with it. Daddy milked a cow, and I must say the cow was very patient, because he is NOT a very good milker. Trudy and I splashed around in the brook and sat on a rock to dry in the sun. We talked and talked, until Mommy came and said it was time to go. We hated to leave, because the Reeds became.our friends. Daddy promised us more weekends there. Wouldn't it be fun if you could come, too?

Be His Beloved - Even in Pin Curlers!

"So glamourous too"
So I wonder why these never caught on?
They came Gayly Wrapped!

An Evening Hood - Demorest's Monthly Magazine - 1889

Evening Hood

"A Long shawl or scarf of orange-colored China crape, three and one-half yards long and twenty-four inches wide is used to make this graceful and becoming hood for evening wear. A bonnet frame of lace net, with a close brim (preferably in Marie Stuart shape), forms the foundation on which the scarf is arranged as in the illustration, one yard at each end being allowed for the strings, and a curtain about ten inches deep left at the back. The brim is covered with black velvet laid in folds, and a bow of black velvet with a white aigrette placed in front. The ends are tied with bows of black velvet ribbon. Any soft material can easily be arranged in this way, black or white lace and cashmere in delicate tints being quite appropriate and very becoming. We do not furnish a pattern of this hood."

This might be why I've never taken up Knitting.

Mothers who sewed for us.

For many of us it was our Moms who introduced sewing into our lives. I vividly remember the coat she made me for kindergarten. What I don't remember is how she pulled that off in a tiny house with four kids under 5, but she did it and I remember. I hope you have nice memories of things sewn for you...or that you've made some nice memories for somebody else.

Dressmaking Made Easy - 1935

A glimpse at this instruction book put out by the McCall Company in 1935. I've included a few of the pages for techniques you'd need to master. Also they think electric sewing machines might be a good idea.

Rosemary Clooney looking lovely in 1957

Pretty in pink, Rosemary Clooney only did the Lux Show for one season, but she had an amazing career.

Chanel creates for The Journal - 1958

Chanel creates for The Journal - with Suzy Parker!

"Six great suits ... brilliant in their becomingness, their adaptability, their ease for current living. Even as you turn, the pages to see these clothes with the world-famous name they are being shown in Paris in her spring collection. Like all "Chanels," they are seasonless, yet have an identity and a quality that go beyond the flashes of fashion.

Chanel has always believed that the woman is more important than the clothes she wears ... that fashion should never be a problem, but always be young and wearable. She brings a woman's understanding to fashion design.

These Chanels are "in" fashion and will be in for seasons to come; and although they are casual, they are utterly feminine. Lavish, brilliant jewels (which she loves) are a part of every costume and can be worn with, everything from tweeds to lames."

By WILHELA CUSHMAN Fashion Editor

"Suzy Parker, soon to be seen in the film Ten North Frederick, wears this Chanel tweed flecked with many colors, given the surprising touch of violet taffeta in its jacket lining and blouse. The matching tweed bag and the jeweled pin are Chanel designs too."

"Chanel brings tweed to dinner and the theater by combining it with a lame blouse -pale tweed and gold lame. The pendant necklace designed for the costume is of baroque pearls twined with gold."

"The white basket-weave tweed with printed silk blouse is an enchanting, feminine, spring-into-summer fashion photographed on Suzy Parker. The silhouette is slim and easy. The blouse ties softly at the waistline. The jacket lining matches the blouse."

"Year-round beige jersey with a fitted overblouse of navy-blue jersey is any woman's any-daysuit. Again, a matching handbag hung on a gold chain, and a rope necklace of gold and white."

"Silver-lame dinner dress and jacket-a fashion with great glamour and at the same time wonderfully easy to wear."

"Red-and-navy jersey is eternally right in Chanel's opinion. Jersey blouse with jersey suit is also a favorite formula and wonderful for an early-spring or a travel suit. This four-pocket, straight-jacket fashion is worn by Suzy Parker."

Modern Needlecraft - Groovy Styles from 1970

Things were bright and colorful in 1970!

One last visit with the Campus Co-eds from 1958

There are just a few more of these campus queens!

Donna loves it here...she's having the time of her life! Everybody is SO nice and helpful. And she hasn't even signed up for classes yet!

Jim thinks that Sandy has finally gone too far...appreciates the gift, but, well...he needs to explain to her about Tom.

Rhonda is sure she'll be pledged into the best Sorority. She has the right clothes, the right hair and jewelry. But best of all she has access to all the grades since she works in the Deans office. Should be a shoo-in.

Angie goes everyday to watch the Crew Team...she wants to start a girls team and beat their pants off!

Sandra isn't even in collage...she just want's to hang around all those young guys.

Let's talk to more Co-eds from 1958

What else are the girls up to?

Stacy is in love. He's back home in Maine, but she's staying true. And goes around all sappy and mooning over him. It's a bit much really.

Vivian is head of Future Homemakers of America, the Junior League, and the Spring Social. How she finds time to get that 4 point is a mystery...but she does have these little pills...

Jayne is a local girl...she is real lucky to get to go to a major school like this. But she works in the school canteen and lives at home, so that helps. Everybody thinks she's very sweet, (but nobody you have to invite to anything).

Ann comes from real old money, the collage gym is named after her grandfather. But after her coming out at last years Debutante Ball she took up with that Miller boy and hasn't told her folks. It isn't going to be pretty when they find out.

OK, everybody knows how Tracy got a passing grade in History. And when the professors wife finds out....

Let's talk to Co-eds from 1958

"Here are the livingest, lovingest styles you've ever seen, fashioned for every occasion, from coke clatch to stadium session ..." Let's see what these campus cuties have to say."

Perky Polly want's to know if the Pat Boone song coming out of her transistor radio matches the record note for note. Madge thinks she's so kooky!

Gloria want's us all to think she's a Foreign Exchange student. She rides around on that Lambretta and fakes an accent. But she's really from Milwaukee. Nobody likes her.

Millie's no fool...she wants a Doctor and she's not messing around. She listened to her Mama and hung around the library till she found out where the Pre-Meds hung out. Dean is a gonner...and he doesn't even know it yet.

You can always count on Susie. She signs up for everything. Even putting up the decorations for the Spring Dance...she's swell!

Beauty is Our Business - Phagans Beauty School - 1966

"Beauty Begins At Phagan's"
Here's some enticing shots from a recruitment brochure for a string of beauty schools in Oregon.

"Educational and Styles Director Alan sets a fast learning pace for all the Phagans' Schools. He plans the monthly schedules, instructs advanced classes, and teaches brush-up work. Alan also has the responsibility for training the 30-teacher staff at all times on the job in the four Phagans' Schools. That he is thoroughly qualified for this exacting assignment is evidenced by the "skills" of Phagans' graduates and the demand for them in beauty salons throughout Oregon. Although he already holds a Bachelor's Degree in science, he is now working toward his Master's. But no matter how busy Alan may be, he always has time to listen to a single problem of any Phagans' student. In fact, he creates so much interest in learning that students really hate to "clock out" that last hour!"

"Blackboards help to emphasize important points, such as length of hair for a particular style and the direction of the curls for producing that style."

"Don't have clips in your hair on Saturdays"

And remember...

La Familia - July 1943 -Patterns of "Family"

Lots of Yoke action going on here...

"A large number of patterns that adapt easily to all Thai, ages and occasions, can be purchased for the modest price of $ 1.25 and $ 1.50, mailed free of postage and deposited at home. Visit or order to "BOOKS AND MAGAZINES, S. A., situated in the Rue des Arts No. 31, sending the amount along with the request, because we do not ship by C. O. D. or refund."