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“fashion” Tag

Home Decor, 1966 Style

Woman / 25 December 1965

Over the past couple of years, I’ve embraced getting older by cultivating an addiction to homestyle magazines. I count myself lucky that I have quite a few more options than the average Woman reader back in 1966, but even with those options, I’m struck by how similar the furniture on offer is to that featured here. Midcentury is quite the trend, but luckily, the terrible convention of a woman being unable to have a mortgage in her name is unlikely to return. We hope.

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Gay Nylons

Woman's Realm / 15 July 1961

Well, indeed. I think I’m most amused by the drag queen aesthetic here, although it probably wasn’t intended at the time, but it strikes me that I don’t see as many adverts nowadays expressing this level of joy. Perhaps I’m just a jaded modern gal.

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Groovy Knits

Woman / 25 December 1965

This is fab, man. That black and white top is too much!

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Scandinavian Fashion

Woman / 25 December 1965

A rather lovely feature on Scandinavian fashion and customs, including a mention of Shetland, traditionally a link between Scotland and Scandinavia. I’m not sure what happened to the Norwegian lessons, though…

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Ugly Duckling

Woman / 25 December 1965

Now don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not against makeovers per se, and I’m a great believer in enhancing your best features, but *honestly*, this poor young woman.

Obviously, with this being the 1960s, the ability of this woman to get ‘boys’ to notice her is all-important, and naturally, poor Paulene had to ‘admit’ that her eyebrows were bushy (gasp!), leading Woman to advise her on a plucking method that would give her the least unnecessary pain. We’re also taken through a make-up routine to bring out her ‘latent prettiness’, which raises an interesting question; what does that actually *look* like?

The new hairstyle is quite something, too; a perfectly reasonable bob is turned into something more suited to a member of the Household Cavalry. In fact, I’m reminded of the makeover that poor Kate Middleton was subjected to when she became the Duchess of Cambridge. Still, now she’s getting admiring leers from her male co-workers, she’ll soon be able to bury any ambitions she might have had and get married. Thanks, Woman!

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Evans

Woman's Weekly / 18th June 1965

Well, as a plus-sized lady, this advert for the now well-known clothing store Evans (then D.H.Evans), was of great interest. It’s not a stand-alone advert for the store, but part of a slightly patronising feature for the ‘not-so-slender’. Hm. Of course, this might have been out of necessity, as a dress pattern is also included, presumably because the mainstream patterns weren’t designed for bigger women. I remember my mother (a plus-sized lady herself) telling me that Evans were awful in the ’60s, with frumpy designs, and this does seem to be a case in point. 10 years ago, I would have recoiled at that dress, but, now I’m in my mid-30s, I can start to see the appeal. Evans is nowadays part of the Arcadia chain, but, despite the recession, is still a major high street retailer. Even though, frankly, I still think it’s a bit rubbish. At least Evans’ heart is in the right place nowadays, with great plus-size models, rather than the rather niche, ashamed-of-itself image it’s giving in this piece!

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Leafing Through the Classifieds…

Weekend / 30th January 1974

So many gems here, but what really leaped out at me from this collection was the topless catsuit, as I remember ads for something similar in the News of the World, which my parents read regularly when I grew up. The weekend supplement was responsible for a fair bit of my sex education; thank goodness my parents were willing to answer the questions I had after reading the articles!

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Bri-Nylon

Woman's Weekly / 20th March 1965

That’s also why she gets a static shock every time she tries to put the lights on.

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Hem Marker

Woman's Weekly / 4th April 1969

Yes, a time-saver! As long as you’ve got the time to assemble it and stand stock still, that is. And move exactly when and where you’re meant to so you get a straight line. Simple.

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The real thing…

Woman's Realm / 31st March 1967

I don’t know what grass these copywriters were used to, but I’m pretty sure the grass I see around my way isn’t that particular shade of green. Perhaps this is an early clubbing wear prototype. *puts on her old Altern-8 tape*

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