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Was it hats that Sears was selling, or the American Dream? This catalog illustration portrays postwar manhood so idyllically that it’s hypnotic and a little spooky… Continue reading The Stepford Husbands
In the 1950s, 60s, and even 70s, lots of men (invariably men) were encouraged to hone their hobbyist “Do It Yourself” skills. Heathkits were the pinnacle of DIY in electronics – everything from test equipment, oscilloscopes, an early analog computer (in the 1950s!)…and television sets. Continue reading Building your own TV…”Not as outrageously impractical as you might suspect”
Watch this space. A collection of Christmas gift timepieces for him or her. $1 a week would buy you the the Bulova Goddess of Time model, and $2 weekly would pay for a Hamilton Pacer, a seriously space-age design… Continue reading Become a Goddess of Time for $35.95
Charles Williams stores, ca 1927: Item B on this page is a men’s 3-piece suite that is “real snappy and full of pep” and priced at under $16. I don’t think Men’s Wearhouse has suits like this. Continue reading The ‘Gay White Way “Jazz” Suit’
When you think of hip clothing styles, I doubt J.C. Penny is top of mind or anywhere close. But here we are in 1969 and Penneys has snagged Mary Quant, one of the top fashion designers of Swinging Britain, to come up with a clothing line… Continue reading Penneys Gets Groovy
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B. Altman & Co, 1948: Was there ever a 20th-century gift more associated with fathers than a tie? Continue reading Give Dad a Tie for Father’s Day
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Nowadays, from our 21st-century vantage point, it’s virtually impossible to grasp the imagination and excitement that trains once sparked in American lives. This Lionel catalog was profusely illustrated on every page. And the operative word IS illustrated – no boy’s train set ever looked this good. Continue reading A Train…of Thought
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Styles come and styles go, and this bit of male fashion can stay gone. It’s hard to know what’s dated the worst: the embroidered-front knit shirt or the tight fringed denim shorts… Continue reading Shirts and Shorts for Contemporary Guys of 1980
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Montgomery Wards, 1947 / These fellows, thanks to their snappy working wear outfits, could pitch hay or fill up your tank equally well Continue reading What the Working Man Wears
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Top Value Stamps, 1957 / If he does, it’s either photography with cheap cameras, or hunting and fishing… Continue reading Has Hubby a Hobby?