Friday, February 21, 2014

Suits, Hats, and Poodles



Above is a postcard advertising "Palm Beach" suits. This is probably from the late 1950s. I like the fashion picture on this card, and I especially like the black standard poodle. My family had a black standard poodle that we got as a tiny puppy in early 1957, and that is still my favorite kind of dog.

Here is the advertising from the back of the postcard:


Palm Beach was both a style and a lightweight fabric woven by Goodall-Sanford, Inc. that was described on this postcard as "mohair, rayon, acetate and 5% nylon, in most styles." The men are wearing straw hats that were popular in warm weather.

Below is a photo of my mother with our poodle Beau. I think this was probably taken in spring 1958. My mother is wearing a corsage which she sometimes wore on Easter and/or Mother's Day.


The next photo is of me in spring 1957. This was taken when Beau was still a puppy and had not had his first poodle style haircut.


Here is a drawing of Beau just before his first haircut. The drawing was made by the owner of Beau's father, who also gave Beau his haircut.




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http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2014/02/sepia-saturday-216-22-february-2014.html



27 comments:

  1. Beau lives up to his name -- a handsome fellow!

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  2. Looking at the price of those suits, I really can't believe my eyes!

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  3. The prices of things back in the 50s & 60s seem so ridiculously low to us now. But salaries were equally low back then. I only paid $93.50 a month for a large 1 bdrm apt. & could go to the store with a dollar & come home with a lb of hamburger, a quart of milk, & a loaf of bread & still have change left over. Then again, I only made $275. a month as an insurance examiner. I'm a cat person, really, but Beau is pretty cute!

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    1. I am a cat person now. I remember trying to get $5 worth of groceries in order to get the extra S&H Green Stamps that you could get for buying more than $5 worth.

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  4. Oh, wow! I LOVE this post! The postcard, the pup, your pictures...just lovely.

    My husband one had a plaid suit...he wore it to church for the first time--and a friend of his walked up. Said my husband, "What do you think of my suit? I got it on sale." Said his friend, "Hmmm...reminds me. I have to put up the awnings before it gets too warm outside." True story! LOL

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  5. Lovely postcard. People were so much better dressed back then.

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  6. I love the poodles..so well behaved and not a paw print anywhere!

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  7. I love standard poodles - handsome dogs. Like you, I've become a cat person in recent years.

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  8. I\d like to see what the woman's suit looks like, she should have been standing upright. Nice card.

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  9. Neau needs a hat and he is ready to show off. Great post card as you always have.

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  10. I meant Beau and he is so well groomed that he has no need of suit nor tie nor vest.

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  11. Great post on the theme especially with the supporting photos and sketch. But I have a question. With all that dog hair going to waste, why hasn't someone invented a clothing fabric that is part poodle?

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    1. Why not poodle fabrid.. You can get possum socks from New Zealand which are half possum furm half wool.

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  12. I love the formal dressing in the postcard. I wish there was more of it nowadays on a more frequent basis.

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  13. I am doing a series on dogs for this year's A-Z Challenge but haven't got a photo of a poodle yet. Everyone here seems to favour the labradoodle instead. I can't think why. Hats and suits and a dog what more could we want.

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  14. Great photographs, especially the one of you and Beau. Over the years we have had three cocker spaniels, with the first pen called Beauty. Sometimes we did go a while before getting them clipped - they looked so different afterwards.

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    1. We had a cocker spaniel when I was a baby. I didn't know that they had to be clipped.

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  15. What an enjoyable post, with picture perfect photos. The shaggy dog reminds me much of my Cocker-Spaniel right now which is in a great need of a haircut!

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  16. I love the drawing of Beau. And yes, money went further in those days but we had less of it.

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  17. Hats, dogs and postcards all in one post - three of my very favourite things.

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  18. Well I have to agree a poodle is the perfect dog for the well-suited about town. My poodle was apricot but as a girl I used to walk two black ones - very smart.

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  19. Interesting post. From post card to poodle sketch, nice transition. The sketch is very fine.

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  20. I really like the smart suits the lady in the card, and your mom are wearing. Maybe it's time for these to be updated for today.

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  21. Beau looks like a babe!

    And I so wish I knew what your mother was thinking when caught in this pose.

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    1. The only thing I could think of was that she was smelling the corsage or spring air.

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  22. Quite the stylish selection here.
    Your mom's expression intrigues me...

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  23. Love the post. Especially the picture of You and Beau. I can't tell if he is coming or going. I like Cats but am still a Dog person.
    Did a little clipping today myself. Summer is coming and Pebbles needed a new hair-do.

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