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What did you wear?

  • Thread starter Thread starter oldgoose
  • Start date Start date
Just remembered the name of those box/bags we used to have in the 50's they were called 'Vanity boxes'
 
Hi all - I had to wear my sister's castoffs including her old shoes. The only trouble was I was 3 inches taller than her and two sizes bigger in the footwear department!.

I liked it when we got to the 50's. When I finally got to work (at 15) I bought this pair of shoes - hardly any front back or sides - just a few straps and a slim slim heel. They lasted about 3 days before I broke the heel running down New Street!. Then came the black slim skirt and cardigan worn back to front. I used to go out with a chap who had a big motorbike - the skirt used to have to come almost round my neck when I got on the bike!

Who remembers the foam underskirts to make your skirt stick out - the only trouble was it kept ripping every time you didnt sit right in it!
Good old days. Best wishes Jan

I remember the layers and layers of net underskirts, which always snagged the nylons, but did we feel good in them...we did!
 
Just remembered the name of those box/bags we used to have in the 50's they were called 'Vanity boxes'

Maggs, my sister had one. As well as other 'girlie' things, she used to keep her locked diary in it...... it could be easily opened with a hair-grip. If only she knew? Mabz
 
You didn't open it did you Mabz? I am being educated because I never knew that they were that easy to get into. Glad I didn't keep my diary in mine then.
 
As a teenager.......
Does anyone recall "Bucket" bags from the 1950's? Shaped like a bucket, hence the name.

I remember wearing circular skirts with several underskirts made of net stiffened with sugar water and very tight sweaters with ya boobs up round your neck!! Exsquisite form bras........... long before Madonna wore hers.

As a child...........
fair isles cardies and jumpers home knitted of course by Mom or Gran.

And goloshers......how I hated going to school in those and also the "fur" ankle boots..... yuk.
 
One item I had to wear was a hand knitted swimming costume made by my gran (bless her),once it was wet it hung below my knees...how cool is that ?.
 
I had one of those swimming costumes Ray - knitted by my Mom. If you went in the water and got wet it just hung down, especially if you got sand in it, then it was even worse!!
 
Lovely pic Ray.

Yes I remember bucket bags, in fact this was the first bag I got aged 15 it was a Christmas present. Tight sweaters and 'Lovable bra's'. Oh yes and those fur topped bootees for winter...awful. Gingham skirts, and about 1959 tight skirts in black and white dog tooth check...now I loved that.
 
Judy, I had one of those ruched elasticated things that made me scratch for England. Perhaps slightly better than a knitted one though. I still have a knitting pattern for a cossie, anybody want one?
 
I thought I was hard done by as I was denied 'Daily Mail' boots by my parents. Funny how kids want what they can't have. I always had my feet measured before shoes were bought for me. Oh how much radiation did my poor feet get from those X-Ray machines in shoe shops?
 
I probably still have my hand knitted costume Judy...this boy has no pride.
Foster Bros,Newtown Row,is where I had my first long trousered suit,c1949, it was 30/-,it was a disgusting sort of purple tweed,and if you were caught out in the rain,it had the aroma of a dirty wet dog...honest.
 
Lovely Miriam don't they look smart?

Hope you didn't go courting in the smelly suit then Ray. I remember my brother always having 'birds eye' pattern suits. No not 'Captain Birds Eye' Bet he got his in the centre of Brum somewhere.
 
Hey Maggs, I had one of those ruched elasticated nylon costumes as well. I can see it now, it was bright orange!

Judy
 
Oh that's good Judy, glad I wasn't the only one. Weren't they awful? They used to slip down after being in the sea too didn't they?
 
Orange cossies and purple suits,what were our parents thinking.
My dad still has is full army uniform from the war years,including his tin hat hanging in the garage.
 
Thought I was the bees knees in my pencil skirt and back to front cardigan, also had a waspy belt and a dogs tooth coat, 'winkle picker' shoes which I think now were half a size to small!!! We really were the first trendy teenagers weren't we.
Sheri
 
Knitted swimming costumes? Oh no. As you climbed out of the pool they were saturated with water and so heavy they fell round your ankles!

Prestatyn c1958.
 
Hi all - I remember my faithfull waspie belt - I think I would need two to get round me now!!!!

When I was 17 I also had a blue hip length jacket that I faithfully sewed black velvet on the collar and pockets (teddy boy style). My mum used to say I'd come to a bad end but I came to Australia instead!

When I first came to Australia in the 60's I had made myself a "sack" dress - anyone remember them? Well the girls where I got my first job here thought I was the latest thing in fashion. Made me feel the queen bee when they admired the latest fashion from the UK - even if it was homemade.

All the best Jan
 
I too had the winkly pickers in Gunmetal grey, they were all the rage, which the palest pink nylons, who remember's those?
 
Jan, When I was about 15/16, I had a tweed suit with a long jacket and velvet collar, and I used to wear it with nylons which had black flowers embossed on the ankles, sort of like a tattoo. I had lots of teddy boy friends in those days. Also used to dance the Creep - anyone remember that?

Maggs - I remember sending to London once for some winkle pickers with extended toes - must have been mad!!!

Judy
 
Us boys also had winkle pickers,I had a pair, and at the same time a throbbing corn on my little toe,I removed them and left them on a bus...walked home barefoot.
 
Yes Ray I remember boys had the winkly pickers too.

Judy how can we forget 'The creep' it even had it's own song,do you remember that? It went something like de de de de de de and that's the way we do the creep. Sorry folks, talk about 'Guess that tune'
 
Mention of the Waspie belt has just bought back memories. My two sisters getting ready to go out Saturday evenings...Waspie belts...about 15 layers of petticoats...back combing their hair and sending me to the shops for MARGOT'S Laquer...but must of all I hated it when they TWINKED their hair....oh and those blue or was it pink plastic rollers!....ang on I just remembered 15 denier stockings...and all I wanted to do was go out and play football...
 
There you are girls,The Creep...it first came out in 1945.Now who will own up to remembering it,I shall have to ask me dad.
 
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