Though I am no expert on clothing styles like most women are, I have always been intrigued by different styles and the trends that come and go. Being the conservative western clothing dresser that I am, I am amused by what people find trendy. Some of the women’s clothes today are pretty radical to me, especially those ugly body revealing leggings! To further make my point, I think the clothing styles of today are abominable! Men’s casual wear is ok, but what happened to suits? When did the men’s world give up suits? Formal wear today is nothing more than renting a “formal” for a onetime event. No more closets full of suits or dresses. No sir, mostly gone, I am sad to say. Only the rich and elite are seen in suits anymore-ladies or men’s suits. Sometimes a suit in church, but rarer and rarer as people think shorts or pajamas are ok to go everywhere in. Casual wear has killed our industry and the results are all around us. Just “people watch” one day at a mall or office setting.
The Home Washer Is Putting
Us Out Of Business
A good drycleaner should stay on top of clothing styles and trends. Even casual clothing requires professional care if you want it to look good. The home washer is putting us out of business! I remember when we once would shop stores to stay on top of our game. Doing that is still good to stay current, even with casual wear. In order to properly handle clothes, one must know clothes and what they are made of. Processing clothes requires a good knowledge of fibers and dye colors for safe handling.
Overalls
When not in western garb or shorts these days, I can be found in the least attractive of all clothing that is found on a farm or in a mechanics shop. The wonderful world of overalls. Once used in the early part of the last century for workers, overalls and coveralls offered protection of stains for the worker. Much like an apron does for a chef. And boy, aren’t those a thrill to get clean? Not! The nicest overalls I remember were worn in the 1960-70’s as a trend fashion by women. They were cute and the trend lasted about a decade. Along came the famed TV show Hee Haw and with it more overalls. They looked a whole lot better on those girls on that show than they do on me. But I wear them because I tinker around the house, on cars and get greasy and overalls offer a comfortable garment to move around in. And to clean the grease and oil, off to my favorite cleaner who can remove grease stains better than the home laundry.
My research for this article proved quite a history of protective, comfortable garments like overalls. Once also very close in shape and purpose to be called dungarees, bib braced or boiler suits in the olden days. Whatever you call them, they serve a very useful purpose. Most people I know would die before being seen in them. Not me, I like ’em.
Pedal Pushers
Maybe you’ve heard of them, maybe you haven’t. If you’re in your 60’s like I am, or older, you have heard of them. Some people call them “Capri’s” now but they did not start out as Capri’s as women’s casual wear. Other names were “calf length pants,” “clam diggers”, “crop pants and maybe other names in different parts of the country other than where I was raised. My sister wore them in the 1950’s when riding a bicycle, hence the name pedal pushers. I saw an article in a magazine I get called Reminice, which is a great magazine about American history. The front page showed a picture of a girl in the 1950’s standing by a 1957 Chevrolet and the title was “Capri’s.” Well that name was really not around in the 1950’s or they called them that back East, I’m not sure. But down South we called them pedal pushers.
I remember when these calf length pants for ladies became real popular when Laura Petrie of the Dick Van Dyke show in the 60’s began a fashion statement wearing them. That started a big trend in casual wear for ladies. Capri’s are still popular today but sometimes they are substituted by wearing form fitting garments sometimes called “leg ins” that are skin tight form fitted and grossly over rated. They are in my opinion, just awful looking on a lady. I’m guessing hosiery is another unpopular item that has gone to the graveyard of unstylish items that will maybe return some day, I hope. The Capri actually started in Europe when they began appearing in the 1940’s. One thing I have noticed in my time is that these styles of men and women clothing come, disappear and return. I guess that is why they are called styles. Anyway, I find it all interesting and when full clothing reappears, maybe we drycleaners will have more business and America will return to a more formal user of fine garments. I can only hope.
I’m headin’ to the wagon now, these boots are killin’ me!
