Print Ads 2 - Glad Rags Hooliganism

The fashion world is always in flux, always searching for that "next big thing".  For as soon as one trend takes off, it becomes mainstreamed and then looses interest with the avant garde group of fashion leaders, so they move on to something else.  And on and on it goes.  Of course, if this wasn't the case, we would still be wearing deerskin clothes and coonskin hats like Davey Crockett, which would actually be kinda cool...

Naturally the industry wants to spot these emerging trends and capitalize on them first.  In the early 70s this was the case as the 60s era hippie look had been mainstreamed, so the search was on for the next big trend.

Into that fray entered something called Glad Rags.  And no, this is not a brand of kitchen towels like I first thought, but a line of clothing carefully positioned to be the "next big thing" or at least they hoped it would.  We can see from the ad that they tried to borrow elements from the hippie look (check out the rainbow belt) and morph that into something else which looks like one part flower power, one part prep school, and one part migrant farm worker. 

They also wanted to give it that "edgy", avant garde feel.  Form the ad we learn that Glad Rags are cool "on campus or playing hooky".  Ah ha, that's the catch that gives these rags that "just outside the boundaries of acceptable society" feel that this company hoped would propel sales.  Just take a look below at the corruption of America's youth by this questionable fashion trend....

 

And what do these budding juvenile delinquents do on their Ferris Buller Day Off?  How do they flaunt the conventions of proper society?  Why they head to a park and play on children's playground equipment!  The horror of it all!  These young hoodlums are on the path to perdition for sure.  If they don't change their ways soon, the next thing you know they'll be dropping acid and holding up liquor stores!  This hooliganism must be stopped in its tracks!

And notice that Kathy is STANDING, STANDING I say, on the swing!  More thumbing their noses at the rules!  Where are the police, the truancy officers for heaven's sake?!?!

The flare pants with the cuffs were an item back then.  I love the red and white checker pattern which gives the outfit a down-home-ya'll feel.  Once again Kathy pulls off an amazing shot by manging to stand on the swing, twist her body at an odd angle, and stick one foot out to show off the awesome clogs.  I wonder how many takes they had to do to get that shot!

The poor guy has been led astray by a pretty girl.  Not only is he playing hooky, he is forced to push the girl on the swing set (and, let's face it, he has NO chance with Kathy)!  Such is the power of  fashion.  With the right outfit, a girl can make a poor schmuck do anything she pleases!

Not sure what became of Glad Rags.  They did do one thing right.  They put Kathy front and center in their ad!