Monday, February 24, 2014

What to Expect When You're Expecting - Part 3!

Okay, okay, already I can hear you thinking "Not another maternity wear post!" Wel, Kathy still looks pretty good.  For example....

Be a Beauty in Waiting! Kathy doesn't have to wait to be a beauty!!  She already is!

Hmmmm, based on my experience, I don't remember all the big smiles during this phase of life.  "Coming Attraction-The Pants Pace", sorry kid, you thought that YOU were the "coming attraction".  Nope, you're second fiddle to the fashion!  Also note the footnote at the bottom "Order you're normal size, we'll allow for expansion".  Oh, so your're going to EXPAND!  Okay, nobody mentioned THAT !!

Just because you are in that "special time" doesn't mean you can't enjoy the summertime fun in your swimsuit!

A Nice Time For Getting Dressed Up? Okay, I THINK that there may be something more pressing already?!??!  Still these ladies are lovely.

"The Look Is Casual".  Of course it is!! No reason why it shouldn't be!! I mean, what's cooking (okay, bad metaphor, I meant to say 'what's in the oven', whoops bad metaphor again, dang!!)

Okay so now "Fashions Play 'The Waiting Game'" What gives??? These gals look like fabulous, waiting or not!!!

Can Kathy and Kay be any cuter??? I doubt it!!!  Even in maternity wear they look great!

"Keep Your Cool"? Well how??? Oh "in Pretty Polyester" that's how!! Some how polyester never impressed me a material that allows for much cooling effect.  Still, these outfits define fashion coolness for sure!

Wait, what happened to all the big smiles?  Everyone seems a bit more glum here.  Maybe that is some of those mood swings I remember.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Aldens Catalog R.I.P.

This post is dedicated to an American institution that, unfortunately, is no longer with us.  That would be Adens Catalog mail order company.  They were great during there day, but, alas, they are no more.....

Aldens has been a rich source of good Kathy pics.  Here is a classic, along with Kay.  WOW, knock my socks off!!

Aldens always had some really hip fashions.  Check out the scarf...


Aldens always had snappy titles.  "LOOK OUT", like yeah, okay. Aldens always tried SO hard, with their titles and all.  "Super Novelty Tops on Natural-Look Fabrics and Muted Color Combinations"!  Okay, enough hyperbole already...


Groovy baby!!  I love the Print in a Polyester!!! So Classically Aldens....


Like I said, Aldens has been a VERY good source of Kathy pics.  Need I say more, oh MY!!!!!


Wait, there is more, Kathy is still Aldens Snazzy in this outfit!!


Okay, I just HAD to include this one, if not for the title.  The "Big-Zip Top" indeed.  I could go off in several different directions here - all of them inappropriate for a PG rated blog.  Better move on quickly......

Oh man, Kay is super sexy here, Dang!!!!  "Juniors  Play It Pretty" of course.  So soft and sexy - where are those girls today?!?!??!?

Aldens had an unfortunate end, read about it here..


So sad, but that is life.  Here are some choice Aldens catalogs through the years......

Fall Winter 1948. Reblogged from myvintagevogue.blogspot.com 

Fall Winter 1956.  Reblogged from what-i-found.blogspot.com

Spring Summer 1960.  Reblogged from www.nopatternrequired.com

Fall Winter (can't you tell?) 1973.  I don't know what I like best about this: (1) the rugged, fur attired, alpha male in the lead or (2) his submissive lady waiting patiently behind him or (3) the fog rolling in the from the forest!!  If you gave each a spear, a shield, and a helmet this could be a scene from a Heavy Metal magazine!!  Awesome job Aldens!!!!!  You will be missed by all of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Crazy Catalog Stuff - Part 3: 70s Tech

As you probably can imagine, in this blogging business I acquire quite a few catalogs and such. Occasionally, a seller has made the offer of separating out just the sections that I want in order to save on postage. Shocked at such wanton destruction of irreplaceable 70s memorabilia, I recoil in horror saying "NEVER, send me the entire 1037 page tome!"  For scattered thither - among the seemingly endless pages of lavender, flower print draperies and avocado, shag pile carpets - are true gems to be mined.  And no where is this more evident than in the wonders of 70s technology....

Kids today have no idea, but in eons past a color TV was a BIG deal (as you can see from these prices!).  Of course, it doesn't make me feel very good about their quality when they use a picture from another part of the catalog and superimpose it on the screen?!?  I can't blame them for using Kathy for this, but still.  Also "the TV that thinks in color".  Okay, I'd rather that my TV didn't "think" at all.  Perhaps the NSA was checking up on us a lot earlier than we realize? (Check out the pic of the "brain" with all the colors in it - kind of icky if you ask me).

Yes, there was a time before phones had cameras.  Shocking, I know.  In fact, with a regular camera, you had to take the film into one of those places to have it developed.  So here, we have a type of Instamatic. What will those techie types dream up next?.  And , yes, once again they use pics from other parts of the catalog in the album (1).

Oh boy! Now you were probably thinking to yourself  "Well he HAS to have something about those 8 track tapes!" (2)  Well I did you one better - an 8 track player with quadraphonic sound! (3)  So we have not one, but TWO 70s tech failures in one product.

Speaking of getting everyday life on film, I'm sure everyone remembers these!  There must have been some kind of law that required every dad to buy one and take one reel of film before putting it up in the attic forever.

Everyone knows that the 70s was when the omnipresent microwave burst upon the consumer world.  But what did people do with those pesky leftovers before that? (4)  Well, here is the answer "The Mini Meal Toaster!".  As an added bonus, we also have the "Astro-Grill".  The 70s were definitely a time of rapid technological progress!

Back to the TVs!  Just to prove that that first pic wasn't an anomaly, here we have a pic of Karen on the TV.

Not all 70s tech ideas are obsolete today.  No, no, no!!  The keg cooler that is also a mini fridge is still just as cool today as back then.  I want one in my man cave so that I enjoy my 8 track tapes in quadraphonic surround sound!!!

footnotes (boy, we have a bunch this week)

(1)  Yeah, I checked out the tiny pics in the album.  At first I thought that one may be Kathy, but no dice.

(2)  As you recall, those 8 track tapes had the nasty habit of getting "eaten" when played.  High school parking lots across the land where littered with little piles of tapes after they had been ripped out in anger by their owner and tossed out the window of their Trans Am.

(3) My best friend in high school got a quad stereo system for his birthday.  Man, I was SOOOOOOO jealous.

(4) When microwaves first came out, they were kind of a bust.  Why?  Well they tried to market them as a complete replacement to the conventional oven, with recipe books and special cookware.  Then everyone figured out what they are good for: heating up leftovers. They have been a fixture in American kitchens ever since...


Monday, February 3, 2014

Random Goodness: 70s Spiegel Elegance

Okay, okay, I'm sure you are thinking "HEY! You started this "so called" Random Goodness category and then the "poof' no more!!! What gives.?!??!?!

WEEELLLL, I've been busy.   You know the usual - new job, kids changing schools, holidays and vacation, etc.  But, I have not forgotten!!!  So to make up for it - here is some "Random Goodness" 70s "elegante" style from Spiegel.....

Wow!! Okay, this is the very definition of elegant.  But who, pray tell, are those lovelies in the upper right with their heads chopped off?? (1)

There they are!!! Okay they are in short dresses, but who cares!! They are still smoking it in either evening formal or everyday casual!!!


Speaking of long dress elegance, Karen and Pat are checking out... something?!?!!? not sure what.  Once again we have a model with her head chopped off in the upper left.  Who?? Well, we may never know.....

Okay, you may have recognized the Kathy pic on the right from a post on jumpsuits, but I thought I'd show it in the whole page.  Muy elegante indeed!

Yep here is classic Spiegel's evening wear.....70s style....

Floral just bespeaks of elegance and class.  And Colleen is all that and more....

Oh no... another headless model, who, well maybe we will never know.......Still Karen seems pleased in in that....thing.. she is wearing.

Okay, I saved this one for last.  I can't really add much too it.  Kathy is simply stunning, and awesome, and smoking, and, totally hot, ... I can go on and on with the adjectives... and well, that's about it.......(oh yeah, there is another headless model in the upper left, but who's counting...) (2)

footnotes (yeah, they have been gone for awhile, but now they are back!)

(1) Spiegel catalogs are extra long and do not fit in a standard scanner, so that is why we have the top or bottom chopped off.

(2) Okay, okay WHO is the brunette?!?!?!  It is driving me CRAZY!!!! Kathy is totally incredible, no doubt, but still I have to know about this brunette!!!  Also, how classically beautiful are these ladies. Where, or where, did that go in these modern days? Take a look again at this pic - artistic awesomness!!.