Monday, August 15, 2016

Random Weirdness - Uniforms (Part 2)

I'm sure that everyone that grew up in the 70s remembers the S&H Green Stamps  Yep, they were part of every checkout from the local supermarket (along with other vendors).

For our younger readers, they're a bit difficult to explain. The idea is that you got these stamps for every purchase.  You then laboriously pasted them in these little books (1).  Then once you collect enough of these books you could cash them in for prizes!  Think of them as sorta like coupons, sorta like credit card cash back programs.

Naturally, in order to decide which groovy gifts to select for all your hard earned efforts, one turned to the ubiquitous catalog!!

"Okay, okay what, pray tell, does any of this have to do with uniforms?" you ask

Yep that's right!  An S&H catalog for uniforms!!  And with Colleen and Karen on the cover, I just had to plunk down some cold hard cash to get it!! (apparently, Ebay doesn't take Green Stamps, even for a Green Stamp catalog.)

So that's two of the four K Clubbers,.  What about Kay and Kathy?
That's better!  The gang is all here!! and in all places a Green Stamp catalog!!  It STILL amazes me that back in the 70s, top models would pop in the most unlikely of places like here (which makes my role as Historical Blogger of 70s Catalogs (2) all the more fun!)

Why don't nurses wear those little hats anymore?  And pantsuits!?!?!?  Didn't I JUST do a post on those?

Well I admit that my initial excitement on this rare find is starting to wear off.  These uniforms are starting to look awfully monotonous!!

Yawn! Yes, this is getting a little boring - too much white.  Except for the little hats, I can't say I find much here to get excited about.

Did nurses back then wear nothing but white?  (3)
Almost, but not quite.  Here's some color from Kathy and Karen which deserves a closeup...


Very nice hearts design - especially for a nurse's uniform!!  However, if I had a nurse like Kathy taking care of me in the hospital, I may never want to leave!  "Nurse, I'm don't think I should leave yet.  Perhaps you should run a few more tests!"

Speaking of some fine looking nurses, let's check out some more from the S&H Uniform Catalog....




"Nurse, nurse, I think I'm having some kind of reaction - elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate.  No, no, it just started when you walked in.  I think I better stay a while longer (at least to the end of your shift.)"

And finally, what look back at 70s S&H uniforms would be complete without.....
Candy strippers, I mean candy stripers, oh, never mind!!

footnotes:

(1) And by laborious, I mean exactly that.  I remember my mom spending hours licking those stamps and pasting them in those damnable books!

(2) And yes, that is my official title!

(3)  When my daughter first started nursing school, I took her over to the uniform store, and I was amazed.  I had no idea that all the major fashion designers have clothing for nurses!!  The outfits are a lot more varied now!

11 comments:

  1. Mapster:
    I believe the outfit this catalog belonged to was a specialty retailer in work clothes, uniforms, etc. and was not related to the green stamps S & H (see www.sandhuniforms.com). Not that I mind the trip down memory lane regarding the green stamps (although I always got stuck with the job of licking the stamps to put in the books)!

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    1. Oh wow, i didn't know that. I just assumed that with S&H in the title that it was a Green Stamps catalog. However, I did notice that they had dollar prices which should have tipped me off. Thanks!

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  2. I knew something was up when they had prices for the clothes instead of how many Green Stamp books you could buy them with. They are still in business, and you can still send your stamp books to them and they will be converted into S&H Greenpoints (the website is now greenpoints.com). There were some clothing items in the old Ideabooks, but not uniforms.

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  3. Good to see Bonnie Fuller in the ads

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  4. Bonnie is a former Breck model and is the woman in the purple in the 3rd from last ad

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  5. All in all, a good find. Their website states they started in 1969, so they obviously saw early on the value in using the best talent to sell their wares. The pics shown here could easily have come from the catalogs of JCP, Sears, etc. at the time. Keep up the good work!

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  6. I wear large normally. I ordered medium size for womens labs coats from figs and they fit great. We actually went ahead and bought 3 more in different colors! Will definitely buy again.

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