K Club Special (Part 18) Kay Campbell - Smile Girl

Wow, have I been on a very interesting historical search over the last several months.  Apparently, early on in her career, Kay (one of our favorite 70s catalog models) was a "Smile Girl" for Jantzen. They had an advertising theme called "Just wear a smile and a Jantzen."  And as part of that campaign, they had these "Smile Girls" as company ambassadors.

What exactly was a "Smile Girl?"

Well, they were gals with great smiles (duh).  Here is Kay along with two other smile girls, Karol Kelly and Wendy Walters.

I got onto this era of Kay's career when Blue Senshi sent me the following little snippet.......

"A friend of my mother's entered my picture in Jantzen's first Smile Girl contest."  That is one really good friend.  Naturally I had to find out more which started a multi-month search that led to some real treasures.  So sit back and enjoy!!

Apparently there was a national contest to find these Smile Girls.  I assume that was to try and generate interest and find that "all American" look.  Here is newspaper clip about the local contest that Kay participated.  So how did she do?

Yep she won (are you surprised?) Now it was on to the national competition.

Yes, Kay in this pic.  But this was just the beginning....

The Smile Girls at the New York World's Fair.  This pic just drips of 60s uber-coolness.  Of course that was when the World's Fair was a Big Deal.

But wait, there's more for the Smile Girls.  They got to go on a big tour of Europe.  Note that Kay mentioned that she wasn't interested in pursuing a modeling career.  I guess she changed her mind?

The Smile Girls arrive in London.  Note that Kay always seems to be positioned in the center of these pictures - like in the first pic (just an observation.)  Rights for this photo are reserved.  Please contact me for permission if you wish to re-publish.

And when in London, what does one do?  Well you have tea of course!!  Rights for this photo are reserved.  Please contact me for permission if you wish to re-publish.

So now we know how Kay started her career, and what a career that was.  And to think it all began when a friend of her mom entered her pic in a local contest!  Go back to the first newspaper clip and you'll see that Kay was heading off to great things!!

Sizzlin' Sears Swimsuits - (Part 7) Challenge Accepted!!

Apparently, one of my favorite retro sites - Retrospace.org - published some pics from a British catalog called Argos from the 80s where, it was suggested, the babes of Argos were perhaps a bit more "foxy" thanthe fare we enjoyed in the JCPennys and Sears catalogs over here in the States. Well, my friends, as we say down here in Texas "Them thars fightin' words, pardner."   You can see that post here.

So in the interest of some good natured fun, I'll see counter here with some happen' 70s swimsuits.  Yeah, JCP and Sears might have been tame compared to Argos, but we had a secret weapon - Aldens.  Combine that with swimsuits and we have some pretty heavy artillery with which to fight back....

I wish they all could be California girls......Yep, nothing was hotter than Kathy in a bikini.  Check that, two pics of Kathy in bikinis and, well, 'nuff said.  Combine that with the laid back attitude Kathy is displaying on the left, and it's game over folks.  Score one for Aldens. (1)

The west coast has the sunshine and the girls they get so tanned......  I admit that Argos definitely flashed some skin (and I'm certainly not complaining about that!).  However, even in one pieces and those groovy 70s style (sort of) bikinis, these girls were the stuff of dreams.   Score two for Aldens.

Speaking of skin....

I dig a French bikini on Hawaii Island.  Dolls by the palm trees in the sand... Speigel throws its hat, or rather Pam threw her top, into the competition.  I'd better leave it at that. Score three for Aldens with an assist from Spiegel..

And when Aldens didn't have Kathy, they had Jayne.  And while Argos had the girls in showers, we have girls splashing...oh never mind.  I keep forgetting that this blog is PG rated, darn!! The knit style bikini was sooo 70s.  Wait, make that sooo 80s!! Score four for Team Aldens!!

Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back to the States.  Back to the cutest girls in the world...Okay, perhaps Penneys was a bit tame.  They couldn't flash the skin, but they could turn on the cuteness! Still I'll have to call this one a draw.

Well it looked like this contest was shaping up to be a runaway rout. Are we loosing momentum now??

Yep, we sure are!! I think we loose a point for that one!!

We need something to turn this thing around in a hurry...

California gurls, we're unforgettable, Daisy dukes, bikinis on top..... That's one way to stop a comeback cold - with a super hot pic of Kathy in a plunging one-piece.  What were the rest of those song lyrics?  Oh yeah, something about a popsicle.  Game, set, match for Aldens!!

PROGRAMMING NOTE:  I usually don't talk about upcoming posts, but in this case I'll make an exception.  Next week we're going to start another round of K Club Specials featuring the big four: Kay, Karen, Colleen, and Kathy (of course).   I've spent a lot of time and effort getting next week's post ready.  So for all you loyal followers of this blog, please be sure to check it out.

footnotes:

(1) Pic courtesy of JJ's Playhouse.  Thanks!