That's so 70s: High Rise Pants - Part 2

I don't know why I'm fascinated by this little fashion oddity from the 70s.  Perhaps it is because it so opposite of the way pants and jeans are worn today - as low as possible.  It is like everyone back then wanted to bring out their inner geek!

See what I mean.  Of course Kathy can pull this look off, even with the eye-popping vertical stripes!  The striped belt is a nice touch also!

So you didn't like the striped version. No problem! You can go with the checked pattern worn here by Kay or the nautical theme on the right.  And to complete the nerd look, it even comes with a beanie cap!

This just goes to show you that the style wasn't just high risers.  No, no, no.  The idea was to FLAUNT those high risers and accentuate them with the wide belts.  Own that look!

One could even class these high risers up a bit by adding a matching jacket as shown here by Kathy and Colleen.

Or you could match them with any number of different tops as shown here.  The matching color theme was popular (for some reason).  Blue on blue was a song, but orange on orange? (1)

The possibilities were seemingly endless.  Check out Kathy in the all green outfit that is listed as "Western" Huh?

I just had to include this pic.  Yep you guessed why - the big-wheel bicycle!  I really have no idea what they are trying to imply here.  It looks like the blond is trying to get the brunette to ride it, and the brunette is saying "No way I'm riding that thing.  I'll fall over.  You ride it!"

footnotes:

(1) Okay, okay, it probably "peach" or something like that instead of orange.  But guys are not allowed to call something "peach" since we only officially recognize the following colors: red, blue, green, brown, yellow, pink, grey, gold, silver, purple, and orange.  If it's not one of those, too bad.    

K Club Special Part 5 - Dottie Harris

Okay, okay, Dottie doesn't have a name that begins with a hard K sound (like the original foursome: Kathy, Kay, Kare, and Colleen) but we are going to be branching out and doing specials on some of the other popular catalog models fo the 70s this year.

So first up is Dottie!

Elegance is the word that best sums up Dottie's modeling style.  She was a very popular catalog model in the 70s, and often appeared in the women's section modeling some of the higher end fashions (at least higher end for mail order catalogs) for ladies like here.  She had that certain look that just seemed to go with that genre of fashion.

Dottie was a finalist in 1968 Model of the Year competition held by The Stewart Agency.  As you may recall, Kathy was also one of the 16 finalists in that same competition.  Her bio, shown here from Seventeen Magazine, gives us a little bit of info.  It states that she did some television commercials, so she must have done some modeling before 1968.

Like so many of the other models, Dottie appeared in numerous print ads.  This one isn't so great.  However, I do have a positive ID that is her in the pic.

A much, much better ad featuring Dottie from Revlon.

Another Revlon ad.  Very Nice!

And, of course, she made numerous appearances in magazines too.  With a smile like that, you can see why!

Like I previously mentioned, Dottie's catalog modeling career had a different emphasis that the other K Clubbers.  She was often featured in the Women's section as opposed to the Juniors section.  Elegant was indeed the word to describe her look.

Dottie in some super sexy 70s sleepwear with Karen (Colleen and Joanne make an appearance also).

Oh, this cannot be good!  I've warned those guys in the Production Department about politically sensitive material!  I apologize to anyone offended.  I promise that heads will roll over this! (1)

Nevertheless, as a historical blogger, I must cover all the fashion happenings of that era.  Regardless of how you feel on the subject, you have to admit that social norms have changed quite a bit.  Some things that were frowned upon back then are not now.  And others - such as wearing fur - will get you assulted today! (2)

That's a little better! No one should be offended here.  Sorry for the poor scan quality - had a hard time getting the page to lay flat without damaging the catalog spine.

Wow, that's quite a gold medallion there!  I thought the guys were the only ones with the gold chains?

Now that's a 70s style caftan for sure!  With that crazy pattern, I'm not sure how one is supposed to sleep in that thing.  Oh wait I forgot, this was the 70s, nobody did much sleeping anyway.

Well, I wish that I could give you an update on Dottie, but I really don't have any info or pics of her after about 1978.  If anyone out there has any info they would like to share, I'm sure that many of our readers would be interested.  After all, she was one of the more popular and successful catalog models of the 70s!

footnotes:

(1) This makes TWO weeks in a row that we've had an issue with the Production Department!  As some of you may have noticed, last week we got the title misspelled (Westerward?).  It should have been Westward. And now this!  I'm telling you, those guys in Production are skating on thin ice now for sure!

(2) You may want to check out the price tag on that fox coat that Dottie is sporting - $499!!  Nobody said that being politically incorrect was cheap!

Westerward Ho! Fashion as Couples Therapy Part 4!

Yee Haw ya'll!!  All you cowboys and cowgirls saddle up to some high falutin' His 'N Her fashions - countrified (sort of) from the 70s!  I'm not sure why western styles were so popular as couples fashions. Perhaps it was because both could wear jeans, or maybe because dressing up western style was just so much dad bern tootin' fun!!

So when the world starts spinnin' and your head hurts, There's cheap bourbon whiskey and pearl snap shirts.....Somehow matching Western shirts just scream "Both of ya'll need to git yer country thang on by wearing the same dad gum shirts!" Even without pearl snap buttons on those shirts, it looks like Kathy and friend are all ready for a night at the hootenanny! (1)

Yep, "be pardners in saddlebacks"  I guess spelling it as "pardners" instead "partners" makes it all seem so authentically "western".  However, I'm not sure about these pants, maybe if you're going for that hip new western look perhaps, .....perhaps not.

 

Here is a clear violation of the "denim-on-denim" rule. (2)  And not only that, it is the same shade of denim-on-denim.  This definitely is a fashion faux pas - here committed by these "Urban Cowboy" newbies!

I've been looking for love in all the wrong places....Okay that is almost TOO easy of a song reference for this post.  However, that purdy gal looking back (oblivious to her partner) while tipping her hat seductively kinda brings back memories of the many nights I wasted my youth in the local honky tonks!  Ahh the memories - and those clothes, well those don't really bring back any memories.  They're about as "Urban Cowboy" as you can get! 

When you see them purdy little country queens. Man you gotta admit that it's in them jeans (or is it spelled genes, get it?)....Those shirts are western style, but the white jeans??  That's SO 70s.

This couple definitely looks the part!  Perfectly attired in matching slacks, the guy sports a never-seen-a-real-farm cowboy hat while the gal has the obligatory Indian bead handbag.  It looks like they just stepped out of the ranch home, or more likely, the ranch style suburbian house.  And those shirts have "pearlized" buttons. Hey there pardners, they are either genuine pearl snaps or not! dabnabit!!

So how did the big dance competition at the hootenanny turn out?

I don't know if any of these couples won the dance competition, but they all placed in the "Mixing 70s Disco with Western Wear" category!

Now how did the 70s cowboys and cowgirls accessorize their His 'N Her Western couples fashions?

Oh my, is that couple sporting the real Urban Cowboy look or what?  Hey this isn't Halloween (well it almost is).  And what self respectin', root n' tootin, real hombre of a cowpoke would be caught dead with a....LEATHER PURSE?!?!?!?  Oh wait, I forgot.  It's not a purse, it's "European".   

footnotes:

(1) If you knew what a "hootenanny" was without looking it up, then congrats.  You must be a real cowboy or cowgirl.  Now if you've actually been at a hootenanny, well I have no words....

(2) The "denim-on-denim" rule is that one must not wear two articles of denim at the same time - especially denim shirt and jeans.  The only exceptions are: you're a real cowboy in the act of doing real cowboy things (like roping calves), or you're John Wayne.

Lovely Loungewear - Part 1

Somewhere between regular clothes and sleepwear is a strange class that is sort of a little of each.  Called loungewear (or is it lounge wear?), it is not quite sleepwear, but not quite something you'd wear out of the house (note the classic image of the old, fat guy dressed in nothing but a bathrobe out to get the morning paper.  Wait scratch that, bad mental imagery to start a post).

Okay, this pic should clear out any bad memories from that bathrobe reference. Kathy and Kay definitely take care of that by looking absolutely lovely as they get ready for an evening of lounging.

Now here loungewear looks a lot more like sleepwear.  So what gives with the jewelry?   Are we going to sleep in that?  And are those slippers made for lounging?  Once again there seems to be a confusion of purpose here.

Lounging is all about being "Snug and Cozy".  Somehow Kay has the same pose as the previous pic.  I guess that was her special lounge wear pose.  Oh wait, what's that between the two ladies on the right?  Why it is one of our four legged friends.  I hope he wasn't ordered from that catalog from last week!

"All Dressed Up for a Lovely Lounge-In"  Huh?  You have to get dressed up to relax?  This is what I mean about loungewear, it occupies this strange inbetween state.  You gotta love those two lounge jumpsuits on the left (maybe they are loungesuits?).

Now we're back to loungewear that is more similar to sleepwear.  Standing outside dressed like that is probably not a good idea. I guess they were going for more of a "dream" state on this one.  However, the models are dreamy enough if you ask me!

Dogs seem to be common props for selling the loungewear.  I suppose that they evoke an image of snuggling up with family or something.  However, this mutt seems to have a bit of an attitude.  He's the only one looking at the camera!  Maybe the camera crew has got some food for him or something.  Or, perhaps, perish the thought, he's peeved about being ordered from that Spiegel catalog from last week's post!

Loungewear is often associated with the winter months.  I guess the idea of dressing up in a robe makes more sense when it is colder outside.  Note that these robes are "Poodle Textured Pile" and they included a ....poodle of course!  However, this guy seems to be a bit more laid back than the previous canine.  He's probably thinking "Hey this is a pretty good gig, hanging out with gorgeous models, getting pampered between sets, and the food isn't half bad also!"

A final thought, loungewear is something that, generally speaking, women are into.  Yes, yes, I know they have robes for guys also.  However, it is well known that 97% of robes for men are purchased by women as gifts.  I got a bunch from my mom and grandparents, generally at Christmas.  They should have come with a label saying "Send Straight to Goodwill".    

Crazy Catalog Stuff - Part 2: Pimp My Pad

I admit that I had a plethora of choices for the title of this week's post.  For example: What Happened in the 70s, Stays in the 70s, or Random Weirdness: Boogie Nights.  It was a tough choice.  Nevertheless, I persevered and now, bring to you, Dear Readers, the ultimate 70s banchelor pad.......

Oh dear, Kathy has apparently fallen for the wily charms of this "smooth operator"  as he has lured Kathy down to his "totally happening" 70s Lair of Seduction.  Yes, the Spiegel Magic Man (1) has nothing on this Lady Killer Extrodinaire for he can truly create magic in his 70s "Love Chamber" (are you taking notes Paco Camino Man?).  Here, smartly outfitted in his sweater with shirt collars out, he conjures up any magic elixir that a "Young Modern" (2) woman like Kathy could desire (as long as it is a gin martini - note that there are only two bottles on the shelf)  (3).

Oh wait, scratch all that.  He is actually in the basement of his parent's house.  "Oh rats, I heard my parents open the garage door, they'll , like, TOTALLY KILL me if they find out I've gotten into their liquor cabinet, quick, down your drink, QUICK!!".

Multi-colored mushroom seats, bean bag chairs, and a....dog statue?  What more does one need in their swinging pad?  Oh, yeah, the two blondes in repose on the velvet furniture - that would surely be the good life!

Now wait one cotton pickin' minute on that one.  Apparently for "The Good Life" you also need cool sign clocks, laminated Formica tables, and a .....pachinko machine?!?! (Note: blonde NOT included with purchase).

Let's not forget the sound activated black lights, moonbeam light machine, and rainbow swirlee fun lamp for some Mood Magic (Spiegel's Magic Man is slapping his forehead thinking "Oh so THAT's the 70s magic that gets the ladies.  I KNEW I shouldn't have tried that rabbit-out-of-a-hat trick with Fluffy.)

So what else does a 70s bachelor pad need to win over the ladies?

Why stop with a dog statue when you can equip your pad with a real life puppy.  You can just see the ladies melting when they see your sensitive side.  After all no gal can resist a.......Wait a minute! You mean to tell me you could order a DOG from a mail order catalog?!?!? REALLY? A dog?!?!? REALLY???????  This just doesn't seem to be a good idea to me - haunting images of Fluffy the Rabbitt come to mind.  The fine print should probably say "Not available for international orders".

So whatever happened to Kathy?  Last time we saw her, she has being romanced by "Senior Suave".

Well, it looks like she was able to ditch that dude and now she is enjoying The Good Life in her own pad!! And as for what happened to the poor guy, well, instead of an evening of amore, he got grounded for a week for getting into his parent's liquor stash.  Better luck next time, maybe he should take some magic lessons from the Speigel Magic Man!

footnotes:

(1) See last week's post for reference to The Spiegel Magic Man.

(2) See the first post on "Crazy Stuff You Could Buy From a Catalog" for reference.

(3) If you look closely, you'll notice that one of the two bottles is clearly Tanqueray gin, so I guess all the guy could make was a gin martini.  Which brings up an interesting question.  Are the models in the pic actually drinking real juice on the set?  This is the 70s after all, so why not?