The Holeproof Hosiery Bonus Club

Nissly's, as old-timers are well-aware, was a dry goods shop (later a hat shop om the 50s) on 16 N. Washington, the current site of Biggie's restaurant. This ad is from May 19, 1949. I find "It Pays to Make Your Own Garments" notable. That used to be the norm of course, but the fact that they feel the need to remind folks of that suggests to me that making one's own garments was going out of style at this time; I could be wrong.

One thing I have noticed in old dry goods ads is that there are often a plethora of names for various fabrics that are completely foreign to me. At one time, all the nuances of fabrics were lexicalized--each variation was important enough to have its own word. Now, we just buy an off-the-rack shirt or what have you, without necessarily knowing what kind of fabric it is (and there are far fewer fabrics in general today in the general pool of clothes for sale). If I were given samples of organdy, dotted swiss, taffeta, Indian head suiting, White Indian head, and faille, I truly doubt I could label them all correctly. Just the taffeta...maybe. Why is this? It's a curious hemming-down of what used to be a luxuriously wide world of fabrics. Odd.

At any rate, you can see that one of the items available at Nissly's was "Holeproof Hosiery." Dusty D is not sure how one would make as evanescent a thing as hose "holeproof" but I'll take their word for it. At any rate, Nissly's had a hosiery customer loyalty program. They specially printed up coupons that you could save up for free hose. They're beautiful little artifacts, nicely printed. I got to handle them today, wondering which lady of Ypsilanti's past had them in her purse, long ago, as she walked up to Nissly's front door.

10 Things You Don't Have to Wear Anymore

Like many, Dusty D is sometimes guilty of romanticizing the past. But a peek in the 1902 Sears, Roebuck catalogue soon cures that. People every day decked themselves out in uncomfortable clothing and weird contraptions to an unimaginable degree. Here are the standouts:

1. Dogskin Coat

What could be nicer than wearing dogskin? After all, it's always pleasant when Rex snuggles down at your feet on the bed--ahh, toasty.

Why not cut to the chase, skin him, and make this fashionable, cuddly coat? Aside from the fact that people may want to pet you in public.

"Honey, have you seen Rex?"
"Yes--he's in the closet."


2. Dead Parrot

Meant as an ornament, this contorted dead bird will add a note of dead bird to your finest Sunday hat. For a measly 45 cents, you can avoid those bothersome backyard birdfeeder stakeouts once required to secure your own millinery corpse. Who has the time, these days?

3. The Walton

However, if you prefer to decorate your head with a pork chop on a plate, The Walton is for you. I think that's a strip of bacon wrapped around the middle, there.


4. Jaunty Turban

You could do worse than the Walton, though. How about a hat salvaged from an auto accident? With a handful of weeds growing from the rim.

Perhaps it's useful as a wearable radar dish, for eavesdropping at the church social.

"She said what?" You'll know exactly what she said, with the Jaunty Turban.




5. Rubber Diaper Drawers

What could be nicer for Junior than to have his, uh, accidents hermetically sealed for hours against his skin? Just don't ask me to change him, thank you. And ignore that squishy feeling when you pick him up.

6. Ladies' and Misses' Shoulder Brace

Dusty D strives to be both morally and physically upright, and one way to achieve both these goals is with this shoulder-brace. Like the best-designed straitjackets, it's comfy, and wrenches those recalcitrant shoulders right back into alignment.

7. Abdominal Corset

Not only were early 20th century women's waists sausaged into gaspingly tight corsets--this model also includes an extra, rigid panel over the lower abdomen.

Merely going to the bathroom would entail the removal of more layers than an amorous Arctic explorer. Be sure to pick the color "drab" for extra sex appeal.


8. Armpit Shields

So. You have your chemise, your corset, your shirtwaist, your shoulder-brace, your underskirts, and your dress--why not add another layer? These Armpit Shields promise to seal perspiration securely into the armpit where it belongs. There's a safety feature too: it's like having built-in pepper spray. When a mugger threatens your person, merely raise your hand, just like the preacher making a benediction, and he'll fall to his knees all right.

9. Summer Union Suit.

Let's not forget the gentlemen. Men, it's July--time to get yourself a full-body union suit. Don this head-to-toe protective shield for super summer comfort and you'll look as debonair as this gentleman.




10. Celluloid Shirt Fronts

On top of that union suit, put on this plastic carapace-breastplate. The long one is extra sweat-retentive.

And we're not even gonna touch "Men's Rubber Bosoms." At least, I'm not gonna touch 'em. Eeuw.


11. AND LAST, A BONUS THING WE SHOULD WEAR ANYMORE:

Mens' hats. Just look how elegant these gentlemen are in their derbies and fedoras. Ahhh...(swoon). They didn't just slap on a dirty baseball cap over a slovenly T-shirt and wander around looking like some mouth-breathing ape, no sir.

Bachelors of Ypsilanti, here's the answer to your prayers: get yourself a nice new derby and wear it around town.

I guarantee it will be distinctive, and what lady can resist a gentleman of distinction?