Vintage ad Reynolds Wrap 1954
Mid century mothers and daughters were clearly tied together not only by their apron strings but the same set of cultural expectations. Not only did they share darling matching outfits but the same sunny enthusiasm for household chores.
And why not?
If Mom was queen, sis was certainly the princess! Vintage Frigidaire Refrigerator Ad 1960
The post war homemaker’s life was a breeze full of carefree living, going about her household tasks smiling as if she hadn’t a care in the world. It was a life of self polishing ease, a wash n wear world of no scrubbing no stooping no bending and absolutely …..no complaining.
Vintage Ad GE Washer 1962
With everything so automatic, it was automatically assumed that like mother like daughter she’d seamlessly follow in moms domestic high-heeled footsteps.
Ladies Be Seated
Life was a breeze, sitting while ironing . Rhythmic restful automatic ironing. Now ends homes last drudgery. Forget the hand ironing Fold up your ironing board ladies and push it out of sight forever. The sensational automatic ironing, a wonderful willing servant irons everything while your seated! Half the time and effort” Vintage ad US Steel 1947
The message was clear- Girls would be cut from the same cloth as their Mothers
The Pattern is Set
From McCall’s 1949. “A pair of pinafores with fly away shoulders is an inspired gift. These look a likes for mother and small daughter are pretty in pastel chambray.”
Department stores featured Mother Daughter clothing departments but the handy housewife could whip up a new outfit for Mom and sis on her singer sewing machine in a jiff .
Simplicity Patterns Mother Daughter Aprons
Simplicity began to issue many Mother daughter patterns beginning in the 1940’s, and women’s magazines regularly ran features for sewing patterns.
A pattern for Mother Daughter play dress in Good Housekeeping Magazine 1948. The Simplicity pattern cost 15 cents
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Vintage Ad Mother Daughter Dresses 1952 Westway Sportswear
“Prissy Missy-an irresistible picture….Mother and daughter dress alike in our Prissy Missy by Westway in fine wale piques…little waists and full skirts. So practical to launder!”
These images were indeed cut on the bias
Mothers Little Helpmate
These sugar-coated stereotypes of contented mothers and their copy-cat domesticated daughters seem as frozen and neatly packaged by Madison Avenue as the processed foods these happy homemakers served their families.
Vintage Ad Campbell’s Tomato Juice 1942
Vintage Hoover Vacuum Cleaner Ad 1945
Vintage Ad US Steel 1946
Vintage Rinso Ad 1948
Vintage Rinso Ad 1949
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Vintage Rinso Ad 1950
In these images filled with matching frilly aprons and starched shirtwaist dresses it was clear who would wear the pants in the family…not the girls!
© Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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