topic Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home! in Community Chat

Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Goldengate8361 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:14:21 GMT

In old movies (40s and 50s), have you ever noticed how dressed up the characters are at home? It cracks me up. I'm watching a Hitchcock movie now....and their clothes are gorgeous! Surely people didn't dress up like that for a day at home, did they?

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Kachina624 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:20:33 GMT

@Goldengate8361 Remember the ads in the 50s and 60s of housewives mopping in heels and pearls? Just look at us now, jammies to the grocery store (well, some of us).

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Carmie — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:22:37 GMT

The "June Clever" look. The Beaver's mom would always be wearing dresses and pearls.

I only knew one person who did that. I used to stop at my friends house in the morning to walk to school together. They had six boys and one girl.

My friend's mother answered the door dressed nice with her hair done and wearing make-up at 7 am. She was a stay at home mom.

I remember the missing tiles on the floors, but they were washed and waxed to a shine.

If you knock on my door at 7 am....do so at your own risk. It is frightening.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Love my grandkids — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:27:40 GMT

@Carmie As a devotee of Leave It To Beaver, in some of the last season's episodes June is actually wearing pants.

I always thought being dressed up at home looked sooo uncomfortable. I've always preferred casual (not sloppy and not jammies to the store) and comfy.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

hckynutjohn — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:31:59 GMT

@Goldengate8361 wrote:
In old movies (40s and 50s), have you ever noticed how dressed up the characters are at home? It cracks me up. I'm watching a Hitchcock movie now....and their clothes are gorgeous!

"Surely people didn't dress up like that for a day at home, did they"?

@Goldengate8361

Can only speak to my home. My mom worked 6 days(2 nights) a week. On Sunday she(we)put our laundry baskets in a wagon, and wheeled it down to the Laundry Building in our Public Housing Projects.

She never was up and around the house in her pajamas that I remember seeing.

hckynut 🏒

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Vivian — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:36:39 GMT

My favorite "dress-ups" are in very old movies from the 1930s. It was the depths of the Great Depression but these escapist films were often about very rich people who ALWAYS dressed for dinner. That meant long gowns for the women and tuxedos for the men. Of course, every home had a table or cart filled with expensive liquor and no matter how long the residents had been gone, there was a full ice bucket with ice cubes at the ready for all drinks.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

drizzellla — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 14:33:53 GMT

I grew up in the 50s and 60s. And my Mom generally wore a shirtwaist dress around the house. But when she and my Dad went out with other couples or events. My Mom was dressed to the Ts. She had beautiful dresses and nice coats. Sometimes they matched. And she always wore pretty jewelry. In fact I saw at least two necklaces that she had in movies from that era.

My Dad's shirts that he wore to work were always sent to the laundry and starched. I used to like to watch him tie his tie before he left for work. I never saw my Dad wear a pair of shorts until after he retired from work.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

golding76 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:39:54 GMT

I grew up in the era when women did not typically wear trousers. When they did, it was for the rare occasion of horseback riding, rough camping, messy outdoor chores, etc.

What my mother and so many others wore during that timeframe when they were at home was a "house dress." My mother had a full wardrobe of them, and they had a bit of style and color to them, depending on where you shopped. Mama did not wear heels with these, of course.

Examples of house dresses from back in the day:

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:42:53 GMT

I'm retired so I see nothing wrong with being comfortable at home. When I worked I wore scrubs so I was never really dressed up unless I went out. I do throw on a pair of earrings and some lip gloss, but that's the extent of my at home " dress up ."

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Carmie — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:51:11 GMT

My mother mostly wore pants around the house. In the summer she would occasionally wear a house dress or pedal pushers and even shorts. I have a pic of her when she was pregnant with me wearing shorts.

She always worked out of the home...my parents owned a resturant.

My parents never dressed up and went out unless for church or a wedding. They worked from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m in shifts.

They had a hard life looking back at how they lived.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Group 5 minus 1 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:51:44 GMT

@Goldengate8361: If you are watching Dial M for Murder also notice how Hitch put her in white at the very early part of this film and after we know about her affair w/Bob Cummings (I think you're going to like this picture) he puts her in red.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Goldengate8361 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 19:58:53 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 yes! That's exactly what I am watching! Grace Kelly's clothes are amazing in this movie! She is absolutely gorgeous. Nice note regarding the color change you mentioned.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Group 5 minus 1 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:00:41 GMT

@Goldengate8361: I think her clothes in Rear Window are also fab. When she pulls out that nightie--wowie,wow,wow.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

patbz — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:02:02 GMT

My Mother was a fashion plate her entire working career ( she went " back to work" in 1955 when my brother and I were still in elementary school). She always wore dresses, several pieces of jewelry and heels everywhere; she didn't own trousers until after she retired ( 1974). My Dad was a EE and always wore a suit and tie. He was so accustomed to it that he started wearing bolos once he retired ( must have missed the tie).

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

AuntG — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:06:09 GMT

One thing I noticed after multiple viewings of Leave It To Beaver is that June didn't have a large wardrobe. She wore the same outfits over and over. She sometimes had slacks on. Her dressier outfits looked expensive - she even had a fur.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Catiele — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:09:36 GMT

My Mom always wore what she called a house dress or a skirt and top. Saw her in shorts once on vacation. I am in my late seventies and never wore either one. She passed at 99yrs old. She was the best Mom.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

Witchy Woman — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:14:22 GMT

@golding76

Ahhh, yes, the "housedress."

These were always good standby gifts from my sis and me to our mom...for any occasion.

We could always find them at our small town "drygoods" store. You know, the ones that sold everything, including our dark blue gym uniforms. Yikes!

That, or a big bottle of Tabu perfume.

Years later, I realized how strong it was, but she always smelled marvelous in it. Very exotic for the day!

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

chickenbutt — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:18:48 GMT

I always wondered. I didn't grow up in an ideal environment and I don't remember ever seeing anybody else who was dressed up around the house like what we saw on tv.

I was born in the mid 50s.

I've always been a fairly casual dresser except, of course, when in a scenario where one dresses up.

These days - Around the house I'm wearing what I call my 'dog hair clothes'. Totally casual to the max. I have a lot of Denim&Co and some of the older casual lines they used to sell here. Some of my Fashion Formula pieces are still like new! Never been a clothes horse, so I have things I have had for many years.

But, hey, no judgment. If people want to dress to the nines at home - DO IT! Why not?

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

drizzellla — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:28:14 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
One thing I noticed after multiple viewings of Leave It To Beaver is that June didn't have a large wardrobe. She wore the same outfits over and over. She sometimes had slacks on. Her dressier outfits looked expensive - she even had a fur.

How interesting. I have been watching The Burns and Allen Show. And Gracie Allen wears a new dress in every scene. And she was a tiny lady. So every dress is well tailored

But The I Love Lucy show, I used to noticed that Lucille Ball would wear the same dress in different episodes.

And I read that The D i c k Van D y k e Show the cast would sometimes wear their own clothing.

Marlo Thomas in her show wore a different outfit in every scene.

Guess it depends on the budget.

Re: Old movies; Dressed up at home!

kaydee50 — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 20:37:26 GMT

My favorite is what the men wore--ties at home; jackets and hats at the ballpark, etc. etc. Times sure have changed!