Fashion
Miss Gary Cigaret
In 1944, a newspaper in Gary, Indiana held a beauty contest to select a "Miss Gary Cigaret." The public were encouraged to vote, with each vote costing five cents. All the funds raised would be used to send cigarettes to American soldiers.Over $15,000 was eventually raised, which was able to buy six million cigarettes (or 300,000 packs).
The contest winner, Irene Kuchta, got to model a bathing suit made of cigarettes.
Vidette-Messenger of Porter County - Sep 22, 1944
Windsor Star - Sep 9, 1944
Posted By: Alex - Fri Apr 05, 2024 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Fashion, Smoking and Tobacco, 1940s
Fallout Fashion Show
It's no weirder than many of the outfits displayed at fashion shows nowadays.
Charlotte News - Oct 11, 1961
Posted By: Alex - Thu Feb 15, 2024 -
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Category: Fashion, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1960s
Instant “Boot-look”
1971 Sears Fall and Winter Catalog
Posted By: Alex - Fri Feb 09, 2024 -
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Category: Fashion, 1970s
Lollipop Ladies Lit Up
Des Moines Register - Nov 23, 1969
Daily Mirror - Oct 10, 1969
click to enlarge
Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 07, 2024 -
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Category: Fashion, 1960s
You Are All Alone
Several famous works of science fiction, horror and fantasy play with the solipsistic notion that only certain individuals are "real," while the rest of the world is fake. One of the best such tales is Fritz Leiber's highly recommended "You're All Alone," depicted below.
But it seems weird for an ad campaign to promote such a notion, as Van Heusen shirts did in the late 60's. A critical survey explains:
Posted By: Paul - Thu Feb 01, 2024 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fashion, Paranoia, Suspicion, Solipsism, and Non-Player Characters, Advertising, 1960s
Atomic Bomb Survival Jacket
As the designers admitted, it wasn't going to protect anyone against an atomic bomb or radiation. But as a survival jacket it seemed pretty well equipped. Though a backpack full of the same stuff would seem to be more practical.
"Jean Shore displays inside pocket arrangement of survival jacket."
image source: Harry Ransom Center
Muncie Star Press - Jan 15, 1951
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 05, 2024 -
Comments (2)
Category: Fashion, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1950s
Dior’s “Conspiration” Design
This 1954 number should have been revived for the Covid pandemic.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 10, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fashion, 1950s, Diseases
Dog Collar with Decorative Tie
When you want to bring your dog to the office, he or she must be properly dressed in a business-like manner.Patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 27, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Fashion, Patents, Dogs, 1940s
Project Primrose
As a follow-up to Paul's recent post about the electric clothing of Diana Dew (from 1967)... here's a present-day electric dress recently unveiled by Adobe.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 17, 2023 -
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Category: Fashion, Technology, 2020s
The Electric Clothing of Diana Dew
According to Lobenthal, Dew was an electrical engineer who flaunted a different hair color every day and created a miniature battery pack that attached to the belt of a dress to create blinking hearts and stars. “They’re hyperdelic transsensory experiences,” she said of her garments to Time Magazine in 1967, the same year The New Yorker wrote about her. (If your wired mini breaks down, “Please just take it to the nearest radio-TV repair shop,” Dew said.) Lobenthal writes that Dew’s tiny power source was eventually acquired by the U.S. military.
Her Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Oct 14, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fashion, Technology, 1960s
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |