1960 – Cameo Shapemaker Hose

Here is one final Christmas-themed ad that I want to share. It comes from the December 1960 edition of McCall’s magazine and it is for hosiery. The caption reads:

You’re a dear to give her sheer perfection and fit

Seamless & seamed from $1.50 to $4.95

I do love the illustration in this ad for Cameo Shapemaker Stockings from Burlington mills. The style of the illustration definitely reads 1960’s. It is a nice diversion from the typical fifties style of illustration.

The idea of hosiery is foreign to those under 40 in today’s world, but it was an essential part of a woman’s wardrobe from the mid-century through the nineties. The hosiery advertised here is not pantyhose. It is the kind that required a garter. Pantyhose would come a few years later. The delicate nature of hose (AKA nylons or stockings) meant hand washing and special care to avoid the dreaded run.

I have a memory of a dress code incident at my office in the early nineties. This was before the days of business casual. Men wore shirts and ties. Women wore dresses or dress slacks. Actual appearance was not a factor. You could look sloppy and no one cared as long as you wore the proper attire. One day a friend of mine came to work wearing a knee-length dress and heeled sandals. Her toes were neatly manicured and I thought she looked perfect. There was one problem. She was bare legged. Apparently this was a no no, so she was sent home to put on pantyhose. Thankfully, those days are behind us.