Way back when, it’s what every girl wanted: A cedar-lined Lane hope chest for linens and her trousseau. In upper-middle-class homes, giving a teen cedar chest was a longstanding tradition — and practically a requirement for marriage.
Have a look at these 70s fashions, and then tell us: Are couples who dressed in matching unisex clothing sweetly romantic or just cheesy?
Victorian winter fashion blended warmth with style using layers, fur and tailored designs. Learn how women dressed to survive 19th-century winters.
Explore the transformative world of 1920s clothing, where fashion embraced freedom and modernity, reflecting the dynamic spirit of the Roaring Twenties.
These vintage bullet bras (also called sweater bras) were considered flattering and sexy around the ’50s. Take a look back and see what you think of the style!
See what was needed to put you in the running for a coveted stewardess job back in the ’50s and ’60s! Some requirements were grounded in reason, but many were just plain sexism in action.
What did the stylish, trendsetting women of the late Victorian age wear? Take a look back here at Victorian fashion from 1890, courtesy of the old Bloomingdale’s and H. O’Neill and Company catalogs.
When we look back on the 1930s, we think of a rather bleak decade that was largely defined by economic struggle and political upheaval. Believe it or not, however, a lot of fashion from this time was the very most in glamour and opulence.
From volumizing wonders to moisturizing miracles, these 90s shampoos played a significant role in making hair look fabulous.
Vintage 1940s swimsuits often featured ruching, boy short cuts, and halter straps. This old-fashioned swimwear like modest one-pieces and high waist bikinis had more class than sass.
Take a step back in time and check out some of the most awesome 80s shampoos (and conditioners!) — including a lot of brands you can’t find anymore!
Check out this collection of vintage Lip Smackers ads, featuring delish fruity flavors (like a drool-worthy watermelon!) and those of popular sodas, including Dr Pepper, Crush orange soda, Hires root beer, 7-Up and others.
Take a scented stroll down memory lane with this look back at lots of the most popular vintage perfumes from the 80s, from both fashion designers and drugstores.
Discover the groundbreaking series Cagney and Lacey that set the bar for strong female leads in cop dramas.
Hang Ten clothing made a splash in the 1960s, 1970s and 80s, serving up a healthy dose of California beach culture to a country —
Perfumes from the 1950s do more than just smell wonderful; they capture the spirit of the era! Here’s a look back at some of popular favorites.
Take a peek at how 70s teenage fashion helped shape styles as we know them today!
80s lingerie trends presented an intriguing dichotomy: a nod to tradition with an eye towards inclusivity and diversity. Here’s a look back at some of the hottest underwear, bra and slip styles of the eighties!
Want to make real retro 1980s hairstyles? Here’s how to re-create these 80s looks, with this step-by-step guides and retro beauty tip sheets!
Throughout the 20th century, the nursing profession and vintage nursing uniforms evolved in step with society.
Perfumes of the 1960s were a fascinating mix of enduring classics and fresh introductions. Take a look back at the most popular fragrances of the decade here!
In the early 1960s, The Supremes emerged as Motown’s brightest stars. Their infectious blend of pop & soul was irresistible. Have a listen!
The nineties was a huge decade for fragrances, coming from the top fashion designers as well as drugstore beauty brands, and pitched by supermodels and actresses. Here’s a look back at some of the most popular vintage perfumes from the 90s!
Here, see how 1970s lingerie, bras, panties, girdles, and shapewear looked back in the day, along with the broad range of colors and patterns that were available!
Here is a look back at more than 100 vintage fragrances for women – 70s perfumes, colognes, eau de toilettes and more – delicious aromas from the decade of disco.
This collection of vintage Girl Scout uniforms, badges and insignia represents a century of tradition, friendship and — most of all — girl power.
Step back to 1976 and revisit young Gloria Steinem’s empowering views on aging as a liberating experience for women
This catalog of household goods was published to help people ‘spend’ the gift stamps they had earned at the grocery store — much like the better-known Green Stamps.
Direct from ’50s fashion experts come these tips for calculating a woman’s body measurements for the ideal figure. See how much things have changed!
You’ve probably never even heard of her, but in her day, “Dead Shot” Mary Shanley was truly a legend. Shanley was a trailblazing female police
From suffragettes to scientists, activists, artists & leaders who paved the way for future generations, these women in history have played a key role in shaping our world.
70s hot pants were a super popular but short-lived clothing trend in the earliest part of the decade. But what were they? They were basically shorts, but with a few important differences. Take a look!
Check out these photographs and illustrations that show off some of the most popular styles of 1920s lingerie – and that’s not like much you see today.
In the world of modern technology, it’s easy to take the humble typewriter completely for granted. But have you ever wondered who invented the typewriter – and how it introduced a new role for women in the workforce?
As an alternative to paintings, drawings and sculptures, antique bust silhouettes like these – hand-cut from paper – were a relatively affordable way to remember loved ones.
No longer just a throwback costume accessory, old-school go-go boots and other mod-style boots are back in style – no doubt facilitated by the resurgence
What were girls, tweens & teens wearing in 1983? See vintage 80s clothes for girls like preppy polo shirts, ruffle-trimmed plaid blouses, oversized shirt-dresses, dirndl skirts, and drop-waist minidresses.
100 years ago, famous actress and soprano Lina Cavalieri said she thought women would rather have beautiful necks than almost any other feature, and offered her tips on how to improve the curve and beauty of the neckline.
How to chase men till they catch ’em was something every teen girl should know… or so said the 1950s editor of Seventeen magazine. Here are her tips on how to flirt & behave, just for the gals.
Annie Oakley wasn’t just the best female sharpshooter – she was THE best. She once sent a shot right through the bullseye, then someone bet she couldn’t shoot through the hole she had just made. Guess what happened next?
Want to see some fancy retro footwear? Take a look back at a few of the many styles of women’s shoes from the ’80s, including spike heels, wedges, flats, pumps, penny loafers, moccasins and boat shoes, just to name a few!
Here, see what experts then were saying a century ago about how the height of women has changed over the years. They suggested that women were indeed growing taller – and modern data backs that up.
After years of living in casual separates, these stylish women’s suits from the ’70s offered a new way to dress: in a suit jacket and skirt or pants made for each other, with a tailored menswear-like flair.
The word ‘flapper’ as used today in reference to a woman from the 1920s, has a much broader definition than how the term was originally used. So what is a flapper, then? Find out here.
What were women wearing in 1973? See the trendsetting vintage 1970s dresses, miniskirts, maxi skirts, rompers, A-lines, shifts, empire styles and more!
The woman on the iconic ‘We can do it!’ posters from the 1940s encouraged women to join the WWII workforce – and they did. Here, see 46 real-life Rosie the Riveters who built bombers and transport planes.
There have been many lonely, unhappy wives in every era. Here, an advice columnist addresses letters from women who are helpless because they are without hope — a very common type of message in her mailbox.
The year 1977 was quite the momentous one for the Indianapolis 500 – in part because driver Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the great race. Find out more about her here.
These gorgeous spring and summer fashions from 1922 show how beautifully-made women’s clothing was back in the 1920s. Take a peek at these full-color images that were published in 1922.
More than 100 years ago, Victorian corsets were practically required for women – to emphasize certain parts of the body, and to minimize others. Here’s a look back to what ladies back then were wearing!
These beautiful women’s shoes from the 1940s – pumps of leather and suede, high heels in white & black, blue and red – would still make a stylish statement today.
There is not a man living who does not like to see a woman in an apron. Every groom dreams of his young wife donning an apron in which to pour his coffee.
Take a look back to the year 1914, and see what clothing fabrics, colors and cuts were the most fashionable for women!
If you think fashions in the eighties were bad, just wait until you see these ’80s maternity clothes – the often tent-like outfits pregnant women were wearing.
Anita Shops was a small but popular shop for women’s clothes, starting in the ’50s through the ’70s. Here’s a look at some of their vintage fashions!
Take a fun look back at the stereotypical ’50s housewife, as she vacuums in heels, washes dishes wearing pearls, and makes everything practically perfect.
Question: Did any feminist ever burn a bra in protest? Find out more about the history of this often-mentioned protest move here!
In the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, old-fashioned maternity wear existed – but its main job was to help the mom-to-be hide her pregnancy. Here’s a look back at fashions to help women camouflage that bump!
Antique Ladies’ Home Journal magazine cover: March 1890 Featuring “Mrs Harrison’s Daily Life in the White House”, “A Man’s Idea of Home Comfort”, “Hints on
Women’s Army Corps recruitment ads and posters during WWII tempted the ladies with things like, ‘Are you a girl with star-spangled heart? Join the WAC now! Thousands of Army jobs need filling!’
These beautiful antique silhouettes were cut by hand by artist Eveline Maydell, whose portrait clients included many of society’s wealthiest men and women.
From the last year of the 1860s – just four years after the end of the Civil War – come these dozen fashion plates showing antique walking dresses.
Back in 1862, a woman wrote to a top fashion magazine to lament the work involved with Civil War-era hairstyles. Here’s what she said – plus see 8 hairdos from the time.
If you suspect that you are too fat or too thin, there are several simple rules that you can follow to find out your ideal weight… according to society in 1920.
Dishwasher history starts with Josephine Cochrane, who invented the first automatic model in the 1880s. Her creation changed kitchens forever.
Here’s a look back to the most beautifully stylish vintage 1920s dresses and other clothing for women from the roaring twenties – and how to choose the finest fashions.
The perfect 1938 figure must have curves, but it differs from the perfect figure of past decades in relationship of curves to straight lines.
Fashionable vintage parasols could include materials like lace, chiffon, fishnet, satin ribbon, and of every hue. Here are a few of the styles from long ago!
The women who cover today’s news 24 hours a day should snap a salute to their predecessors who covered World War II.
Before the Civil War, popular Elegant Victorian dresses were not just several feet wide and many layers think, but there were different dresses for dinner, evening, carriage rides and beyond.
Check out this 60s & 70s bell-bottoms inspo from the decades that started it all. You might not even believe this fashion era really happened if it weren’t for the photo receipts!
For the ’50s housewife, laundry was huge: the love you had for your kitchen paled only in comparison to the adoration you felt for your washer and dryer.
In the olden days, you needed a telephone operator to connect your call manually through a switchboard. Her job wasn’t as easy as you might think.
For the picture-perfect housewife of the ’50s, the kitchen was the heart of the home. And the heart of the kitchen was the refrigerator/freezer combo – the kind of luxury that mother and grandmother could have only dreamed of!
A lighthearted look back at the 50s housewife during the sunny days of yesteryear, when a woman’s home was her castle — and her kitchen was the heart of that home.
A hundred years ago, you wouldn’t have found too many products to help take care of your skin. Ladies back then relied on other little tips and tricks – explained here!
Whether out for business or pleasure, a lady feels hungry after several hours. To find near at hand a clean, cozy places of refreshment — tea rooms — appeal to the soul of every woman.
Even within the constraints of everyday fashion, women found a ton of ways to express their unique selves with dresses from 1968!
Hot chocolate. Roast beef. Bread with butter. Naps. No, this isn’t the ideal vacation, but tips on how to gain weight from a famous actress of long ago.
Discover 1940s makeup tips that kept women looking fresh and polished despite wartime shortages. Simple routines, soft colors, and smart tricks made all the difference.
Letter-writing isn’t as much of an art as it once was. Books had to be written about it years ago, and ‘The Ready Letter-writer’ was as infallible and as essential as a cookbook is to many people nowadays.
In 1908, they said it was wrong for women to smoke in public places – it was offensive, and detrimental to the character and dignity of the ladies.
Helen Keller: The Story of My Life The life of Helen Keller, Chapter 1 It is with a kind of fear that I begin to
Around the turn of the century, cigarette smoking was on the increase among the women — and it only became more prevalent after that. Here’s a look back!
This highly-misunderstood process of applying make involves a lot more than just putting “a dab o’ powder” on your nose. Here, a top stage star from 1913 gives you her makeup secrets.
How to choose a husband? Whatever you do, do not marry a man who claims to be a saint. He lives too much in his own imagination of himself. He is nearly always an unconscious or a subconscious hypocrite.
The perfect American woman Measuring 50,000 of her sex to determine a standard The perfect American girl — how big around; how much does she
Coke keeps you thin! (1961 Coke commercial) In this 1961 Coca-Cola commerical, actress Connie Clausen explains that Coke is low in calories and will help keep
Woman-for-President idea gains in favor by George Gallup Princeton, NJ, Oct 28 — A woman for President of the United States? American voters are getting
How Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton recorded history (1893) The Herald (Los Angeles, California) December 17, 1893 “If you want to know how
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Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety, but also in terms of outdated cultural depictions and social values. Material on this site is provided for purposes of education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Now that you know, have fun looking around!
