vintage advertising Archive

2January 5, 2012
Fashion Forecasting With Tarot Cards (In 1953)

A fashion spread in Harper’s Bazaar, August 1953, featuring over-sized tarot cards. Photos by Louise Dahl-Wolfe.
0December 21, 2011
Whatjamacallit Wednesday: How Do You Get Kitten Hips? And Why Would You Want Them?

Kitten hips. No, not the furry kind — the “lithe young American” kind, as described in this vintage girdle ad published in Harper’s Bazaar, 1946. You feel and look as…
2December 13, 2011
Spin The Wheel, Land On Vera Francis

Who wouldn’t fall in love with a vintage roulette wheel of pinups? The seller (Grapefruit Moon Gallery), says this in the item’s description (links added by me): ITEM: You are…
0November 17, 2011
Power Girdle

It’s quite nice to see a robust female form used to sell foundation garments realistically.
1October 29, 2011
Watch Where You’re Putting That Coke Bottle, Bub

Product placement matters. Accident? Or subliminal phallic ad designed to make men and a few free-swingin’ women take immediate action? The seller’s description: [V]intage original 1950s double sided Coca-Cola –…
0October 16, 2011
Spotting Memories In Retro Radio Ads

Still nostalgic thinking about the old days in Milwaukee radio, I’ve been hanging out consuming The Halcyon Daze (I prefer using the “classic” interface for navigation, in case you visit…
1October 14, 2011
Of Tailgators, Radio & Retail

This is a vintage WKTI Tailgator pinback from 1983, featuring Old Style beer. It’s mere 1.75 inches, but oh the size of the memories it unleashes… If you’re of a…
0October 7, 2011
Their Font Said “Soda Pop” But Their Photo Said Something Else

“For Extra Fun Take More Than One” I think they meant the packs of Coke, not women… Of course, I could be wrong; you know how compelling men find a…
1September 26, 2011
The Bachman Pretzel Bikini

Hey, edible underpants, you had competition… The Bachman Pretzel Bikini. Just $2.50 for a “classy” and “sassy” two-piece bikini of “velvety non-woven material.” I can’t imagine you could swim in…
0September 22, 2011
Make Up For Breasts?

No offense to Mr. Vargas, but I think he misunderstood the task… This vintage ad was for “Twin Make Up,” not makeup for “the twins.” The original artwork by Alberto…
0September 12, 2011
Why Long Nails Are Sexy

Fingernails have long been symbols beauty — specifically as indicators of wealth. The cleaner, the longer, the more well-manicured, the more they distance the wearer from manual work. Long nails,…
0August 6, 2011
Dreaming Of Denial

One of the entries in the classic Maidenform ad campaign, this is the “I dreamed I barged down the Nile in my Maidenform bra.” Apparently she also dreamed that Egyptians…
0June 17, 2011
Suffragette Soap Ad

This ad, for sale from MAINE-ARTEMIS, shows how products were marketed to suffragettes. Enoch Morgan’s Sons Company ad for Sapolio cake soap: A suffragette is Mrs. Brown Who’s cleaning up…
0May 18, 2011
What Are You, A Man Or A Monkee? Or, Worse Yet, Gay?

“There’s A Tremendous Difference Between A Pansy & A Chimpanzee” …But both use gasoline? Vintage ad for Ethyl Gasoline, found in a 1950 Life Magazine; via GeriADtric.
0May 10, 2011
What Time Is It?

According to this ad for Bulova watches, it’s time for a pajama party. Circa 1963; via Simple Dreams.
1March 25, 2011
Yes We Can! Rosie The Riveter Fashions

Proof that this look was in fashion for women before there was an American home front and a The War Advertising Council’s Women in War Jobs campaign with Rosie the…
0February 28, 2011
Trophies For Misogynists

Vintage ad for wall-mounted female human heads reads: “Stuffed” Girl’s Heads! Only $2.98 Blondes, redheads and brunettes for every man to boast of his conquests…the first realistic likeness of the…
0February 5, 2011
Retro Zolar Fortune Telling Materials

An ad for Zolar fortune telling cards and Ouji Genii Board found in Rance Romance & Adventures, May 1971.
0January 21, 2011
Jester Wools, For Gayer Garments

Via the fabulous Chateau Thombeau, we find out just who robbed the rainbow to make us look gay — hey, why isn’t this guy in the Skittles ads? I bet…
0January 7, 2011
Wax On, Wax Off

I’m not the only one who sees breasts here, am I?
0December 23, 2010
“Give Your Wife An Extra Head For Chirstmas”

An ad from 1969 that likely couldn’t be published today: OK, so it reads “an extra head,” not just “extra head” or just plain old “head,” but still, ad execs…