Last year at the Brooklyn Flea, a must-see if you're a visitor or a New York resident\, I picked up an issue of Life magazine in pristine condition (that little coffee mark on the cover is my own fault. Ugh.). This issue from March 1, 1943 caught my eye because of the cover. I love to see women in menswear. Though "Women Take Over Another Item of Male Attire for Their Mannish Suits"was the cover story of the issue, the actual article was quite short, and a little nasty in tone:
"For years women have been buying about 80% of the men's neckties in the U.S. They bought them not for themselves but for their husbands, sons, fathers, beaux. Now, for the first time in a quarter century, they are buying ties for themselves.
Little by little women have encroached on the field of men's wearing apparel. They have taken their slacks, vests, shirts, sport jackets, overalls, moccasins and adapted them to their own use.
This year, not only the smart dressers but all busy women seem to have discovered the comfort, style value and well-groomed look of a suit tailored like a man's. Only the tie remained for them to filch. Now even the tie has gone.
Typical of the new men's ties for women are the two on this weeks's cover and the one above. These are similar to men's bow ties in shape and fabric, but are cut wider and longer."
Damn those meddling women! Stealing men's fashion! Why, soon they'll want to work after having babies, for goodness sake! And yet on the following page, the author gives women advice on finding the perfect bow tie. That second one is just the thing for "actual or aspiring lady legislators."
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