I don't know if it was just women of a certain age in the South who used the term, but from them I heard "wash dress" for the house dress. I watched one being finished with buttonholes being made down the front. These dresses were not worn beyond the end of the driveway, though.
Norge Village
- Thread starter retromania
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My grandmother wore those dresses all the time around the house, but that was the only place. She wouldn't even go up to the local store for a few items without changing.
cehalstead
Well-known member
My mom wore "pedal pushers" (so named because they were designed to be worn while riding a bicycle and "pushing the pedal" and wouldn't get caught in the chain if there was no chain guard) around the house all the time, but wouldn't wear them anywhere "important". That called for a dress.
retromania
Well-known member
The Lucy Show
Lucy & Viv wore pedal pushers and flat leather shoes with pointed toe!
Lucy & Viv wore pedal pushers and flat leather shoes with pointed toe!
Hey Alex, where did you find this ad?? This was in my "stomping grounds" just 5.5 miles from where I grew up!
Kevin
philr
Well-known member
There's a group about Norge Balls on Flickr
www.flickr.com
The norge ball
Dedicated to the legendary Norge Ball laundromat sign. For a nearly complete, and fantastic list of Norge Balls in North America, go here Thanks to Vintage Roadside This group will be lightly curated.
retromania
Well-known member
Phil,
Thanks for that link. In one photo the Norge Orb had holes in it and you can see the lighting. Never knew they lit up, but makes sense since their hours included after hours.
Thanks for that link. In one photo the Norge Orb had holes in it and you can see the lighting. Never knew they lit up, but makes sense since their hours included after hours.
franksdad
Well-known member
There was a "sewing hall" in the 60's and 70's in Easley, SC named Swirl. Along with children's wear, they made these same type of housedresses. Their brand name for these housedresses was "Model's Coats." My Mama had several of these when I was just a small child. Everyone around here knew what a Model's Coat was. In some of the locally owned department stores they would have a whole display dedicated to these Model's Coats. When my sister, Betty, was married in 1964, an older lady from the church gave her a "Model's Coat" for shower gift. This made Betty mad as heck! Mama tried to explain this wasn't meant as an insult but as a nice jesture. I don't know what ever happed to that model's coat! In the early 70's my Mama discovered pants and both her girdle and all of her Model's Coats went into the rummage bin! It was unusually hot in 1981 when my Mama retired from work. My father refused to let her turn on the AC as he said it hurt this rhumatoid arthritis too much. Anyway, Mama went to the new Wal-Mart store in Easley and bought up a bunch of beautifully printed cotton fabric and began making her own housedresses on her new Singer Athena sewing machine (she bought for herself as a retirement present). Once again Mama began wearing housedresses around the house that summer and several seasons afterward. But God forbid! If Mama was going anywhere or if anyone was coming over to the house Mama would yank that dress off and put her pants and blouse back on!
Although the Easley Swirl plant closed many years ago you can still purchase Swirl Model's Coats. I guess, like everything else, they are made in China or somewhere else. Click on the picture for more model's coats.
retromania
Well-known member
Jimmy
Man, did that bring back memories! I remember that sewing plant!! Mama never wore a model's coat or any type of house dress. She said that was for older women even though two of her older sisters wore them who weren't that much older than she was. But yes, I remember the changeing of clothes. Mom might have on slacks and a sweat shirt and the phone would ring. Someone from the church was coming over. To the back. Change clothes. Person leaves. Back to the back and back into her work clothes. And then before Dad came home, it was once again, change clothes. Makes me tired thinking about it.
Man, did that bring back memories! I remember that sewing plant!! Mama never wore a model's coat or any type of house dress. She said that was for older women even though two of her older sisters wore them who weren't that much older than she was. But yes, I remember the changeing of clothes. Mom might have on slacks and a sweat shirt and the phone would ring. Someone from the church was coming over. To the back. Change clothes. Person leaves. Back to the back and back into her work clothes. And then before Dad came home, it was once again, change clothes. Makes me tired thinking about it.
Went to one as a kid
Near where we lived in San Diego was a Norge Village. They had a bank of dry cleaners, and an attendant who would press the clothes. My mom always went there when we had a lot of wash to do because the washers were so big. She said that she would rather spend the money at the laundry rather than spend all day and part of the evening running loads at home.
Near where we lived in San Diego was a Norge Village. They had a bank of dry cleaners, and an attendant who would press the clothes. My mom always went there when we had a lot of wash to do because the washers were so big. She said that she would rather spend the money at the laundry rather than spend all day and part of the evening running loads at home.
Final Hijack Of This Thread For "House Dresses"
My all time favourite NYC housewife in her housedress! *LOL*
Reminds me of some of the women in our area when I would either go over to play or see if so and so was ready to leave for school.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
My all time favourite NYC housewife in her housedress! *LOL*
Reminds me of some of the women in our area when I would either go over to play or see if so and so was ready to leave for school.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
retromania
Well-known member
You're Fine....
...because you're a great contributor! You seem to possess a lot of knowledge about many topics. If I knew you and you were sitting right here, I would get you to show me how to upload a photo to my AW profile. Our webmaster informed me it must be in JPEG format. I am trying to determine if I can re-format the photo.
See, I hijacked my own thread.
Have a great day!
...because you're a great contributor! You seem to possess a lot of knowledge about many topics. If I knew you and you were sitting right here, I would get you to show me how to upload a photo to my AW profile. Our webmaster informed me it must be in JPEG format. I am trying to determine if I can re-format the photo.
See, I hijacked my own thread.
Have a great day!
retromania
Well-known member
Ah - ha!
I googled it and found out what I need to do.........
I googled it and found out what I need to do.........
Love those old ads, we only had Norge Villages never had any RCA Whirlpool Polly Clean Centers, or was that Poly? Anyway those print ads for both are funny when you see them, don't know about the rest of you but growing up I never saw any women or men dressed in suits in a laundromat (oops that's Westinghouse?)
