The above graphic is from the same 1954 Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog that show the canned ladies below.
Here, attention is turned towards Men's Jammies.
Nostalgia is the devil's mirror - the golden, glorious America of the 1950's produced some of the weirdest STUFF in history. Maybe as a Newtonian backlash against the Depression and deprivation of WWII, consumers clamored for the goods...and here, in its bold form, were what Good Men of 1954 would wear to dreamland.
How's a respectable dad supposed to yell at his kids wearing THOSE?!
"I want this room cleaned up in FIVE MINUTES!"
"Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"
"Honey, these kids won't listen to me!"
"You look like an inmate, dear..."
And their expressions - look at Dude #4. I can just hear him lisp to #3, "I was kinda thinkin' we'd stay up late tonight..play charades, maybe scare the girls...you know...can we?"
The above illustration is rather mysterious. if not unnerving - I believe it's supposed to show how these particular pajamas have reinforced crotches to last "2 1/2 times longer." Longer than...paper towels? Burlap?
Maybe crotch-seam failure was a big deal in 1954. Nevertheless, the importance of the illustration of two hands grabbing the insides of the poor guy's thighs is lost on me - apparently, Jammie Shoppers understood.
"Honey, well look here! Someone FINALLY got wise and added nylon reinforcement! I tell ya' if this forward-thinking keeps up, America will be on the moon by 1970!"
A second look at our Jammie Models makes me wonder if #3 isn't explaining the features of nylon reinforced seams to #4?
Lastly, perhaps the most bizarre aspect of this scan - the "Slack Pajamas" shown in the upper right. For the guy who combs his hair before bed, Slack Pajamas must make total sense.
Oh well. It's late and I have to hit the hay myself - but first, in 50's fashion, I'll style my hair, iron my pajama tops and make sure my seams haven't worn completely through.
More scans to come...
