With a Cardigan, Of Course!

I was watching Father Knows Best again today - I say it's for blog research, but it's really just so intriguing to me, watching a sitcom from so many years ago. In my defense, I do watch Maragaret Anderson like a hawk, noting all the things she does and says; I try to decipher what morsel of good 50's housewifery I can glean from her today.


The episode I watched today was the 5th in the first season, called "Live My Own Life." In this episode, Bud wants to move away from home to prove to his family he is old enough to be his own boss. It was cute and predictable, as you would expect it to be. The whole time I was watching it, I was thinking about what I could blog about. I watched and studied as Margaret put towels away, cleaned the dishes and arranged flowers in a centerpiece on the dining room table. She looked so elegant and domestic as she completed all these taks, which is something I need to work on (read: eek, it's 2 pm and I haven't hit the shower yet today!!).


The thing that interested me the most, though was when dear Mrs. Anderson sat on the couch, reading a magazine, pretending she didn't care that her darling son was about to leave the house "for good." I didn't quite catch the magazine she was reading, but it made me curious enough to do some further research: What did ladies of the 50's read in their magazines? How is it different, if at all, from what we read today?

I found a great source for upcoming blog posts online where 1950's issues of Good Housekeeping and other 50's housewife publications like The Journal of Home Economics are available to read. Today will be the first of many posts from these archives - and guess what? They have also encouraged me to include some pictures in my postings to liven things up a bit! Gee, now isn't that swell?!

Today's topic comes from the May 1950 issue of Good Housekeeping and is an update on an article of clothing that is the epitome of timelessness: the cardigan.

The article is short, but the writer insists:

On a summer street, cover is what you need. Cotton offers two solutions: dresses with cardigans of their own, dresses that welcome yours (p.69).

So, ladies, as we are just stepping into summer with Memorial Day just behind us, what say we all pair our sundresses with a cotton cardigan to achieve two important purposes: 1: much needed cover on a summer street and 2: to really feel the part of the 50's housewife. Perhaps if I look the part, I'll then feel the part, and then I'll just...become the part. Methinks this would be a good time to ask my dear husband for a lovely strand of pearls, no?!

Ok, so that might not happen for a while...or ever...but I do have plenty of cute sundresses and I, for one, intend to rock those frocks this summer the way June might have - with a cardigan, of course!