Having been, myself, a secretary in this area in this time-line, I was surprised to see Peggy's skirts so long. We dressed more like Joan, in fact in one of the photos of her I had a tweed skirt just like hers. It was lined and a pleasure to wear. We also wore man-tailored shirts that went well with the trim line skirt. I also had many sets of cuff links I wore with them. And, beside the little scarfs Peggy wears at her neck, we all loved to wear what we called "scatter-pins". There was a store on Fifth that sold nothing else. They were fun and cheap and dressed up a sweater set, jacket or coat.

And if you were a 'connected' secretary, which I was, you could buy 'wholesale'. And how was that done? Well first off you and your boss had to be very friendly with..........your elevator operator. After checking for ads in the Journal-American, or the NY Sunday Times, or any magazine, I checked for a Seventh Avenue address and saw a designer coat I really loved and coveted. My boss, who was always generous and friendly to him, told the elevator operator to 'take care of me' - the operator then contacted his building Super (a very powerful and undervalued man), who then contacted his union delegate (at that time these guys were on the streets every day) who contacted the other delegate from that district who gave the go-ahead for me to visit the right 'buyer's showroom' on Seventh - through their Super/elevator operator. There was a whole underground operation at work and you really needed to keep all wheels well greased. It was great for us gals though - we felt so priviledged to wear those clothes.

Buyer's show rooms were dingy little places where they had models show a few of the company's lines for the year. Most of this stuff was too pricey for me but I did save my pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters to buy a cashmere clutch (no buttons) winter coat with a real mink collar. I was offered and got the coat the model showed to the buyers and at a big big discount and was thrilled. It's the only thing I've kept over these years and I still love it.

Also just off Fifth Avenue, there were little stores where you could go in and have them make little custom hats for you. As we got into the 60's hats were kind of on their way out but you could still get those little designer ones, something like the pill-boxes with cute little feathers worn on the top or on the back of your head. Or some kind of wide colorful velvet/fabric head band with a short netting if the occasion called for it.

Into the '60's I started wearing pants suits and was even denied entrance to church by the priest who stood at the door turning us away from Mass if we dared to wear one. It was a good excuse to stay home........lol

Loved everything you've done on the show and the clothes you've shown have become wonderful eye-candy for this veteran of the era. And I still cuff my dungarees............so funny.

So interesting

thanks moviefan913..........it was an interesting time and because of this great show, I'm only now realizing just how rich a time it was. I guess we never appreciate what we have until it's gone - like our youth. There was a song that went, "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end......"

I can't wait until MM season three starts just to see all the clothes..........

FYI MM fans: someone on another forum asked about Joan's necklace and what was it? I had one myself and it's a lead pencil - though it looks like a whistle. If any of youse guys nowadays knows what a lead pencil is......lol....under the believe it or not heading: I still have boxes of lead refills....even funnier.