.....Good eye. Damn, now I have to go back and look - again.

When I went to college in 1981, my dad (b. 1942) taught me how to wear sock garters. I thought they were the most ridulous thing I'd ever seen. However I did notice they hold your socks up very nicely if you've had to do some sprinting to catch a taxi or whatnot.

In 1983 I did a college production of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Our director was a stickler for period accuracy... I think the play is set in 1947?

Anyway, the costume mistress had actually gotten her hands on some vintage underwear for the whole cast! The actress playing Blanche got to wear a lovely vintage silk charmeuse slip, and we boys all had to wear the tank-style ribbed cotton t-shirts and cotton boxer shorts.

What surprised me then was the fact that, in 1947, underwear did not have elastic. Both men's and women's undies were fastened with snaps and eyelets and catches and what-not. I do not know the precise moment that elastic underwear became the norm.

In the late 1960's, I remember my father wearing the full cotton t-shirt... And my grandfather (b. 1923) wore the cotton "tank" style undershirt (like Ken's).

I also remember how, in the early 70's, the generation who'd survived The Depression and WWII were really turned off by the growing explosion, worn by youth, of cotton tees which had slogans and imagery on them. To these people, it was like indecently wearing your underwear outside in public for all to see!

I had forgotten about the no elastic in underwear. Sometimes in antique shops I will come across vintage women's underwear - it always looks impossibly small and plain, with buttons and hooks and sometimes little ribbons to tie. Very different from the "foundation" undergarments of the 50s and 60s.

.....Just look at Gone with the Wind, or the Seven Brides movies, and you get an idea that once you're in there, you're pretty much in there for a long stay.

No pun intended.

Okay, it was totally intended.

(Sorry for the repeat - this was supposed to go here.)

I was a youngster during this period of the 60s and one of the many things that I love about MM is the period attention to detail esp. clothes. My Dad had a look of DD and wore much the same clothes so it brings back fond memories. I may have said it before, but will say again the ladies look fabulous and again bring back many happy times. At no other time in our history (early 1960s) were we in the UK as influenced by American culture as then. Fashions, Cars, Music and Style all swept over the water to be mixed-up, re-hashed and re-packaged to be sent back later...I love this show and my fellow Maddicts.

Yes, EP, we love you, too...and thanks forever for those "four lads from Liverpool"....loved them then and love them now. Looks like Paul is going to revisit The Ed Sullivan Theater tomorrow night to be on Letterman...wonder if he'll share any cool memories with ol' Dave about his appearance on that very stage all those years ago on February 9, 1964? I'll be watching to find out....

And, I agree, oh, what a time it was!

I remember, as a small girl in the 50s, my bathing suit was made of knitted wool, I guess the only stretch fabric available. It was itchy and slimy when wet and I hated it.

60's chick...remember how when you'd take it off, there'd be about a gallon of wet sand in the bottom of it!? No wonder we rejoiced with the invention of Lycra!

.....To the author of this thread, sheermanus.....

Did you see the John/Jon interview on today's Blog?

They are both wearing the sheer, ribbed, nylon (or whatever) man-socks to which you were referring.....

I know they know what to do, but, to me, some of these guys suits are too small. Especially, shallow arm holes. Don wears suits that look like he has put on a few lbs. and hasn't bought new suits.

I usually dress Mad Men style everyday - skinny ties, slim suits, great black shoes and real sheer dress socks - the whole style feels great and I woudl reccommend it. Now a lot of the stores are selling the slim suits, narrow ties are back in style and I get my socks from sheersox.com and Comfilon. Try it!

I usually dress Mad Men style everyday - skinny ties, slim suits, great black shoes and real sheer dress socks - the whole style feels great and I woudl reccommend it. Now a lot of the stores are selling the slim suits, narrow ties are back in style and I get my socks from sheersox.com and Comfilon. Try it!

I usually dress Mad Men style everyday - skinny ties, slim suits, great black shoes and real sheer dress socks - the whole style feels great and I woudl reccommend it. Now a lot of the stores are selling the slim suits, narrow ties are back in style and I get my socks from sheersox.com and Comfilon. Try it!

I agree! It's so nice to see sheer thick-n-thins worn by many of the characters on the show. They have been part of my daily professional and casual wardrobe ever since I finished college 15 years ago. Even though they've become increasingly difficult to find in recent years, I would not dream of wearing any other kind of sock.
It's funny because I never paid attention to the fact that the characters wear them until recently. There was an ad for the show in a magazine and my 10 year old son pointed out that Jon Hamm was wearing thick-n-thins in the photo.
Besides the fact that I wear sheer thick-n-thins, both he and his brother, age 12, also wear them for dress and dress casual occasions. A few years back, I found them in boys sizes on a business trip in the midwest and bought each of them a pair in black, navy and gray. I was pleasantly surprised how they both took to wearing them and have had to do several orders by mail with this store to keep my Young Mad Men stocked up over the years!
Like father, like son(s) I guess.
Dan.

I agree! It's so nice to see sheer thick-n-thins worn by many of the characters on the show. They have been part of my daily professional and casual wardrobe ever since I finished college 15 years ago. Even though they've become increasingly difficult to find in recent years, I would not dream of wearing any other kind of sock.
It's funny because I never paid attention to the fact that the characters wear them until recently. There was an ad for the show in a magazine and my 10 year old son pointed out that Jon Hamm was wearing thick-n-thins in the photo.
Besides the fact that I wear sheer thick-n-thins, both he and his brother, age 12, also wear them for dress and dress casual occasions. A few years back, I found them in boys sizes on a business trip in the midwest and bought each of them a pair in black, navy and gray. I was pleasantly surprised how they both took to wearing them and have had to do several orders by mail with this store to keep my Young Mad Men stocked up over the years!
Like father, like son(s) I guess.
Dan.

Apologies for the double post!
Dan.

A further comment on yesterday's comment:

If there are any others out there searching for sheer thick-n-thins in boys sizes to dress their own Young Mad Men, feel free to drop me a line.

I'd be very happy to hear from you and pass along all the necessary info.

All the best,
Dan.

I absolutely love the detail in Mad Men - but what strikes me is I only see the men wearing cotton shirts - where are the nylon shirts which were so prevalent at the time?