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VINTAGRAPH • WPA • WWII • YOU MEAN A WOMAN CAN OPEN IT?

Window-Dressing: 1941

July 1941. "Store window display. Chicago, Illinois." High concept retailing -- one's eye is drawn immediately to the fancy footwear on display. Or maybe summers in Chicago are just especially hot? We'll leave the interpretation up to you. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size.

July 1941. "Store window display. Chicago, Illinois." High concept retailing -- one's eye is drawn immediately to the fancy footwear on display. Or maybe summers in Chicago are just especially hot? We'll leave the interpretation up to you. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size.

 

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Could it be

that they sell mannequins?

One scorching July day in 1941 Chicago-

And obviously pre-air conditioning... with nothing left to sacrifice for looming WW2 clothing shortages. Oh well, must keep up the morale of the armed forces!

I'd know it any 'wear'

My wife had a suit like that!

Oh, Pardon me!

I'm thinking that was caught right in the middle of a window change, and one not done to company policy. Right up through the 70's mannequins were hidden or covered during clothes changes. The fact that this window has neither paper or a Bon Ami whitewash tells me something is up, and it's not a nudity grab at product awareness. My mother would have refused to shop here.

Outrage!

Surely (stop calling me Shirley!) in 1941 that didn't last long before the bluenose brigade showed up?

Or did I fall for the bait and that's just a work-in-progress, waiting for the window-dresser to finish the job?

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