Girls' clothing illustrated in a sale catalogue issued by Pettigrew & Stephens in January 1933.
Girls' clothing at the time was generally practical and comfortable. The royal family set trends, with many mothers dressing their daughters in clothes copied from the young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Another influence was Shirley Temple, the child film star. In 1934 she starred in the film Stand up and Sing, in which she wore a red and white polka dot dress. This instantly became a mass fashion and was copied around the world.
Mail order was an important source of business for department stores in the 1930s. The sale catalogue would be widely distributed, in an attempt to entice purchases from potential customers who might not find it easy to travel to Glasgow. The allowance of 10/- (50p) free postage would cover several of all but the heaviest garments.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 381.14106541443 PET
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Archives
Keywords:
cinema, coats, department stores, fashions, films, frocks, girls' clothes, hats, mail order, movies, Pettigrew & Stephens, postage, royal family, sale catalogues, shopping, shops, skirts, women