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Found this article in my latest Old Cars Weekly in the Vintage Ad of the Week column and thought it would be of interest to TBN'ers ..... The article was not posted on the website so I took a picture and retyped the copy so it would be easier to read.
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Ford's first generation Thunderbird's of 1955-57 not only set automotive styling trends, but influenced designs in unrelated industries.
Take Goodstein Bros., Inc., the world's largest maker of men's coats. Inspired by the T-Birds "fresh appearance," it created a new division, Thunderbird Coats, an introduced the Thunderbird top coat and suburban.
An advertisement from the January 9, 1956 issue of Sports Illustrated pictures the dapper coats alonside a 56 T-Bird. The Thunderbird suburban coat ($40-$45) on the right had a convertible collar with the Thunderbird tartan lining under the collar, an inside map pociket, toil pocket and genuine leather buttons.
The connection between the clothing and the cars was solidified in a sweepstakes in which Thunderbird coat dealers offered official contest blanks to enter to win a Ford Thunderbird. The contest closed May 31, 1956.
By November 1956, the House of Worsted Tex in New York joined the bandwagon and created a line of Thunderbird tailored sportswear, "made to live in ... to drive in!"
The company's official Thunderbird blazers are available in solid hues or flattering tri-toned, striped fabric with the T-Bird crest embroidered (optionally) on the breast pocket. Its sport coats were "kissin' cousins" to the blazer. Both were priced at $39.75.
Harmonizing with the coats were Thunderbird slacks, priced at $16.95 up "tailored never to bind or cut at the crotch."
All prices were slightly higher west of the Rockies, but the fashion was the latest across the country, no matter where your T-Bird took you.
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M.J. Frumkin
Old Cars Weekly Vol. 38 No. 48
November 26, 2009
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Ford's first generation Thunderbird's of 1955-57 not only set automotive styling trends, but influenced designs in unrelated industries.
Take Goodstein Bros., Inc., the world's largest maker of men's coats. Inspired by the T-Birds "fresh appearance," it created a new division, Thunderbird Coats, an introduced the Thunderbird top coat and suburban.
An advertisement from the January 9, 1956 issue of Sports Illustrated pictures the dapper coats alonside a 56 T-Bird. The Thunderbird suburban coat ($40-$45) on the right had a convertible collar with the Thunderbird tartan lining under the collar, an inside map pociket, toil pocket and genuine leather buttons.
The connection between the clothing and the cars was solidified in a sweepstakes in which Thunderbird coat dealers offered official contest blanks to enter to win a Ford Thunderbird. The contest closed May 31, 1956.
By November 1956, the House of Worsted Tex in New York joined the bandwagon and created a line of Thunderbird tailored sportswear, "made to live in ... to drive in!"
The company's official Thunderbird blazers are available in solid hues or flattering tri-toned, striped fabric with the T-Bird crest embroidered (optionally) on the breast pocket. Its sport coats were "kissin' cousins" to the blazer. Both were priced at $39.75.
Harmonizing with the coats were Thunderbird slacks, priced at $16.95 up "tailored never to bind or cut at the crotch."
All prices were slightly higher west of the Rockies, but the fashion was the latest across the country, no matter where your T-Bird took you.
.
M.J. Frumkin
Old Cars Weekly Vol. 38 No. 48
November 26, 2009
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