I love grocery/supermarket shopping. I know the idea of walking up the seemingly endless aisles isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but I love it. Sure it can be a weekly chore but only if you see it that way. Along with picking up the pantry necessities you might discover something new and imagine if Australia’s Coles supermarkets still stocked dresses like these today?!
I’m not exactly sure when supermarkets in Australia started to phase out clothing but I do have vague memories of shopping with my grandmother when I was little and seeing some clothing in the very early eighties. Although, I think it was mostly nightwear. Our supermarkets do still stock some clothing (the quick fix underwear and hosiery variety) but nothing like these. Sure, they were considered ‘budget’ wear but the ‘budget’ clothing of the 50-70s is MUCH higher quality than the ‘budget’ of today.
Along with the fashions I love seeing how the style of advertising changed from illustrations in the late 50s and early 60s to photographs in the late 60s and 70s. Note the change in the Coles logo too.
Oh to be able to do my grocery shopping back then! I’d buy all of the dresses, a couple of pullovers and I’d be one happy shopper, wouldn’t you?
Images from The Australian Women’s Weekly: 25 Nov 1959; 23 Nov 1960; 7 Nov 1962; 15 Nov 1967; 10 April 1974.
This is GREAT! Coles DO have clothes again but they’re not quite the same! The sales point is though – affordable and stylish. I might send this to peeps I know at Coles and see if they’d be willing to bring in a retro collection – I’d buy ALL of the dresses in the first three pics :-)
Really? Coles still have clothes? Maybe I just assume it’s all underwear and walk straight past it without noticing… I definitely think you should have a word with your friends at Coles. ;)
Hehe yes its called Mix and it’s all basics like tshirts and dresses. I’ve got two pairs of ankle grazing jeans from there and they actually fit really well.
I wonder if they’d go with a retro range….Hmmm
Haha! That’s so weird. I’ve never noticed the Mix range. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it now and I think a retro range would be incredibly popular!
Imagine if Coles did these again as a one off thing? I would want to every single one from the first two images!
That would be a brilliant idea and I suspect they’d sell out fast.
I’m so in love with the empire princess dresses in those pictures!
Oh gosh I spend too much time and money in Coles already – if they bring back clothes I will never leave! Love love love! I’d love it if I can find an ad or illustration with my Embassy dress *wishful thinking*
Nora
Haha! Me too Nora! ;)
The neckline on your Embassy dress looks a little like some in the first picture but the shape of the dress is different.
There is not one dress up there I wouldn’t love to wear!! I would love to find one of these gems one day – will have to keep our eyes out. I am going to the Southern Highlands in a couple of weeks and am hoping to hit up a few op shops. I need some new inspiration – Canberra’s stores have been a little boring lately.
Oooh! Best of luck on your op shopping trip Megan! I haven’t been to any of Canberra’s op shops in years so I can’t say what they’re like today but I suspect they get picked over by all the Uni students.
I actually don’t mind grocery shopping…unless I have tired cranky little people with me like I did today. I flashed back to years of two screaming babies in a pram while the two toddlers pulled stuff of the shelf and I walked around crying just wishing it was over. SO glad grocery shopping is more dreamy these days…as I usually go solo and with no time constraints!
These dresses are all so gorgeous. I was going to mention the mix range (it was only released last year I think….maybe the year before) but it is only in some stores. Our local suburb doesn’t have it…but the big shopping centre the next suburb over does. They have all sorts of things and I happened to find a beautiful cream coloured cotton pussy bow blouse in the local op shop with the “mix” label. I ended up tearing it and am just devastated as I never saw it in store. I would love to find these dresses in the isles though.
Maybe that’s why I haven’t seen the Mix range… I don’t think the country town I live in would be big enough. ;)
Oh wow, these dresses–I’m dying! Especially the ones in the first two ads. Is it some kind of subtle advertising trick that my eye and desire are drawn especially to the dress in the upper left corner of each ad? I don’t know, but I’d like a time machine to take me to 1950s Australia so I can buy those dresses!
Our local grocery store, Meijer, does carry clothing (it’s kind of a local version of Wal-Mart, and has pretty much everything). It’s really cheap (and cheaply-made) stuff. I’m guessing the Coles dresses were inexpensive, too (to fit in with a grocery store setting), but dang–they sure look tempting in the ad!
Heehee! Yes, Karen! It’s definitely one of those advertising tricks that lead the eye from top left and downwards. There’s that ‘rule’ about web design etc. of leading the viewer’s eye from left to right on the page.
If you find that time machine don’t forget to pick me up on your way!
The Coles dresses definitely would’ve been inexpensive at the time but they wouldn’t have been cheaply made like today’s. :)
Cute stuff! I wonder if that is the actual labeling that they used??
I’ve seen the ‘Embassy’ logo in the Australia outline on labels but I’m yet to see any of the later ones to see if it changes. I suspect it probably does change on the labels like it does in the ads.
Love each and everyone of those frocks! Would be a dangerous thing if the supermarkets still stocked them. The supermarket I go to in Seoul has a Uniqlo and Muji built in, I find it impossible to just buy the groceries without picking up a little something!
And I adore supermarket shopping to. When I’m traveling I love having a poke around a local supermarket, all the different packaging and foodstuffs – such fun!
Ooooh! I think I need to go supermarket shopping Seoul! ;)
This is so interesting. That would be nice, but a little too tempting, I think:) I love how some of the ads include women of different ages.
Love this post! I have a gorgeous 1950′s dress from Coles that used to be my grandmas. It’s such beautiful fabric, I really wish that their clothes these day were as high quality as their vintage counterparts.
Thanks so much Fran, I’m glad you liked it!
Your grandmother’s dress sounds beautiful and so very special. :)