by Donna Swagerty
My mother found herself in a quandary. Her oldest daughter, an awkward tall teenager seemed to refuse to stand up straight. It is rather difficult to disappear at the height of 5’10” but it certainly seemed like that was what she tried to do. My mother encouraged and coaxed but to no avail.
Thinking she had found a possible solution, she signed me up for K & M Fashion Debs that was offering classes. The teenage girls met in a classroom at Katten and Marengo’s downtown store. The girls were given a series of classes that taught how to sit and walk properly. A proper walk included holding the head up high but level. The spine should be straight and tuck in your rear end. The object was to create a straight smooth line. The girls were reminded that a good model was no more than a walking coat hanger that does not distract from the clothing. If a top of an outfit needed more filling, one was to grab some tissues and start stuffing.
Also on the agenda was proper application of make-up. Practice sessions were provided and of course participants could buy items in the store to help their own supply. The proper way to get in and out of a car was emphasized so the teenagers could give the illusion of a proper young lady in all aspects of her life. I shared with my mother the various techniques I learned in our classes. My Mom’s favorite was the proper way of getting in and out of a car without looking awkward. Years after Fashion Debs, Mom would ask if she had departed or entered the car properly.
From the large group of applicants in the Fashion Deb classes, five were chosen to be paid models. The minimum wage offered at the time was set off by a ten per cent discount on any clothing purchased from K.& M. stores. Thus starting in my junior year of high school and ending in my junior year in college, Mom received her wish of her oldest daughter standing up straight for at least some of the time.
At first, modeling provided excitement and an ego boast. I was exposed to clothing I would not have been aware of before. Any salary I earned was quickly spent buying clothing from the store. I was not an easy fit and finding clothing that was fashionable and fit was quite a perk. Unfortunately for Mom, I would return from a show and quickly remove my make-up, comb out my ratted fashionable hair and return to slumping.
Though I knew being chosen as a model was an honor, I was never comfortable in that role. Being on display became a trial instead of making me have more confidence in myself. I always felt Mom put too much emphasis on appearance and I rebelled against it most of my childhood. I also became exposed to unwanted leers and propositions from various males I was on display to. It became more of the norm instead of exception in my insecure mind.
Two incidents stand out more than the others. Katten & Marengo put on a special private modeling show just before Christmas. One of the owners invited his buddies and then an open bar was available. The theme of the show was negligee modeled by young models. What could go wrong?
The popular rage in the 1960s was a lingerie style called baby doll . The sheer outfit was short and usually in two layers. I remember it not being the most comfortable outfit to wear in front of a bunch of drunk men. I entered up some stairs on one side of a small stage where I walked and did a few turns and then quickly exited on the other side of the stage down the opposite stairs. At the bottom of the exit steps were two men waiting. The first “gentleman” was the owner and host of the party. The second man was my neighbor who had a wife and two young children that I babysat on many occasions. I greeted my neighbor with, “Oh hi Bill! What are you doing here?” He stammered a bit with an embarrassed reply. When I came the down the stairs the next round of outfits, he and the owner were not there. The shows were only held for two years. It seems there was a lot of purchases of the wears displayed but most of the outfits were returned right after Christmas. I am guessing with the bar bill, the store lost money on that venture.
For another two years I spent every Tuesday and Thursday doing a modeling show for Katten and Marengo out at the Stockton Airport. The shows were given during the lunch hour and we drew a good size crowd in the restaurant area. The show’s commentator was a former model from San Francisco and was trying to make these fashion shows successful so she could continue her career in the fashion field. From various comments, I realized she was worried about our contract being renewed at the airport for the next year. She came up to me before the show began and asked me to come with her while she went up stairs to talk with the airport manager. I followed her up to the manager’s office and quickly realized she was basically dangling me in front of the manager with suggested future rewards. I was horrified and maintained my composure but knew I would not ever try to pursue a career in the fashion field. What I find interesting all of these years later is that I never discussed many of these events with my mother.
I do not regret my Fashion Deb experiences. I learned so much about the fashion world and the elements associated with it. I chose to continue my college education and became a teacher. I married and had two sons. Maybe if I had daughters I would have had to confront how important or not one’s appearance should be. As in all things, moderation is a good goal.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 