🍂 Fall Fashion Highlights: Norwood’s Autumn Style Scene, 1938
🍂 Fall Fashion Highlights: Norwood’s Autumn Style Scene, 1938
As the leaves began to turn in September 1938, Norwood’s department stores unveiled a vibrant array of fall fashions that blended practicality, elegance, and Depression-era affordability. From cozy coats for schoolchildren to stylish felt hats and flannel robes, the town’s retailers offered a seasonal wardrobe that reflected both national trends and local tastes.
🧥 Girls’ Coats at Cummings’ Department Store
Cummings’ introduced a full line of coats for girls aged 6 to 16, priced between $5.95 and $14.95. Styles included:
- Fitted and belted classics
- Fur-collared reefers
- Straight tailored tweeds and camel’s hair
- Colors: wine, rust, brown, and green
- Warmly interlined for New England winters
These coats were designed for both style and durability, perfect for school and weekend outings.
🛋️ Flannel Robes at The Bond Shop
For lounging at home, The Bond Shop offered flannel robes that doubled as fashionable housecoats:
- Wrap-around, zipper-front, and button-down styles
- Colors: red, navy, aqua, and wine
- Corduroy trim added a modern touch
- Priced at $5.98 — ideal for gifts or personal comfort
👜 Smocks & Handbags at Clear Weave
Clear Weave catered to working women and homemakers with:
- Long-sleeved smocks in prints and solids for $1.00
- Handbags in black, brown, and dubonnet for just 94¢
These items balanced utility with flair, perfect for store clerks, teachers, and office workers.
🎁 Bridal Gifts at Alice Gift Shop
For fall brides, Alice Gift Shop featured:
- English china tea services
- Cambridge glassware in ivy patterns
- Vases, bookends, lamps, and framed prints
The shop offered curated elegance for wedding registries and anniversary gifts.
👒 Felt Hats & Overalls at Nesson’s
Nesson’s showcased:
- Doll hats, brims, off-the-face styles, and sporty felt hats for $1.00
- Children’s corduroy overalls in assorted colors for 98¢ — warm and durable for playtime
👔 Pickaback Shirts at Cantor’s Men’s Store
Cantor’s introduced the “Pickaback Shirt,” featuring:
- Fine mercerized broadcloth
- Sanforized collar guaranteed to outlast the shirt
- Sizes up to 18
- Priced affordably for working men
🛋️ “Homitosis” and Home Style at Norwood Furniture Co.
In a clever ad campaign, Norwood Furniture Co. coined the term “Homitosis” — the awkward feeling of outdated home furnishings. Their budget-friendly plans encouraged residents to refresh their interiors with:
- Modern living room sets
- Payment plans tailored to Depression-era budgets
Absolutely, George! Here’s a “Then & Now” price chart comparing 1938 fall fashion prices from Norwood retailers with their approximate modern equivalents. This can be used as a sidebar or visual insert in your WordPress article to highlight economic shifts and consumer culture over time.
🛍️ “Then & Now” Price Chart: Fall Fashion in Norwood
| Item | 1938 Price | 2025 Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Girls’ camel’s hair coat | $14.95 | ~$160–$220 | Quality wool coats for children now range widely depending on brand |
| Flannel robe with corduroy trim | $5.98 | ~$60–$80 | Comparable to mid-range department store robes |
| Women’s smock | $1.00 | ~$25–$35 | Utility smocks or tunics for work or home use |
| Handbag (black, brown, dubonnet) | $0.94 | ~$40–$60 | Basic faux leather handbags today |
| Felt hat (women’s styles) | $1.00 | ~$30–$50 | Retro-style felt hats are now niche fashion items |
| Children’s corduroy overalls | $0.98 | ~$25–$40 | Durable playwear still popular, especially in boutique brands |
| “Pickaback” men’s shirt | $1.00–$1.50 | ~$35–$60 | Sanforized cotton shirts with reinforced collars now sold as premium wear |
| English china tea service | $5.00–$10.00 | ~$100–$250 | Depending on brand and craftsmanship |
| Cambridge glass vase | $2.50–$5.00 | ~$60–$120 | Vintage pieces now considered collectible |
💡 Interpretation Tips:
- Adjusted for inflation, $1.00 in 1938 is roughly equivalent to $21–$22 in 2025.
- Many items have increased in price due to changes in materials, labor, and branding.
- Depression-era pricing reflects both economic hardship and the rise of mass production.
Source: Norwood Free Press, September 16, 1938