December 1958.
This rabbit fur muff and a matching hat were Christmas gifts from an aunt and uncle.
I still have that!
Not-Patty, my '50's Patty Playpal clone, models the matching set.
The wrist cord ensured that I wouldn't misplace the muff. It was snuggly warm during the cold New England winter but expecting a child to keep both hands confined in a small space was impractical.
A hidden plastic headband held the hat in place but was too tight so I never wore it.
The heads of small dead animals add such a festive touch.
The box is from The Halle Bros. Co., a defunct Cleveland, Ohio department store. An Internet search turned up an odd fact: Halle Berry, who was born in Cleveland, was named for the store. This sounded ridiculous but looking at multiple websites confirmed that it's true.
I think I had that same set! I remember thinking I was so elegant with that muff, but like you said, I don't ever remember really keeping my hands in it. Why DID they put the animal heads on everything back then? PETA members would go nuts about something like that today!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about PETA! I found an identical hat online and those little critters are fake ermine. Ick! I still have my mom's "furs", the name once used to describe a thing that was draped around the shoulders, made with whole minks biting each others tails. Even my cats are horrified by it.
ReplyDeletei am kind of obsessed with old vintage fur with faces. even fake heads. and i'm vegetarian and would NEVER buy fur today! haha.
ReplyDeleteFur with faces? Hehe! I always felt sorry for the poor little minks. They were perpetually biting each others tails and had beady glass eyes. The leader of the mink parade has a hinged mouth that usually clamped onto the midsection of an unsuspecting victim.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, the furs looked so elegant with '40's and '50's fashions.