Men’s clothing ads of the 1930s were curious. I certainly don’t get it. Is this normal for a fully-dressed man to be supervising the sporting goods usage of a barely-dressed man? I don’t care for this tone.
Nor do I care for the tone of this one. Young men, arm in arm, marching in their underwear. It’s getting weirder. And I can’t even with their tagline.
This seems to be more normal, just some men in office shirts checking out another man’s clubs. And while it’s odd to buy clothes that “flatter your summer tan,” it doesn’t really get strange until you see the belted briefs. What is that about? Do you have those?
Let’s end on a less naked note, with this 1932 Arrow ad for men who get fooled by shirts. And no, that’s not our president; it’s a fellow who evidently goes fishing in a nice button-down, tie, and khakis. You know, like village fishermen. Is he petting that fish? Is he stroking its fins? Is that the proper protocol? No wonder shirts have been fooling him.
I Don't Get It 
It is awkward. Strangest ads I have ever seen. Is a skit-suit a onesie? Maybe they have an important badminton match later that day and he needed urgent advice on his pose. While I can imagine 2 young friends marching around arm in arm back then I just don’t get that slogan. Unless they are referring to the Film Actors Guild. Building a wardrobe around your tan is silly. Clothes for the start of summer, clothes for the beginning to medium tan and finally one for the end of summer bronze beware of melanoma tan. I hope those belted briefs are swim trunks.I wish someone could explain to me how a Grown man can get fooled by a shirt. The copy is too small to read. One thing for sure is this ad would be sure to trigger some people because of that one word. So much to work with on a Sunday morning. Thanks.
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You are on your game today, Benson. That name sure would trigger people.
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Everyone was gay back then and super closeted and oppressive about it. But of course art imitates life as in these ads.
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Things were very different, even in the 70’s we all showered together and if I had a mate over we would sleep in the same bed! Remember the naked wrestling scene in Women in Love? Perhaps we were more secure in our sexuality, if you slept with your mate you weren’t necessarily gay. But a fabulous post ❤️
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It just seems weird to have a clothed person next to a nearly nude one, or teen boys in underwear arm in arm. I remember sharing my friend’s beds when I slept over as a kid, but never as an adult. And I’ve never showered with friends or strangers. Women In Love was before I was born. 😦 But I remember naked men chasing each other around in A Room With A View, being silly. Maybe it was innocent then, and now everything is sexualized. Or maybe it was conscious undertones.
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