The Saturday Evening Post

January 29, 1944

The Saturday Evening Post traces its roots back to 1728 and Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette. In 1821, new owners changed the name to the current one. The publication has been through many changes over the centuries. This 1944 edition is filled with fiction, human interest stories, humor, cartoons, photographs - and my favorite part of vintage magazines -  advertisements.

The reader can often pick up quite a bit about the lifestyle and values of a time by taking a look at the ads.  Reading the ads in this magazine, I can see that our country was consumed by the war effort.  

Florsheim Shoes warns us to “make today’s Florsheim shoes last longer”.  They are doing their part by making better shoes that will last longer. The money we don’t have to spend on new shoes can then be spent on War Bonds.  Florsheim is doing its part to bring Victory closer!

Palmolive assures us that women can have more beautiful skin in 14 days by using their soap. They also include tips for making soap last longer, since vital materials needed to win the war are used in making soaps. Please don’t let your soap soak in water or rest in a wet soap dish!

Another advertisement states, “Sorry you can’t buy that Hamilton Watch today. Hamilton is making precision timepieces for Uncle Sam only now. But, when American watches can again be made, Hamilton will once more make America’s preferred gift watch – a watch worth waiting for.”

Arrow Shirts has a full-page color ad with humorous cartoons, depicting eight tips for you and the “Little Woman” on how to keep shirts in good condition – saving materials and manpower, and giving you more money for War Bonds.  The tips range from turning the collar up before tossing the shirt in the hamper to using fabric from worn shirts for aprons and tots’ clothes.

More than the articles in the magazine, it’s the advertisements that transport me back in time, for they speak directly to the everyday man or woman. Reading them, I can imagine the 1944 woman’s concern over how to provide for her family while still following rationing rules and expressing patriotism.  Also, I sure wish companies would still make merchandise to last and encourage us to use items carefully!