POD: 4.7.13

"Gay Sprites (girls) and Merry Mites (boys) were top quality brands sold at high end department stores like Neiman Marcus, B. Altman and Saks 5th Ave. These brands are what "society ladies'" children wore when out and about and Merry Mites was featured on a child on the cover of Times Magazine. One thing that made these brands unique was "the tricky use of seams, suspenders and tabs, which allow them to be let out easily so the clothes can "grow" with the wearer."

"Back in the 50s, travel was a glamorous thing. Only the rich could afford to fly and even to those with the money, it was still a big deal. Mothers dressed their little darlings in Gay Sprites and Merry Mites and tucked personal goodies into their Lucille de Paris bags to put on their very best show at the airport."

I personally (as a nyc based fashion designer and naturally minded mom) love them because they are 100% cotton, come in great colors not always offered for little girls (anyone else sick of pink!?) and the rompers let girls keep up with the boys on the monkey bars."

I don't remember wearing any "Merry Mites"...and now I am a "Gay Sprite"...

George


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Post# 671005 4/7/2013 at 07:21 (4,037 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)
Checkrate/Likes 3 *"The modern, fashion-forward woman finds style almost anywhere. Here, Phyllis shows how to repurpose a pasta bowl to add that special touch to your ready-for-Sunday-services outfit."*

Post# 671010 , Reply# 1 4/7/2013 at 07:43 (4,037 days old) by lovestowash (St. Petersburg, FL)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Intrigued...found this on the web...* "Gay Sprites (girls) and Merry Mites (boys) were top quality brands sold at high end department stores like Neiman Marcus, B. Altman and Saks 5th Ave. These brands are what "society ladies'" children wore when out and about and Merry Mites was featured on a child on the cover of Times Magazine. One thing that made these brands unique was "the tricky use of seams, suspenders and tabs, which allow them to be let out easily so the clothes can "grow" with the wearer." "Back in the 50s, travel was a glamorous thing. Only the rich could afford to fly and even to those with the money, it was still a big deal. Mothers dressed their little darlings in Gay Sprites and Merry Mites and tucked personal goodies into their Lucille de Paris bags to put on their very best show at the airport." I personally (as a nyc based fashion designer and naturally minded mom) love them because they are 100% cotton, come in great colors not always offered for little girls (anyone else sick of pink!?) and the rompers let girls keep up with the boys on the monkey bars." I don't remember wearing any "Merry Mites"...and now I am a "Gay Sprite"... George

Post# 671024 , Reply# 2 4/7/2013 at 09:18 (4,037 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes 1 "ready-for-Sunday-services outfit." Although for Mrs. Berens, it would be Friday night or Saturday morning services.

Post# 671086 , Reply# 3 4/7/2013 at 12:55 (4,037 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Today in all the times I've seen this POD/ad, never once paid attention to the fine print at the bottom, right. It mentoins Battlestein's, Houston, and I would ocncur Battlesteins was that type of store. Personally, I think another store in Houston, Sakowitz, was the equal to Battlestein's (micihaelman2 wanna chime in here?). For maybe 2-4 years, my Mom would work at Battlestein's during the Christmas shopping season probably to earn some extra $$$ for Christmas presentts as well as probably take advantage of the employee discount for presents for my sisters. I received Christmas of 1967 a Juliette 10 transistor solid state am/fm alarm clock radio and the case is real wood rather than plastic. It was procured from Battlesteins. It is still in use today and is something I treasure greatly now that my mom is gone.

Post# 671096 , Reply# 4 4/7/2013 at 13:10 (4,036 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *Somehow.....* ....It was always okay for girls to be "gay sprites." But you let little boys try it, and all Hell breaks loose....

Post# 671142 , Reply# 5 4/7/2013 at 16:26 (4,036 days old) by wireman (Lansing, MI)
Checkrate/Likes PERFECT, Eugene! Could not have phrased it better.

Post# 671145 , Reply# 6 4/7/2013 at 16:45 (4,036 days old) by joelippard (Hickory)
Checkrate/Likes God what I wouldn't give to find one of those Kelvinator or ABC Washers...

Post# 671149 , Reply# 7 4/7/2013 at 16:49 (4,036 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes Can sometimes be heavenly fun when all hell breaks loose . . . :)