Buygone Ad: Van Heusen’s Bones Of Contention

The year was 1952. The economy was booming. The shirt was Oxford (wonder if it was available in bone white?). And the racism was colorfully illustrated. Sorry I couldn’t find a version of the ad where the small print was readable—but I doubt it did anything other than dig the prejudicial hole deeper. I guess it was to be expected; there aren’t many things in this world more white bread than a Van Heusen dress shirt. Back then, the world’s largest shirt company also wasn’t shy about the sexism (or the erotic spanking) either. Completely coincidentally, Ronald Reagan was an endorser. At least by the 70s, black men were allowed to wear pants in fashion ads.
(Image: livejournal/vintage ads)