Many of us know that June wore pearls to hide her neck because of the cameras. But would you find June approachable as a mother if every time you saw your mom she was well dressed?

We see June in jeans in a few gardening scenes, but other than that, June is well dressed and cleaning, forever cleaning. I don’t know if I would have warmed up to my mother if she was always that proper. June was portrayed as loving and approachable and none of the kids were put off by her demeanor.

What about you? Could hug your mom and really feel her if she was always dressed to the nines?

I would love my mother no matter how she was dressed. I think if a child feels their mother is unapproachable, it has more to do with the mother's personality than her clothes.

Ya know what is funny? June is always telling the boys (esp. Beaver)to change out of their good clothes before they go to play!!! And June is wearing good clothes as she is doing house chores!!! Scrubbing toilets, cleaning an oven, dusting etc. certainly you wouldn't be able to keep your pretty dress too clean!! LOL!!!!! The boys should have said 'Mom, change out of your nice dress before you clean"!!!

I would love my mother no matter how she was dressed. I think if a child feels their mother is unapproachable, it has more to do with the mother's personality than her clothes.

Exactly, or the child is just extremely shallow.

You can love parents who are not approachable. Do we ever see June playing with the boys?

You can love parents who are not approachable. Do we ever see June playing with the boys?

We don't see a lot of things on LITB because it's a 1950s TV show. But, the idea that a parent wouldn't be approachable to their child solely based on their clothes is unusual to me. If Beaver and Wally were real children and they grew up seeing their mother in pearls, it wouldn't be odd to them, it would be their normal.

We don't see a lot of things on LITB because it's a 1950s TV show. But, the idea that a parent wouldn't be approachable to their child solely based on their clothes is unusual to me. If Beaver and Wally were real children and they grew up seeing their mother in pearls, it wouldn't be odd to them, it would be their normal.
1950's or not we DO see Ward playing with the boys and we see him in his grubbys. June's dressing style does suggest she promotes a certain persona. She never gets on the same level as the boys that Ward does.

As much as they loved June and even though at times June was the softer touch than Ward, I have to agree that she wasn't entirely approachable. I always thought it a bit odd that Ward seemed to know what the boys' MOs really were more often than June despite the fact that she was physically closer and spent more time with them while being a homemaker than Ward did being an office worker.

1950's or not we DO see Ward playing with the boys and we see him in his grubbys. June's dressing style does suggest she promotes a certain persona. She never gets on the same level as the boys that Ward does.

We'll just have to agree to disagree! :wave:

Are you familiar with "Father Knows Best?" This discussion reminds me of an episode from the second season called, "Women in the House." In that episode, Margaret (the mom) and Betty (the oldest daughter) clash with a visitor to their home named Jill because she didn't fit the role of a typical housewife. Jill was the much younger, new wife of a family friend.

Jill was as you might describe her, approachable. She got dirty, wore pants and smoked. She played with Bud (Margaret's son) and Kathy (Margaret's youngest daughter). Jill read Kafka. Jill tried to help Margaret cook and clean, but Margaret rejected her and had a semi-breakdown near the end. Of course, everything gets patched up at the end, but the ending scenes are of Jill washing dishes and Margaret reading Kafka. Every time I see that I think, "Why couldn't they both read Kafka?" It's like their was this unbreakable commitment to the cleaning back then.

I always thought it a bit odd that Ward seemed to know what the boys' MOs really were more often than June despite the fact that she was physically closer and spent more time with them while being a homemaker than Ward did being an office worker.

I always thought that was because Ward was a man and he knew what it was like to be a boy.

I always thought that was because Ward was a man and he knew what it was like to be a boy.

Exactly what it was, plus he had brothers growing up.

June wore what was called a "day dress"...Very popular back in the 50's and 60's....I know my mom had a few - see, look here:


https://img1.etsystatic.com/047/2/6209926/il_570xN.704210629_e0pi.jpg

You could make them yourself, or get one that was on sale at the local dept. store!

1950's or not we DO see Ward playing with the boys and we see him in his grubbys. June's dressing style does suggest she promotes a certain persona. She never gets on the same level as the boys that Ward does.

Of course we don't see her get on the same level as the boys that Ward does, he is the same sex parent. It doesn't mean anything now days, but it sure did then, or at least that was my perspective. I don't feel June was unapproachable at all, and just as someone else mentioned, seeing her dressed up and in pearls all the time was their normal. It kind of also goes along with the theme that women were to be home and "look good or beautiful" for their husbands when they came home. Yes, that's how it really was! And if you really get down to it, the entire theme of the show was about the kids and them relating to each other, not the parents.

In the 50s, it was formal dress for adults unless you were blue collar positions. Store clerks wore suits and ties and ladies wore dresses and nice dress shoes. The Cleavors were upper middle class too!

In the 50s, it was formal dress for adults unless you were blue collar positions. Store clerks wore suits and ties and ladies wore dresses and nice dress shoes. The Cleavors were upper middle class too!

I agree that the Cleaver's were very much upper middle class, and what I liked about them too, was that they weren't stuffy like Fred was. I don't know if Fred made as much money as Ward or not, but at least Ward wasn't always out to impress people with what he had in regards to material possessions. Don't get me wrong, I laughed at Fred, but I thought he was a giant a$$ most of the time.

Ya know what is funny? June is always telling the boys (esp. Beaver)to change out of their good clothes before they go to play!!! And June is wearing good clothes as she is doing house chores!!! Scrubbing toilets, cleaning an oven, dusting etc. certainly you wouldn't be able to keep your pretty dress too clean!! LOL!!!!! The boys should have said 'Mom, change out of your nice dress before you clean"!!!


I feel the same way. Who cleans there toilet in a dress?? As far as June being approachable, I guess at the time she was. To me, I always thought Ward was a little more on the ball as far as what to do.

Perfect ex. Remember when Gilbert first joined the cast. He got into a fight with Beaver. June was all frantic but Ward let them fight it out and he took his blessed time to stop it.

Anyone who could speak jive like she could had to be approachable.

Chump don't want the help, chump don't get the help.