Except for Ward's collared casual shirts the characters mostly wear different color clones of previous outfits. Ward's casual shirts have slightly different cuts, and styles. Though on work days Ward will wear his white dress shirt and tie the rest of the evening (and will even BBQ with).

June's house dress and pearls have little style change. Just different color.

Larry has his own style thing with light trim, baggy, never fitted jackets, baggy pants.

Beaver and his friends all wear cuffed jean pants. Wally did early but he and his friends don't when older except for Lumpy.

Mrs Mondello and Ms Landers wear clone dresses.

Odd the boys dont wear collarless tshirts around the house. Always collared shirts. Even when playing baseball with friends. Even the garbage man's kids don't wear relaxed shirts.

Then, the exaggerated use of formal attire. No male ever eats at a restaurant without a suit jacket. June wears white gloves to visit the Rutherfords. Same when Ms Landers is invited to a casual dining night at the Cleavers. Ward laughs at Fred for wearing Bermuda shorts when hosting a casual gathering.

Ward appears to come from working class parents which make his yen for formal attire odd. Even Ward's sweat shirt & pants are a perfect match.

Except for Ward's collared casual shirts the characters mostly wear different color clones of previous outfits. Ward's casual shirts have slightly different cuts, and styles. Though on work days Ward will wear his white dress shirt and tie the rest of the evening (and will even BBQ with).

June's house dress and pearls have little style change. Just different color.

Larry has his own style thing with light trim, baggy, never fitted jackets, baggy pants.

Beaver and his friends all wear cuffed jean pants. Wally did early but he and his friends don't when older except for Lumpy.

Mrs Mondello and Ms Landers wear clone dresses.

Odd the boys dont wear collarless tshirts around the house. Always collared shirts. Even when playing baseball with friends. Even the garbage man's kids don't wear relaxed shirts.

Then, the exaggerated use of formal attire. No male ever eats at a restaurant without a suit jacket. June wears white gloves to visit the Rutherfords. Same when Ms Landers is invited to a casual dining night at the Cleavers. Ward laughs at Fred for wearing Bermuda shorts when hosting a casual gathering.

Ward appears to come from working class parents which make his yen for formal attire odd. Even Ward's sweat shirt & pants are a perfect match.

It was also a different era where people generally dressed neater and more formally. The show however, does exaggerate this. I accept the fact that many 50s and 60s show tend to sugar-coat and exaggerate reality. The truly progressive shows began to roll out a decade later.

It was also a different era where people generally dressed neater and more formally. The show however, does exaggerate this. I accept the fact that many 50s and 60s show tend to sugar-coat and exaggerate reality. The truly progressive shows began to roll out a decade later.

LITB isn't reality. It's a 1/2 enjoyable escape from reality. Critiquing how fantasy sily it is enhances its charm.

Then, the exaggerated use of formal attire. No male ever eats at a restaurant without a suit jacket. June wears white gloves to visit the Rutherfords. Same when Ms Landers is invited to a casual dining night at the Cleavers. Ward laughs at Fred for wearing Bermuda shorts when hosting a casual gathering.



Well, the Madison Avenue influence had done a masterful job of creating American's "keep up with the Jonses" obsession with status, as a tool to drive client sales. So perhaps the show's producers felt some obligation (to either their sponsors, or to their own sense of insecurity) to perpetuate the "grand life" mythos.

I mean if you're going to expend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to convince the general population that they must either spend, or risk spiraling helplessly into insignificance....you hardly want to put unkempt heroes in front of them and risk setting an example of indifference, do you?

Gotta tow the freight, "walk the walk" etc. There is a Currier and Ives ideology in need of perpetuating.

Or perhaps, since a central theme of the show was to portray life through the eyes of the kids, perhaps the exaggerated formality was a plot device intended to capture the child's perception that their parents were a little on the stiff side?

To me, the Cleavers dress like the country club set and there is nothing wrong with that. A collard shirt seems to be more appropriate than a non-collard shirt. Here is part of a dress code from a country club in California.

"A Member should dress in a manner that is inoffensive to others. Gentlemen may wear proper Bermuda-style golf shorts. Gentlemen must wear collared shirts and the shirts should be tucked into trousers. Ladies may wear sleeveless or collarless blouses provided that they are conservative and tasteful and of a type commonly considered standard golf attire. Collarless golf shirts are permitted."
https://www.dbgc.hk/icms/template?series=370&article=5628

Here from another club in the area. https://www.dbgcc.com/dining-social
"Semi-Formal Coat and tie for gentlemen and cocktail attire for ladies."

All of this describes what the Cleavers wear on most days.

Ward's talking down women was tolerated in 50s tv. June's relative had a baby. He finds out it's a girl, and grimaces. June can't open the mail. Saves it for Ward. She can't pay bills. Ward is in charge of all finances. Even writing checks. The writers have Ward as a great guy. But, a tyrant in some aspects of male superiority. I'm sure many women paid the bills in real-world 50s households, and displayed well rounded intelligence. My mom paid all the bills. Had an equal say in family matters. And we didn't wear suits and ties going to Denny's level restaurants.

LITB isn't reality. It's a 1/2 enjoyable escape from reality. Critiquing how fantasy sily it is enhances its charm.

Just because I don’t feel it’s completely realistic doesn’t mean I dislike the show or that it diminishes the show’s charm. Virtually all the 50s and 60s sugar-coated reality. Also what I said isn’t necessarily a criticism-it was an observation-nothing more and nothing less.

Just because I don’t feel it’s completely realistic doesn’t mean I dislike the show or that it diminishes the show’s charm. Virtually all the 50s and 60s sugar-coated reality. Also what I said isn’t necessarily a criticism-it was an observation-nothing more and nothing less.
I didn't take it as a criticism.

Ward's talking down women was tolerated in 50s tv. June's relative had a baby. He finds out it's a girl, and grimaces. June can't open the mail. Saves it for Ward. She can't pay bills. Ward is in charge of all finances. Even writing checks. The writers have Ward as a great guy. But, a tyrant in some aspects of male superiority. I'm sure many women paid the bills in real-world 50s households, and displayed well rounded intelligence. My mom paid all the bills. Had an equal say in family matters. And we didn't wear suits and ties going to Denny's level restaurants.

This type of gender stereotyping was typical of 50s shows. Again not a criticism just an observation.

I accept that these shows were a function of their times, and view them accordingly.

This type of gender stereotyping was typical of 50s shows. Again not a criticism just an observation.

I accept that these shows were a function of their times, and view them accordingly.

Hmm, I was aware of my world by the late 60s so I base my observation from there forward. My Amom graduated high school in 55 and went on to get a Ph.D. While I was growing up, she worked as a music teacher for two school districts so it was more than part-time but less than full-time. Then got a master's and taught junior high for a while and music full-time at the high school level. She contributed more money to the house than Adad did.

She did not do the bills as my Adad had majored in economics and enjoyed doing them. Only one hand in the pot you might say. He invested the extra money very, very, well.

Amom did the shopping and had to stick to a budget. I think it was done on a credit card, but maybe it was done by check. There was no cash as that is harder to keep track of what you spent it on. Adad was a stickler as to what it was spent on. He was brutal about it.

Their system had nothing to do with stereotypical anything. It just made sense to let the money man handle the money and the music woman handle the music.

and they mostly did dress like Ward and June.

Hmm, I was aware of my world by the late 60s so I base my observation from there forward. My Amom graduated high school in 55 and went on to get a Ph.D. While I was growing up, she worked as a music teacher for two school districts so it was more than part-time but less than full-time. Then got a master's and taught junior high for a while and music full-time at the high school level. She contributed more money to the house than Adad did.

She did not do the bills as my Adad had majored in economics and enjoyed doing them. Only one hand in the pot you might say. He invested the extra money very, very, well.

Amom did the shopping and had to stick to a budget. I think it was done on a credit card, but maybe it was done by check. There was no cash as that is harder to keep track of what you spent it on. Adad was a stickler as to what it was spent on. He was brutal about it.

Their system had nothing to do with stereotypical anything. It just made sense to let the money man handle the money and the music woman handle the music.

In your situation this worked out very well- the shows rarely showed the woman handling the finances.

In your situation this worked out very well- the shows rarely showed the woman handling the finances.

But would the majority of women be handling the finances? To me, it's more about art imitating life.

Even now with no restrictions baring women, the math and sciences are still dominated by men compared to the humanities which are full of women. There is a reason why so many women go into law, there is no math requirement. It sure is one of the reasons I went in that direction.

Well, the Madison Avenue influence had done a masterful job of creating American's "keep up with the Jonses" obsession with status, as a tool to drive client sales. So perhaps the show's producers felt some obligation (to either their sponsors, or to their own sense of insecurity) to perpetuate the "grand life" mythos.

I mean if you're going to expend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to convince the general population that they must either spend, or risk spiraling helplessly into insignificance....you hardly want to put unkempt heroes in front of them and risk setting an example of indifference, do you?

Gotta tow the freight, "walk the walk" etc. There is a Currier and Ives ideology in need of perpetuating.

Or perhaps, since a central theme of the show was to portray life through the eyes of the kids, perhaps the exaggerated formality was a plot device intended to capture the child's perception that their parents were a little on the stiff side?

Currier and Ives was a successful American printmaking firm based in New York City from 1835 to 1907 headed first by Nathaniel Currier, and later jointly with his partner James Merritt Ives. The prolific firm produced prints from paintings by fine artists as black and white lithographs that were hand colored.

Original Currier & Ives prints are very valuable. Some have sold for $100,000 or more. Well executed reproductions of Currier & Ives images also bring high values with prices in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars each.

To me, the Cleavers dress like the country club set and there is nothing wrong with that. A collard shirt seems to be more appropriate than a non-collard shirt. Here is part of a dress code from a country club in California.

"A Member should dress in a manner that is inoffensive to others. Gentlemen may wear proper Bermuda-style golf shorts. Gentlemen must wear collared shirts and the shirts should be tucked into trousers. Ladies may wear sleeveless or collarless blouses provided that they are conservative and tasteful and of a type commonly considered standard golf attire. Collarless golf shirts are permitted."
https://www.dbgc.hk/icms/template?series=370&article=5628

Here from another club in the area. https://www.dbgcc.com/dining-social
"Semi-Formal Coat and tie for gentlemen and cocktail attire for ladies."

All of this describes what the Cleavers wear on most days.


collared shirt vs collard greens LOL

Ward wearing his tie during dinner at home after work ? not realistic? I'd say so

Wally & Beaver having to fold their napkins before leaving the dinner table seems a bit bizarre.

Wally & Beaver having to fold their napkins before leaving the dinner table seems a bit bizarre.

I agree but this is 50s TV - often not couched in reality - but exhorting how the “perfect” middle class family should act & dress.

collared shirt vs collard greens LOL

Good catch.

Wally & Beaver having to fold their napkins before leaving the dinner table seems a bit bizarre.

What should they have done with them? They were cloth napkins correct?

I think I used to have to do that (it was a cloth napkin just like June's). If I didn't I heard about it.

That and putting it on.

To me, the Cleavers dress like the country club set and there is nothing wrong with that. A collard shirt seems to be more appropriate than a non-collard shirt. Here is part of a dress code from a country club in California.

"A Member should dress in a manner that is inoffensive to others. Gentlemen may wear proper Bermuda-style golf shorts. Gentlemen must wear collared shirts and the shirts should be tucked into trousers. Ladies may wear sleeveless or collarless blouses provided that they are conservative and tasteful and of a type commonly considered standard golf attire. Collarless golf shirts are permitted."

"Semi-Formal Coat and tie for gentlemen and cocktail attire for ladies."

All of this describes what the Cleavers wear on most days.

I remember going to a restaurant as a boy where, if a male didn't have a suit jacket of sport jacket, they had one to lend you to wear.

And church? Everyone dressed up, males with suits and ties and ladies with dresses and hats. At Easter all the ladies showed off their new (mostly big) hats.

It was a different time, obviously. Better or worse--matter of opinion.

I even remember when wearing jeans to school was not allowed - I'm so old lol

Currier and Ives was a successful American printmaking firm based in New York City from 1835 to 1907 headed first by Nathaniel Currier, and later jointly with his partner James Merritt Ives. The prolific firm produced prints from paintings by fine artists as black and white lithographs that were hand colored.



Thank-you. :tiphat:

They are noted for portraying an idealized cross section of contemporaneous Americana, (the Goode Olde Days) in most, but not all of their works. They had a dark side too, not nearly so well known.

I even remember when wearing jeans to school was not allowed - I'm so old lol

That was never even discussed, never even a matter for consideration in the 60s. Shorts? Never even came up. Same with T-shirts or tank tops.

I even remember when wearing jeans to school was not allowed - I'm so old lol

I was in second grade when we were allowed. I was so happy. I used to play on the monkey bars and it was hard wearing a skirt or dress.

Ward wearing his tie during dinner at home after work ? not realistic? I'd say so

I'm sure you are familiar with the expression "keeping up with the Joneses"?

I believe people who regard those fictionalized accounts as a template for the way they think society should aspire to be, are in essence playing "keep up with the Cleavers"

Ward wearing his tie during dinner at home after work ? not realistic? I'd say so

There was another thread where there was a lot of discussion about this. I agree, even back in the day my dad never did.

But as I recall there were others whose dad did keep his suit and tie on.

Fred Rutherford never really made me want to run out and shave my head, either.

My sisters in the mid 60's had the vise principal checking skirt lengths with a ruler !
Something about not more than 1 or 2 inches above the knee ...

A few years later my middle school years came fish net stocking and mini skirts !

THAT was crazy times for us boys in mid puberty ! Yeee Haa

Or perhaps, since a central theme of the show was to portray life through the eyes of the kids, perhaps the exaggerated formality was a plot device intended to capture the child's perception that their parents were a little on the stiff side?

I buy that interpretation. By the way, is your signature a reference to one of my favorite TAGS episodes?

Ward's attire actually got more formal as the series progressed. In the later seasons you rarely see him in a casual shirt - certainly not a sweat shirt - more often than not a sport coat or suit. I wonder if it had something to do with the idea that an older man should be more formal. Hugh did look younger than his age, and in the early seasons he could appear rather casual and sporty, almost like a younger man.

Ward's attire actually got more formal as the series progressed. In the later seasons you rarely see him in a casual shirt - certainly not a sweat shirt - more often than not a sport coat or suit. I wonder if it had something to do with the idea that an older man should be more formal.

All it might have "tooken" was an ABC exec making a comment about not liking his casual attire.