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March 22, 2023

Beautiful Fashions From the Ten-Cent Store, 1949

The low-cost variety store had been around since the late 1800s and took off as a retail concept in the middle of the 20th century. To visitors from abroad one of the perennial marvels of America is the five-and-ten crammed with household articles.

The five-and-ten stores have proved as fast—and three to four times as cheap—as many a department store at copying simple fashions. As proof, in 1949, LIFE magazine ran a fashion spread in which every item came from a five-and-ten and cost $2.00 or less. (The two-dollar price tag translates to $24.59 in 2023 dollars). Some fashions came from the original five-and-ten store, Woolworth’s.

LIFE photographer Nina Leen was behind the camera while top model Jean Patchett posed for the pictures. The resulting photos are a tribute to the talents of both, as well as to the quality of the discount store wares.

Jean Patchett modeling earrings (25 cents), a necklace (94 cents), a bracelet ($1.00) and earrings (25 cents), setting off a white rayon blouse (98 cents) for a story on dime-store fashion, 1949.

Jean Patchett modeling a dime-store outfit, featuring a cotton sun dress (59 cents) accessorized with a gold kid belt (59 cents), a choker ($1.24), and three costume bracelets (75 cents), 1949.

Model Jean Patchett wearing a dime-store hot weather costume that cost a total of $3.41, including the rough-straw bonnet for 45 cents, the blouse and dirndl for 98 cents each, and the $1.00 basket bag.

Model Jean Patchett wearing bracelets that cost a nickel each, for a story on dime-store fashions, 1949.

Jean Patchett modeling a belt (79 cents), gloves ($1.00) and bracelets ($1.50) that set off a more expensive black dress for a story on dime-store fashion, 1949.

Jean Patchett modeling huge Woolworth earrings (25 cents), a beret ($1), and pearl-and-rhinestone clips (50 cents) for a story on dime-store fashions, 1949.

Model Jean Patchett wearing a bathing suit fashioned from three allway scarves that cost a total of $1.98, from a shoot on dime-store fashions, 1949.








(Photos by Nina Leen/Life Picture Collection)

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