HASTINGS' 50TH: Fashions come, go and even come back

HINERANGI VAISOMO
It was the era that gave birth to chrome furniture, ponytails, barbie, linen frocks, Morris Minors and lots of babies. And the era is making a comeback in shop windows.
Elizabeth Horne fashions and Griffiths Footwear Ltd managed to survive fires, floods and earthquakes, and are two of Hastings' oldest businesses, trading for over 50 years.
The Second World War was over and, along with babies, the economy was booming on the back of Korean War-fuelled wool exports.
Elizabeth Horne opened a self-titled business in 1936, specialising in women's-wear on Heretaunga Street West. With advertisements for girdles, bras and corsets in every newspaper, the 1950s were a period when people made an effort to be well-groomed and didn't mind paying the price to do so.
Linda Sowersby, of Elizabeth Horne fashions, said the fifties were all about average women being sophisticated women.
"Women just wanted to be feminine in those days," Mrs Sowersby said.
"And being feminine is definitely back in again."
Dorothy Toogood, also of Elizabeth Horne, agreed, saying women's fifties fashion had been recycled with pencil skirts, stiletto heels, full circular dresses and gorgeous handbags back on the latest wishlists.
However, Mrs Sowersby said it was not all the same.
"The difference, now, is that we have a bit more freedom to be an individual,"she said.
Rather than ice blues and soft pinks, pencil skirts were now found in bold colours with daring cuts and "look but don't touch" textures.
The boutique has been headed by four other owners since Elizabeth Horne.
Former owners included Phyllis Morton and Margaret Thelwall, followed by her daughter Mrs Toogood, and Mrs Sowersby, and yet they have managed to stay loyal to their customers for 70 years.
Once the perfect outfit was found, it was essential to find the perfect shoe.
Charlie Davis has smelled more than his fair share of stinky feet over the past 56 years, working at Hastings' oldest shoe shop, Griffiths Footwear Ltd.
Mr Davis started working for Charles Griffiths, who opened his Heretaunga Street business in 1914, when he was 17, after he was offered a job by Mrs Griffiths, whom he served at the local grocery store.
"He told me when I started I would have a job for life," Mr Davis said.
Mr Davis retired 18 months ago after 55 years of service and was well known for his way with shoes.
The shop hasn't had many owners; Mr Griffiths, followed by Syd O'Neill in 1928, and Mr Davis and wife Thelma in 1969.
In 1989, they were shocked to find their shop had been set alight by an arsonist in a string of fires around Hastings. "The shop had already been through the earthquake, so even though we were shocked, we managed to get over it."
The building may have survived the 1931 earthquake, but one of the office girls was killed in the disaster.
Mr Davis said men kept shoes simple in 1956, while women sported the round-toe covered, in heels, or the pointy-toed look.
"They looked ridiculous, very impractical," he said.
"I knew they weren't going to stay for a lengthy period, and thank goodness for that."
He recalled men's winklepickers being popular but being used only for special occasions.
The everyday favourites included the basic black, round-toe shoe for men and dark-coloured peep toes for women. "People started to get some sense and shopped for comfort," he said.
"It was all about leather, everybody wanted leather."
Mr Davis believes shoes lack quality these days because people tend to settle for synthetic soles.
"Fashion moves so fast now that people probably don't think it's worth spending lots of money for good shoes."
Although Mr Davis loved working with shoes, he said the atmosphere created by the staff, who were immaculately dressed in white gown uniforms, was half the attraction.
"We'd put a float into the blossom festival every year for a bit of fun," Mr Davis said.
Griffiths Footwear Ltd is now owned by a Napier family and still operates in Heretaunga Street West.