Kays Clothing Catalogue

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The Kays clothing catalogue was a fixture in many British houses, for much of the 20th Century. Now they have put some of their archive online. I have downloaded many of the relevant images for you to enjoy.

All images are © Kays Heritage Group.

They can be found on this website: http://www.worldofkays.org/website/

I have tried to organise these images by relevant categories.

Let's start with hats and caps:

1923:

1930:

1931:

1933:

1940:

1943:

 

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Scarves and Ties:

1937

1938

1940

1943

1960

This pic is interesting: it shows a combination of Tootal ties in the colour 'qualities' (red/green etc) being sold at the same time as Gold and Silver quality which were the newer ties made from Terylene (or some such man-made fibre) rather than good old Rayon. Before seeing this advert I didn't realise they were still making the 'Green Quality' etc ties at this late date.

 

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Shirts:
1920

1933

1937

1937

1940

1943

1943

1943

1950

1953

 

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More shirts:

1953

1957

 

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Jackets:

1923

1933

1937

The first appearance of belt-back suits and sports jackets in the Kays catalogue
1943

1947

1953

1953

1957

 

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more to follow tomorrow .....

 

[Edward]

Interesting stuff! My grandmother got the Kay's catalogue for years (and Grattan's), though I only ever saw them from the Seventies onwards. She still called them "club books" then too.

 

[esteban68]

Ditto Edward and well done TT digging this out...my nan had loads of old catalogues going back years under the stairs me and my brother were always going through them, the old drawings intrigued me as even in the 70's photos were the norm....I 've tried to get old British catalogues for some time but couldn't track any down so well done again!

 

[Anthony Jordan]

Thank you for sharing these TT, although I cannot help comparing these to the Kays I remember and wondering, where did it all go wrong?!

 

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Knitwear:
1927

1929

1931

1943

1950

1953

1957

1958

 

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More knitwear:
1933

1937

 

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Trousers:

1923

1930

1931

1933

1940

1950

1953

 

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more trousers:
1957

1959

 

[Edward]

Great to see these up here, TT - and bravo to Kay's for putting up that website.... It would be great if they did a print run of these, akin to the books already on the market that collect illustrations from US Sear's catalogue together by decade. "Everday Fashions of the [decade X]", I think that's the title. I have the 30s/40s/50s volumes at home. Some really nice images - great not only for details of specific items, but contemporary ideas of what should be worn with what for the construction of a very period accurate look.

 

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Overcoats & Raincoats:

1923:

1927:

1933:

1937:

1940:

 

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More coats:

1931:

1943:

1950:

1953:

1957:

1960:

 

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even more coats:

1927:

1930:

1931:

1933:

1943

1947

1950:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Very cool TT. Reminds me of the Houndsditch Warehouse Co. catalogue, but that one's only in black and white, and substantially more downmarket than these which look to be modelled on the Burton's line of catalogue.

 

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Workwear:

1920

1927

1930

1933

1937

1943

1950

 

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almost forgot this one from 1957