Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Closer Than We Think! Throw-Away Clothes (1959)


Apparently the ability to throw away your clothes is worthy of more attention than the commuter helicopters everyone's flying around in the future.

This strip ran in the October 25, 1959 Chicago Tribune.

Do your clothes need to be cleaned or washed? Are you tired of the old patterns or colors? In the future, if your answer to any of these questions is yes, you'll simply throw the old clothes away - and maybe kindle a camp fire with them.

Much of tomorrow's wearing apparel may be made out of treated paper, intended for use a few times, then for discard. The Quartermaster Corps is already investigating the use of such processed paper for parachutes, disposable uniforms, pup tents, and other shelters. It wears well, and its insulating qualities make it usable in all kinds of weather.

See also:
Closer Than We Think! (1958-1963)
Closer Than We Think! Monoline Express
Closer Than We Think! Lunar Mailbag (1960)
Closer Than We Think! Polar City (1959)
Closer Than We Think! Fish Bowl Swimming Pool (1958)
Miss A.D. 2000 (Chicago Tribune, 1952)
Envision Odd Styles in 1950 (Hammond Times, 1939)
Commuter Helicopter (1947)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's really the most amazing P-F image ever! A group of women in high heels, out in the country, with an ironing board, a campfire, a helicopter full of clothes, apparently having a fashion show.

I am speechless.

I am without speech.

Scott Haley said...

Some people wear Tyvek® jackets now.

RobertGoulding said...

So Frank Zappa was right (if bitterly satirical):

There will come a time when everybody who is lonely will be free to sing and dance and love.

There will come a time when every evil that we know will be an evil that we can rise above.

Who cares if you're so poor you can't afford to buy a pair of Mod-a-go-go stretch elastic pants?

There will come a time when you can even take your clothes off when you dance.

Unknown said...

I was trying to decide whether that was actually an ironing board or some kind of futuristic collapsible picnic table. I was close to deciding on the latter in order to protect my sanity.

Anonymous said...

Now first off, why would you need an ironing board if you were just going to throw them away? If they're made of paper, wouldn't an iron be a terrible idea?

And, hell, with the rise of discount clothing chains and clothing shoddily made in china, we practically already do have throw away clothes...

Anonymous said...

Somehow I am reminded of the concept of breakaway clothes, which Diane said Sam wished would be invented in an episode of Cheers.

Holy Moly, that series ended in 1993, didn't it?