Dress to Impress: Regulating Respectability through Women's Fashion at Centre College

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Homecoming Court displays 1950s fashion trends. 

By Kate Leahey

In his publication entitled As Seen in Vogue: A Century of American Fashion in Advertising, Daniel Hill writes that fashion “both altered and reflected American society” throughout the twentieth century [1]. Various elements of clothing and fashion have functioned in similarly important ways throughout the history of Centre College. Fashion at Centre reflected values of society but also shaped a specific culture on campus—both intentionally and passively. Especially in the first half of the twentieth century, systems of rules and oversight on campus combined with norms formed through visibility in student publications to create standards for clothing and modesty, many of which applied to women in particular. These standards, forged on the bodies of women students and often funneled through the male gaze, upheld a sense of propriety that contributed to Centre College’s reputation as a prestigious, respectable school.

Modesty

At different points throughout Centre College’s history, institutional rules, news publications, and societal expectations shaped—and often enforced—a culture of modesty particular to women. In 1915, administrators at the Kentucky College for Women, or KCW, a small women-only college in Danville, Kentucky, produced specific “Rules for the Government of the Household.” Many of these rules had to do with cleanliness and order. Others had to do with women’s modesty. For example, Section II, Rule 5 of the Rules document declares that “all window shades must be pulled down while the girls are dressing” [2]. Other such rules regulated women’s behavior, especially in ways that involved the sorts of spaces their bodies could occupy, where these spaces were, and who else was present in them. For example, an enforced campus boundary required all women but those in the graduating class to have a chaperone present for any visits into town [3].Another rule dictated that “No gentleman may go to any girl’s room without notifying the office”[4]. These rules pointed to a level of propriety that was sought after and then enforced by regulating women’s behavior.

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Advertisement shows raincoats of the sort women wore walking back from gym class.

Judi Royalty talks about raincoat rules. 

This institutional insistence on modesty continued for decades, beyond the merger of KCW with Centre. In the early 1960s, when the women’s separate campus began closing down to consolidate both women and men onto Centre’s campus, some women’s classes and facilities were still housed on the old KCW campus, so women either took a bus or walked to those buildings. If their class happened to be an athletic one, or a sports team practice, as was the case with Judi Royalty (‘66), they wore shorts on their trek. However, after complaints from the city of Danville, women who walked had to wear a long raincoat over their shorts to cover their legs so as not to scandalize the town [5]. Royalty’s attitude about this was telling of the way many women likely viewed rules like this at the time: “talk about antiquated” she said. Royalty also acknowledged the irony in the situation: she noted how she had to walk back to campus soaking wet from swimming, wearing a large raincoat to appease the town, all the while “trying to look like you were decent and a wonderful female.” That people perceived the latter regulation as originating from the town’s wishes rather than the college’s is telling because it indicates how expectations and enforcement of modesty for women students extended to the larger community context. But because the College upheld the requirement confirms that Centre was complicit in maintaining a community-wide desire for female respectability, one not confined to its campus. Modesty was inescapable and boundless. And, modesty held a specific definition for women: it meant covering up their bodies and implied that showing bodies was shameful. For both Centre and Danville, respectability rode on the bodies of women and how much they chose to reveal.

An interesting juxtaposition to these ideas of modesty and respectability comes from a 1950s Cento article. The 1950s Cento publications had a long-running “Fads and Fashions” column by Joan Kennedy that took note of and commented on various students’ clothing choices. The column dealt with both men’s and women’s fashion, but some of the comments about women were more objectifying in nature. For example, one 1950s Cento column featured this observation: “When Linda Troutman wore her new black dress, we heard someone remark that it was just like a barbed wire fence—it ‘protects the property without obstructing the view’” [6]. Since this article was in the student-run Cento, it is likely that the views were more representative of the student body than the administration—or perhaps more authentic in general because they were unfiltered. A comment like this one reveals a different view about modesty in that it praises (or at least calls admiring attention to) a woman who managed to toe the line between modesty—“protecting the property”—and more revealing clothing choices that didn’t “obstruct the view” [7]. The differences in clothing choices women were making during these time periods not only reflected the different generational attitudes but also revealed shifts in what was expected of women—respectability but also a certain level of sexiness curated for the male gaze.

Part of this shift in modesty expectations may have originated from women’s desires as well. American fashion in the 1950s reflected postwar consumerism on the societal level, wherein the “pent-up desire of women… for luxury and femininity in fashion” led many women to explore ways of expressing their femininity through their clothing [8]. One way of doing this was by toeing the line between modesty and sensuality in dress, as the Cento portrays Linda Troutman to be doing. Still, though this points to a certain level of autonomy in that women were dressing for themselves, the male gaze was inescapable. The Cento article described Troutman’s clothing entirely from a male point of view: it was pleasurable to observe but still modest enough to protect her from unwanted male advances [9]. This implies that a certain level of immodesty would have been insufficient to protect women, and serves as a justification for men’s behavior, inciting the lie that “she asked for it” to place blame. The message we see is still in line with earlier ideas of modesty for women: it determined their reputation and how they should be treated. Modest dressing brought respectability, while immodest dressing brought shame or unwanted male attention and implied women’s promiscuity. Since this was such a strongly held view, it translated into institutional policing of women’s bodies to uphold a reputation of respectability for the college as a whole. Much was at stake when women did not fit this definition of modesty.

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Women who were part of the Homecoming Court stand together, dressed in flannel suits. 

Fashion and Trends

Standards for fashion and trendiness also served to shape Centre’s reputation, notably through student publications in the Cento. Its 1950s “Fads and Fashions” column functioned as a way to draw attention to noteworthy fashion on campus. It covered special events like dances, homecoming, and costume parties in addition to students’ everyday clothing choices. Based on these accounts and yearbook photos from the 1950s, it appears women chose dressy and preppy clothing in keeping with larger trends. For example, tailored suits were very popular among Centre women. These consisted of a skirt and jacket set, the skirt either a slim pencil skirt or a flared skirt buttressed by crinolines [10]. Dresses with a similarly flared skirt were also popular. In a 1950 November Cento issue about the upcoming Homecoming, the column described the Homecoming Queen’s outfit: “gray flannel suit trimmed with an undercollar of American Beauty velvet and an ascot of the same material. The jacket has padded hips which fit snugly over the pencil-slim skirt” [11]. While this outfit was extra formal for the special occasion, yearbook images of women in class and at club meetings from this period show a similar level of dressiness.

Betty Holtzclaw talks about differences in clothing formality between Centre and UK.

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Part of a 1960s Student Handbook outlines dress code expectations.

Interestingly, Centre College was unique in this as compared to other Kentucky colleges. One oral interviewee, Betty Holtzclaw, explained her fashion observations upon transferring to the University of Kentucky in 1966: “I noticed that the girls were a lot less concerned about how they looked early in the morning for classes or anything like that, and they would throw on raincoats… and got by with it pretty easily but… at Centre for the evening meal we wore dresses and heels” [12]. This difference was a way of making Centre more distinct, respectable, and prestigious. A Centre College Handbook from 1960-1961 explains that women students were expected to dress up for meals on Sunday and Thursday because outside guests may be present during those times, supporting the idea that college institutions were thinking of how the college would be viewed when dictating formal dress [13]. Additionally, a section on “Standards of Dress” in the same handbook linked Centre’s pride in its history of distinguished achievement to having a well-dressed student body, stating that dressing neatly and appropriately would “identify you as a Centre student” [14]. Though this standard was meant to apply to all Centre students, an oral interviewee who graduated in 1974, Sharon Morisi, recalled that “I don't think the guys had to get that dressed up” [15]. So not only was the culture of dressiness purposefully distinct to Centre College, but it was women’s dress in particular that functioned as a way to portray respectability.

Another interesting aspect of the “Fads and Fashions” column is that it created a space to discuss and promote certain styles of clothing within the Centre community. The Homecoming Cento publication came out before Homecoming, giving students a description of what the Queen planned to wear. The article signaled to other women the standards around which they ought to choose their homecoming attire: other women, like Sally Horton and Jane Ann Dozier, were noted as “keeping up the gray flannel craze in their tailored suits” [16]. What’s more is the body shape it emphasizes. The article shows clothing that accentuated the hourglass shape, creating a singular lens through which to view—and judge—women’s bodies. Written words and imagery in the Cento helped standardize fashion and the way women’s bodies were supposed to look, all building towards a broader standard for fashion at the institutional level for Centre.

Crit Luallen talks about changes in women's fashion during the late Sixties and early Seventies. 

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Women in a 1970s Centre yearbook wear jeans and casual shirts, portraying changing fashion.

Fads and fashions of the time did face opposition, especially by the late 1960s. Another oral interviewee, Crit Luallen, talked about how her mother bought her “matching wool sweaters and skirts” in keeping with the fashions at the time for young white women in the South. Luallen reported that she quickly pivoted to wearing jeans and t-shirts. She said she was part of the “whole sixties counterculture movement… to dress shabbily to sort of show a reaction to institutions being overly controlling and young people showing their independence” [17]. As a result of women’s changing fashion preferences, Centre’s requirements also shifted; by the 1970’s the Handbook included slacks as an acceptable article of clothing for women to wear in classrooms, chapel, and at dinner [18]. Just as overseeing, ruling, and standardizing fashion functioned in the political realm of creating a certain reputation for Centre, rebellions to fashion standards also took on a broader meaning, reflecting the attitudes of younger generations in the Sixties vis a vis long-entrenched social norms. The resulting looks for women were not as curated for male gaze and institutional expectations, something that was both empowering and revolutionary. Centre would have to emphasize its prestige through other means over the second half of the twentieth century and beyond.

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Women wearing fashionable dresses dance with men at a college dance.

Newness and Wealth

Another aspect of the “Fads and Fashions” column was to note when students acquired a new or an especially fashionable article of clothing. These alerts indicated the importance of trendiness as publicized through media visibility. In general, the column noted expensive items like furs, cashmeres, and high-brow brands, drawing attention to students who could afford nicer clothing. This reveals how wealth at Centre was related to respectability and gender. For example, in a mid-February Cento article, one male student “predicts that he’ll hit this column again next week” because of his new cashmere sweaters [19]. Students would keep close track of clothing and would vie for publicity in this way. Another frequent subject of conversation in the “Fads and Fashions” column was tailored coats for women [20]. By the 1950s, American fashion had moved well beyond custom-made clothing items because of the emphasis on mass-produced clothing items. Therefore, tailored clothing denoted wealth. Purchasing power in the postwar period fostered a desire for consumeristic indulgences which manifested themselves in fashion, among other things. In a Cento article about the Homecoming dance, the student author describes women’s dresses in this way: “lace, net, and chiffon in filmy creations that sweep to the floor or wave goodbye at the ankle” [21]. In this instance, the in-fashion and costly dress material denoted wealth and fashion sensibility, while the length indicated propriety.

Fashion choices also translated into social status. One woman interviewed secured a nicer job on campus in a cleaner work environment because she dressed nicely [22]. The perception of modesty, buttressed by the economic security she had to purchase nice clothes, gave her access to a more prestigious student job. For other women, appearing in both the fashion column and the “Gettin’ Around” column, the column that noted who was dating whom, signaled a privileged social status. Fashionable and expensive clothing seemed to lead to more romantic opportunities. Students were rewarded for reaching certain standards of propriety: they could secure a romantic partner or receive attention from student publications if they knew what was in fashion (and had the money to purchase it). In this way, student norms around fashion and wealth contributed towards a standard of prestige at Centre.

Adorning the body with certain clothing could also signal women students’ availability for dating. The practice of “pinning,” wherein a male student in a fraternity bestowed his fraternity pin upon a woman to signify their relationship was a visible sign incorporated into attire that claimed women as taken or single. To further augment visibility, the Cento published columns noting which women were pinned in each issue. For example, regarding one woman student, “not only did she receive the SAE crown, but also one of their pins last week” [23]. The culture surrounding clothing dictated a certain, standardized way in which men and women portrayed their romantic relationships to the rest of the student body. Pinning also played to the male gaze because it signaled to men how they could view or interact with women. In this way, adornment defined women’s identity by their relationship to a man, countering the notion that women’s bodies were their own. The societal expectations for women attending college during much of the first half of the twentieth century—to find a husband and learn domestic skills along the way—also shaped the practices of pinning and dressing fashionably. If women students were expected to leave Centre with a husband, it was important they made themselves known and clearly indicated the bounds of their romantic entanglements.

 

Concluding Thoughts

All of these ideas, rules, and norms surrounding clothing helped to sculpt the reputation and atmosphere of Centre College’s campus. The sought-after reputation was one of respectability and prestige that would set the college apart from others. As described in a 1950s yearbook, Centre College was “one of the more cosmopolitan schools” in the South and the “Pride of all the bluegrass.” In order to first establish and then maintain this reputation, it was paramount that Centre students—especially women—supported it visually through their choices surrounding clothing. Institutional rules and popular norms upheld standards of modesty, fashion, and wealth inscribed on women’s bodies.

Footnotes

[1] Daniel Delis Hill, As Seen in Vogue: A Century of American Fashion in Advertising (Costume Society of America Series. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 2004), 19

[2] “Rules for the Government of the Household,” Kentucky College for Women Annual Catalogue, 1915, Centre College Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Judi Royalty, interview by Matthew Rollo, Mar. 1, 2021, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[6] Joan Kennedy, “Fads and Fashion,” Centre College Cento, Jan. 5, 1950, Centre College Institutional Repository Collection, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Hill, As Seen in Vogue, 2004, 75.  

[9] Kennedy, “Fads and Fashion,” Jan. 5, 1950.

[10] Hill, As Seen in Vogue, 2004.

[11] Joan Kennedy, “Fads and Fashion,” Centre College Cento, Nov. 4, 1950, Centre College Institutional Repository Collection, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[12] Betty Holtzclaw, interview by Elizabeth Joiner, March 1, 2021, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

 [13] “Women’s Division: Dining Room,” Centre College Student Handbook, 1960-1961, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[14] “Standards of Dress,” Centre College Handbook, 1960-1961, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[15] Sharon Morisi, interview by Caroline Lancaster, March 1, 2021, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[16] Kennedy, “Fads and Fashion,” Centre College Cento, Nov. 4, 1950.

[17] Crit Luallen, interview by Gus Crow, March 11, 2021, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[18] “Standard of Dress,” Centre College Handbook, 1969-1970, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[19] Joan Kennedy, “Fads and Fashions,” Centre College Cento, Feb. 18, 1950, Centre College Institutional Repository Collection, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[20] Joan Kennedy, “Fads and Fashions,” Centre College Cento, Mar. 11, 1950, Centre College Institutional Repository Collection, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[21] Joan Kennedy, “Fads and Fashions,” Nov. 4, 1950.

[22] Angela Lipsitz, interview by Amber Edwards, Feb. 27, 2021, Centre College Digital Archives, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

[23] Joan Kennedy, “Fads and Fashions,” Centre College Cento, Mar. 4, 1950, Centre College Institutional Repository Collection, Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

  

Works Cited

Hill, Daniel Delis, As Seen in Vogue: A Century of American Fashion in Advertising. Costume Society of America Series. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 2004. http://www.myilibrary.com?id=109346.

Holtzclaw, Betty. Interview by Elizabeth Joiner, March 1, 2021. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Kennedy, Joan. “Fads and Fashion.” Centre College Cento, Jan. 5, 1950. Centre College Institutional Repository Collection. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Kennedy, Joan. “Fads and Fashions.” Centre College Cento, Feb. 18, 1950. Centre College Institutional Repository Collection. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Kennedy, Joan. “Fads and Fashions.” Centre College Cento, Mar. 4, 1950. Centre College Institutional Repository Collection. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Kennedy, Joan. “Fads and Fashions.” Centre College Cento, Mar. 11, 1950. Centre College Institutional Repository Collection. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Kennedy, Joan. “Fads and Fashion.” Centre College Cento, Nov. 4, 1950. Centre College Institutional Repository Collection. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Lipsitz, Angela. Interview by Amber Edwards, Feb. 27, 2021. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Luallen, Crit. Interview by Gus Crow, March 11, 2021. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Morisi, Sharon. Interview by Caroline Lancaster, March 1, 2021. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

Royalty, Judi. Interview by Matthew Rollo, Mar. 1, 2021. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

“Rules for the Government of the Household.” Kentucky College for Women Annual Catalogue, 1915. Centre College Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

 “Standard of Dress.” Centre College Handbook, 1969-1970. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

“Standards of Dress.” Centre College Handbook, 1960-1961. Centre College Digital Archive. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.

“Women’s Division: Dining Room.” Centre College Student Handbook, 1960-1961. Centre College Digital Archives. Grace Doherty Library, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky.