Western Costume 5335 Melrose Ave. L.A. 1932-1990
The Counter-Culture, Hippies, Rockers, Individuals, Bohemians, College and High School Students, Revolutionaries, Intelligentsia, and the entire Hollywood Movie Industry of the ’60s and of the ’70s liked to “dress up”. Every form of individual expression was accepted and appreciated; well, by the aforementioned groups..
The 1960s and the 1970s were extremely creative times – the high point in American history for individual and group expression never before seen in history.
The clothing and accouterments of the Counter-Culture (and Hippies specifically), were: long hair, colorful or back-to-nature clothing. Psychedelic clothing like tie dyed shirts and dresses, big sunglasses, headbands, beaded necklaces, sandals, rings, bracelets, earrings (male and female) and hats were universal uniforms.
Some chose their favorite period of dress from American Indian and Eastern Indian styles, to the rising Goth or Victorian clothing style which derived from England’s “Mod” style of straight hair, heavy eye makeup, and Addam’s Family Morticia styled long dresses. Others chose the trendy sexy fun of Hot Pants and Mini-skirts and the old West cowboy outfits of boots, belts, jeans, and work shirts; which have never gone out of style.
Most clothing was creatively made or adapted cheaply by individuals; inexpensive purchases at thrift and second-hand stores were the Hippies’ Emporium.
But if one wanted to really make a statement for an event or weekend fun they’d go rent a costume. There were not many costume shops back then, but who needed a costume shop when they could browse a six-story tall building filled with every costume imaginable; and that place was WESTERN COSTUME.
Western Costume was the definitive source for nearly every movie studio’s films and television series. It not only had floors of hats, pants, shirts, jackets, and dresses used in thousands of movies but also had accessories to spice up or theme any filmed scene.
For those too young to remember a time when restrictions were minimal and lenient, before people’s main concern was to take advantage or literally rip off others, there was a respectability of manners and others’ feelings. From the gas pump jockey to heads of business, people generally treated others with respect. Sure there has always been corruption and evil, but it was not on display within everyday machinations. People were rarely rude or inconsiderate. There were Please and Thank Yous heard every day and a level of trust whereby companies like Western Costume allowed the citizens to freely walk and explore the many levels their building – and RENT COSTUMES of their choice.
The catch was most people didn’t even know this was possible, thinking a company that supplied the studios was off limits to the public. 00individual found out differently.
00individual graduated in 1969, dodged his very small mid-term class prom, but went to his girlfriend’s prom in 1970. They didn’t want to show up in the same old tux and gown that everyone else would be wearing so they went to Western Costume.
“00individual and Girlfriend – Prom 1970 – Western Costume rentals”
Copyright 2019 00individual TLL
Choosing a look that was a mix of “Gone With The Wind” / Renaissance / Victorian-era costumes, they were definitely the classiest dressed and were complimented on their choices all night long.
The rentals were not costly, about the same as renting a tux and gown anywhere else at the time, today there is a $100 minimum, as Western Costume moved but is still in business.
The best part was that they had the costumes for the weekend; 00individual wore his “poets shirt” untucked everywhere that weekend and loved it.
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The ’60s and the ’70s:
the height of when the impossible was possible, when fun was fun,
and when individuals, just slightly under the radar, could explore their creativity
and enjoy life.
Sigh.
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00individual went through many “costume” changes from a kid who actually wore clam-diggers (basically girls’ peddle-pushers for boys) and sandals, (go-aheads, flip-flops, zories) in the ’50s, to T-shirts, blue jeans, tanker (bomber jackets) and blue-tip Purcells in the ’60s, to tight bell-bottom jeans, Frye boots, fringe jacket, and beads in the ’70s – and of course real costumes every Halloween.
History of Western Costume Company
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