the abbreviated reign of “neon” leon spinks

CONVENIENCE ISN’T ALWAYS ENOUGH 111
Paco Rabanne, who probably found it easier to work with nonwoven fabric
than with the metal dresses that he had to use pliers and a blowtorch to
create.
Some of the elite, of course, still sneered. “I am sure that the elegant
rich, the tasteful tastemakers, will not throw away that kind of money
on such wasteful nonsense,” fashion designer Oleg Cassini wrote in a 1967
newspaper column. “Rather, you will notice attention seekers, theatrical
sorts, and those who rush to latch on to the latest fad.”
But that was lost upon the housewives in Des Moines and Walla
Walla. To the masses, paper dresses were something different—an invention
that made the hippest fashion standard accessible to every would-be
fashion maven within driving distance of a supermarket. Before long,
women’s clubs in small towns and cities were holding their own paper
dress balls—albeit, usually without see-through attire. For less formal
soirees, Hallmark offered a complete party package—paper cups, plates,
and a matching dress for the hostess.
The paper industry, meanwhile, foresaw a profitably bright future
for the disposable wardrobe—not just dresses, but swimsuits and even
men’s attire. Ronald Bard, vice president of Mars Manufacturing, boldly
told Life in November 1966 that “Five years from now, 75 percent of the
nation will be wearing disposable clothing.” He dreamed of paper football
jerseys, graduation gowns, children’s wear, even disposable undershorts
for traveling salesmen. “In paper, you are limited only by your imagination,”
he explained. Fortune magazine touted paper as the fabric of the
future, cheaper than conventional textiles. Trans World Airlines experimented
with paper uniforms for its flight attendants. The U.S. Army even
began testing paper underwear for soldiers. American Home looked to paper
pillowcases and even furniture as “fun” furnishings that “can be
bought on impulse without the usual lasting commitment.”
Amid that chorus of upbeat forecasts of a paper-clad future, a few
downsides of paper dresses—ultimately critical ones—were being overlooked.
Most of the American women buying paper dresses had never