Famous Brands

Hickory: Styles & numbers

Active Life

4 Spot

Sundries

Styles & Model Nos

In 1954 Hickory became the major sponsor and organiser for the Miss Australia quest, and retained that role until 1963, when it handed the quest over to the Australian Cerebral Palsy Association.

In the 1960s and seventies, its major styles were the 4 Spot and Active Life ranges.

The 4 Spot range was the main fashion range, and its advertisements used young and attractive models, whereas the Active Life range was a heavier style intended for matrons, and the advertisements featured mature models.

Hickory also introduced numerous other styles, although most of these had a much shorter life.

Active Life bra & girdle Discontinued styles, advertised by Myer Melbourne Herald, May 1971

The Active Life range looks as if it probably pre-dated the 4 Spot range, and it certainly disappeared much earlier, perhaps in the 70's.

This advertisement was prepared by the Myer department store, and as it was for a clearance sale they have not taken too much trouble with the preparation of the illustration. The garment fits well, but it is displayed on a mature model who is not making any particular effort to appeal to the audience, but has a pensive, rather bored expression.

My late wife always used to complain that the models in the underwear ads never needed to wear the garments they were displaying, so that the ads gave you no idea of what the garments would look like on someone who really needed to wear them. At least this model looks as if she might actually choose this girdle to wear in her normal life.

And her sombre expression could be interpreted as saying "I am not going to tell you what you should wear, but this is what I wear. I can't say I like it, but it does do the job."

4 Spot bra & LLPG The Melbourne Herald, 1973

The 4 Spot range was introduced some time prior to 1967, and contained a full range of styles, from OBGs and briefs, through to corselettes and bodysuits, and even a long leg all-in-one, though I never saw this in a shop. The style continued until Hickory effectively disappeared towards the end of the 90's, but became simpler with time, and the name was dropped in about 1990.

The 4 Spot LLPG on the left has the older style lace cuffs. The version on the right has the disastrous Magic Hold system. This had latex threads woven into the inside of the leg, with the intention of holding the legs down and/or the pantyhose up. However the latex used had a very short life, and after a year or so would start to break up and drop sticky bits of rubber everywhere. My late wife used to get very cross when these stuck her to the toilet seat when I had overlooked them after a visit. The pattern of diagonal reinforcing tapes on the tummy panel, which is shown particularly clearly in this photo, disappeared soon afterwards.

4 Spot HWLLPG Magic Hold Melbourne Herald 1970

4 Spot boyleg brief David Jones catalogue 1974

Note that in the photo of the boyleg brief the model is wearing pantyhose, and the suspenders are hooked onto them.

Unknown style Melbourne Herald 1981

I only saw this style advertised once, in a clearance sale, in 1981, and know nothing at all about it.

Hickory Lacies Myer catalogue ~1980?

4 Spot boyleg brief, unknown Melbourne Herald 1973

Lacies appear to have been another short-lived experiment, which I know only from this undated page from a Myer catalogue. The reinforcing tapes, referred to above, have disappeared from the four spot boyleg brief on the left of the right hand picture, but the flower lace pattern, which also disappeared soon afterwards, is shown particularly clearly. Again I know nothing about the style shown on the right.

Magicool cotton girdle David Jones Catalogue 1974

Scamp Petti Pants Garment label ~1965?

The Scamp range were "Figure moulding Lingerie in new American stretch Lycra Tricot". They were relatively lightweight garments for the younger set.

Magicool were a range of medium weight garments in a cotton-Lycra fabric, which was supposedly cooler than the normal nylon Lycra. Both ranges were relatively short-lived.

The Hickory brand was sold to the New Zealand company Bendon, probably in the 90's, and is now in the Sarah Lee stable, though I fear it has effectively disappeared.

Main styles and Model numbers.

The following table of styles and model numbers is taken from advertisements, mainly from newspapers dating from 1968 on.

Hickory in the States

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The Art of Corsetry   Ed: Bunyip Bluegum