Charmode Nuback Info??

Elle Miles

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Hi! I'm new to the platform, and my name is Elle. I'm studying for a Ph.D. in fashion history/historic textile conservation. I also wear vintage daily. I'm posting this to ask about the Charmode Nuback from Sears Roebuck and Co. I checked the VFG label resource and scoured the Internet but could not find anything on this garment or its tags. It is deadstock, to me it seems 50s but I really need more info. If anyone knows anything, your knowledge would be greatly appreciated. ☺️ Happy to provide more photos and info.
 
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I think your Charmode NuBack is the same one in this Nov 1951 Sears ad. Note that the one in the ad has the same two triangular gores on the bottom front, the same front zipper and on the back (as seen in the little inset sketch in the upper left), the same triangular gore in the top middle of the back, apparently the same shirring on the sides, the same unembellished cups in the bra, which has a bit of lace on top, and the ad mentions the same 'sliding back' feature. Note, too, that this small bit of the ad is posted here for educational purposes and must not be reprinted elsewhere:

CharmodeNuBackAdNov1951Clip.jpg
 
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Victoria, after I read your post I found myself wondering about it...for a long time afterwards. However in the world did you learn about those tags? How did you know the name? I didn't know they even had a name. How did you know when they first appeared? Fascinating...

agree and also impressed and wondering!
 
Victoria, after I read your post I found myself wondering about it...for a long time afterwards. However in the world did you learn about those tags? How did you know the name? I didn't know they even had a name. How did you know when they first appeared? Fascinating...
:) Honestly at the risk of dating myself I was familiar with punch cards and them being machine readable though I have never seen them in action but when I searched for punch card tag initially, not much relevant info came up. Then I just tried Sears punch card tag and that’s how I got all the info because Kimball tags were created for them. From there, the rest was a simple search for Kimball tags :)
 
[I searched for punch card tag initially, not much relevant info came up. Then I just tried Sears punch card tag and that’s how I got all the info because Kimball tags were created for them. From there, the rest was a simple search for Kimball tags :)]

Aha! The mistake I made was in thinking the thing you were calling the Kimball tag was the oval, blue tag with the sketch on it. Now I see the punch marks in the Sears size tag. My husband had to use punch cards to create programs when he was in graduate school and years later I found one or two punch cards still in our house. I saved them because they were outdated by then...and because I save everything.

I commend you, Victoria, for even noticing those punch marks and digging into the search from that direction.
 
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What do they mean by frontal zip? Mine has a side zip.

Well, that is a puzzle. The 1951 ad I posted referred to the "step-in front zipper" and Victoria's 1961 ad refers to the front zip. Even the oval blue tag in your post, Elle, seems to show a front zipper and the shirred (elastic?) side panels. Can you take a photo of the garment laying flat and with the zipper visible? Thanks.
 
Yes, of course! I posted pictures of the entire garment and the side zip (second image). I could be looking at it incorrectly, though.
 

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Yes, of course! I posted pictures of the entire garment and the side zip (second image). I could be looking at it incorrectly, though.

Thank you for the photos, as they helped a lot. I see now that the actual item is not quite the same as the one in the sketch on the oval blue label. I think the one in this 1958 ad is the same as your item...and it has a side zipper.

CharmodeNuBackSideZipAd1958Clip.jpg
 
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