Depression era lessons/ thinks taught/ handed down over the generations

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I just got a pair of shoes tonight and it got me thinking about two stories in my life which are more or less trivial, but interesting to me.
I buy wingtips, which might not be in highest fashion right now, but I like them. I think a lot of that came from my father. His father shined shoes before the depression. When it came time to get me a "good" set of dress shoes, my father took me to the shoe store. Wingtips it was.
Here's the interesting bit (at least for me). Evidently at some point in my father's life, my grandfather had instilled a necessary "quality" of shoes in him. As a teenager, I wore whatever shoes my mom bought me, and as a child of the 80's, it was usually "vans" shoes, which I wore until they fell apart.
This drove my father nuts. He took it as an insult and on several occasions lambasted me for wearing ripped shoes. He took it personally and informed me he worked hard to keep shoes on our feet, and there was no need to walk around in tattered footwear. As a teenager in a world of accessible shoes, I was just being a teenager and never meant the degraded nature of my shoes to be a statement.
The same went for food. As a teenager, I liked bread. Plain good old bread. Again, my father would be offended and remind me he worked hard so we didn't have to rely on bread alone. Like the shoes, he felt it an insult to his hard work and dedication to the family. The ironic thing is that our family was well off financially. Due to my father's hard work, we were more than okay. He had nothing to prove to the neighbors (so to speak).
My father was not born until 1945, so I am assuming his concerns about his ability to provide were more deeply rooted in what his father taught him. At that point my grandfather worked in the FBI and was himself stably employed.
I have always been grateful for what he has provided, and by wearing old sneakers or eating plain bread never meant to insult anyone, however, in both cases, one would think I was talking straight to a depression era individual in a time where "holes in shoes" or "only being able to supply bread" would have meant so much more.
I don't know how much of that was my father, or my grandfather talking. I am also cognizant we could return to such a time, but, I was wondering if there were any other stories like that.

[JD159]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

I just got a pair of shoes tonight and it got me thinking about two stories in my life which are more or less trivial, but interesting to me.
I buy wingtips, which might not be in highest fashion right now, but I like them. I think a lot of that came from my father. His father shined shoes before the depression. When it came time to get me a "good" set of dress shoes, my father took me to the shoe store. Wingtips it was.
Here's the interesting bit (at least for me). Evidently at some point in my father's life, my grandfather had instilled a necessary "quality" of shoes in him. As a teenager, I wore whatever shoes my mom bought me, and as a child of the 80's, it was usually "vans" shoes, which I wore until they fell apart.
This drove my father nuts. He took it as an insult and on several occasions lambasted me for wearing ripped shoes. He took it personally and informed me he worked hard to keep shoes on his families feet, and there was no need to walk around in tattered footwear. As a teenager in a world of accessible shoes, I was just being a teenager and never meant the degraded nature of my shoes to be a statement.
The same went for food. As a teenager, I liked bread. Plain good old bread. Again, my father would be offended and remind me he worked hard so we didn't have to rely on bread alone. Like the shoes, he felt it an insult to his hard work and dedication to the family. The ironic thing is that our family was well off financially. Due to my father's hard work, we were more than okay. He had nothing to prove to the neighbors (so to speak).
My father was not born until 1945, so I am assuming his concerns about his ability to provide were more deeply rooted in what his father taught him. At that point my grandfather worked in the FBI and was himself stably employed.
I have always been grateful for what he has provided, and by wearing old sneakers or eating plain bread never meant to insult anyone, however, in both cases, one would think I was talking straight to a depression era individual in a time where "holes in shoes" or "only being able to supply bread" would have meant so much more.
I don't know how much of that was my father, or my grandfather talking. I am also cognizant we could return to such a time, but, I was wondering if there were any other stories like that.

No stories, just an insight.

Made me think of the earlier thread about saving things until retirement.

Your father's mentality was good. Perhaps a little harsh with the shoes , but in the right place.

Enjoy what you have in the present. Not irresponsibly so, but enough. We work to enjoy the things we love (hopefully). That joy could come from sending your kids through school, or a Porsche. It all boils down to moderation.

Good story.

[sugarwood]

By appearing poor, you made your father look poor. He did not want to look poor.
It's the same logic many men have when they have a wife that does not work.
It is a form of conspicuous consumption and a way to indirectly signal status.

[jyl]

+1

Not a depression mentality, more of living up to his perception of social standards.

[tabs]

Half of what I tell you is based upon that depression era sensibility. Both my parents were deeply effected seeing money as security.

My Dad as a young man was a natty dresser and as such wanted me to be dress nicely to. At a time when blue jeans and a tee shirt was what I would rather wear. From him I learned the meaning of quality. I remember his having Florsheim, Johnson and Murphy, Cole Haan and French Shriner shoes. My Dad for quite a few years wanted a pair of Bally shoes, finally a year or so before he died he bought a pair. On sale.

So it is from him that I understand cloths. Today those old American made Gunboat Florsheim Imperial Long Wingtips are in demand WORLD WIDE. So out of style NOT.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

That's it. I'ma throwing out all my pants and going with nothing but ASS-DRAGON JEANS from here on out baby! Yee-haaa!!

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

That's it. I'ma throwing out all my pants and going with nothing but ASS-DRAGON JEANS from here on out baby! Yee-haaa!!

Undoubtedly would improve your wardrobe and looks...

[tabs]

BTW All the vintage American made Long Wings that I find that fit I keep. Primarily Hanover, Florsheim, Dexter, Jarman and a host of others.

[pavulon]

Buying disposable stuff is throwing money away.

[NoRush993/951]

My grand parents told me shoes were expensive during the depression and if you were lucky to get a new pair they were to be cherished. They also made a point of saying poor people wore gym shoes. So wing tips were a class marker.

[NoRush993/951]

If ever in WI, tour the Allen Edmond factory. That is how shoes should be made.

[wayner]

Apparently walking around with a toothpick in your mouth originated during the depression.

Toothpicks weren't common. If you had one you must have just come from a meal at an expensive restaurant ???

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

By appearing poor, you made your father look poor. He did not want to look poor.
It's the same logic many men have when they have a wife that does not work.
It is a form of conspicuous consumption and a way to indirectly signal status.

Originally Posted by jyl

+1

Not a depression mentality, more of living up to his perception of social standards.

The OP's father was an early boomer, born shortly after the war as was I. He undoubtedly got his values from his Depression Era parents, but by the time he was old enough to "understand," he was smack in the post-war era where the above two posts apply.

I, too, can relate to the OP's stories as I was raised in the same social/economic environment as his father. Family image was important, not only in appearance but in behavior. The Depression Era values came out in the "Don't waste food--finish your meal" directives and the overall value put on practicality/durability of goods over form or fashion, as well as the "save for a rainy day" approach to money and spending. These are the messages I grew up with and, in modified form, have passed on to my children who are probably close to the OP in age. I didn't go as far as be concerned about shoes or bread, but the overall "look" of my children (three daughters) was important--especially for my wife.

[fastfredracing]

I spent a lot of time with my grand pap growing up. Mothers side . I leaned so much from that man, and there is no one person that I have a higher respect for .
He told me lots of stories about his youth, and taught me many lessons, but never told me about this .
After his death, my mother told me this story. My grandfather was embarrassed of this , and never spoke of it to any of us grandchildren .
During the depression, his family had nothing. His father, in an attempt to feed the family, took him on a robbery. They were trying to steal food from a store of some sorts . At 10 years old, my grandfather witnessed his own father getting shot down dead.
My grandpap, was the only male in the family, 6 daughters and at 10 years old, he had to step up to the plate, and take the over the wheel . He did, and he actually ended up doing pretty well for himself also .
He was a strongly religious man, a very fair and kind man . He taught me so much about what it means to be a man, and a good person . It is where I got my work ethic from , and where I learned the value of being resourceful, and not being wasteful .
My wife calls me cheap .

[RKDinOKC]

My parents were in HS during the depression. They were from a small town area. Dad worked all the time not only at his job, but also found other things to do. His joy was in gardening and fishing that also put food on the table. Mom did sewing. They never threw anything away they thought might be useful or repairable. You could never park a car in their garage because it and the attic was full of stuff almost like you see the hoarders houses but no trash.

At 8 years old my Dad helped me mow yards and get money. Basically taught me his work ethic. Then told me I could and let me spend the money on anything I wanted. He would tell me about how he raised a couple of hogs to sell and was really looking forward to the money from them. Then one day when he came home from school the hogs were gone and his father gave him a new pair of seersucker overalls. He had used the rest of the money for the family. He never actually told me what I could or couldn't spend my money on, however he did make comments on the things. If it was cheap and didn't last he would comment that I could have waited a little longer, saved my money, spent more and got something that would last. When I bought something too expensive and ended up not using it much he would comment how I could have probably shopped around and gotten a better deal and had more money for other things. If there was something specific I was looking and saving for he would help me find the best place to get it and even haggle on the price. Taught me to look for good value and to wait and save for the things I wanted that I thought were the best value.

Clothing and shoes wise never cared much about and wore whatever Mom got or made. She often shopped in factory seconds stores knowing what too look for. The seconds she got me were usually the newest trend stuff. Sometime even before they were available in the regular stores. So much so that I found I was usually one of the trend setters.

After college complained once to my Mom that I hated going clothes shopping. From then until her late 80's she would take me to fabric shops and let me pick out the patterns and materials for shirts. So always had custom tailor made button down shirts and sports shirts. It cost pennies compared to buying shirts and it only took her about two hours to cut out and make a shirt. Found later that my older brother was really jealous of my shirts with the tag in the neck "Made especially for you by Mom." All he would of had to do was ask and go thru the fitting. She told me she enjoyed making the shirts and to prove it she got the tags for the neck made.

As far as being resourceful, Dad always helped me fix thing even though most of the time is was just watching while I did it. And there was LOTS of stuff they had saved to use.

[wayner]

In canada it is a tradition that the finance minister buys new shoes to wear when announcing the new budget. If he is wearing old shoes, it is a sign that it will be a belt tightening year.

[tabs]

I shop at Thrift stores. I bought those draggin azz bj's for $10....on Amazon $1000. Now do ya know why I bought them?

I bought 9 Brioni sport shirts for $6 each... $54. Those shirts cost $600 each at Neiman Marcus..or $5400. Do you hear the Depression talking in that?

[tabs]

Originally Posted by NoRush993/951

If ever in WI, tour the Allen Edmond factory. That is how shoes should be made.

AE's are Goodyear welted which can be resoled again and again so long as the uppers and insoles are in good condition. Alden and Johnston Murphy are the other two that still make shoes like that in the USA. All the others are gone or are overseas, usually making junk.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by tabs

I shop at Thrift stores. I bought those draggin azz bj's for $10....on Amazon $1000. Now do ya know why I bought them?

I bought 9 Brioni sport shirts for $6 each... $54. Those shirts cost $600 each at Neiman Marcus..or $5400. Do you hear the Depression talking in that?

Yeah, and we know that you lived through it, so that explains a lot too.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Buying disposable stuff is throwing money away.

I sold a pair of 60 year old French Shriner wings to a guy in Japan for $80 plus ship.