Charmed, I’m Sure
From the minute I walked into Sears’ lowly makeshift classroom, I knew I had entered a special workshop. The grey standard issue folding chairs, the pitted wood and metal tables, and the hanging appliance wiring schematics soon became invisible. Instead I saw only our pretty instructor Mrs. Ames, dressed in fondant colors of sugary pinks. I was bewitched by her dainty white gloved hands and her intoxicating powdery scent. Her soft modulated voice and Tinkerbell laugh charmed any remnants of resentment for being there, right out of me – she was so darn fascinating. During the course, with Mrs. Ames help, our drab classroom was transformed by our imaginations into an Austenesque dance hall, a Georgian tea parlor, and at times, a sophisticated and elegant Manhattan theater district restaurant.
Mrs. Ames’ assistant was a fetchingly designed ringed binder called The Sears Make the Most of You Discovery Book. This book still exists out there and I am crushed that it eludes me – I have not been able to snag a copy. Mine was lost along with my Tressy Doll and her growing hair, my satin ballet toe shoes and other artifacts of a 60’s girlhood.
Studying our notebooks taught us manners and how to be a considerate girlfriend, should we be lucky enough to one day have a boyfriend. We learned how to sit with our legs crossed at the ankles, how to sip tea quietly, and my favorite charming illustration in the book warned us not to spend all of our date’s money; his worried study of his empty pockets being the tip-off. Mrs. Ames created mock dinner parties and balls where we practiced introductions and learned how to graciously accept a dance request. She called in a male makeup artist and a buyer from the Sears Junior Bazaar Department, and brought in her personal collection of chiffon scarves, still faintly redolent with her lovely scent. We learned how to find our best colors by draping the filmy scarves around our necks and shoulders and peering into small round drugstore mirrors with magnifying flip sides that later accompanied us home along with our notebooks.
At the end of the school’s glorious eight weeks, we graduated by hosting a fashion show and tea for our mothers. Sears generously loaned us a rainbow of pastel frocks to model and after parading across a small runway, we showed off our new skills by pouring tea and passing trays of store-bought cookies. Mrs. Ames created an indelible impression on me and any remnant of tomboy-ness was left on Sears’ dusty green checkered tile floor. My love of clothes and journey to becoming a lady was jumpstarted by The Sears Discovery Charm School. And of course, I am grateful to my mother, who knew best.
18 Comments
Rebecca Martinez
I found the binder “Sears School for Young Charmers” on ebay and found myself at age 69 being blasted back to the 6th grade. I was lucky to find an identical one to the one I had at the school way back when. Does anyone remember the words to the song we sang at graduation? It started…” As girls we started in Sears school to learn the charmers golden rule…we came to study the finer things that only knowledge of charm can bring…..there’s more! Its bothering me! How fun to remember these glorious days!!
denise
I have recently been thinking about my charm school days – so fondly remembered. I was delighted to come across your post. I attended the 10-week Beverlee Kelley Charm School of Sears ,Pasadena in 1963. I still have my binder, with hairstyles cut out and pasted in… We also received a small ‘gold crown graduation pin’. I still have the binder and the pin!
A Lovely Inconsequence
Oh how lucky you are to have your binder! I keep searching for mine on eBay.
kulia
Ooh dear, what wonderful memories! My younger sister and I also went to the Sears Charm School in Honolulu Hawaii. I don’t remember the part about teeth but it sure cracked me up when I read it. We had a great time. When I look back in my mind it all seemed so glamourous and polished the cold grey metal folding chairs replaced by soft luxurious chaises for us to sit crossed leged tea in hand while waiting for our turn on the catwalk. Didnt matter that the tea I’m pretty sure was fruit punch and the pantyhose that we all wore was a shade nowhere near a normal humans skin tone – unless you were born from red clay- was making us sweat like mad. To us all it was new, it was mature it was glamorous and we loved all of it.
I especially loved it because I was there with my sister who was and still is the best sister and friend I could ever ask for. Thank you Sears Charm School for the memories!
A Lovely Inconsequence
Thank you to another grad!
Ann Y.
This brings back so many memories….I also attended “Charm School” at Fowler, Dick and Walker Thie Boston Store in Wilkes Barre, PA. Same deal…little room with folding chairs, but oh, magic. We also had a binder ( no idea where that is), and a big, pink hatbox to carry it in with other things each week. A graduation tea and a diploma…which I still have in my memory box. I remember learning how to sit, how to walk…and how to use a finger bowl ! Thanks for the reminder of a special time !
A Lovely Inconsequence
Thank you so much Ann Y.! Some of the binders can be found on eBay.
CHERYL M
My two sister’s and I attended the Sears Discovery Charm School on Ponce de Leon Blvd in Atlanta, Georgia in the early 70’s. We are proud to be a Charmers!!!
Susan
I attended the Sears Charm School in the late 1960’s and had my picture posted in the front of each door of the L.A. stores for awhile. I actually enjoyed it very much, except my father had to drive me to the downtown L.A. store as I progressed, and I did not enjoy that. I won a scholarship to Barbizon in New York, but my mother wouldn’t pay for initial fees so I couldn’t go. I have often wished that I would have fought harder to realize my dreams. I finally quit when my sister came to one of my modeling gigs and made faces at me until I started laughing and couldn’t stop. I was humiliated. Oh well, so much for being pretty.
A Lovely Inconsequence
Susan, I am sorry you were not able to complete your modeling dreams. I wanted to be a ballerina very badly and now (in non-Covid times), I volunteer at for a local ballet troupe. That Sears Charm School was a lot of fun.
Mzetiquette
I would love to get a copy of that binder. I went to Sears Discovery Charm School in the 70's in Washington, DC.
Tracy H
I went to this Sears class also. It might have been called Modeling School, I can’t quite remember and my mother has passed on. No one to ask.
I loved it and the fashion show at the end. This was in the mid to late 70’s in Chicago.
My mother also put me in Girl Scouts, ballet, tap, modern jazz, and violin lessons.
What a wonderful memory, thank you.
Unknown
I am a proud graduate of the Sears Charm School. Still have my binder!
Mzetiquette
I would love to get a copy of that binder. I went to Sears Discovery Charm School in the 70's in Washington, DC.
Laura McHugh
Donna – I would like to contact you about the Charm School binder. Can you please email me at lauramchugh at me dot com? Thank you! Graduate 1971-2 – Hayward CA
donna macdonald
Lynn, there are some graduates online. It was a delightful experience. Debby, that sounds very similar. Wish they had things like this now for middle class girls.
DebbyMc
I went to a "Modeling" class at Montgomery Ward in the 60s…charm school would have been far more useful!
Lynn
I have never heard of this before, although I was sent to dance lessons in the seventh grade.