In the parlance of Victorian clothiers, a “misfit” was a dress or a suit which was custom-made for a client, but not accepted or purchased because it didn’t fit or wasn’t made to the client’s specifications. “Misfit Parlors” soon developed. These establishments would buy these rejected garments from haberdashers and couturiers and then re-sell them to people who otherwise couldn’t afford such creations. They were basically “seconds,” but they were still beautiful garments and people with less money at their disposal leapt at the chance to buy them.
This comic trade card advertises a Pittsburgh Pennsylvania shop called “The Misfit Parlors”
The text on the obverse shows a black and white scene of two “City Tourists” visiting a “Country Grocer.”
It reads:
City Tourists to Country Grocer—
“Have you any Canned Worms for Bait?”
MISFIT PARLORS,
211 PENN AVE,.
(over.) Pittsburgh, Pa.
The reverse reads:
Custom Made Clothing,
AT ONE-THIRD THEIR ORIGINAL FIRST COST
AT THE
MISFIT PARLORS,
No. 211 PENN AVE.
NOTE THE PRICES:
$65 Custom Made Suits………………..$20.00
60 “ “ “ ………………… 17.00
50 “ “ “ ………………… 15.00
45 “ “ “ ………………… 13.00
40 “ “ “ ………………… 10.00
30 “ “ “ ………………… 8.00
25 “ “ “ ………………… 7.00
40 Custom Made Overcoats …..……...12.00
50 “ “ “ …..……...15.00
30 “ “ “ …..……...10.00
25 “ “ “ …..……....8.00
18 “ “ “ …..……....7.00
15 “ “ “ …..……....6.00
CAUTION!!
See that you get in the right place, as
others have adopted our name and style
of doing business. We have the only
ORIGINAL MISFIT
CLOTHING PARLORS
IN PITTSBURGH
211 – PENN AVENUE -- 211
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