Kick off the New Year on a fresh note with these delightful vintage advertisements for body soap—celebrating the charm of yesteryear while inspiring a squeaky-clean start to 2025!

1945 Woodbury Soap Bridal Kiss Advertisement featuring a 1940s bride and her Canadian groom in uniform.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase

1920s-1960s Vintage Advertisements for Body Soap

“Why fade at 30?” 1922 vintage advertisement for Palmolive soap for your face.

Source: Etsy-RelicEclectic

“The Soap Success Of The Century-Pears”. 1928 Pears Soap advertisement.

1920s vintage advertisement for Pears soap featuring an illustration of a 1920s woman with a 1920s flapper hairstyle - September 1928

Source: Alamy

“She pays $780 for nice hands-mine cost me next to nothing!” March 8th, 1930 Ivory Soap advertisement as seen in the Saturday Evening Post.

1930s vintage advertisement: "She pays $780 for nice hands-mine cost me next to nothing!" March 8th 1930 Ivory Soap advertisement as seen in the Saturday Evening Post.

Source: Saturday Evening Post

Even men take a bath especially when they are feeling Blue. March 17th, 1934 Saturday Evening Post featuring another ad for Ivory Soap.

1930s vintage advertisement: Ivory Soap for a bath for men.

Source: Saturday Evening Post

“Lux Girls are Dainter!” 1940s vintage advertisement for Luz Soap featuring Barbara Stanwyck.

Further Reading: Vintage Towel Advertising 1920s-1950s

1940s vintage advertisement: Barbara Stanwyck for Lux Soap, Full Page Vintage Print Ad from the 1940s.

Source: eBay

Another Lux Soap ad because the celebrity endorsements for this brand, are great! 1939 Joan Blondell Lux Toilet Soap storyboard ad.

1930s vintage advertisment: 1939 Joan Blondell (Actress) Lux Toilet Soap advertisement. Super late 1930s vintage hairstyle inspiration.

Source: eBay

“Don’t let them whisper behind your back! The refreshing bath that gives lasting protection”. 1941 Lifebuoy Soap advertisement.

I LOVE our one ladies brooch, stunning!

1940s vintage advertisement: 1941 Lifebuoy body soap featuring an illustration of two 1940s women in 1940s fashions.

Source: eBay

“The Gentle Art of Making Friends-Swan Soap”. 1940s vintage ad.

1940s vintage advertisement featuring all the way Swan Soap can get you clean, your baby clean, clothes clean and more.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

“Doctors Prove 2 our of 3 women can have Lovelier Skin in 14 days!” 1947 Palmolive Soap advertisement.

1940s Vintage Advertisement: 1947 Palmolive Soap Vintage Advertisement featuring images of 1940s women and 1940s hairstyles.

Source: Etsy-RelicEclectic

“Beauty Is My Business” & “Microscope Reveals Floating Lift of SweetHeart Soap’s Extra Later!” 1950s vintage advertisements for SweetHeart Soap.

1950s vintage advertisement for SweetHeart Soap featuring a 1950s woman in 1950s fashion.

1950s vintage advertisement for SweetHeart Soap featuring a 1950s woman in a 1950s hairstyle.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

“Only one soap gives you this exciting Bouquet”. 1950’s Cashmere Bouquet Soap advertisement.

1950's Cashmere Bouquet Soap Vintage Ad featuring an illustration of a 1950s couple.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

1955 Camay Beauty Bar Soap ad featuring an image of a 1950s Bride.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos: The 1950’s Bride

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

“Wash natural beauty back into your complexion”. 1960 Woodbury Beauty Bar Soap ad.

1960s vintage advertisement: "Wash natural beauty back into your complexion". 1960 Woodbury Beauty Bar Soap.

Source: Etsy-RelicEclectic

Vintage advertising was definitely..different at times, like this 1963 Palmolive Soap telling a tale of a woman of the same age as her college friend but looks older due to not using Palmolive (hence why her husband has wandering eyes). Yeesh, harsh much? LOL!

1960s vintage advertisement: 1963 Palmolive Soap featuring a story of how a woman loses her husband to another woman in a 1960s dress.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

Thanks for dropping by friends! I hope all my readers have a wonderful 2025 and thank you for supporting my blog by reading this post (and all the others I have as well).

Question Time: What is your favourite soap? Was it mentioned above? Or not? Share any thoughts on this topic in the comment section below.

Further Reading: Vintage Advertising Archived Blog Posts 1920s-1960s

Liz

Back in the day, no New Year’s Eve celebration was complete without a festive party hat! Browsing through old photographs, it’s clear these playful accessories were a must-have for ringing in the new year in style.

In today’s post, we’re taking a delightful stroll down memory lane with vintage New Year’s Eve photos from the 1930s to the 1960s, capturing the joy, glamour, and, of course, those iconic hats!

Further Reading (and to see more party hats): Vintage New Year’s Eve archived blog posts

1950s Vintage Photo of older adults in 1950s Cocktail outfits celebrating New Years Eve.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Brief History of the Party Hat

A party hat is any of a number of celebratory hats, most typically in the form of a conical hat made with a piece of thin paperboard, usually with designs printed on the outside and a long string of elastic acting like a chinstrap, going from one side of the cone’s bottom to another to secure the cone to the person’s head. Party hats are worn most often at birthday parties, especially by the guest of honor or at New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The party hat has its origins in the dunce cap or sanbenito worn by misbehaving or poorly performing schoolchildren from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, with its festive decoration and society’s positive attitude toward the wearer indicating a relaxation, or even reversal, of certain social norms (source).

1950s vintage photo of a woman wearing a New Years eve party hat turning over the calendar in a 1950s evening gown

Source: Wikipedia

1961 photo-Baby in a NYE Party hat. Let’s celebrate!

1960s vintage photo of a baby in a New Years Eve party hat sitting on a couch. - 1961 Photo.

Source: eBay

1930s vintage photo of champagne, 1930s fashions and NYE party hats.

1930s vintage photo featuring women and men in 1930s fashions celebrating New Year's Eve while wearing party hats.

Source: eBay

Checkered New Year’s Eve party hats have made two out of the 4 couples laugh (they are silly and fun). 1950s or 1960s vintage photo.

1950s / 1960s vintage photo of Black Men and Black Women wearing party hats celebrating New Years Eve.

Source: Pinterest

1940s New Year’s Eve group photo AFTER midnight! Party hats and streamers at this NYE party.

1940s vintage photo fo a group of men and women in 1940s fashions posing together in NYE Party hats on New Years Eve

Source: eBay

The more bonkers the NYE party hat, the more fun your having..clearly! 1930s (maybe even 1920s) photo.

1930s vintage photo of a group of people celebrating New Years Eve in party hats and streamers

Source: eBay

“Quick! Pass the champagne glasses for our toast and photo!” 1940s or 1950s vintage photo of couples in tiny NYE party hats.

1940s 1950s vintage New Years Eve photo featuring couples wearing party hats drinking together on a couch

Source:eBay

Bring in the noise: Four diners give an enthusiastic welcome to the New Year at the Club Versailles in 1941.

Source: Daily Mail

Soldiers and civilians celebrating the New Year in a nightclub, 1942.

This image is from my archived post: Vintage New Years Eve Party Photos -Part 4

1940s Vintage Photo: A Black Soldier & Black Woman celebrating the New Year in a nightclub, 1942.

1959 becomes 1960. Cute photo of kids with masks, party hats and horn blowers.

1960s vintage photo of kids celebrating New Years Eve. Dec 31st 1959 to Jan 1st, 1960.

Source: eBay

`1950s Photo-Full table of people celebrating New Year’s Eve together in the Bronx.

`1950s vintage Photo-Full table of people celebrating New Year's Eve together in the Bronx. Fantastic 1950s hairstyles & 1950s fashions.

Source: eBay

Guy Lombardo in his party album for his album cover.

The classic New Year’s Eve with Guy Lombardo album. Originally released November 1961, this classic album was in constant circulation until 1989.

Further Reading: Guy Lombardo-Canada’s Famous Big Band Leader

Happy New Year Friends! Thank you for following along on my blog or just reading this post, I really appreciate it. I do this blog to share my love of many things vintage and it’s been so delightful to hear from others who enjoy the same things (and to hear all your stories). So thank you!

See you in 2025 (I’m on vacation till the new year).

Further Reading:

Liz

Vintage Soap Advertisements 1920s-1960s

1920s-1960s Vintage Advertisements for Body Soap

Happy New Year: Vintage Photos of Party Hats and Festive Cheer

Brief History of the Party Hat