So, you think Gerringong in 1953 was a backwater and did not have any special shows.

Well, you would be wrong.

In spring of that year, a fashion establishment from Wollongong put on a show for the ladies at Gerringong Town Hall.

Of interest is the term “mannequin” which refers to the live female models who modelled the dresses on the night.

Nowadays the name is only used for plastic models of human figures, not live ones.

Young girls or married women could go to Wollongong to have lessons in deportment and become a mannequin.

Another interest is the sponsors for the show. A large ad from A.J. Campbell and Son for auctioneering and a ‘Shopping Guide’ list businesses from the Gerringong district.

Some notable names appear such as Bergin, Chittick, Rutledge, Lumsden and Carradus.

The grand news for this year's show was the extensive use of nylon. It appears in just about every garment that the discerning lady might require.

I can imagine that it was a popular night in Gerringong.

Looking at Google maps, it is quite sad to see the shopfront in Wollongong.

Long gone are the deportment classes.