Carhops in Dallas, Texas 1940
In the 40s, women carhops had discovered their tips could increase by up to $25 a week, about $460 in today’s money, if they wore significantly revealing costumes. One offended woman in Texas complained to the Fort Worth Star “we women are sick of looking at girls’ legs; we’d rather look at men’s” in an effort to force a change in women’s uniforms. Instead a local drive in responded by hiring “four husky young men… in blue shorts, white sweaters, and fancy cowboy boots” to serve women at the drive through. (source)
