Everything’s soft and round with comfy pink seats, there are plenty of accessories that obviously must be pink as well. Sounds like a little girl’s dream, right? Well, in this case, everything is very real. As it often happens in this world, the Internet always finds new ways to surprise us. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something brand new (okay okay, in this case, it’s something really old that got our attention) but it sure is enough to catch the eye and not let go for more than a few moments.
More info: Messy and Chic
In 1955 Dodge introduced La Femme a car designed by men, for women
The 1965 Dodge LaFemme catches the eye with its pink feminine design, which totally makes sense as it was designed and marketed especially for women.
Making the car, Dodge was thoughtful about every tiny detail, completing the car with accessories such as a pink umbrella, a pink handbag and a lipstick holder.
Despite all the pompous marketing, women didn’t rush to get them. Instead, the sad little cars stayed in the showrooms collecting dust. Therefore, Dodge moved on from the pink accessories with the next year’s model.
That didn’t stop them from installing a bright pink carpet though, nor from using lavender paint for the interior not to distance themselves too much from the original feminine design.
But despite dropping the purse, the other items such as umbrellas and raincoats stayed. Maybe that contributed to the 1956 model not selling as well. Only 1,500 cars left the showrooms while the rest remained collecting dust.
The purse from the original design was created to have a special holder on the back of the front-seat and was supposed to form a keystone in the middle of the car when put in .
This little experiment made marketers rethink gender-based strategies and to eventually stop relying on it when it comes to such substantial purchases like cars.
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Not a fan of pink but I think the car is pretty. I don't think this worked because most women were stay at home moms and probably drove their husbands to the train station or work and kept the car to do their errands. Most families did not have nor needed 2 cars in the 50s. This may work today but then so many people are so easily offended that I could see them saying this was prejudice to men or even the feminist that take things like this to the extreme.
I think the problem was it was too expensive. In two-car households it was common for the 'man' of the house to have a 'proper car' while the woman would have something much more basic (ie. grocery-getter).
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Parallel-park that thing first, and send photos as proof, then we can talk. Probably why it sold so badly.
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The sales of this car probably didn't work because women had little buying power. Until the late 70s, women could not get a car loan. Any large purchase had to be cosigned by a brother, husband or father. No man was gonna buy a pink car. Long as he could keep the woman home, he had all the power. Good thing times and credit lines have changed!
Well, that and not every woman actually likes pink. I hate it because I had it shoved down my throat as a kid. My mother insisted on pink for everything for me, even after I expressed a preference for other colours.
Load More Replies...
My mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday (turning four or five) and the only thing I wanted was a car, a pink convertible. Come the day and I unwrap this little present from my parents, and it is ... a miniature, metal, pink convertible toy car. I was so incredibly disappointed. I was angry. I was hurt. I was feeling misunderstood. What I wanted was a real one! Alas, time passes, one grows up and it still has pride of place in my living room!
I keep waiting for an SUV to cater to women. We need a place to put our purses, for one thing, since putting them on the seat next to us invites smash and grab activity when we're stopped in traffic. A shoulder strap that doesn't catch us around the throat, sign me up. Pedals where the backs of our shoes don't get scuffed? We're still waiting. BTW, every car needs to come with tweezers. Errant hairs glisten in the sunlight in a car like nowhere else, just waiting to be plucked!
You know you can adjust the seat belt height, right? O.o
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Only thing it is missing are BIC pens for her https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Cristal-1-0mm-Black-MSLP16-Blk/product-reviews/B004F9QBE6
Okay, but who writes these articles? Can they please use punctuation and proofread?
Those cars are really stylish, the interior is incredible and very detailed.
"Think pink! Think pink when you shop for summer clothes! Think pink! Think pink when you want that 'quelque chose'! Red is dead, blue is through, green's obscene and brown's taboo. And there is not the slightest excuse for plum or puce—or chartreuse! Think pink! Forget that Dior says 'black and rust'. Think pink! Who cares if the New Look has no bust? Now, I wouldn't presume to tell a woman what a woman ought to think, but tell her if she's gotta think: think pink!"
I think they should revisit the idea of a car made for ladies. Now that so many women have their own incomes and are not dependent on their husbands wages it could be a big seller. If I was a car company I would look at partnering with a designer label (maybe a different one every couple of years) like Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Coach, etc (I am looking at the purse brands because of the leather accessory tie ins)
Based on the Dodge Lancer Royale (originally list-priced at $2,473 with the La Femme extras package an added $179.00 or $2652.00 Calculated for inflation that's $25,341.64 in 2019 The average auction sale 2019 was $24,750. Only five examples with all the accessories are known to exist and the last one sold was in 2009 for over $70,000.
They were too early. Mary Kay Cosmetics started giving away pink Cadillacs in 1969.
The car wasn’t successful because most women didn’t need their own car during the 50s and 60s. Many families couldn’t afford two cars and I think the car would have also been viewed as ‘not necessary’ for most women, who were most likely stay at home moms. There just wasn’t a large demand for female-only cars. However if that car was put back on the market today, I would certainly buy it.
Marketing cars to women at a time when women generally didn't work outside the home, have their own bank account, and weren't allowed to get credit cards. Someone didn't think that through all the way. I would totally buy this car today, though. It's adorable!
"Only" 1500 left the showroom, out of 2000 or so made with that option. That's not that bad.
If you love vintage welcome! https://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageFurStore
While the car was attractive IMO, it was also expensive for its time, and Chrysler's workmanship in the mid-1950s was pretty bad. If you bought one of these, you were paying too much for too much car, and a poorly made one at that. Another factor--Women had a hard time getting auto loans at that time, whether single or married, or even paying cash for one. My parents bought a 1955 Ford Fairlane when they needed a new car, not because they especially liked it, but because in their entire county, they could find exactly ONE salesman who'd even talk to a married woman without her husband present, let alone sell a car to her (Dad's job precluded him from getting to dealerships during business hours). Whenever women start complaining about how far they have to go to achieve equality in many fields, I remind them of how far they've come--not to discourage them from their current efforts, but to remind them of what they've achieved.
I have to admit I like the design. But why everything meant for women has to be pink?
I don’t drive, but I would love to have this car. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous!
I think it would be better if they had concentrated their efforts to make an elegant, sleek, practical car, because women like practical solutions, not pink and handbags. They already had handbags, and not all women like pink! A car that runs well and looks good, is easy to clean, and their own property, that would have sold well!
Pink makes me look like I am going to have a hypertensive crisis. But the lavender one would be okay. I wouldn't use the "girlie" accessories. I prefer the Rambler with fold down seats. Memories....
You can sell a chick car today (VW new beetle, for example), because there are independent working women making a good buck. In the 1950s, this would have been a wifey car, and it would have made too flamboyant a statement for its era. Also, the husband could never be seen driving it.
Still would have to take your husband/brother/father/boyfriend with you to the dealership. Back in the "good old days" salesmen would only talk to another man. Nice interior, but pink? Really?
The real reason it didn't sell was because it was designed by men who *assumed* they knew what women wanted but probably didn't bother to query any women for ideas. (For starters, not every woman likes pink!) This reminds me of those screamingly funny reviews for women's pens or razors posted on Amazon.
I want it. I love pink and it would have been a cool car to drive.
I would totally get a car with a pearl shimmer interior. You think at least one guy was married & would've asked his wife about the purse holder. That's the true fail.
To be fair, they also had a version that was specifically designed for men. It also failed. People would rather buy a more expensive brand, like Chrysler rather than pay extra for a tarted up Dodge.
When I had trouble finding a comfortable bike saddle a few years back, my husband kept trying to get me to try one of his SMP Glider saddles. I looked at their website, saw that the only difference between the women's Glider and the men's was pink stitching and fewer colour choices. So, I thought SMP was a Mickey-Mouse company and resisted trying one for ages based on that opinion. Turns out the saddle was perfect for me, despite the stone age sexism of the manufacturers. But I bought a men's model so that I could have a red one.
the purse and lipstick holder are just stupid. Having a handbag holder in the back though? Keeps it nice and organized. The actual layout of the car is nice and the actual car is very pretty. The color is just idiotic though.
I bet this car was approximately 30 percent more expensive than an ordinary one. Women just refused to pay "Pink tax". Or in case we refer to 60s their respectful husbands refused.
Not a fan of pink but I think the car is pretty. I don't think this worked because most women were stay at home moms and probably drove their husbands to the train station or work and kept the car to do their errands. Most families did not have nor needed 2 cars in the 50s. This may work today but then so many people are so easily offended that I could see them saying this was prejudice to men or even the feminist that take things like this to the extreme.
I think the problem was it was too expensive. In two-car households it was common for the 'man' of the house to have a 'proper car' while the woman would have something much more basic (ie. grocery-getter).
Load More Replies... Parallel-park that thing first, and send photos as proof, then we can talk. Probably why it sold so badly.
Load More Replies... The sales of this car probably didn't work because women had little buying power. Until the late 70s, women could not get a car loan. Any large purchase had to be cosigned by a brother, husband or father. No man was gonna buy a pink car. Long as he could keep the woman home, he had all the power. Good thing times and credit lines have changed!
Well, that and not every woman actually likes pink. I hate it because I had it shoved down my throat as a kid. My mother insisted on pink for everything for me, even after I expressed a preference for other colours.
Load More Replies... My mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday (turning four or five) and the only thing I wanted was a car, a pink convertible. Come the day and I unwrap this little present from my parents, and it is ... a miniature, metal, pink convertible toy car. I was so incredibly disappointed. I was angry. I was hurt. I was feeling misunderstood. What I wanted was a real one! Alas, time passes, one grows up and it still has pride of place in my living room!
I keep waiting for an SUV to cater to women. We need a place to put our purses, for one thing, since putting them on the seat next to us invites smash and grab activity when we're stopped in traffic. A shoulder strap that doesn't catch us around the throat, sign me up. Pedals where the backs of our shoes don't get scuffed? We're still waiting. BTW, every car needs to come with tweezers. Errant hairs glisten in the sunlight in a car like nowhere else, just waiting to be plucked!
You know you can adjust the seat belt height, right? O.o
Load More Replies... Only thing it is missing are BIC pens for her https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Cristal-1-0mm-Black-MSLP16-Blk/product-reviews/B004F9QBE6
Okay, but who writes these articles? Can they please use punctuation and proofread?
Those cars are really stylish, the interior is incredible and very detailed.
"Think pink! Think pink when you shop for summer clothes! Think pink! Think pink when you want that 'quelque chose'! Red is dead, blue is through, green's obscene and brown's taboo. And there is not the slightest excuse for plum or puce—or chartreuse! Think pink! Forget that Dior says 'black and rust'. Think pink! Who cares if the New Look has no bust? Now, I wouldn't presume to tell a woman what a woman ought to think, but tell her if she's gotta think: think pink!"
I think they should revisit the idea of a car made for ladies. Now that so many women have their own incomes and are not dependent on their husbands wages it could be a big seller. If I was a car company I would look at partnering with a designer label (maybe a different one every couple of years) like Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Coach, etc (I am looking at the purse brands because of the leather accessory tie ins)
Based on the Dodge Lancer Royale (originally list-priced at $2,473 with the La Femme extras package an added $179.00 or $2652.00 Calculated for inflation that's $25,341.64 in 2019 The average auction sale 2019 was $24,750. Only five examples with all the accessories are known to exist and the last one sold was in 2009 for over $70,000.
They were too early. Mary Kay Cosmetics started giving away pink Cadillacs in 1969.
The car wasn’t successful because most women didn’t need their own car during the 50s and 60s. Many families couldn’t afford two cars and I think the car would have also been viewed as ‘not necessary’ for most women, who were most likely stay at home moms. There just wasn’t a large demand for female-only cars. However if that car was put back on the market today, I would certainly buy it.
Marketing cars to women at a time when women generally didn't work outside the home, have their own bank account, and weren't allowed to get credit cards. Someone didn't think that through all the way. I would totally buy this car today, though. It's adorable!
"Only" 1500 left the showroom, out of 2000 or so made with that option. That's not that bad.
If you love vintage welcome! https://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageFurStore
While the car was attractive IMO, it was also expensive for its time, and Chrysler's workmanship in the mid-1950s was pretty bad. If you bought one of these, you were paying too much for too much car, and a poorly made one at that. Another factor--Women had a hard time getting auto loans at that time, whether single or married, or even paying cash for one. My parents bought a 1955 Ford Fairlane when they needed a new car, not because they especially liked it, but because in their entire county, they could find exactly ONE salesman who'd even talk to a married woman without her husband present, let alone sell a car to her (Dad's job precluded him from getting to dealerships during business hours). Whenever women start complaining about how far they have to go to achieve equality in many fields, I remind them of how far they've come--not to discourage them from their current efforts, but to remind them of what they've achieved.
I have to admit I like the design. But why everything meant for women has to be pink?
I don’t drive, but I would love to have this car. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous!
I think it would be better if they had concentrated their efforts to make an elegant, sleek, practical car, because women like practical solutions, not pink and handbags. They already had handbags, and not all women like pink! A car that runs well and looks good, is easy to clean, and their own property, that would have sold well!
Pink makes me look like I am going to have a hypertensive crisis. But the lavender one would be okay. I wouldn't use the "girlie" accessories. I prefer the Rambler with fold down seats. Memories....
You can sell a chick car today (VW new beetle, for example), because there are independent working women making a good buck. In the 1950s, this would have been a wifey car, and it would have made too flamboyant a statement for its era. Also, the husband could never be seen driving it.
Still would have to take your husband/brother/father/boyfriend with you to the dealership. Back in the "good old days" salesmen would only talk to another man. Nice interior, but pink? Really?
The real reason it didn't sell was because it was designed by men who *assumed* they knew what women wanted but probably didn't bother to query any women for ideas. (For starters, not every woman likes pink!) This reminds me of those screamingly funny reviews for women's pens or razors posted on Amazon.
I want it. I love pink and it would have been a cool car to drive.
I would totally get a car with a pearl shimmer interior. You think at least one guy was married & would've asked his wife about the purse holder. That's the true fail.
To be fair, they also had a version that was specifically designed for men. It also failed. People would rather buy a more expensive brand, like Chrysler rather than pay extra for a tarted up Dodge.
When I had trouble finding a comfortable bike saddle a few years back, my husband kept trying to get me to try one of his SMP Glider saddles. I looked at their website, saw that the only difference between the women's Glider and the men's was pink stitching and fewer colour choices. So, I thought SMP was a Mickey-Mouse company and resisted trying one for ages based on that opinion. Turns out the saddle was perfect for me, despite the stone age sexism of the manufacturers. But I bought a men's model so that I could have a red one.
the purse and lipstick holder are just stupid. Having a handbag holder in the back though? Keeps it nice and organized. The actual layout of the car is nice and the actual car is very pretty. The color is just idiotic though.
I bet this car was approximately 30 percent more expensive than an ordinary one. Women just refused to pay "Pink tax". Or in case we refer to 60s their respectful husbands refused.
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