In 1948, Coulter’s department store celebrated its 10^th anniversary with this display window entitled “10 Years of Progress on Miracle Mile.” The two dueling Streamline Modern department stores—The May Company and Coulter’s Dry Goods—both opened their flagship stores in the late 1930s, signaling the arrival of the “Miracle Mile” stretch of Wilshire Blvd which runs roughly from Fairfax Ave to La Brea Ave. I love the height of 1940s fashion displayed in the window but if you look closely, you can see the words “five foot four” reflected in neon light in the right-hand window. So now, of course, I’m wondering what that referred to.

Jerry says: “Five foot four” was a  chain of dress shops in the late 1940’s as I remember it was code for “petite” which they don’t even have for women any more. The only reason I know this is my mother was 5’3” and all women’s clothes on her were way to big and she had to re-make all slacks . . . and dress were way to long. I’ve been searching for a picture of there shops but have found nothing – not even a mention of them.”

Coulter’s Department Store, Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles: