Archived Texas Monthly Mags… and how I found them

Tonight I decided to think about future career options. The way I see it, a career needs to be more than just a job-- it has to have some very specific qualifications. 

I won't just put on my job. I'll enter it. 

I am a visual thinker. My mind's eye envisions the concept "career" to be an enormous sticky note entitled "Respectable and Interesting Stuff Grownups Can Do Consistently for 30-60 Years," under which I list various interesting professions relating to government, society, business, science, design, and more. For some reason my mind's eye also envisions this imaginary sticky note to have a very cute baby giraffe on it. So tonight I googled some related occupations and learned a lot. 

Finally I searched "River Oaks Housewife".

 Pure gold. 

Google Books has actually archived what I appreciate to be a hilarious, nostalgic, and sociologically interesting trove of Texas Monthly vintage magazine treasures --many editions of which reference the River Oaks Housewife by name, in an entirely non-patronizing way. The advertisements are also a lovable and interesting way to see the city of my 21st century childhood through a retro 1970/80's lens. I know the 80's weren't THAT long ago, but I wasn't born yet and it is still entertaining for me to look at changes over time. 

The River Oaks Housewife is spotted grocery shopping (she is not pictured).

I am pretty sure this cover is politically incorrect today... and has also inspired some movie and a book this past year.

The River Oaks Housewife is spotted driving... once again she is not pictured.

 

The Hilton Clear Lake Hotel still looks the same! I saw it getting hit by Hurricane Ike and then fixed up again just a couple years ago.

I would totally wear (and have worn) a crazy vintage all-over sequined dress like that!!! 

Once again, Texas Monthy spots the River Oaks Housewife with a nice car, but doesn't show her face.

I love how this article says "the bureaucrats"... 

This packaging is still the same.

Well that was fun! I'm quite pleased with what has changed and what has stayed the same. Not sure I learned anything new about the River Oaks Housewife though. 

All images are from Texas Monthly editions December 1977,  November 1981, September 1984, and March 1986. I do not own any of these images. They are copyrighted by Google Books and Texas Monthly and I have reproduced them here for entirely non-commercial purposes.