Cathy wears to school a dress she made herself featuring a large cat on the front. Patty puts down the "catnip" dress until she sees how it catches on with the other girls. She quickly interjects herself as Cathy's partner taking orders to sell them at $9.95. Things quickly spiral out of Cathy's control as Patty takes 43 orders in one day. Patty finds she needs expert advice and reaches top dress designer Gregory Madison (early game show personality Robert Q. Lewis) as "Worldwide Dress Company" about a business deal. He believes they are a big, new company, but politely listens to them even after finding they are young girls. He genuinely compliments the catnip dress and alters it in front of them to add whiskers- an idea they both think improves it. He continues his suggestions out of the goodness of his heart and directs them to appropriate suppliers. Patty figures they will make a $4 profit on every dress if Cathy continues doing the manufacturing herself. Patty and Cathy visit with Miss Mason (Neva Patterson), a department store manager who agrees to an order of "two" to be delivered in three days. They soon recall the word "gross" following it, which means 12 dozen and a total of 288 dresses they must make. Patty is eager for the challenge and they order the necessary materials and equipment and bring in a bunch of girls to help. However, things become really challenged after Martin reads the details of the order and when they receive a visit from the government.
Reminiscent of the much funnier I Love Lucy episode "The Million Dollar Idea", but this is still a good episode and realistic with big teen ideas and a learning point.
Reminiscent of the much funnier I Love Lucy episode "The Million Dollar Idea", but this is still a good episode and realistic with big teen ideas and a learning point.
