Ralph Lauren Tray Stand

To suggest that Ralph Lauren has come a long way is an understatement. From his humble beginnings as a tie salesman working out of a drawer at New York’s Empire State Building, he grew one of the world’s largest and most successful fashion empires from scratch.

For decades, Ralph Lauren’s clothing brand has blended classic, preppy Americana East Coast-style with the look of upper-crust English aristocracy. This style is the hallmark of Ralph Lauren’s design and can be seen in all facets of his brand, from its vintage apparel, accessories and jewelry to furniture and décor.

The iconic fashion designer was born Ralph Rueben Lifshitz in New York City and grew up in the Bronx. When he and his brother were in their teens, they changed their surname from Lifshitz to Lauren after being teased about it at school. Later on, Lauren took business classes at night, worked at various menswear retailers and did a stint in the U.S. Army. While working at tie manufacturer Beau Brummel, he was inspired to create his own line of ties.

In 1967, Lauren launched “Polo,” ties handmade from high-quality fabrics featuring a wide design. They were a success. Lauren sold $500,000 worth to retail giants Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and Paul Stuart in his first year.

Lauren expanded his designs into clothing, with his first menswear line of classic tweed suits in 1968 and, in 1971, his first line of womenswear featuring classic feminine tailoring. Lauren’s nostalgic fashion soon captured the eye of Hollywood. He created costumes for the 1974 adaptation of The Great Gatsby and was responsible for Diane Keaton’s distinctive feminine menswear look in 1977’s Annie Hall. Ralph Lauren’s designs have since garnered national and international acclaim and recognition — from Gwyneth Paltrow’s iconic pink 1999 Oscars dress to becoming the official outfitter of Team USA for the Olympics since 2008.

In 2018, Ralph Lauren celebrated his 50th anniversary with a star-studded fashion show and, in 2019, was awarded an honorary knighthood — the highest British honor — for services to fashion.

On 1stDibs, discover a wide range of vintage Ralph Lauren shirts, sweaters and other clothing.

The popularity of antique and vintage tray tables owes mostly to the 1950s, when the first TV dinners made their way into the freezers of American kitchens.

At a time when televisions were increasingly becoming fixtures in the living rooms of most homes in the United States, the tray table was impossibly convenient. With a deft merging of function and style, the table, positioned in front of your sofa or plush armchair, was a place to rest your Swanson-brand TV dinner, a compartmentalized supper issued on a disposable tray that required minimal preparation. The technological advances of the mid-century kitchen included programmable ovens, so TV dinners were quick and easy, particularly when home-cooked meals were out of the question.

When one had finished the last bite of this square meal, which was packed into sections that assumed various geometric shapes in their own partitioned aluminum tray, the tray table could be easily folded up and tucked away until needed again.

Eventually, designers took to exploring iterations of the widely loved tray table that would better suit household needs. Once a simple, foldable furnishing that was confined to use at mealtime, tray tables are now somewhat of a budget-friendly design staple for many households. Today, tray tables are as versatile as ever, and such a wide range has been manufactured over the years that you’re likely to find a good fit no matter what your furniture style preferences might be.

Tray tables are used as side tables, nightstands, a bar tray when your space won’t accommodate that handsome vintage bar cart you’ve been looking for and desks, particularly as many of us are working from home and especially when a modest-sized apartment won’t allow for larger tables.

Tray tables vary in style, shape and size. When looking for a tray table, you should measure accordingly and ensure that wherever it will land in your space there will be room around the table to allow for easy movement.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique and vintage tray tables that includes mid-century modern tray tables, Art Deco versions and more.