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To contribute to this collective history project, send pictures and stories about the older women in your life to americanagefashion@gmail.com. The more information you can include (date, place, etc.), the better.-
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- Juliana @ Urban Simplicity on The Cheerful Granny Takes Flight, 1953
- sarah Perry on Grandmother King, Hood Rubber, Watertown Massachusetts
- At Hood Rubber Company, Circa 1905 | The Vintage Traveler on Grandmother King, Hood Rubber, Watertown Massachusetts
- Lizzie Bramlett on Harford Frocks, 1947
- Denise Wertz on Harford Frocks and the Older Woman
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Tag Archives: generations
Mother and Daughter, 1960s
In preparation for Mother’s Day, I thought I would share some favorite Mother/daughter photos. This one is of particular historic significance because it memorializes the pink plastic curlers that I remember so distinctly from my youth. Was the daughter preparing … Continue reading
Spring Outfits for Mother and Daughter
Appearances alone should be enough to identify these two women as mother and daughter, but each photo also has “Mom, me” written on the back. On the left we see them in stylish hats and spring coats. The daughter has … Continue reading
Puck’s Greeting to the New Year, 1898
The satirical magazine Puck was not always nice to the new woman of the late nineteenth century. In this drawing, however, she is presented as a breath of fresh air, bringing flowers and a taste of Spring. It is the … Continue reading
A Georgia Grandmother in Pants, ca. 1934
What we call pants today were once known by many other names—bloomers, knickers, knickerbockers, trousers, and even pajamas. I was reminded of the latter name by a 1931 Vogue article “Pyjamas—When Are They Worn?” The article uses the term pyjamas … Continue reading
Book Review: American Style and Spirit
How do we know what people wore in the past? There are many places to look—family photographs, letters, receipts, and of course the clothes themselves. Now imagine if you had all of these things and more, including pattern books, tear … Continue reading
“We Are Getting There Fast,” 1895
When women took up bicycles in a big way in the 1890s, it resulted in a kind of moral panic in the media about the potential effects of women wearing bloomers (or what we would today call knickerbockers.) Women took … Continue reading
You Can Keep Your Hat On
How do women in positions of power establish their authority in a work environment? These days it is done through clothes, but it used to be done with hats. I’ve read many memoirs about women editors at fashion magazines being … Continue reading
Women Voting, 1944
This imaginative photograph comes from the 1944 presidential election. Voting took place as American troops were still fighting in Europe and Asia. Sitting President Franklin D. Roosevelt won 81% of the popular vote. Such a landslide is unthinkable in today’s … Continue reading
Judy’s—A California Store for Young (and a few Older) Women
Inspired by Jen Orsini of the blog Pintucks, I checked out the memoir of Marcia Israel-Curly (1920-2004), founder of a chain of California fashion stores called Judy’s. Her book, Defying the Odds: Sharing the Lessons I learned as a Pioneer … Continue reading
The Gibson Girl’s Mother, 1900
The Gibson Girl is an American archetype–a tall, slim young woman with a big head of hair and an athletic disposition. She was artist Charles Dana Gibson’s most famous creation. However, he also drew other social types. In a collection … Continue reading