Tag Archives: hair

Covid Coiffure

Are you keeping a Covid diary?  I tried writing down what I accomplished every day, but the repetition of “sew masks, walk, read mystery book” became boring fast.  For me, the real document of this pandemic is my hair. After … Continue reading

Posted in 2020s | Tagged , | 5 Comments

What Color is My Hair?

I don’t know what color my hair is because I have been dyeing it for about 25 years.  Clearly it is some kind of gray, but what kind? A beautiful silver color like my 95 year old mother? A kind … Continue reading

Posted in 2020s | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The Neighbors at Mission Court, 1919

Are you wearing your mask?  These residents of Mission Court in Pasadena California are all abiding by the rules.  As luck would have it, I found a Wikipedia entry for the small apartment complex, which is now on the National … Continue reading

Posted in 1910s, General | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Color Advice for the Gray Haired Woman, 1945

What determines the colors that look good on you? There is an entire industry built up to help you answer that question today.  In this 1945 advertisement from Helena Rubenstein, however, you need look only to your hair color for … Continue reading

Posted in 1940s | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Skirt with Fur Trim, mid 1910s

Here’s an elegant update to a classic style. This older woman wears all the components of the classic shirtwaist look–a white blouse and a dark skirt–that had been an American fashion standard for years. However, the fur trim added to … Continue reading

Posted in 1910s | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Pop of Color

Is it a pop or is it a blob? We can’t see the whole design on the younger woman’s dress since it continues on up over her hip. Nonetheless, I find the big splash at the bottom a little distracting, … Continue reading

Posted in 1930s | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Twins, 1984

The artist and photographer Roz Leibowitz found a treasure trove of photos on ebay documenting the lives of twin sisters from the 1930s to the 1990s.  I found the story of the collection in American Photo Magazine and then discovered … Continue reading

Posted in 1980s | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Elsie de Wolfe Recommends…

Perhaps you don’t know the name Elsie de Wolfe (ca 1859-1950).  However, if you like Cole Porter maybe you have heard her other name, Lady Mendl.  In the 1934 song “Anything Goes,” her athletic skills make a brief appearance: “When … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, General | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Elsie de Wolfe, Older Icon from the 1920s

Elsie de Wolfe, the famed interior designer, lied about her age.  According to the birth date on her passport, which many questioned, she was at least 57 years old when she was featured in a Ladies Home Journal fashion spread … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s, Older Icon | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Miss Preckle of Denver 1923

As much as I love the spontaneity of family snap shots, the quality of professional work can really be astounding.  This luminous photograph comes from the estate of a Denver studio photographer.  You can almost count each sequin on her … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s, General | Tagged , , | 1 Comment