Contact me
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.-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Bob Moeller on Florida Retirement Hotels in the 1970s
- Bob Moeller on Native Daughters of the Golden West
- Bob Moeller on Fashioning San Francisco
- Marianne on Grannies on the Red Carpet, 2024
- Nann on Duchess of Windsor Patterns
Categories
Tags
- About Me
- advertising
- advice literature
- African American
- Asian American
- book review
- California
- Chicana Latina
- coats
- colors
- comparative
- designers
- Florida
- fur
- generations
- glasses
- hair
- half sizes
- hats/headcoverings
- Illinois
- jewelry
- lace
- Mrs. Exeter
- New Look
- New York
- pants
- pantsuits
- photographer
- popular culture
- power dressing
- sewing
- sheath dress
- shirtwaist
- shoes
- sizes
- special occasion
- sportswear
- Texas
- textile patterns
- textile prints
- textiles
- Washington DC
- women's organizations
- World War One
- World War Two
Meta
Reference Links
Tag Archives: lace
Grand Opening at the Waffle Shop, 1931
I chanced upon this wonderful photo in a search for polka dresses—a favorite theme of mine. You never know what you will find! There isn’t much of a backstory to the photo, but I imagine it was opening day at … Continue reading
The Gracious Lady in Polka Dots, 1938
I’m not surprised to see the “Gracious Lady,” Sears’ euphemistic attempt to address the older woman, wearing a polka dot dress! A very popular print in the 1930s, polka dots were even more common for the older set. In their … Continue reading
Mother Bloor in Life Magazine, 1938
You are forgiven for not knowing who Mother Bloor (Ella Reeves Bloor, 1862-1951) is, even though she got her own page of photos in Life magazine in 1938 on the occasion of her 76th birthday. One of the United States’ … Continue reading
Burning the Mortgage, 1915
Photographs often document big moments in life—the wedding, the baby, the new house. A tradition in Black churches is to mark the end of mortgage payments, the moment when property finally belongs to the residents, with a mortgage burning ceremony. … Continue reading
Posted in 1910s
Tagged African American, colors, lace, Michigan, shirtwaist, special occasion
2 Comments
Great Grandmother Caro Visits America
Reader Davrie Caro sent photos of a special family gathering in San Diego. His great grandmother, second from right in the photo above, visited the United States for several months in 1992-93. The photo above shows a surprise birthday party … Continue reading
Mary B. Talbert, Feminist Icon
Why isn’t Mary B. Talbert (1866-1923) better known? I discovered her through a feature on black women suffragists at the Digital Public Library of America. However, suffrage was just one of her causes. She was involved in the anti lynching … Continue reading
Posted in 1910s, 1920s
Tagged African American, lace, New York, shoes, women's organizations
1 Comment
On the Go, 1938
What trips have you given up this summer? I had two planned, one to see my daughter in the Boston area and another to visit an old friend in England. As a financially stable woman nearing 70, I am in … Continue reading
Graduation Day
As I continue thinking about things we can’t do now, I bring you this photo of what must be a college graduation day. My guess is that it comes from the mid to late 1950s. The photo is an old … Continue reading
Posted in 1950s
Tagged African American, hats/headcoverings, jewelry, lace, special occasion
1 Comment
Girl Group, 1940s
This lineup of women with great legs comes from a Chicago antique store. Perhaps this is a family gathering of mothers, daughters, aunts, and nieces. The skirt lengths and cuts indicate that this photo was most likely taken in the … Continue reading
Avon Calling, 1940
As someone who started historical research with a card catalog and a pencil, I am continually amazed at how much is available on line. Although it is surely not complete, a good bit of the Avon Company archive is available … Continue reading