Category Archives: 1950s

Sewing Classes in Chicago, ca. 1960

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Lynn

September is National Sewing Month, and I’m happily turning my attention away from our fraught political climate to find photos of older women practicing this craft.  The American Sewing Guild, of which I’m a member, calls sewing “an art and … Continue reading →

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A May Gathering, 1953

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Lynn

The stamp on the back of this photo says May 1953, although sometimes people get their pictures developed long after the fact.  However, the trees indicate that it could be May.  The clothing also points to a transitional season.  The … Continue reading →

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Mismatched Pair, 1958

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Lynn

Before the summer passes us by, I thought it was high time for some bathing suits.  At first I guessed this might be a Mother-Daughter snap shot, but someone has helpfully written on the back, “Mother and Etta Doey at … Continue reading →

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It’s a Handbag!

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Lynn

Doesn’t this 1950s snapshot call out for a story?  The happy woman holding the handbag is obviously the star of the event, since she is the only one wearing a corsage.  But what kind of occasion is it? A retirement … Continue reading →

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Graduation Day

Posted on May 9, 2020 by Lynn

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 →

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Preparing for the Prom, 1959

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Lynn

There won’t be a senior prom for many this year, so this 1959 photo seems especially poignant.  The daughter is all gussied up—is it the actual day of the prom or was she just posing to document the dress? It … Continue reading →

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Book Review–The 1950s in Vogue: The Jessica Daves Years by Rebecca C. Tuite

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Lynn

This is what the cover of my copy of The 1950s in Vogue looks like—no book title, no author, and no indication of the fact that the book is actually about Vogue editor, Jessica Daves.  Perhaps this is a new … Continue reading →

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Come Fly With Me, 1955

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Lynn

Passenger air travel was already well established by the 1950s, so it is unlikely that this prosperous looking couple was making their first trip in 1955.  These were the days when people still dressed up to travel. With his broad … Continue reading →

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Pola Stout in Pola Stout

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Lynn

Since Lizzie Bramlett of the blog The Vintage Traveler has been covering the fascinating work of Hollywood designer Adrian, I remembered an old post I wrote about one of his main textile designers, Pola Stout. I accidentally eliminated it some … Continue reading →

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Home Sewing, 1955

Posted on February 22, 2020 by Lynn

These days many of us who sew have entire rooms dedicated to the process.  (In my house, I lay claim on parts of many rooms—just ask my husband his opinion of my expanding sewing empire).  But here we see that … Continue reading →

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