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Category Archives: 1930s
Ukrainian American Women, 1938
According to the caption, this photo documents a political meeting of Ukrainian American women in 1938. What was it about? Politics in their homeland? It was before the start of the Second World War, but after the Great Famine of … Continue reading
Mother at the Old Farm
The polka dot dress! I think of this as the archetypal dress of the 1930s, when polka dots were everywhere. This particular outfit has some fancy details. The dress itself appears to have a halter strap around the neck—or is … Continue reading
Ho, Ho, Humbug–Thoughts on the Christmas Sweater
When it comes to Christmas sweaters, call me Scrooge. What is the point of making or buying something that is meant to be either silly or unattractive and can only be worn a limited time of the year? Surely this … Continue reading
Pose with Swagger Coat, early 1930s
This photo introduced me to a new fashion term. Although some of the words are cut off, the writing on the back clearly reads, “I wanted you to see my new swagger coat.” Quick online research revealed that the swagger … Continue reading
Mrs. Kate Mike Sets Sail for France, 1933
In my search for images of women on Veterans Day, I quickly discovered that the most common pictures were of Gold Star mothers, women who had lost children in American wars. The group was founded in 1928 for mothers of … Continue reading
Hair Raising Stories
A curly headed friend of mine recently posted a picture of herself as a young teen when she was trying to approximate the Vidal Sassoon-inspired geometric hairstyles of the era. Although her hair looked fairly straight in the picture, she … Continue reading
Dots and Dashes, 1935
Well, this much we know about Mrs. A. T. Hermann—she liked jewelry. I count one choker, two necklaces, and one pin. She must have dressed up for the photo. I imagine that the trim on her exuberant bow is made … Continue reading
Color Coding, 1930s
These snapshots from the 1930s show a common color pattern for the period: older women in dark-colored dresses, with younger women in lighter ones. In photos from the era, the women’s clothes are often color coded in this way. You … Continue reading
Learning from the Facebook Group “Mid Century in Color”
Sometimes I wonder just who Facebook thinks I am, sending me links to sites about farms and baby animals. But recently the mysterious algorithm provided something I treasure—a link to the wonderful resource Mid Century in Color: Amateur Photographic Slides … Continue reading
Unruly Seamstresses in the 1930s
The Works Project Administration (or WPA) is best known for funding murals and highways in the Great Depression. However, it also started programs aimed specifically at women. One was the WPA sewing project, which employed thousands women creating garments for … Continue reading
Posted in 1930s
Tagged African American, California, generations, Great Depression, hats/headcoverings, sewing, shoes
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