Category Archives: 1930s

Portrait of a Woman with Butterfly

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Lynn

In honor of Black History Month, I’ve been searching for collections of photographs of African Americans that might include older women.  One rich source I discovered is the private collection of Mike Cochran, given to the Portal of Texas History.  … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Sewing for the Works Progress Administration, 1936

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Lynn

In the US, most of us have probably come across a bridge or a trail that was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Depression Era government sponsored employment agency.  Not only did the program build bridges and sponsor … Continue reading →

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Sewing Baseballs, 1938

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Lynn

Of course I know that baseball covers have stitches, but until I saw this photo I didn’t realize that the covers were stitched together by hand.  Even today most covers are hand stitched, although the process is done in a … Continue reading →

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The Fourth of July in South Carolina, 1939

Posted on July 4, 2020 by Lynn

The Library of Congress has a series of photographs of an African American Fourth of July celebration on St. Helena Island off of South Carolina in 1939.  They were taken by Marian Post Wolcott, a photographer working for the Farm … Continue reading →

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Cat Lady with Sandals, 1930s

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Lynn

These days, wearing socks and sandals is often considered a fashion faux pas for women, but this wasn’t always the case.  The older woman above is happily wearing the combination while playing with (or torturing?) her cat.  Using the wisdom … Continue reading →

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On the Go, 1938

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Lynn

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 →

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Cassie and Jennie, 1932

Posted on April 12, 2020 by Lynn

A handwritten message on the back of this photo gives me names and dates, and I know that it comes from my stepfather’s family.  Unfortunately, there is no one left to tell me who Cassie and Jennie were. I do … Continue reading →

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Summer Outfit, Mid 1930s

Posted on April 4, 2020 by Lynn

When I found this photo on eBay, I originally thought the pattern was dots—and I was about to launch into an essay on the love of dotted fabric in the 1930s.  However, once I enlarged it the pattern looked more … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, General | Tagged | 2 Comments

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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Medicalizing Menopause in the 1930s and 1940s

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Lynn

Is menopause a medical condition that needs to be cured? That was certainly the message conveyed in a series of ads from Parke, Davis & Co. published in mainstream publications from the late 1930s through the 1940s. Just a bit … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s | Tagged , | 6 Comments