Category Archives: 1900s

A Summer Idyll, ca. 1909

This beautiful photo, an eBay find, is the front of a postcard. A little research revealed that it is what is called a “real photo postcard.” Although such cards had long been in use, the Kodak company developed special paper … Continue reading

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Harriet Strong, the Pampas Woman

When you drive around Southern California, you often see big stands of pampas grass, the tall billowing plant in the background of the photo above. It grows like a weed. Native to South America, the plant was brought here in … Continue reading

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Rookwoods, 1907

Sometimes you find astonishing information on the back of old snapshots.  This one turned out to be a treasure.  It reads: “1907–Miss Helen Culver and Miss French at their home Rookwoods, Lake Forest, Ill.  Back entrance.”  Imagine my delight when … Continue reading

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A Uniform for the Old–A Lace Collar on a Black Dress

Last week’s photo reminded me that the black dress with a lace collar served as a kind of uniform for the old in the first half of the twentieth century.  The outfit combines two elements deemed necessary in any older … Continue reading

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Young and Old in Seattle, 1900s

Although you can barely see it in this scan, a stamp in the bottom corner of this photo shows that it was made at the Bradley Studio on Third Street in Seattle.  I love these small clues of origin.  Judging … Continue reading

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Staging Fashion

Before the era of film, women went to the theater to discover how the latest looks would move on real women’s bodies. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there was a partnership between leading actresses and the fashion … Continue reading

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The Comedy of Clothes by Jessie Gillespie, 1914

The idea of “who wore it better,” so popular in supermarket magazines, is apparently nothing new.  Jessie Gillespie, an illustrator for the New York Tribune and the Washington DC Evening Star, published witty observations of current styles.  Above are her … Continue reading

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The Dowager Corset, 1900

If you had a product intended for older women, what would you call it?  These days it might include the words “ageless” or “forever young,” but in 1900 “dowager” was apparently considered a good idea.  What is a dowager anyway? … Continue reading

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A Horde of Hats, 1900s

My friend Sally, a source for many wonderful photos on this blog, found this treasure at a recent photo conference she attended. It’s a post card that was never sent, but luckily there’s some writing on the back: “Grandma Snowdon, … Continue reading

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Happy New Year!

I won’t be wearing a wonderful champagne bottle dress on New Year’s eve, but I will be enjoying champagne. New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday–no presents to worry about, no special foods (at least not in my household). There … Continue reading

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