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Tag Archives: California
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
A Studio Portrait, 1962
This portrait looks quite old fashioned, but it was made in the early 1960s by the Ninomayo Photography Studio in Los Angeles. Located in Los Angeles’s Japan Town, this Japanese American business began in the 1920s and shut down during … Continue reading
An “Oriental Celebration,” 1960
Where do you stand of the issue of cultural appropriation? You might remember the recent story of a white high school girl who was shamed for wearing a Chinese style quipao dress to her prom. Some Asian Americans complained that … Continue reading
The Flapper’s Mother…and Grandmother
I have always thought there was something sad about flapper-style clothing on older women. The dresses were designed to fall in an unbroken line from the shoulders, but that only worked if there weren’t a lot of curves below. To … Continue reading
Four Women, Four Styles
This photo is from a large collection collected by the Hur and Hahn families. It features Frances Hur, who I believe is second from right, and a group of friends. Unfortunately, the photos are not as well documented as one … 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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An NAACP Meeting in Los Angeles, 1949
If we didn’t have the title, “NAACP [National Association for the Advancement of Colored People], Los Angeles, 1949,” it would be hard to guess the context of the photo. This looks to be an organizational event taking place in the … Continue reading
Funny Hats on New Year’s Eve, 1970
I wish I had a funny hat and a collection of friends to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Given my love of champagne, or similar bubbly beverages, it is a favorite holiday of mine. At this party, sponsored by music mogul … Continue reading
Big Birthday, Big Cake–1961
When this photo appeared in the Valley Times in 1961, the accompanying text read, “Five generations of the Prince family were on hand to help celebrate the 90th birthday of Mrs. Emma E. Prince, a woman who honeymooned to the … Continue reading