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Tag Archives: jewelry
Older Women in Shorts–Helen Hokinson’s View
After my last post on the proper etiquette of shorts, I thought I would reprise this satirical drawing by cartoonist Helen Hokinson. She had a keen eye for the missteps of women of a certain class (and post-menopausal heft). One … Continue reading
Do You Have a Signature Piece?
Georgia O’Keeffe did. Part of her self styling for photographs was a whimsical pin made for her by Alexander Calder in 1934. It spelled out her initials, “OK.” However, she usually wore it vertically so that looked more abstract. Unless … Continue reading
The Cheerful Granny Takes Flight, 1953
The cheerful granny, an enduring image in American advertising, gets to take a trip on an airplane in the Saturday Evening Post in June 1953. Since she was often used to introduce technological innovations to the middle class, like high … Continue reading
The Panama-Pacific Exhibition, Part Two: The Shirtwaist
While some women dressed for the Panama Exhibit as if going to a party, others chose everyday wear. To the left of the fancy matrons in the middle of the photo are three older women wearing shirtwaist and skirt … Continue reading
Florida Flapper, 1924
This woman isn’t really a flapper, a term most accurately applied only to very young women. However, she has certainly embraced key elements of the 1920s style. She wears a dropped waist dress decorated with pleats and pintucks to add … Continue reading
Miss Allen in 1955
Although I know nothing about the woman depicted in this photo, beyond her name and the date noted on the back, I am quite certain that she was a free spirit. Her dress is a very interesting shape, fitted through … Continue reading
Pearls at the Picnic, 1960
Well, here’s a reminder of how casual dress has changed. I’m guessing that this 1960 photo is of some kind of club or church summer picnic. All the women, middle aged and older, have shown up in summer dresses that … Continue reading
Mary Colter–Architect of the Southwest
You don’t have to spend much time at the south rim of the Grand Canyon to hear the name Mary Colter (1869-1958). She designed Bright Angel Lodge, the Hopi House, and the Lookout Studio, which fits into the walls of … Continue reading
A Woman in a Feathered Boa, 1920s
Feathered boas go in and out of style. Searching on the wonderful home economics site Hearth, I found instructions on how to clean them in a housekeeping guide from 1908. You shake them out and then dip them in gasoline! … Continue reading
The Way they Wear their Hats, 1934
Well, I must admit that the person I love the most in this August 1934 photo is the gamesome boy front left in his white sailor pants, white shirt, and large white beret. But all of these well dressed summer … Continue reading