Tag Archives: New York

Amy Vanderbilt on (and in) Pantsuits, 1971

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Lynn

I have always considered Amy Vanderbilt (1908-1974), America’s mid-century manners maven, something of a fussbudget.  Consider her 1952 advice on evening meals: “Every woman should change for dinner, if only into a clean house dress…Fresh clothes and makeup, even if … Continue reading →

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Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Philosophy of Dress

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Lynn

Feminist philosopher Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935), suffragist, novelist, and economist, spent a lot of her life thinking about clothes.  She considered herself a dress reformer, but was not interested in the extremes of bloomers or pants.  Instead, she followed her … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, Pre 1900 | Tagged , | 4 Comments

A Visit to Times Square, 1970s

Posted on August 1, 2017 by Lynn

Today Times Square in New York City looks very different than it did before its big clean up in the 1990s.  It used to be a hub of prostitution, adult bookstores, and sex shows.  You can see evidence if you … Continue reading →

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For the Love of Circles, 1939

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Lynn

I’ve just returned from a trip to Laramie Wyoming, where I spent a week looking through Montgomery Ward catalogs at the American Heritage Center.  Not everyone would call that a fun vacation, but I do!  You will see results from … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Lynn

What would you do if you discovered a large stash of material about a once-famous, now-forgotten woman?  Kathleen Rooney wrote a novel.  A librarian friend was one of the first to process a donated archive about the life of poet … Continue reading →

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The Garrison Family at Schroon Lake, 1908

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Lynn

Well known for their progressive politics, the Garrison family was involved in the abolition movement, efforts to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the fight for women’s suffrage. This photo comes from the Garrison Family collection at the Smith College archives.  … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

International Women’s Day in New York, 1975

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Lynn

This International Women’s Day march made front page news in the New York Times in 1975.  “Chilled by brisk March winds, hundreds of women from a coalition of 50 women’s groups marched down Fifth Avenue under sunny skies yesterday in … Continue reading →

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Dr. Mary Walker, A Pioneer in Pants

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Lynn

Next time you worry that it might take a long time to reach your goals, consider the case of Dr. Mary Walker (1832-1919)–physician, feminist, and dress reformer. She worked her entire life to gain equal pay and suffrage, along with … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1910s, Pre 1900 | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Grandmothers in Kerchiefs at Ellis Island

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Lynn

Immigrants and refugees are on my mind, so I sought out images from Ellis Island taken by the great American photographer Lewis Hine.  These particular photos come from the New York Public Library. The old women traveled to the US … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Carolyn Schnurer’s Flight to India

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Lynn

If you like to travel, envy the life of mid century American designer Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1998). During World War Two, she convinced the British Overseas Air Company, the department store Peck and Peck, and a number of American textile manufacturers … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments