Tag Archives: sheath dress

Dog Days of Summer

It’s hot where I live in Southern California, although I’m close enough to the ocean to get some cool breezes.  I dress for the heat in light weight pants and cotton shirts, preferably very thin Indian cotton. However, many women choose … Continue reading

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New Year’s Eve, 1967

Where did the tradition of funny hats on New Year’s Eve come from? This shot of the the Hallberg family (from left to right–son, son’s wife, mother, father) shows that they endorse the idea enthusiastically. They all wear hats–and they … Continue reading

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Stylish Threesome

This eBay find is almost certainly a three-generation photo, one of my favorite kinds.  The grandmother stands in the middle, with her daughter to her left and her granddaughter to the right.  It is some kind of dress up event … Continue reading

Posted in 1960s, 1970s | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

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

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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

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Hiking in Pearls, Late Fifties or Early Sixties

From the recent showing of The Crown, I know that some older women (Queen Elizabeth, for example) hiked wearing skirts well into the 1980s.  However, Elizabeth’s outdoor outfits looked considerably more rough and ready than the sheath dress worn by … Continue reading

Posted in 1950s, 1960s | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Getting Out the Vote, 1956

The current election has reminded us once again that African American women are the bedrock of the Democratic Party.  They also did a lot of the hard work of turning California from red (as it was when I was growing … Continue reading

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The Bridge Ladies

Not too long ago I read a wonderful memoir called The Bridge Ladies about a group of four friends who played bridge every week over the course of fifty years.  Their conversations covered marriages, children, and eventually widowhood.  Throughout there … Continue reading

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Church Sunday, August 1969

It looks like these four have just come out of church services.  Their different styles show how younger and older women adapted to the big fashion shifts of this decade. Even though her hair is still brown, I’m guessing that … Continue reading

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Slim and Full Dresses in the Sears Catalog, 1965

The 1960s saw many fashion battles—pants, pantsuits, miniskirts, etc.  But when I was growing up at the time, I thought the biggest showdown was between the sheath dress (modern) and the shirtwaist (not).  Imagine my surprise to see versions of … Continue reading

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