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To contribute to this collective history project, send pictures and stories about the older women in your life to americanagefashion@gmail.com. The more information you can include (date, place, etc.), the better.-
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Tag Archives: textile prints
Alice Neel’s Older Women
Due to family responsibilities, I’m limited in my travel these days. Therefore I’m especially grateful when the art comes to me. A show of the work of the famous American painter Alice Neel (1900-1984) recently opened at the Orange County … Continue reading
The Gracious Lady in Polka Dots, 1938
I’m not surprised to see the “Gracious Lady,” Sears’ euphemistic attempt to address the older woman, wearing a polka dot dress! A very popular print in the 1930s, polka dots were even more common for the older set. In their … Continue reading
Great Grandmother Caro Visits America
Reader Davrie Caro sent photos of a special family gathering in San Diego. His great grandmother, second from right in the photo above, visited the United States for several months in 1992-93. The photo above shows a surprise birthday party … Continue reading
Fashion Clash, 1948
The only information on this grainy photo is the date, 1948, but my guess is that it shows a visit by two granddaughters to see their grandmother. What a clash of styles! The grandmother wears two items of clothing that … Continue reading
Road Trip, ca. 1933-1934
My guess for the date of this photo is based entirely on the sleeves. In 1932, Gilbert Adrian created a gown with exaggerated ruffled sleeves for the film Letty Lyndon. It created a fashion sensation. Not only were there exact … Continue reading
At the Sewing Machine, 1932
This portrait, a gift from the wonderful Lizzie Bramlett, is apparently a practice photo by a budding new photographer. On the back the maker has listed the day (June 25, 1932), the time (4:00 pm), the camera setting (F6.3, 1 … Continue reading
Fashion Backward/Fashion Forward, 1934
Family photos are a wonderful source to reveal the range of clothing options for different generations. This particular found photograph, labeled “Bonnie Crisco 1934” by an unknown hand, shows a stark difference between old and young. The mother or grandmother … Continue reading
Life on the Ranch, 1939
Since elements of Western clothing have become our national style, it’s easy to forget their regional origins. This 1939 photo by government photographer Arthur Rothstein shows Mrs. Arnold, co-owner of the Quarter Circle U-Ranch in Montana, in a distinctively Western … Continue reading
Tomeyo Okine—A Japanese American in California
The year is 1940, and the Okine family of Whittier California poses in front of their recently bought car. In the amazing online collection of family photos, there are many in front of the car, obviously a prize possession. Tameyo … Continue reading
Friends or Sisters, 1938
It’s hard to tell ages from old photos, but in a stroke of luck I found the names and ages of these four women written on the back: Anna 46; Margrete 48; Ingeborg 41; Lina 59. Given their Germanic sounding … Continue reading