Tag Archives: Washington DC

Gold Star Mothers on Memorial Day, 1924

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Lynn

With all the talk of road trips and crowded airports, Memorial Day is mainly known as the official start of the vacation season in the United States.  However, its original purpose was to honor war dead.  Read this fascinating articles … Continue reading →

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Of Politics and Women’s Shoes

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Lynn

I was hoping that the end of the Melania fashion era might bring an end to sky high heels, but no such luck.  While Kamala Harris wears Converse sneakers on her casual days, when dressed up she’s in heels.  During … Continue reading →

Posted in 2020s | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

What to Wear in a Pandemic

Posted on March 19, 2020 by Lynn

This is not a post about politics, but let’s get the details out of the way.  My husband is a news junkie, tuning into Trump’s daily news conferences lately.  As a valued scout for my blog, it didn’t take him … Continue reading →

Posted in 2020s | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Go Ask Alice, 1937

Posted on July 1, 2019 by Lynn

Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, was a famous beauty in her youth.  Born in 1884, she became a fashion icon when her father became president at the start of the twentieth century.  Her favorite color, an … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s | Tagged , | 4 Comments

American Gothic, 1942

Posted on March 12, 2019 by Lynn

Gordon Parks, photographer, artist, and later filmmaker, was hired as a trainee in the Farm Security Administration’s photography program in 1941.  As an African American, he used his position to document the living and working conditions of blacks in the … Continue reading →

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What to Wear in Your Electric Car, 1915

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Lynn

Everything old is new again. Electric cars might seem to be the latest thing, but they were were already popular in the US a hundred years ago.  It turns out that some of the most enthusiastic drivers were well-off city … Continue reading →

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The Famous Blue-Green Dress by Mollie Parnis, 1955

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Lynn

If you spend any time studying the clothes of well off women of the 1950s and 1960s, the name Mollie Parnis will come up sooner or later.  She was a well known designer of the era who dressed a number … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Jackie Kennedy’s White House Style

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Lynn

What did these two women think of the other one’s outfit when they met? I’ve been preparing a talk on Jackie Kennedy’s White House fashion for a local museum. The research has been a lot of fun.  In the process, … Continue reading →

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

A Festive Evening at Howard University, 1963

Posted on February 17, 2018 by Lynn

Since it’s not that easy to find photos of older women in evening clothes, I was thrilled to discover this portrait of the Home Economics Faculty at Howard University attending the opening of their new building in 1963.  Howard University, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

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