Fashion Show (May 25, 2017)

Created and presented by Lorna Azevedo at the May 25th Tin Lizzies of Albuquerque Club Meeting (photos by Mark Wing)

Lorna Azevedo (in character as Lilly Tomlin’s “Ernestine”, the telephone operator)

– GOOD EVENING, LADIES & GENTLEMEN!

WELCOME TO TONIGHT’S TIN LIZZIE FASHION SHOW.

I AM ERNESTINE, & I WILL BE YOUR FASHION COMMENTATOR THIS EVENING.

TONIGHT, WE WILL TOUCH ON SOME HISTORICAL DATA FROM THE FIRST 40 YREARS OF THE 20th CENTURY, & THE FASHIONS OF THOSE TIMES. RELAX & ENJOY OUR PRESENTATION, & MAYBE EVEN LEARN SOMETHING NEW ALONG THE WAY! I KNOW I DID! Ok, we’ve got lots to cover…let’s get started!!!

1900 Long Dresses

At the turn of the century, women wore sweeping skirts that had to be lifted to cross streets or climb stairs. Skirts & shirt waists were a carry-over from the 1890’s & could be worn over & over, & interchanged with each other (ENTER MARY ANN) Our first model is Mary Ann. She’s wearing a lovely, cotton, prairie dress. It’s an all-purpose dress-of-the-day, which might be dressed up with a lace over-lay jacket for church, or for visiting neighbors on a Sunday afternoon. This dress is so versatile, she can add an apron over it to do a little work around her home. She’s wearing a straw hat with netting to keep out bugs & dust when she decides to go for a ride in her Model T.

Thank you, Mary Ann. Very lovely!

Montgomery Ward catalogue had its first fashion illustration in 1878, & in the 1900’s were filled with all types of ladies clothing for women to choose from.

Our next model just happens to be aristocracy… ENTER HARLEY) Here’s Harley. She is the Grand Daughter of our last model, Mary Ann. Many of us remember Mary Ann as the Duchess of Bedford, when she presided over our ladies’ tea at our Natl Bus Meeting in 2012. The original Duchess she portrayed started the tradition of “taking tea” in England in the late 1800’s. Harley is wearing her Grandmother’s Duchess’s dress of white silk & lace with a slight train. It has an over-lay coat of black lace. She wears a small hat, & carries a beautiful black fan. No doubt, she’s joining friends for an afternoon tea party somewhere! This is typical of what the well-dressed lady of the era wore.

Thank you, Harley.

Early in the 20th century, high heels were considered a wicked invention, but were made more comfortable by shoe manufacturers, & ladies started to wear them…low heels at first, that got higher as the hemlines went up.

Fashion was still set by the wealthy between 1900 & 1910, & Paris reigned supreme!

Here’s our next model, Liz, (ENTER LIZ)

She’s dressed in the latest style from Paris, ready to attend an evening on the town. She’s wearing a lovely pink Satin with ruffles & lace trim. Her hat is an example of the amazing hats ladies were wearing in that era. Note her higher heels.

Thank you, Liz…so beautiful!

1908…Corsets

In 1908 the political freedom being sought by militant suffragettes is echoed in the latest ladies fashions. Dresses began to favor a slim straight figure, unlike the late 1800’s & the curves of the “Gibson Girl”. To emphasize the longer look, the new corsets hardly went in at the waist. The exaggerated curves of the Gibson Girl were on the way out. That’s good news..cause some of us never had those curves to begin with……which brings me to my next model & the subject of corsets….(ENTER MARILYN WITH CORSET) Here’s Marilyn in a lovely black cotton dress with over-lay coat of see-through beige & lace. Her fashionable hat matches her ensemble, & she wears black heels. Note the ladies’ pocket watch that she wears around her neck on a chain. This watch belonged to her Grandmother. Women wore them around their neck or pinned on their bodice. Note her period bracelets, also.

CORSETS were legendary! How on earth were women ever coerced into wearing them? They were made of linen-covered whale bones or even steel! The corset should have been considered a dangerous garment…smelling salts were big sellers in those days, & it probably had to do with tight corsets! Until the 20’s, some female waists were still corseted, though not as tightly as before! (Throw away corset) What a blessing!

Thank you, Marilyn!

1910..Ford sells his 10,000th car & yellow cab is founded

1900 1^st Decade…Nightwear

Next, we have a couple modeling sleepwear of the period.

(ENTER JESSICA & PHILLIP)

It’s beddy-bye time for our models as they show off these nighties for the early 1900’s. Jessica’s gown is a lovely, white, high necked, long sleeve, muslin, with embroidery trim, & ribbon at the neck made by our own member, Robbi Ross. Phillip is comfortable in a white, muslin, antique nightshirt. These gowns should keep our models toasty til they get beneath all the quilts on a cold night. No doubt they’ll use a hot brick foot warmer, too, when the nights get colder. She wears a lovely night cap that will keep her tresses in place as she snores away, & his stocking cap will keep his pompadour from mussing during the night. A candle lights the way to their sleeping quarters! Wait a minute….

What are you looking for, Phil? Oh, my, looks like he found it! Something every knowledgeable sleeper must have…his thunder mug! Sure beats heading for the outhouse in the middle of the night, doesn’t it? Rest well!!

Thank you Jessica & Phillip

1912 TITANIC

Our next models just got off a lifeboat after the sinking of the Titanic on Apr 15 of 1912, after an unfortunate collision with a nasty ice berg in the Atlantic! After a very exciting, yet exhaustive cruise, these 2 models are wearing the latest in fancy ship wear.

(ENTER PAT & VERN WILLAN) I’m sure Vern didn’t waste a second to secure their seats on the nearest lifeboat!

Pat’s lovely creation is sure to turn heads even as people are abandoning ship!

She’s wearing a full skirted, burgundy, taffeta dress with a slight bustle in back, & a black, lace over-lay top. She tops it off with a large brimmed black hat with feather accents.

Vern’s outfit, perfect for any well-dressed Gentleman of the day, consists of an eye-catching, red & black satin vest, blue & white shirt with red suspenders, black tie, & white spats. He carries has a unique, black Irish Shillelagh (Sha-lay-lee) walking & fighting sick, just in case he has to fight for a life boat, & he is wearing a spiffy Derby hat.

They certainly were ready for dinner & dancing as the ship slowly sank!

Thank you, Pat & Vern! Outstanding!!

1912 Betty… Titanic

We are honored this evening to have yet another lifeboat survivor of the Titanic disaster. You’ve no doubt heard of the Unsinkable Molly Brown? (ENTER BETTY) Well, aren’t we lucky! Here she is!!! She is wearing her lovely purple dress, black high button shoes, & black hat with netting.

We can’t fail to notice Molly’s unusual accessory-the lovely Model T inner tube. It’s my understanding that Molly has not let go of that buoy since that unforgettable night at sea. You know, Molly, I can’t really say I blame you. As we all know, at any time, any of us might find ourselves on a sinking ship!

Thank You, Betty! What a gal!!

1900’s 1^st 2 decades BARNEY OLDFIELD

Here we have, straight from the track, after speeding around in one of Henry’s Racers, Mr. Barney Oldfield (ENTER LARRY) decked out in his masculine Ford mechanic’s coat & helmet. Stylish goggles protect his eyes at the track, & of course, the knickers are a fashion trend that is always a “must have” during this era.

The rakish scarf will cause all the ladies to swoon, & of course, we all know the stogy is a permanent fixture on Barney’s face!

As you’ve heard, Barney drove Henry Ford’s 999 racer, & set several speed records during the 1^st two decades of the 20^th century. Barney was the first driver ever to drive around a mile track in less than 1 minute! If you ask me, he had to be sitting behind the exhaust pipe to do something crazy like that!

Of course, Barney broke all speed records & his name became synonomous with speed. He certainly made a name for himself as well as for Henry Ford! Way to go Barney, as long as you don’t drive your speedsters that fast anymore, we’re ok!

Thank you, Larry

WRONG WAY CORRIGAN (BOB HAWK)…COMES IN BY MISTAKE …Wait a minute! Wrong Way it’s not your turn yet…go back in line & wait your turn!

1913…Henry Ford created the First Assembly Line

1914… lawn dresses

In the period between 1914 & 1916, with the introduction of the empire waistline, petticoats were almost entirely abandoned. (ENTER MARY ANN & HARLEY)

Here we have Grand-mother & Grand-daughter wearing lovely blue summer dresses just in time for a family picnic on the lawn!

Mary Ann’s dress is of a very fine fabric called lawn. That fabric was very popular during the warmer months, since it was light weight & cool. She also carries a flowered parasol to match, to protect her beautiful face from the sun.

Harley is in blue cotton with embroidery trim & a fitted, bloused bodice. She wears a large straw hat to protect her face from the sun, & the ties will secure it if the winds come up, or if she decides to go for a ride in the Model T Touring car.

Thank You, ladies!

The ladies still wore corsets, but they were so improved by now, that they could indulge in sports & other activities with ease & comfort. (ENTER FRAN, MARILYN)

Fran is fashionable in a cool, white, cotton dress with a slimming, green sash as she heads for an afternoon stroll in the park. Her hat is white straw, & she is carrying a white lace parasol. Note her high top shoes!

Marilyn looks adorable in her blue & white stripe, cotton dress with an empire waistline. It’s adorned with white lace trim. She’s wearing a lovely white hat, & white shoes with buckles on them, definitely in style for this era.

Thank you, Fran & Marilyn

1915 DUSTERS

In 1915 the 1 million’th Model T rolled off the assembly line!

Since paved highways did not supplant dirt roads until after WWI, a garment appropriately called the duster, was the best protection against dust & mud. For obvious reasons the popular coat was of a hue generally described as “dust colored”, therefore the name “duster”.

(ENTER BOB & ROSE)

Here we have Rose & Bob wearing the latest in dusters & hats as they go on a Sunday afternoon drive in their Model T Roadster. Note the goggles to protect the driver’s eyes, & of course, demonstrate the latest fashion statement in driving wear. The gloves protect their hands while driving as well as from inclement weather, & they give that good grip on the wheel for Bob.

The hats were worn to protect hair dos & just look cool! Rose plans to keep her hat from blowing off with the scarf tied securely under her chin.

Thank You, Bob & Rose!

1900’s FIREMAN

A very popular figure of this & every era is our fearless Fireman…(ENTER NEIL)

Here’s our rugged fireman who actually helped put out the San Francisco fire on Apr 18, 1906. A 7.8 earthquake was responsible for the fire & it killed 3000 souls as well as leaving half of the city homeless. Now just how old are you anyway, Neil? Let’s see, Neil is wearing manly fireman’s gear with dashing hat, & ……….Where would we be without the brave fire fighters throughout our history???

Thank You, Neil!

1917 Early in 1917 the US entered WWI! It’s amazing how this war influenced the fashions to come ……

1918 END OF WWI

At the end of WWI on Armistice Day, Nov 11, 1918, simple lines replaced the former constricted clothing worn by the ladies, & by the time the men returned home from the trenches, they must have suffered culture shock. They had left a nation of females mincing about in long skirts, & found the shocking vision of ankles peeking out from under shorter skirts. (ENTER JANIE) Skirts were now 7 or 8 inches above the floor, & were much slimmer. Here’s Janie, wearing a mint green dress trimmed in white lace & silver buttons. She has topped it off with a perky hat & heels. Note the shorter dress length. It really changed ladies’ fashions for years to come!

Thanks, Janie!

The ladies had shed the clothes which restricted their activities. The tops were bloused, waists were at the waistline & fancy sleeves were in. (ENTER ANN & DAVE)

Ann, our next lovely model, & Dave, her husband of 59 years, are heading out for an exciting evening to celebrate the end of the war! She is wearing a beautiful, purple dress of silk & taffeta with matching two-toned purple hat. She accessorizes with eggshell colored gloves & shoes, & a small, beaded evening purse.

Dave looks so dapper in his long, formal dress-coat & snazzy top hat! His tan shirt really sets off his attire! He carries a homemade walking-cane for stability & protection as he escorts his lovely lady to the celebration!

Thank you, Ann & Dave & Happy Anniversary!

1919 WOMEN CAN VOTE!

Skirts went down to the ankle again for 1919, & were slim & narrow at the hemline, & then we come to a very historic year for women (ENTER SUSAN, FRAN, BETTY)

On Aug 26, 1920, women all over the country were celebrating! Secretary of State Colby signed papers approving the US Constitution’s 19^th amendment which gave women the right to vote. American women had been calling for the right to vote for 70 long years!

Here, enjoying the celebration, are our 3 suffragette models:

Fran is wearing a black skirt with an antique, white, high necked blouse, high button-shoes, & straw hat with red, white, & blue ribbon trim.

Susan is in a black skirt & blouse with lace. Her hat has pink trim, & she’s wearing black heels.

Betty has on a black skirt, white sailor-collar blouse, black ankle-high shoes, & shiny, black straw hat.

They are true to their colors as they wave their flags & carry their “Women’s Rights” signs.

We have a lot to thank these women for. Wow! We’ve really come a long way baby, but you know, some things never change.

Women are still on the march today!

Thank You ladies, & thanks for getting us the vote!

19.. through 1920’s BATHING SUITS

Our next models could be straight from a very early Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition of the 20’s! (ENTER LINDA & LIZ) Stay in front & wait for Paul…all go off together.

Swimsuits in the early days were daring for the times, but left one wondering, how did they ever swim in these outfits? Earlier suits were made of wool, & the ladies just waded in the water, or jumped the waves, while holding on to a rope tied to a buoy. By 1915, the women athletes actually started to share the sport of swimming with men, & reduced the amount of heavy fabric used in their billowing swim suits.

Of course, the suits covered the ladies from head to toe. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that the stockings & shoes were totally eliminated from the bathing ensemble.. Linda is wearing a snazzy, little navy suit with a sailor collar with white piping trim, & matching hat. She has white stockings & shoes to cover her legs & feet.

Liz is in a bathing costume of blue, white, & beige stripes with lace trim & a matching hat. Her legs are well covered as well. They wore the shoes to protect their feet from shells & glass they might step on at the beach & in the water.

Next we have a very brave male model to show us an example of what the well-dressed man of the era wore to the beach….(ENTER PAUL) As you can tell, our model is a little shy about showing off his lovely bathing suit. Paul is wearing a modern version of a 1920’s raccoon coat. The raccoon coat, of course, was the rage in the 20’s, especially with the college crowd. Women & co-eds also joined in on this phenomena. It’s a little warm for the beach, but makes a great swimsuit cover up! Ok, time to unveil the suit, Paul!! Don’t you love this 1920’s red & white striped suit with long socks, & perky boater hat? I’m sure all the ladies will flock around him at the beach! (LADIES SHOW HIM GIGGILY ATTENTION)

Thank you all …I think they are now off to Tingley Beach!

1920 BABE RUTH

We have a special treat for you this evening. It was hard to get him away from the field, but for the Tin Lizzies he was glad to oblige! Let’s give a great big welcome for the home run king of the New York Yankees…..none other than the Babe! (ENTER BILL) Yes, that’s Babe Ruth!! His other nicknames, as you know, are The Bambino, & The Sultan of Swat!

Of course he’s wearing the latest in baseball gear. Such a trendsetter as he knocks the ball out of the park! He’s wearing dove gray regulation baseball knickers, & regulation black socks, a genuine NY Yankees jersey, & baseball cap. Also, he has a black belt & shoes to complete his ensemble. He’s swinging his lucky baseball bat tonight, so everyone watch your head!!

60 home runs in a single season!! That’s an awesome record, Babe!

Let’s give the Babe a hand!

Thanks, Bill! Great job!

1920 FLAPPERS

In the decade of the 1920s, a new woman was born. She smoked, drank, danced, and voted. She cut her hair, wore make-up, and got rid of the corset. She was giddy and took risks. She was a flapper!

The Flappers’ image consisted of drastic – to some, shocking – changes in women’s clothing, hair, & demeanor. (ENTER FRAN) Fran is wearing a dark gray, free-moving dress with a paneled skirt, decorated with sequins, & I love those black, velvet heels. Note her new stylish haircut…The Gibson Girl, who prided herself on her long, beautiful, lush hair, was shocked when the Flapper cut hers off. The short haircut was called the “bob”, which was later replaced by an even shorter haircut, the “shingle”, which had a curl on each side of the face, or “Eton” cut. Thank you, Fran!

Flappers often finished the ensemble with a felt, bell-shaped hat called a cloche. (ENTER SUSAN)

Susan is no doubt headed for fun & frivolity this evening, wearing a gorgeous, emerald green, beaded dress with a flirty headpiece, & black heels. Looking like that, & knowing Susan, I’m sure she’ll have an unforgettable evening of revelry!

Flappers also started wearing make-up, something that had previously been only worn by loose women. Rouge, powder, eye-liner, and lipstick became extremely popular. They created the concept of dating, & were what they considered to be the “new or modern” woman. Thank You, Susan!

(ENTER DONNA) Here’s our sophisticated flapper, Donna, wearing a black mid-calf, dropped-waist dress, with shirring on the bodice. Her accessories include an animal print scarf, fishnet hose, cloche hat with feather trim, she’s also carrying an animal print cigarette holder…eventho she doesn’t smoke…what can I say, it was the style! Check out her marcasite jewelry. Just a note about jewelry. Until 1920, only precious stones & metals were worn by the ladies, & in 1920, fake jewelry came on the scene, & we’ve had it ever since!!! Those flappers thought of everything, didn’t they? Long gloves went out of style even for the evening during the 20’s. High button shoes went out of style, & were replaced by all kinds of pumps, including Donna’s T-strap shoes. Thank You, Donna!

(ENTER PAT WILLAN) Our next model is Pat, & she’s looking forward to a fabulous evening of non-stop fun & craziness at the local “speakeasy”. She’s wearing a beautiful, silver dress, decorated with silver fringe, & high heels. Pat has also cut her hair into a cute little bob, the new style that was all the rage! So flattering on you, Pat! Thank You, Pat…have a super fun evening!

WRONG WAY COMES IN (Bob Hawk….No, Wrong Way go back & wait your turn….you aren’t even on the scene until the 30’s!!!

Other style of the 20’s

In 1922, skirts went to 10 inches above the floor, & the waistline went below the natural waist, & stayed there until the early 30’s. Sleeves were fitted &the V neckline was popular. (ENTER JANIE) Janie is wearing a beautiful, black, flowing dress with white lace trim. Actually, this dress is on loan from a Tin Lizzie member, Irene Navarre. She wore this very dress as she was growing up. Irene turns 100 on her next birthday in Aug! It’s so nice to be able to show off Irene’s beautiful antique dress! Janie is wearing a matching cloche hat, & heels.

Thank You, Janie, for bringing Irene’s dress to life.

While many were horrified by the flapper’s skimpy attire & shocking behavior, a less extreme version of the flapper became respectable among the old and the young.

(ENTER JESSICA)

Many women cut off their hair and stopped wearing their corsets, but didn’t go to the extreme of flapper-hood. An example of this is Jessica, wearing this more respectable black, sheer dress with underskirt, ¾ sleeves, scoop necked, & trimmed with buttons & lace. She tops it off with a black cloche hat with jewel pin. The fabric moves as she walks or dances, & is sure to get lots of looks as she checks the oil under the hood of her Model T Roadster!

Thank you, Jessica! Happy motoring!

1925 CHARLESTON

The year was 1925, when hemlines reached their highest point. What on earth was this world coming to??? Dresses were straight, & sometime so far below the hips, that there was hardly any skirt left. Flounces & side panels were introduced. Uneven hemlines were the rage. The dance craze of the day was the Charleston, named after the port city of Charleston, SC, & everyone did this dance until around 1927. When at dance clubs doing the Charleston, dresses had lots of fringe, beads, & embellishments to promote movement. (ENTER LINDA, LIZ & SHARON, WITH PAUL IN THE MIDDLE) Stand up front & model as I call each name.

Linda is ready to shimmy & shake the night away dressed in this red fringed number, just made for dancing the Charleston! Note her fancy boa, feathered head gear, & heels.

Liz will have no shortage of dance partners tonight! She’s ready to “cut a rug” wearing this black, fringe dress, feathered headpiece, & black heels.

Sharon is sparkling in her dark blue dancing dress made up of, sequins, beads, & fringe. It has an uneven hemline that became popular at this time. She has a jeweled headpiece, black heels, & carries a black beaded purse to hold her lipstick, so she can touch up her red lips as needed during the evening!

Their escort, Paul, is comfy in his Jodhpurs, which originated in India, & were introduced to England in 1897 by an Indian Polo Player. He is wearing a cuff linked shirt, self-tied bow tie, & suspenders. On his head is a boater or skimmer hat. These were made of straw, & were to be worn by men for warmer weather between approx. May thru Oct. After Oct, the men pulled out their felt hats! His boots are a modern version of the Jodhpur boot.

By 1926, many flappers weren’t wearing corsets at all. They wore teddies” or short clingy slips, drawers, or knickers under their dresses. Rumor has it that the more daring young ladies wore even less!! Shocking!! Thank you all, great job!

1927 LINDBERG

Next, we have the debonair Charles Lindberg (ENTER BRIAN) looking so rugged in his flier’s outfit that consists of a leather jacket, helmet, gloves, & scarf. Take note of the aviator Jodpurs with a matching long-sleeve shirt. On his feet, he’s wearing lace-up boots! Very nice Charles!

Lindberg, or Lucky Lindy, as some called him, was an aviator, author, explorer, inventor, & was appointed to brigadier Gen under Pres Eisenhower. Charles flew NY to Paris in 33 1/2 hrs & went 3,610 miles on May 27, 1927, in the Spirit of St Louis, a single engine monoplane. He was the first to solo a transatlantic flight, & the first person to fly non-stop from N Amer to main-land Europe. Just think, just a few days ago, it was the 90th year anniversary of his flight! Asked for any comments, Charles reflected, & I quote, “Wow, I’ll never do that again without a porta-potty!” Oh, Charles, you do say the most amusing things!

Thank You, Brian…you make a great Charles Lindberg!

Late 20’s

Before we leave the 20’s, we have another lovely surprise! Here’s our next model, Donna, (ENTER DONNA) all ready for the most important day of her life! Yes, it’s her wedding day, & she’s beautifully attired in white satin with embroidery & gold lace, & a lovely long train. She wears a pearl necklace, matching earrings, & a unique birdcage veil, worn by many brides during this era. Note her nosegay bouquet! She makes a beautiful bride, & I’m sure her groom will be suitably impressed…right, Bill, I mean Babe?

You may escort your bride on out, Babe! Thank you!

1929 Stock Market Crash

At the end of the 1920s, Oct 24, 1929, to be exact, the stock market crashed & the world was plunged into the Great Depression, which lasted for the next 10 years. (ENTER SUSAN) Susan is heading for the bread-line wearing a no-nonsense, black, long-waisted dress, with a ruffled v-neck collar, & button trim. She’s wearing a black cloche hat, & heels. Frivolity & recklessness of the flapper era was forced to come to an end; however, much of the flapper’s changes remained.

As many of you may have heard…when the stock market goes up, so do the hemlines, & when the stock market goes down, hemlines go down, also, as noted on Susan’s dress!

Thank You, Susan

End of the 20’s

Next we have a special treat this evening. Here is Harley, (ENTER HARLEY) dressed up for the prom in her Great Grandmother, Gladys’s, dress that Gladys wore on her prom date with Neil’s Father in the late 20’s. What a special occasion to be able to wear her Great Gm’s dress after all these years! The dress is a beautiful floral fabric of a purple hue, with matching bolero jacket. She’s carrying a small, mesh purse, which was the rage in those days for the ladies to carry in the evenings.

Have fun at the Prom…Thank you Harley!

1930 DUST BOWL

In the 1930’s, a catastrophic drought struck the Great Plains. The Dust Bowl, also known as the “Dirty Thirties”, was a series of dust storms caused by the massive drought that began in 1930 & lasted until 1941. (ENTER MICHAEL FIRST, THEN ANN & DAVE TOGETHER ALL 3 AT SAME TIME) Of course, the men of this tough time wore rugged clothing, such as denim overalls, like Michael & Dave. The ladies wore no-nonsense dresses or skirts & blouses, as worn by Ann, & usually the dress was covered by the ever present apron. They all wore sturdy shoes fit for all the hard work they had to do. Sun-bonnets & hats were always worn. Thousands of farm families, with their crops ruined, lands barren & dry, & homes foreclosed for unpayable debts, loaded their belongings into beat up Fords & followed Rt 66 to Calif. Many of the displaced were from Ok, where 15% of the state’s population left. The migrants were called “Okies”, whether or not they were from Oklahoma.

This was a devastating time for thousands, who had little to eat…Uh-Oh, looks like only one chicken was left to this family…& it looks a little on the rubbery side to me, but I’ve heard Ann is a great cook, so bon appetite! Thank You all!

1930’s

By 1930, hemlines were longer, & some waistlines found their way back to the normal place, but nothing else seemed normal.

The 30’s brought zippers, latex girdles, & nylon.

The cloche hat was still the rage, along with T strap shoes, & large brimmed garden hats, berets, & turbans. (MODEL…SHARON) Here’s Sharon, wearing a thin, crepe, light beige, loose hanging long sleeve dress. It’s trimmed with white lace & embroidery on the bodice & cuffs. She’s wearing a matching cloche hat, & beige t-strap shoes. Just the right outfit for an afternoon at the movie theatre to watch “King Kong” with the Fey Wray, which was released in 1933.

Thank you, Sharon! Enjoy the film!

The rich continued to patronize the great design houses, & factories were manufacturing clothing by the tons! Anyone who could afford it, could buy any clothes that appealed to them. Students wanted to look like workers, & began to wear Levis. .

Some consider fashion of the 30’s to be dowdy, (ENTER MARILYN) & many times the fashions were mixed up with the 20’s styles, straight & loose hanging.

Here’s Marilyn again, wearing a dress of the 30’s. Note that the waist is at the waistline, but is still shapeless, & loose hanging. It’s made of a fine white Batiste, with pale pink trim. Her pink straw hat, with flowers & netting, was worn by Irene Navarre in the era, & completes her look, along with her white heels.

Thank You, Marilyn!

Mail-order really caught on in the 30’s, so the catalogue was used frequently. Ready-made clothes prospered.

1932 BONNIE & CLYDE

As we know the American Dream collapsed along with Wall St in 1929. The country’s money declined by 38%. Many felt like the capitalistic system had been abused by big business & government officials. Now here’s when Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow made the scene…striking back at all the injustices of the time (ENTER MICHAEL & DONNA TOGETHER) Bonnie is dolled up in a black dress & belted jacket with a tan top. She wears a brown & tan beret, & on her feet, are ankle lace-up boots with beige socks.

Michael wears a typical gangster attire with black trousers, white shirt with black tie, a vest & fedora. All of this is accessorized with a serious shoulder harness.

While they terrorized banks, gas stations, & stores, in mostly small towns in Tex, Okla, Missouri, Louisiana, & NM, Americans thrilled to their “Robin Hood” adventures. In their get-away cars, they carried a Kodak box camera. They loved to pose with shotguns & revolvers. (Take pic) When they died, the police found an undeveloped roll of film under their car seat. Photos of them together, looking adventurous & deeply in love. They killed at least 9 police officers & several citizens. Interestingly, unlike the photos they posed for, I read that Bonnie never actually carried a gun or smoked cigars, though she did enjoy Camel Cigarettes. Who really knows!

They died together in a barrage of bullets on May 23, 1934

Thank You, Donna & Michael!

1933 PROHIBITION REPEAL

The 18^th amendment prohibiting the sale of alcohol came about in 1920. As we know, illegal home brewing became very popular at that time. Actually, it was the greatest gift the moonshiners could ever ask for! There was no legal alcohol available, & the demand for moonshine shot up like a rocket!! (ENTER KIRK)

Here, we have Kirk with jug in hand after secretly making a potent batch of Moonshine in his still.

Dressed in his best straw hat, denim overalls, henley T-shirt, black high topped boots, & carrying his ever-present jug, he sold his hooch in hopes that the Feds would never track him down!!

In 1933, the 18^th amendment was repealed with the 21^st amendment. This amendment, which repealed nationwide prohibition gave the states the right to restrict or ban the purchase & sale of alcohol as they saw fit.. Some states continued to enforce prohibition. Miss was the last to repeal in 1966,

Sure was good while it lasted, huh, Kirk?

Thank You! Is that jug empty yet?

YES, A LOT HAPPENED IN THE 30’S!

1935 Social Security was enacted in the US
1937 May 6 Hindenberg Disater
& Not long after that Amelia Earhart vanished on July 2.
1938 VW Beetle was first produced

1938 Wrong-Way Corrigan

Also, in 1938, Wrong-Way Corrigan made the news! OK, Wrong-Way, your turn now. Yes, come on out! (ENTER BOB HAWK) Douglas Corrigan was an American aviator & skilled aircraft mechanic..in fact, he had helped build Lindberg’s Spirit of St Louis. He was nicknamed “Wrong-Way” in 1938, after he flew from NYC to Dublin, Ireland by mistake. He wanted to file a flight plan from NYC to Dublin, but was denied because his plane was unsafe, so he filed the flight plan to Long Beach instead, & somehow ended up in Dublin anyway! He claimed his unauthorized flight was due to a navigational error, caused by heavy cloud cover & low-light conditions, causing him to misread his compass.. His “navigational error” was seen as deliberate. Nevertheless, he never publicly admitted to having flown to Ireland intentionally…as you can see, Wrong Way is outfitted in the latest flier gear that consists of Knickers, leather jacket, helmet & goggles & scarf. Where’s your compass, Wrong Way? You should never leave home again without it!!

Thanks Bob! There he goes, wrong way again!!

1939 WWII began
Helicopter was invented

1941…WWII Uncle SamThe US entered the war in 1941, & a familiar face was seen plastered everywhere! (ENTER BOB ROSS)

Uncle Sam was such a hit, encouraging our boys it was time to sign up to fight in the war.

The United States first got its nickname, Uncle Sam, during War of 1812. Samuel Wilson, was a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the US Army during the War, & he stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for United States, but soldiers began referring to the grub as “Uncle Sam’s.” The local newspaper picked up on the story, and Uncle Sam became the nickname for the U.S. federal government.

Bob, you make the perfect Uncle Sam! Doesn’t he, everyone? Well done, Bob….Thank You!

ROSIE THE RIVETER

….. (ENTER ROSE) Rosie the Riveter was a star of the US Govt’s campaign aimed at recruiting female workers for work in factories & shipyards during WWII. Many women produced munitions & supplies so the men could go off to fight in the War. They filled a gapping hole left in the industrial labor force when the men left. By 1945, nearly 1 out of every 4 married women worked outside the home. The strong, bandana-clad Rosie became one of America’s most successful recruiting tools in American history! A song was named after her as well as a Hollywood Movie. Our model, appropriately named Rose is wearing the typical Rosie the Riveter outfit of a bandana on her head, work clothing, & is wearing her own tool belt, so she’s ready to jump right in whenever needed. Good job, Rose!!

Thanks for all your hard work!!

1940’s FASHIONS

After we entered the war, the waste of anything was avoided, including the waste of fabric! The Government asked the designers not to use unnecessary lengths of fabric or excessive trim. Patterns of the time proudly stated the limited material it would take to make the garment. Short dresses were in with square shoulders, & some of them were padded. Our next model wears a shorter dress from the early 40’s (ENTER JANIE) Janie is wearing a brown, cut-velvet dress with long sleeves & tie belt waist. Note her two toned, brown velvet hat & her heels, setting off the shorter hemline. Wow! I can just see my Mother wearing this same dress back in the 40’s!

Thanks, Janie! I love it!!

Less than a year after the war was over, a Parisian named Christian Dior started designing ladies’ dresses. They say when he lowered the hemlines, it was a “thump that was heard around the world!” (ENTER MODELS ONE BY ONE…MARY ANN, HARLEY, BETTY) The skirts were about 12 inches off the floor, shoulders without padding & bosoms definitely with padding. Mary Ann is wearing a crepe & chiffon, navy blue evening gown with popular draping at the waist. She’s wearing a small matching hat & high heels.

Harley has on a luscious, pink satin number with draped waist & tassel trimming, black pumps & (“Fascinator?_

Betty is in a multicolored dress with a peplum that was so popular in the 40’s. She wears gloves, beige shoes, & purse with a shiny, black, straw hat topping off her ensemble.

These were called the “New Look” because so many women discarded the old & purchased the new. American men were dismayed by the disappearance of not only their cash, but also of their ladies’ legs. Not all women went along with this change. One lady remarked, “It shows everything you want to hide, & hides everything you want to show’.

Thank you, ladies!