Everyday Women of the Golden Era

[Romy Overdorp]

74099 needs to lay off the Joan Crawford movies for a while.

lol! I was thinking the same thing

 

[Flicka]

I posted this in the 'vintage family pictures'-thread, but I thought it might belong here as well.

In the summer of 1938, my great-grandparents sent my grandmother (who was then 13 years old) to Germany to improve her German. This photo is from her album from that stay. She's the girl on the right; I have no idea who the man is, but the cat was apparently called "Micky".

What intrigues me is that she looks so much older than 13. I don't know it it's because she's so tall (now you understand why the rest of my family laughs at puny little 5'2'' me - see how short the German man is compared to her), but I wonder if it's also a sort of a sign of the times and perhaps that 13-year-olds nowadays look a lot more childish?

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

February 15, 1931 issue of the French magazine Mondes & Voyages
From a bound volume that I acquired at a swap meet. These issues also have some interesting articles about the International Colonial Exposition held in Paris that year which featured pavilions from the leading colonial powers at the time (including the United States).

The Contest of European Beauty Queens 1931.

Front Row (left to right): Claudia Nocetti (Italy), Lilli Silberg (Estonia), Netta Duchateau (Belgium), Jeanne Juilla (France), Maria Tasnady-Fekete (Hungary), Bettie Mason (England), Inga Arvad (Denmark)

Back Row (left to right): Katica Urban (Yugoslavia), Berta von Haetjens (Austria), Tanti Vuroseanu (Romania), Ruth Ingrid Richard (Germany), Nashide Saffet Hanim (Turkey), Cryssoula Rodis (Greece), Ermelina Carreño (Spain), Mary Lelyveld (Netherlands)

Jeanne Juilla (1910-1996) of France was crowned Miss Europe of 1931

Miss Denmark, Inga Arvad (1913-1973), became a journalist who famously interviewed Hitler in 1936 and had an affair with a young JFK in 1941. She later married actor Tim McCoy.

 

[Alice~]

I've really enjoyed browsing through this thread! Thank you for sharing such wonderful photos, everyone.

 

[David Conwill]

Not sure if I've shared this one before. Apologies if it's a duplicate. My grandmother in 1945, presumably with a '42 Pontiac:

-Dave

Grandma died Easter Sunday, peacefully, at home, at age 96. She was independent to the end, and I'm glad for the way she went, but sad that my last grandparent and link to the Golden Era is gone.

 

[lframe]

I'm so sorry to hear that, David. Lifting your family up in prayer. You're Grandma was a beauty.

 

[David Conwill]

I'm so sorry to hear that, David. Lifting your family up in prayer. You're Grandma was a beauty.

Thanks. I'll hopefully be digging up a few more pictures of her to scan soon, she left behind a ton that I wasn't even aware of until we started to go through her things.

 

[vintage_jayhawk]

So sorry for your loss David. After I lost my grandmother last year, we found pictures even my dad didn't know existed! It's such a treat to see them as they were then. I hope you'll post some more.

 

[rue]

I'm very sorry for your loss David.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Sorry for your loss, David. Know that the thoughts and prayers of many are with you and yours.

 

[Lily Powers]

How wonderful that you love your grandma so much and enjoy her photos and stories of her Golden Era past. I'm sure she was a very special lady. Please accept my condolences on your loss.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Casual Gals:

 

[Amy Jeanne]

More "everyday" women:

Playing Pinup! Cute!!!

 

[Amy Jeanne]

 

[JennieWren]

Seriously were bandanas bigger in the 40s? I cannot ever make them work on my head, even without my long, thick hair in a bun or such. And I'm pretty sure my head isn't huge or anything... lol

Yes, they were! I have a whole bunch of them that were my Nana's. They are between 55 and 65cm, the majority of them averaging around 63cm along one edge. A modern one that I have is only 52cm along one edge, and it was the biggest that I could find.

 

[TackCollector]

This isn't everyday, but it's so amusing that I had to post it. Photo from an appliance trade show. http://www.jitterbuzz.com/aplsho.html

The Grand Ball

Apparently, a Ball or a large public reception was held, featuring comely young ladies dressed as appliances. These are, of course, my kind of girls.

 

[therizyflapper]

We all know the highly-idealized images of Golden Era women -- movie stars, magazine models, pinups, etc. -- but for most of us, those looks are great to see but neither practical nor attainable for everyday life. So here's a thread where we can draw inspiration from images of ordinary gals of the Era -- the hair isn't always picture-perfect, the makeup isn't flawless, the clothes didn't just come off a designer's rack, but they're still attractive -- and that's the way most women have always looked.

Here's a few to start with, courtesy of the ever-valuable Life Magazine archives:

Office worker, 1940

Sunglass wearer, 1938

Mother and kids, 1940

Airplane mechanic, 1940

Lecture audience, 1940

Plenty more out there -- find them online or find them in your own family album, and post them here!

awwwww that mother and child picture is just too cute!!!! that baby is so adorable and chubby you just want to pinch his cute little legs hahaha and i love the bottom picture where you can see all the lovely hats! thank you so much so these pictures dear!

 

[therizyflapper]

these pictures are all to die for!!!!! i love them they are just too amazing!!! thank you for sharing!!!

 

[Amy Jeanne]

 

[lolly_loisides]

Images taken from this article about life in Britain during 1953.