Fashion in Early Photography – 24 Glamorous Photos Show Female Models in Victorian Era

Clothing for women in Victorian era was utterly feminine, and was designed to emphasize the much-admired small waist. Ladies wore as many as seven petticoats under their voluminous skirts, and bodices were high necked, long sleeved, and tightly fitted to the body.

Toward the end of the era (about the 1890s) women's fashions became simpler and less extravagant and bustles fell out of fashion. The new, looser dresses gave way to a more flowing look. Corsets were still worn, but became slightly longer to provide the slimmer shape that was coming into fashion.

Take a look these outfits from the 1860s to the 1890s through glamorous of Victorian models.

See more»

13 Things You Didn't Know Were Named After People

Have you ever wondered where names of things or words we regularly use came from? There are so many products and words we use on a regular basis that we don’t even realize were named after a real person. Here are 13 things you had no idea were named after people (some of them actually did not even invent them):

1. Bowler Hat

In 1849, the bowler hat (a.k.a. derby hat) was created by Thomas and William Bowler. This was so the high top hats of the Earl of Derby’s gamekeepers would not be hit by branches while on horseback. This was also said to be a compromise between social classes’ top hat and flat cap. Famous owners include: Hardy and Laurel, as well as Dick Van Dyke (inherited Stan Laurel’s bowler hat in 1965).


2. Mesmerize

During the 18th Century in Vienna, Dr. Franz Mesmer became controversial because of his animal magnetism (‘hypnosis’) healing to his patients. He had to move to Paris for this reason. However, by the king’s order, he was investigated by a scientific task force including Ben Franklin and Joseph Guillotin, the inventor of guillotine. Again condemned, he left Paris but continued his practice until his death in 1815.


3. Maverick

In the 19th Century, Samuel Agustus Maverick did not want to brand his cattle. He coined the term “maverick” for anyone who is unbranded and roams free. Historians thought this was a ploy so he could own any unbranded calf in the area.


4. Bakelite

Can you imagine makeup cases, telephones, tool handles, radios and crib toys to be made of other materials? This unique early plastic was introduced to us in the 1930s, but was actually invented as early as 1907 by Leo Baekeland, a Belgian chemist in the U.S.


5. Macadamia Nut

Though named after John Macadam, macadamia nuts were discovered in Australia in 1828 by an English explorer, Allan Cunningham. Moreover, it was given the name and scientific attributes by Ferdinand Mueller, a fellow scholar and personal friend of Macadam.

See more»

27 April Fools' Day Postcards of the 1910s Featuring Lucky Fish Pretty Women

In France, April fool is called April fish because of the traditional prank, played on the first of April. Friends and relatives tried to stick a paper fish onto somebody’s back and when poor thing discovered it at last, all of them bursted into laughter crying out: “April Fish!” This prank is played till present and can be called a gentler prototype of “Kick me” signs.

Of course, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to make you smile on “April Fools’ Day” and cooked something really odd for you. Below you will find a collection of funny vintage French postcards from the 1910s that feature pretty women. All of them obligatory have fish somewhere in the composition.

See more»

Girls Boycott Club Over ‘Skinheads’ Ban

Find below a little tale of solidarity among female teenagers in Dublin, originally published in the Sunday Independent (Ireland) on April 10, 1970 and transcribed especially for you.

Two things jump out at me: firstly, the girls’ overnight transition from ‘weirdo’ (hippie) to skinhead, and their continued friendship with hairies. This is somewhat at odds with the accepted notion of ‘working class skinheads’ versus ‘middle class hippies’.

Secondly, it was a different time indeed when 16-year-old factory workers could afford to go dancing in clubs “six times a week”.

Sociologists like Dick Hebdidge only ever got part of the story, if that. They imagined that the original skinheads wished to ‘symbolically recover the working class slum’ (or something along those lines) by sporting distinctly proletarian gear. In truth, their love of dressing up and living somewhat above their means was based on a good dose of optimism.

Never before had working class teenagers had any disposable income to speak of. Things seemed to be moving onward and upward. Given near full employment, it was easy to get hold of odd jobs and save up for your Levi’s Sta Prest or button-down Ben Sherman. School children were told that in the foreseeable future, we would only be working three days a week – and boring routine work would be fully automated.

It never happened, did it?

Crombieboy

GIRLS BOYCOTT CLUB OVER ‘SKINHEADS’ BAN

Sunday Independent, 19 April 1970

Fifty teenage girls from Finglas are to boycott a Dublin beat club where they dance six times a week and spend about £2 each because the club has banned Dublin’s newest cult, “girl skinheads.” Seven irate 16-year-olds from Finglas who have been banned from the club, where they have been dancing regularly for the past three years, visited the Sunday Independent yesterday to make their protest and champion the cause of “skinheads”.

The girls, all with closely cropped hair, say they had all been “weirdos” (long-hairs) up to a month ago. Said Geraldine Powell, of Finglas Place, a factory worker, “Our mothers were always complaining that with long hair we were dirty, so we decided to get our hair chopped off for the summer. It is now neat and clean and fashionable”.

The girls said they had nothing against their “weirdo” former colleagues, and would not take part in clashes of the rival hair-lengths.

Roseleen Carroll, a cosmetic industry worker, of 52 Ballygall Crescent, Finglas, cut all the girls’ hair, and said she would be taking up the role of hairdresser for many more of her pals.

“We got banned from the club because we got our hair cut”. Chris Keenan, of 6 Casement Grove, Finglas West, added, “and we were out the other night. We dance in the club six times a week, and on admission charges, cigarettes, refreshments and cloakroom fees we spend about £2 a week. We all earn about £4 10s. per week”.

“The girls of Finglas are backing us”, said Marian Ural, of Ballygall Crescent, “and they will go on strike too and not dance at the club”. Helen Kenny, also of Ballygall Crescent, added: “We would not dance at any other clubs. We have been going there for three years and know the crowd there”.

Anna Mooney added: “We will not go back to the club, ever. We will not put our pride in our pocket”. Said Eileen Emerson, of 75 Ballygall Crescent: “We go with boys who are skinheads and weirdos, but we are definitely not looking for rows because we got our hair cut like this”.

(This original article was published on CREASES LIKE KNIVES)

Smiles From the 1940s: 35 Found Snapshots of '40s Girls May Get You Hooked

These beautiful girls are not any celebrity, but their smiles may get you hooked. Take a look.

See more»

45 Color Photos Document the Martin Luther Film Premiere in 1953

Martin Luther is a 1953 film biography of Martin Luther. It was directed by Irving Pichel, (who also plays a supporting role), and stars Niall MacGinnis as Luther. It was produced by Louis de Rochemont and RD-DR Corporation in collaboration with Lutheran Church Productions and Luther-Film-G.M.B.H.

The National Board of Review named the film the fourth best of 1953. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) (Joseph C. Brun) and Art Direction/Set Decoration (Fritz Maurischat, Paul Markwitz).

These color slides show images of the Martin Luther motion picture world premiere at Lyceum Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1953.

See more»

Amazing Vintage Photographs of Ice-Skating Waiters of the Grand Hotel les Bains, Switzerland From the 1920s and '30s

In the 1920s and '30s at the Grand Hotel les Bains in St. Moritz, Switzerland, they had the right idea: serve drinks on its ice terrace by skating waiters. It took some practice getting the rest of the staff serve cocktails successfully. For some clients, waiting for servers take a spectacular fall while balancing expensive booze on a tray was obviously half the fun.

German photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, who was then on staff for LIFE magazine, captured the Grand Hotel servers on film - balancing serving trays all while gliding on one foot.

St. Moritz is located in the Engadine valley in the Swiss Alps, which is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The city, which is known for its ski resorts, was host to the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics. The 1928 Winter Olympic Games was the first true Winter Games because it was not held in conjunction with the Summer Olympic Games.

The area, which was and is still popular with the jet set, “was a popular playground for many famous people,” according to the St. Moritz Tourism board. Alfred Hitchcock, Brigitte Bardot, Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo were all regular guests.

See the iconic photos Eisenstaedt captured of the skating waiters:

See more»