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History of Beauty Contests and the Ideal Female Measurements of the 1950s

Did you know that the first Miss America was 5 foot 1, weighed 108lbs, had a 30 inch bust, 25 inch waist, 32 inch hips and brown hair with blue eyes? In comparison, Evelyn Ay, the 1954 winner, measured: 5'8, 132lbs, 37-24-36. Here is a chart and a picture to demonstrate the perfect female form of the 1950s, as decided by Vincent Trotta, a Miss Universe judge. He claimed that it was proportion, so a woman could be taller or shorter, just proportional.

Pictures of the Gateway Arch under construction

Featured, Slide Scans | 0 |

These photos show the Arch under various stages of construction, from just two legs, to the final keystone about to be placed into the nearly complete monument... fascinating historic slide scans of the Gateway Arch under construction in 1965.

World War I timeline, soldiers photos, heros, and conclusion.

Old Book Scans | 0 |

Pictures speak louder than words. In these last pages are images of World War I fighter planes in combat, famous air fighters, pictures of recuperating soldiers, descriptions and photos of hospital train cars, and, finally, a timeline of major events in World War I that happened between 1914 and 1917. These last pages also include a copy of Woodrow Wilson's speech, recommending that America declare war on Germany.

Lucille Ball and Marie Wilson were Successful Pinups on TV

Featured, Old Magazine Scans | 0 |

This next article includes plenty of scantily clad pictures of Lucille Ball and Marie Wilson (as Irma, the dumbest blonde on TV). Irma in the "My Friend Irma" show, especially, is mentioned as stretching television's strict Code with risque outfits and comedic innuendos. Lucille Ball is mentioned as being the pretty woman with brains and wit behind the top ten rated show "I Love Lucy".

Early 1900s drugstore photos

Old Photo Scans | 0 |

I have no idea what South St. Louis pharmacy or drugstore is pictured here, but these pictures that I scanned are fascinating! You can see all the glass bottles and vials of medicine neatly on shelves behind the counter, and signs saying: "Frog in your throat? 10 cents - the Greatest Cough ??? on Earth", Adams Black Jack Gum, Humphrey's Specifics, Abbey's ?? Salt... and more.

Early 1900s Summer Fashion Illustrations

Old Catalog Scans | 0 |

These fashion illustrations show what women wore in 1913, and what was in style. Apparently, embroideries were the rule, and placed where there was the smallest excuse for them. This illustration shows three fashionable early 1900s women and a little girl. On the right side is an advertisement for a Venus adjustable dress form. The text includes detailed descriptions and how to order the dress patterns to make the fashions the models illustrated are wearing.

Historical Bus Routes to the Muny in 1943

Misc. Ephemera | 0 |

It appears as if bus service to the Muny at Forest Park during World War II was very comprehensive! Bus service extended as far as Gravois and Hampton, Grand and Holly Hills, 3rd and Washington (downtown), Florissant and Kingshighway, and Delmar and DeBalviere... a pretty wide radius! Also in these last few pages of the 1943 St Louis Municipal Opera program, besides ads, was the list of large donors who gave to the Municipal Theatre Associations guarantee fund. It reads like a long list of old St. Louis society's who's-who and includes Adolphus Busch II and his son, August Buch (of the Anheuser-Busch brewery). It's interesting to see who the early supporters of the Muny were!

Modeling a 1930s Gown

Vintage Styling & Photography | 0 |

This entry is part 22 of 23 in the series Carondelet Historical Society Project

Old Book Scans

The Language of Fashion by Mary Brooks Picken 1938

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I am so excited to get The Language of Fashion by Mary Brooks Picken (1938 edition) as an early Christmas present! I am even more thrilled by my friend's thoughtfulness. Even more excited that this book's copyright has apparently expired (according to my search on the U.S. government copyright site).... so I can scan the pages!

Old Photo Scans

Early 1900s band photos street photography

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Here are 2 pictures of Seymour's Regiment Band, from the early 1900s. Charles Seymour was a famed conductor and soloist in St. Louis at the time, and I wonder if this was the band he led.

Old Catalog Scans

1935 Summer Dress Fashions

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This entry is part 13 of 17 in the series 1935 Chicago Mail Order Company Catalog

Slide Scans

Random Old Slides

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This entry is part 6 of 19 in the series Old Slide Scans

A new car in 1944

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A Huband and wife in 1944 Kodaslide scans

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Grandma and Grandpa KodaChrome Slide Scan

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San Simeon 1959

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Old Magazine Scans

Art Studies 100 Years Ago Were as Daring as Today’s

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Wow. What an interesting 1950s perspective on the history of nude photography! The accompanying pictures include 3 "unusual photos taken about 80 years ago" (i.e., sexy pictures from c. 1870). The full color photo is a realistic modern figure study by Jules Alexander, of a nude woman posed next to an electric fruit slicer.

Misc. Ephemera

3 Musical Gibson Girl Sketches

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Here are three sketches by Charles Dana Gibson of lovely ladies playing musical instruments. A harpist, a cellist, and a fiddler. These prints are titled: The Wearin of the Green - woman playing a harp Then You'll Remember Me - woman playing a cello The Sweetest Story Ever Told - woman playing a violin

A Short History About Kirk’s Suede Life Leather Coats

Editorial, Fashion History Cases |

The history of some clothing can be most fascinating.
This is what I learned about the history of Kirk’s Suede Life, the maker and label on this vintage leather coat that I just sold:

16mm home video film about The San Diego Zoo in the 1950s

16mm Film, Misc. Ephemera |

This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Digitized 16mm Films

This was my first time attempting to digitize film with my iPhone and run a 16mm film projector. To test it, I bought the cheapest 16mm film that I could, which was labeled “16mm Film – Car Stunt Driving San Diego Zoo 1950s? Found Footage Incredible Rare”. Enjoy this old zoo and family vacation film footage, and let me know any info in the comments… or tips on running a 16mm projector and digitizing the films (I’ve since bought another one, a vintage Bell and Howell Specialist 550 Filmosound projector).

Vintage clothing blog on December 20 – I am SOOO overwhelmed!

Editorial, My new vintage selling journey |

I stopped updating with new vintage fashions for sale earlier this year because I had the chance to further my career at another job, and then my boyfriend moved in… 2021 was pretty awesome, but now that I’m getting back to “dealing” with my huge collection of vintage inventory that’s left from when I sold vintage full time (2011-2016)… I’m very overwhelmed by all the clothing that I need to list for sale in my vintage shop!

Totally steampunk looking Civil War era photo album (#2)

Misc. Ephemera |

Here are exterior scans of an embossed leather Civil War era photo album that had metal clasps and gold accents. It was such a decadent, old, feeling to hold this and go thru the pictures long forgotten strangers that were inside.

Spring 2021 was a false re-start, but it had a serious upside

Editorial, My new vintage selling journey, Personal Notes |

Revisiting and posting an update to my 2021 vintage selling journey. I’ve continued to make vintage sales and I really truly cannot stay away from vintage clothing, I saw my last blog about relaunching from back in March 2021. Since it’s winter, and I can’t go walk all the time, and I’m more or less settled in my new job, it is legitimately time to reboot my vintage… or clean the house (but working on this fun hobby is so much less of a chore)! I think… That is, if I am over being burned out of my self.

The American Photograph Album with civil war photos inside: cover, sides, etc.

Misc. Ephemera |

I had just 3 days to scan two Civil War era photo albums! Here are the front, back, and sides. I’m officially kicking off the digital downloads section of my shop with these high res scans. Inside were dozens of pictures of women, children, and Confederate soldiers… but that’ll be my next post!

Early 1900s St. Louis Photos

Old Photo Scans |

These were in a mixed album of early 1900s St. Louis photos that I scanned. One of these shows the civil courts building under construction, with just the steel beams up, which was completed in 1930 (so this picture would have been c. 1929). Another old photo is dated 1910 and appears to be a group photo of men in the Teamsters Union.

Pictures from the 1927 St. Louis Tornado

Old Photo Scans |

Here is evidence in pictures of the destruction wrought by the huge tornado that devastated parts of downtown St. Louis on September 29, 1927. These pictures of the tornado damage were taken at approximately 1:15pm, and are the property of the Carondelet Historical Society (who kindly let me scan and post them here).

Lyrics to 1930s popular songs pt 3

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 3 of 5 in the series Popular Songs Magazine: October 1935

Here is another page of 1930s lyrics from the October 1935 edition of Popular Music Magazine. Unfortunately, I can only find audio to the song “A Little Bit Later On”. It’s so sad to lose voices of the past. Literally. The singer pictured in a swimsuit is Maxine Gray.

Lyrics to popular 1930s songs pt1

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series Popular Songs Magazine: October 1935

These next 4 pages from the October 1935 Popular Songs Magazine contain lyrics to the popular songs of the mid-30s, along with pictures of well known singers. This page includes lyrics to Empty Saddles, Juanita, The Franklin D. Roosevelt March, Dancing Til Dawn, and the Beautiful Danube Waltz.

Popular Songs Magazine: October 1935

Featured, Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series Popular Songs Magazine: October 1935

Ginger Rogers graced the front cover of the October 1935 edition of Popular Songs Magazine. It advertised the lyrics to over 30 popular songs of the mid-1930s!

On the inner cover was a full page illustrated advertisement for diamond engagement rings, wedding rings, watches, and other jewelry for men and women wanting great values by Royal Diamond and Watch of 170 Broadway, NYC. You could could get a diamond engagement and wedding ring set for only $29.75 (approximately $525.12 in 2016 dollars).

The Perfolastic shapewear had a money back guarantee if it did not reduce your waist and hips by 3 inches, and an offer to send a free sample of the perforated elastic material that the girdles were made from. This illustrates the ideal 1930s silhouette of narrow waist and hips, with a small to medium bust.
…

The evolution of chorus girls and showing skin on stage

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 7 of 32 in the series CheeseCake Pinup Magazine - 1953

These next few pages of old pictures are a history of chorus girls and showing skin on stage, from Can Can girls, to to Mae West, to the Zigfield Follies, and the Rockettes.

Pinups on billboards, book covers, and record covers.

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 11 of 32 in the series CheeseCake Pinup Magazine - 1953

Here’s an interesting history of pinups in advertising! Showing pictures of billboards from the 1800s-1950s, with a focus on pretty girls in beer advertisements.

The next page shows samples of pretty women used to advertise books and, the latest thing, record album covers. Even classical music “moves off the shelves” faster when an attractive woman is pictured on it!

Pretty Girls Sold Tobacco – tobacco advertisements used pinups

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 9 of 32 in the series CheeseCake Pinup Magazine - 1953

Here is an interesting history of tobacco advertisements using pretty women and pinups as bait, and to gain broader social acceptance of smoking cigarettes! To explain changes in tobacco advertising, you have to take a historical perspective, which this article explains best. Briefly the history of tobacco ads (according to this 1953 article):

How to sell shirts and bed sheets with Cheesecake Pinups

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 13 of 32 in the series CheeseCake Pinup Magazine - 1953

Here is illustrated how two marketing companies used cheesecake pinup, double entendre, and sexual innuendo to sell mens shirts and bed sheets.

History of Lingerie advertisements from the 1800s to the 1950s

Old Magazine Scans |

This entry is part 12 of 32 in the series CheeseCake Pinup Magazine - 1953

Here are shown some lingerie and shapewear ads from the 1800s-1950s. The chemise replaced the corset cover by 1918, although shape wear was still worn in the 1920s to achieve that stylish “boyish” form. The inflatable bra of the 1950s replaced the “Victoria” bosom pad of 1879… such changes in lingerie styles and advertisements!

Hollywood Steps Out – 1930s celebrity charicature cartoon

Old Movies |

Hollywood Steps Out is the first old film I’m featuring in this ephemera blog. I found a discussion about 1930s Old Hollywood celebrity caricatures on FaceBook a month ago, and decided to research further.

1940s St. Louis Municipal Opera Seating Chart and Ads

Featured, Misc. Ephemera |

This entry is part 4 of 13 in the series St. Louis Municipal Opera 1943

This set of scans of the 1943 St. Louis Municipal Opera Theater Program includes the seating chart and seat prices in an advertisement for C.L. Finot Inc. Concessionaires. It looks like during WWII, The Muny seated 10,000 people and you could get front section box seats for two dollars, or sit in the back section for 25 cents. This was my favorite page in this set.

St. Louis WWII Business Ads

Misc. Ephemera |

This entry is part 5 of 13 in the series St. Louis Municipal Opera 1943

Here are more pages of WWII business ads from the 1943 St. Louis Municipal Opera program. This starts with an advertisement for The Gatesworth (and the Walnut Room), and with the synopsis for The Great Waltz underneath.