Un Baiser

What better day to have a dip into my dear collection of 1920s/30s French romance postcards? For the uninitiated, the genre is characterized by its embellished scenes of idealized romance--perfect for Valentine's Day! So, here is a selection of passionate (or at least passionately posed) kisses. Cynics can come back later. 

I've included the backs, because most of these postcards, especially the more romantic ones, were in fact sent between couples. So there's the real romance in addition to the staged, a meltingly lovely combination. 

personal collection

Written November 15, 1930, in Bourges, to a woman named Germaine. 

personal collection

personal collection

Written on September 20, 1923, in Berchon, from a man to a woman. 

personal collection

Written August 21, 1928, in Marennes, from Raoul to Eugenie. 

personal collection

personal collection

Flapper Butterflies

For the first post of the blog's fourth (!) year, something totally unexpected and totally delightful. This is the blog's second post featuring cigarette cards from the collection of the New York Public Library. The subject this time is species of butterflies and moths found in the British Isles... if butterflies were stylish ladies of the 1920s. 

I have no other context for this. The wonderful NYPL shares the backs of objects online as well as the front, so if you follow the source links you can look at the backs of cards to read all about the species of butterfly--without any mention of the flapper part. It's pretty great. 

New York Public Library

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New York Public Library

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New York Public Library

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Fashion Drawings of the 1920s

The look of fashion drawings from the 1920s is perhaps more stylized than that of any other decade-- the elongated, impossibly slender women and the boldy simple patterns (though it is interesting to note the men often don't receive the same treatment). These kinds of drawings can be seen from Vogue covers to mail-order catalogues. I think they are terrific-- though it sometimes must have been disappointing to see the geometric lines disappear with a real dress on a real woman! 

From the Picture Collection of the New York Public Library. 

New York Public Library

Evening wear, 1921. Source

New York Public Library

Evening wear, 1922. Source

New York Public Library

Men's suits, 1920s. Source

Flappers and Philosophers

Women of the 1920s! (these come with varying amounts of info; I've included what there is, when there's anything).

The title, by the way, comes from the title of F. Scott Fitzgerald's first book of short stories. I love it.

1924. Source

1924. Source

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A flapper medallion. Source

Women modelling fashion, Florida, 1929. Source

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1920. Source

20s beach fun. Source

A bit of 1920s colour. Source

A young woman brushing a hat to keep it clean (thanks to Shay for letting me know that!). Source

1928. Source

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Princess Mary talks to a British army officer in Belfast, 1928. Source

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1924. Source

A Turkish woman in modern dress, 1925. Source

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Of course, the 20s weren't all jazz and bathtub gin. A group of young women hook rugs, 1929. Source

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1923. Source

Sweden, 1929. Source

1923. Source

1922. Source

Female jazz band the Ingenues arrive in Sydney, Australia, 1928-29. Source

In Style

A collection of beautiful fashion photography by talented LIFE photographer Nina Leen. Many of them are undated, but by the styles and dated photos I would say they are all pretty solidly 40s-50s. 

This post is dedicated to my dear friend Bronwyn. :)

1944. Source

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Fashion lingerie, 1952. Source

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All right, these aren't ALL stylish... Source

Complete with bored husband in the background. Source

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Fashion lingerie, 1952. Source

This comes with the caption: "Caterpillar Fashions-- Look Like a Caterpillar". Seriously. Source

The getting off a plane onto a beach look. Source

Okay, this is creepy. Source

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Umbrellas. Source

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1944. Source

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Teenage fashion, 1949. Source

Mistmatched gloves, 1952. (this was on a LIFE cover) Source

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A wholly strapless bikini top, I think? Source

More caterpillar fashion. Source

Hair style, 1954. Source

A portrait rather than fashion shot, really, but Nina Leen's Gregory Peck [this one is also specially dedicated to Bronwyn :) ], 1947. Source

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Fashion lingerie, 1952. Source

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