If Looks Could Kill, the Woman on the Right Would Be Dead as a Doornail
Take a closer look. She’s the one in the semi-Georgian getup.
What's Happening Here?
The caption that accompanies this circa-1925 photograph doesn’t provide anywhere near enough information: “A passer-by is intrigued with the window display of a beauty parlour with a sign that reads ‘The Present Limit of Truly Antiseptic Toilet Science.’”
This Languorous Lingerie Party Looks Fun
Behold a spread from the January 1922 issue of Good Housekeeping, headlined, “Quality and Price Meet on Equal Ground in These Models from the January White Sales.” Seems it was a great year for discounts on lingerie. More importantly: these ladies look like they’re having a great time. So glamorous! So languorous!
Let's Talk About Ideal Marriage, the Book That Taught Your Grandparents How to Bone
These days, if you want to be delivered unto marriage with a sexual blank slate, it takes a village full of abstinence-only educators working overtime—and then some. Today, information about the most obscure kinks is a Google search away, there are detailed diagrams available for positions that would daunt a…
'A What Ho!' 1920s Article on Racy Swimwear Is a Must-Read
L.A. Times Past, a Tumblr that archives L.A. Times articles dating back to the 1880s, has shared a wildly entertaining article from July of 1920, a tumultuous time for the risqué female bather who — thanks to the "Puritan pool edict" — were suddenly expected to cover up the scandalous bit of upper knee with a swim…
1922 Ad Touts Lane Bryant's Offerings for 'Stout Women'
This really puts the debate over the term "plus-size" in perspective: Here is an ad for Lane Bryant, from the back of the September 1922 Ladies Home Journal. Hey, stout women! Lane Bryant has the hot fashions you want!
Bar Lifts Heels-Only Dress Code After Resounding 'What the Fuck'
A 1920s-themed bar/restaurant in Riverside, California has been receiving tremendous backlash for a policy requiring women to wear high heels. An advertisement for "Pro-[upside-down-A]-bition" (I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it) reads: "Ladies: No flat shoes or sandals. Must have heels.…
Let's Shop For Blouses in the 1920s
My stars! Gatsby's coming to town tomorrow, and you haven't got a stitch to wear. Perhaps a new blouse is in order?
Let's Shop for Hats in the 1920s
Ah, the 1920s. When you could get a really great hat for $1.95. What's that you say? You like the $2.95 hats? Pardon me, big spender. The image on the left is from Retronaut's new site, Anywhen; the one on the right was seen on Pinterest. But more pressing: Which hat do you want to buy?
'Anti-Flirt' Movement Once Put Street Harassers in the Clink
In the 1920s, an anti-flirt movement was afoot. Ladies quickly became fed up with the first car owning scrubs hollering from their magical motorized chariots. In response to these audacious auto invitations, two women in Washington, D.C. founded the Anti-Flirt Club. The initial club was a hit, and soon there were…
Fascinating 1922 Kodachrome Footage Shows Actresses Flirting in Color
Here's some test footage from 1922 of Kodak's full-color Kodachrome film featuring actresses doing their thing. It's mesmerizing, and the music isn't helping to not lull everyone into a trance.
Does Your Relationship Pass the 1920s Marriage Test?
We tend to think that romance and relationships have gotten more complicated as we tumble further into the world of Grindr apps and online dating. Gone are the days when you'd be asked to go steady by a nervous boy on your parents' porch well before curfew, the days when marriages lasted for 50 years, the days when…
"Attainment Of Flapperhood Is A Big And Serious Undertaking!"
Was the flapper a proto-feminist, or a betrayer of suffragettes? Or both? Or just having fun? (Also: sound familiar?)
Special Bargains
A floral dress for $1.49? Adorable new shoes for under $4? Wow, prices have really come down. Oh wait: This sale took place in 1928. (More after the jump!) [Vintage Ads]
Oldies But Goodies
Attention, everyone: 20th century Barnard students were loose women. Well, not really, but that seems to be the underlying message of this 1920s article about a controversial "purity survey" in a Columbia University humor magazine. Here were some of the survey's findings: 50% of the women indulged in necking, 34%…
