Hints on Handcare

I have been doing a lot of paining and cleaning lately, which makes the house look good (well better) but is not really great for my hands. luckily for me I came across this little tidbit in the Australian Women's Weekly, (from August 1956):

Mid-Century Fashion from July 1950

Today some snippets from the 15 July 1950 issue of the Australian Women's Weekly -

The cover features artist Rene's interpretation of Marcel Rocha's taffeta evening gown with a  dramatic frill over one shoulder -

The Fashion pages -

pleats are in with the fashion designers of New York and Paris -

"the belted line, the crisp white dicky front, the full sleeve the slim skirt, mannish bow ties with starched collars, are all high fashion for Spring 1950"

 Australia -

 

 and straight from Hollywood!

but even though are glamorous, Hollywood stars are not always happy."Hollywood's fierce competition can wreck careers, marriages and health." Nothing new there then!

And to finish this lovely ad for a Nylon night gown by Presitge.  Stunning!
.

For more images from this issue, see tumblr.

Deb xx

I'm Published - How exciting!!

Yes I have been a slack blogger this week - I have been at work full-time all week, which has not left time for much else, apart from helping with homework and cooking dinner - and my email has been playing up, so I have just found out that I have been published!  My article on Mary Astor features in June's online issue of  'Hey Doll' magazine.

I know - exciting right?!

It's a great mag, and getting better with each issue.  You can read it online here.

Deb xx

The Australian Women's Weekly launched - June 1933

I have been struck down with a horrible cold this week (thank you my darling children), so forgive my errant ways.  I am busy drinking green smoothies and garlic and lemon tea to get well by the weekend, as I am off to Sydney.  Civilization as my father kindly put it.  Hopefully lots of photos when I return. I have also been busy on my new blog -Home Lust -  in which I have been looking at houses of the 40s and 50s.  Please visit and follow if you can, I would love some followers!

Anyway, today some more history.  This weekend is the 80th anniversary of the launch of The Australian Women's Weekly, which officially began circulation on Saturday, 10 June 1933 (although the first copies of the magazine hits the streets the Thursday before).

Other newspapers of the day described the magazine as "a women's magazine that seeks to cover a wide range of issues whilst still presenting the traditional women's magazine articles on home making and cooking."  It was said to be "innovative in style and content when compared with existing women's magazines" both published in Australia or imported.

via

The Weekly itself stated that would endeavor to "cover adequately and in full detail every field of work, play or interest for women - especially where women have something at stake; to create interests for women; to be of practical help, by service and guidance, to women in domestic, social, and business life, to be of interest to all women...in every field where where women are and where their eyes will turn will be covered for them by brilliant specialists."

The Weekly did in fact align itself with women's issues and the cause of women's rights from the very first issue.  The cover above shows the story by Mrs Linda P Littljohn, a prominent feminist of the time, titled, "Equal Social Rights For Sexes: Mrs. Littlejohn Outlines Big Issues To Be Fought For", which covered the Women Voter's Federation conference. More prominently  though, are four models alongside the headline, "What Smart Sydney Women Are Wearing."

The magazine was not owned by women though. It was started by Frank Packer (a familiar media mogul name), who was only 26 at the time, together with former deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer, EG Theodore. The editor was also a man, George Warnecke, who stated that the magazine employed a comparatively large staff of women, and that he "wanted women to tackle all kinds of news while preserving the qualities of femininity."

From the Australian Women's Weekly, June 1933

Some of my favorite Covers:

1 June 1940

18 March 1944

18 February 1950

The first 50 years of the publication Weekly from 10 June 1933 to 15 December 1982 (when it changed to  monthly)  can be viewed online at Trove Australia.  Just a little reading for the long weekend!

Deb xx

Happy first of June!

Happy first of June!

Today the cover of Australian Home Journal from  1 June 1953.  The start of winter brings some very stylish outfits - a straight-skirted frock with layered hip pockets and kimono sleeves (love leopard muff!), an extrememly full-skirted party frock with raglan cap sleeves and a full pleated skirt.  For the little girl a sweet double-breasted coat dress.

via

Deb xx

Australian Home Journal Spring 1942

Today in history a look at some of the fashions and articles from the Australian Home journal from October 1942 - Spring in Australia. My copy is a little ratty, especially the cover, but it is still very readable and has the original free patterns.

1942 was about the middle of WWII, and America had been in the war for almost a year. ' Sew and Save' and 'Make do and Mend' were popular catch cries. This article shows how to pick apart old clothes to make new ones - an evening dress into a night gown, a coat into a skirt and Mother's dress into a child's dress.

There were also instructions for making a summer hat out of left over dress fabric, and and making short socks, using only one clothing coupon instead of 4 for a pair of stockings! 

I am currently listing this and other vintage mags on Etsy, if you're interested.

Deb xx

1 January 1913

Well, so far so good – I’m sticking to my resolutions!  It's been raining here, cats and dogs sort of rain, so it's easy to sit inside and research and watch old movies.  I'm back at work next week, so my posts may become a little shorter......

Although this magazine cover from January 1913 sort of sums up my normal adherence to resolutions in a nutshell (until the snow melts!) Anyway, on to 1913….

Happy New Year postcard from 1913

Postcards were very popular in the 1900s.   On 1 January 1913 domestic parcel post service within the USA was inaugurated under President William Howard Taft.  The service exclusively used ground transportation such as truck or trains, and greatly increased mail volume in the U.S, as well as increasing trade and commerce across the nation. The illustration below shows a freight train departing a  station (Producer),  passing through a tunnel (Parcels Post) in a mountain (Mount Middleman)  heading toward a station (Consumer) where a crowd of people are anxiously waiting.

source

Postcards now cost one penny to send in the post, and after looking a t quite a few it seems that it was common to place the stamp on upside down. 

Postmarked Jan 1913 Boston Mass Roxbury Station, with a 1 cent US stamp source

Although on pre-stamped cards the stamp is the right way up. Curious….

Rates notice to landowner, January 1913, source

In Australia stamps also cost one penny.  Uniform postal rates had been established between the colonies since 1849, and with Federation in 1901 the colonial mail systems were merged into the Postmaster General's Department (or PMG). This body was responsible for telegraph and domestic telephone operations as well as postal mail.

source

Many rural customers took advantage of cheap Parcel Post rates to order goods and products from businesses located hundreds of miles away in distant cities for delivery by mail and mail order departments of department stores thrived.

Eatons Mail order catalogue spring and summer 1913 source

In 1913 there were no regulations against mailing a human, but in 1914 after four year old (Charlotte) May Pierstorff was mailed  from her parents in Lewiston to her grandparents in Idaho 75 miles away,  mailing of people was prohibited. The postal rate for their 48.5 pound “package” was only 53 cents, compared to around $3 for a train fare, so  Mr. and Mrs. Pierstorff bought enough stamps and a postal clerk attached them to May’s coat,labelled the shipment as a “baby chick”. put her in the train’s mail compartment. She was hand-delivered to her grandparent’s address by carrier Leonard Mochel.   Her story was the subject of a 1997 book, Mailing May

(Charlotte) May Pierstorff source

In Britain, The British Board of Film Censors received the authority to classify and censor films. BBFC was established in 1912 by the film industry, who wanted to manage their own censorship and feared the economic consequences of a largely unregulated censorship by the government.  Some decisions from the early years are now subjected to derision (I love the classification ‘horrific’ below), but the board is still going.

New year’s eve is traditionally a big evening  for police arrests, and the arrival of 1913 saw Louis Armstrong, as an 11-year-old boy in New Orleans, arrested by police after firing his stepfather's pistol to celebrate.

New Orleans "Times-Democrat" newspaper item, 2 January 1913.source

 He was sentenced by the juvenile court to 18 months at the Colored Waifs' Home, where his musical talent would be perfected, and he would go on to fame as one of America's greatest jazz artists.

Meanwhile the western portions of North and South Carolina and the adjoining parts of Georgia and
Virginia were disturbed by an earthquake shock that was felt over an elliptical area of approximately 43ooo square miles.

In Russia the Council of the Russian Empire adopted a law freeing the last of the Russian serfs, which they had managed to keep them themselves exempt from doing since 1861.

In other world news, the "Six Powers" (the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Japan) agreed to a $125,000,000 loan to China at 6 % interest.  Of course a few months later the Europeans would demand increased control over the Chinese government in return, although china would refuse, and in March American President Wilson would denounce the Chinese Reorganization Loan as a threat to Chinese independence, ending President Taft’s ‘Dollar Diplomacy’ in the Far East and causing US bankers withdraw the next day. The Chinese parliament system would then break down and China would became a republic and suffer riots and uprisings. They were also visited by the Admiral of the German Fleet, Prince Heinrich of Prussia, whose government had earlier negotiated a 99 year lease of Kiaochow, a 200-square-mile stretch along the Shantung Peninsula on the coast of the Yellow Sea which the Germans then developed into a port for German ships, conveniently just before the outbreak of the Great War,  ensuing that the Japanese could occupy the area.

 source

Quite a busy day to start the year. Personally, I am happy to spend the day quietly reading a magazine – maybe this one?

Wouldnt it be nice?

Happy New year, Deb xx

July 1932 Better Homes & Gardens

1932

A step further back in time today. I recently bought this magazine on Etsy – Better Homes & Gardens July 1932.
Here are some of my favorite ads:

A soap ad with a story for the kids

 

I want one.

Better Homes was founded in 1922 by Edwin Meredith, who had previously been the United States Secretary of Agriculture under Woodrow Wilson.  It was originally launched under the name Fruit, Garden and Home and changed to Better homes and Garden in 1924.  It is still published twelve times a years by the the Meredith Corporation, and is the fourth largest selling magazine in the US.

In a 1938 issue of Better Homes and Garden an article called "Toss That Salad" was featured. It introduced tossed green salads to American families. and the recipe was a variation on a classic French Vinaigrette Salad.  What a revelation! You can read more about the history of the magazine here. 

Deb xx

20 June 1942 - Woman at Dude Ranch

I have been waiting for 20 June so I could post this cover - and of course I missed it!
Anyway, here it is, the cover of The Saturday Evening Post Magazine, 20 June 1942, titled "Woman at Dude Ranch".

I just love it.  I tried to get on my horse like this yesterday - bareback - but we still need a little practice.  I certainly wouldn't want to practice in front of a group of cowboys!

The cover was designed by Fred Ludekens (you can just see his name in the bottom right on the fence). Born in California in 1900, Fred had no formal training in art, but began as a billboard painter for Foster and Kleiser after wroking for a few years on a fishing boat.  He joined the advertising agency of Lord & Thomas in 1931, and transferred to the company's New York City office in 1939, which is where he would have been when this cover was produced.  He worked in a variety of media, and often depicted rural scenes such as fruit ranches, coastal scenes, and the Indians of the Southwest. As well as the  The Saturday Evening Post,  he produced work for The American Magazine, Good Housekeeping, The Country Gentleman, Fortune and True, and also illustrated many books. Here is an example of one of his war time posters.



You can see more of his work here, and even buy a copy of the Post cover.

Deb xx

13 March 1942–Fashion, War & Training

First some fashions for the youngsters, from The Australasian Magazine, 1942.



I cannot imagine my ten year old wearing that first outfit, although I do love it. The young miss outfits are so grown up looking, although the skirts are maybe a touch shorter and fuller than their mothers may wear (see below).   Although the young girls dresses are so short, they are still sweet and innocent (think Shirley Temple, below, and much like I wore as a young child in the early 70s).  And the little boys outfit is so lovely too, with almost a western style shirt – I know my little man would love it!

McCall 4615 B

And just because I can, an ad for children’s shoes from the 1940s.  Heels!

To news of the day:
On 13 March 1942 Japanese Warrant Flying Officer Nobuo Fujita (who had flown over Melbourne on 26 February) flew over Auckland, New Zealand.  A patrolling Japanese submarine (I-26) was seen off Auckland in the Harukari Gulf as well, and very quickly anti-submarine ‘indicator loops’ (long lengths of cable laid on the seabed that reacts to the submarine and send s a warning current to base) were laid in Auckland Harbour.  You can read more about them here.

Also on this day a P-40E Kittyhawk A29-4 of 75 Squadron piloted by Sgt D.B. Davies, was involved in a landing accident at Garbutt airfield in Townsville during operational training.  Although the aircraft was extensively damaged, the pilot was thankfully uninjured.
The following article about the training of wireless (radio) air gunners at Ballarat in Victoria, is from the January 1942 Australasian Magazine. Aren’t they gorgeous!


Deb xxx

A year of 1951 Covers

Last week featured 1950, and so this week I thought I’ move to 1951.  So  here is a year in pictures – magazine covers from each month of 1951 with great fashion and some super stars (or was it starlets?).  I have sourced these all off the net, while I work out to insert pdfs into my blog (help, any ideas?!).

January – Weltbild (Germany) with Rita Hayworth

February – American Vogue – look at that waist!

March – Every Woman – sweet hat and gloves – and pearls

April – Elle and dotted chiffon

May – Life USA and beach fashion (might try that turban this summer)

June – American Vogue and summer outfit and straw hat

July – Seventeen  - colour rules

August – Kay Starr on Capitol News Magazine (great undergarments)

September – Elizabeth Taylor in Modern Screen

October –Harpers Bazaar - Red is in!

    

November – Paris Vogue  and fur

December – Esther Williams gets cosy

 

I love February.  What’s your favourite?
Deb xx

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