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| Newcastle upon Tyne, 1952
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The year is 1952. The place is Newcastle upon Tyne. My two aunts and my mother are stepping out in their finery on their way to a family wedding. I give you Maria 16, Wynne 20 and my mum Eileen 18.
I know for a fact that my aunts and mum shriek and laugh when they look at this photo now; they are embarrassed and say, “What on earth do we look like?”. But I adore this photo. I think it’s an iconic image of fashion of the day, particularly Dior’s ‘New Look’ shown in Wynne’s outfit and my mum’s fashionable ‘duster coat’. Of course I’ve often giggled at my mum’s hat. I used to think there was a bird sitting on the top of it, like a pie-vent. I’ve only just been told it was part of the fabric from the hat.
I have sat and studied this photo for a long time; the detail in the coats, handbags, shoes and smiles. And look how their footsteps are matched? It’s not embarrassing; it’s a fabulous glimpse of the post-war era and how women then were experimenting with new styles. I love it.
This is an entry for Tara’s weekly Gallery, the theme for this week is ‘Embarrassing Outfits’.
I ADORE old pictures like this, especially when I know the story too x
Glad you like it! Once mum had told me more about the occasion and their ages, the photo came to life.
What a fantastic photo. I think they look very nice.
I do too! Mum and her sisters aren't so keen but I don't know why; they look fabulous.
Aww that's a lovely picture, they all look so happy.
They do. The smiles are very infectious.
It's fab, with or without the bird!! These are the kind of memories we must treasure….sorry, I'm a nostalgia bore as you will see
http://www.saveeverystep.com
Have a laugh at my fashion fail here! http://saveeverystep.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/fashion-fail/
I went to have a look at your photo – so funny!
Don't they look older though? I'd never guess that one was 16!
Yes, that's what I thought. It's not a very flattering photo of Maria. Aged 16, eyes shut and looks a lot older. She looked far younger in her 20s and 30s. I can understand why she isn't keen on the photo!
Is Maria really 16 there ? She looks much older. But they all look gorgeous. I'd love to have been part of that. Hmmm I just thought about housework reality etc….think I might just hunt out a vintage shop for a duster coat.
She is! You wouldn't think it, would you. Bad photo of her, to be fair but the ensemble is quite ageing.
Shouldn't you be resting?! Leave the dust, woman!
Gorgeous, so stylish. I love the line on the middle coat. I think it's funny that what we view as embarrassing and what others view is often totally different.
You've hit the nail on the head. Mind you, I think we women always hate looking at photos of ourselves. We're never happy with them.
Agree, Auntie Wynne's outfit is fab, isn't it.
3 well turned out beautiful women… the Charlie's Angels of their day.
A perfect description! They will love that.
Fabulous! Maria looks a bit like great granny – only she's smiling!
LOL! Maria is going to kill me if she finds out I've posted this. And you're in trouble too now!
It's the age thing that gets me too. I can't believe they were 16,18 and 20. They just look so grown up. Especially when I think what I looked like at 16! (or 35 for that matter…)
I think even my mum and aunts feel that way too. Remembering them when I was growing up, when they would have been in their 30s, they kept with the fashions and looked a lot younger. The 1950s style, particularly dressing up for a wedding, was rather grown-up.
What a fantastic photo, it looks like a fashion shot from that era. They all look so stylish, and how fab that you know all the people in it.
It's great isn't it! Mum passed it to me a few weeks ago and I've been dying to use it. I wonder if the photographer got them to walk in step or whether it was just a snapshot? Must ask Mum.
That is an amazing photo! It is funny how the clothes makes them look older than their teens. 🙂
They definitely wore more 'mature' clothes than teens in other eras. Mum started work at 15 so was used to wearing proper 'grown-up' outfits.
Such a lovely representation of the times! They all look beautiful.
Thank you! A photo to keep safe and treasure.
Amazing to think it was taken just 10 to 11 years before the mini-skirt hit the streets.
Doesn't seem possible, does it. Wouldn't it have been great to have replicated that photo every 10 years though?
Well, I think they look very stylish and not embarrassing at all.
I agree, but all three of them giggle when they see the photo so I tweaked Tara's theme just a little so I could shoe-horn it in!! I'm always doing that 🙂
Those were the days!! Women didn't even go shopping without a hat and gloves and the seams straight on their stockings! Everything co-ordinated too. Marvellous glimpse of history.
Thanks Nancy. You're right about the importance of hat and gloves. Very stylish times.
They look radiant… 🙂
Don't they just. All smiles.
I love how well-put-together they look, but I look awful in hats, so it's probably just as well that they're no longer required. When did women wearing gloves for dress-up occasions finally go out of style for good? I think my generation (growing up in late 60s/70s) must have been the very last..I vaguely remember having white gloves that were worn at Easter when I was quite small.
Yes I remember white gloves for Easter and weddings etc. I can only look ok with a hat if I wear contact lenses. Hats look odd with my specs!
Wow, this is not embarrassing at all, they all look fabulous! Very glamorous!
I think so too. So pleased you like the photo x
What a stunning picture, they all look raidient and those outfits are not embarrassing in the slightest
Thanks Jen, I shall tell them!
Fabulous picture and I love the watch-the-birdie hat x
I remember my mum telling me of another hat she wore to a wedding when a real bird pooped on it. Maybe this hat scared off any feathered friends.
They all look so wonderful…and I remember the expression 'duster coat'….I think we had little versions as girls!
It's very stylish isn't it, though Mum wondered why she wore it when she preferred things a bit more fitted!
They look gorgeous, I love their style x
I think my mum, for all her protestations about how silly she thought she looked, is now rather pleased with everyone's reaction.
What an amazing picture! I think they all look fabulous too, pie-vent hats and all! 🙂
It is a great photo, isn't it. Would make a good arty photo!
What a great photo, the styles remind me of my mum when I was four or five. I have photos of my mum and dad in the 40's, my mum was into "b-i-g hats", very chic. I am so old I still remember going for my "new best coats" each year which HAD to have a hat that matched and gloves!! Good grief, the last time I was home, I stayed in London for a couple of days to go to see shows — think I was the only one in a dress, everybody else was wearing jeans!! Times have changed but those days were much more elegant and the women much more feminine (and much more uncomfortable, who would want to go back to stockings, suspender belts and girdles??). But — remember your first really big adventure when you went on an airplane. Even on a package tour everybody got all dressed up …………..
From an old jeans and t-shirt person in Panama
Marion
You're so right about getting dressed up for airplane travel. I have a photo of my dad in his suit and tie and my brother, aged about 7, in smart shorts, shirt and tie too.
I love that picture!
Thanks, Iota. It's strange that I've seen this photo lots of times over the years and not really paid it much attention. But publishing it here I can now see it through other people's eyes and appreciate it properly.
Lovely photo, Ia gree its cast a wonfderful sense of the era and an optimism.
I have similar ones from my parents, although it is sad to say that working out who they were is now a little dfficult since (for me) those present are no longer with us.
It's only as we get older ourselves that we appreciate all these memories and seek to discover who each individual is. Often, as you say, it's too late. I think since my father died last year I'm paying more attention.
Your mum's a STAR darling! I bet the bride looked shabby in contrast!!
Ha! Do you know, I have no idea whose wedding it was. Don't think Mum remembers either!
Beautiful!!! These sorts of 'stepping out' photos of that era are just brilliant. I cherish each one in my family archive, that's for sure. They shouldn't laugh at themselves, they should be proud they are being admired! I love it too.
Certainly since publishing this photo and seeing the comments my mum is seeing the photo in a different light. It is worth cherishing.
My mum (their cousin) has just been pointing out that the church was actually either corrugated iron or wood, and you can see that to the right of Maria. They all went every Sunday – St. Columbus. It's not like that now though.