Friday, February 3, 2012

3 February 1933 “Bits N Pieces”

pgad Just a few little fun things today. First off another add from one of my 1933 magazines in which a young man’s shirt, here a button down collared version, is referred to as a blouse. Just of interest to me, as with all things that evolve through history, so does speech and words. I wonder when this died out. I have to say I never heard it spoke in any 1950’s TV I viewed in my 1950’s project nor saw it writ either.

sweaterI just thought this a lovely sweater/jumper and though I have no access to the pattern itself, rather thought it pretty. It would be easy, I should think, to find a modern version of this in any department store today, I bed. I also liked that it shows the model wearing her hair much as I am wearing mine now. I have still yet to master finger waves, but my standard pin curls give me the basic wave at the eye level that this model sports.

haircutpicThis photo, in one of my 1933 magazines as well, if of a lady who writes each month about various new books coming out. I found her hairstyle amazing. It, first off, still has rather a 20’s look, but at the same time it is so modern. If one were to see this today you might think, “Oh, what a fresh new look”. It is also rather similar to the 1960’s Sassoon looks made popular by Vidal Sassoon. twiggymia Seen here is a similar look on Twiggy and Mia Farrow getting such a cut by Vidal Sassoon himself.

   hubbardpicThis was in the letters to the editors section of one of my magazines. I loved that it shows how popular canning and preserving was then. This young homemaker is proud to say this is but a small sample of her put away stocks, much grown by her own hand. I also like her reference to ‘Quince-Apple Jell” as terminology. As the word blouse, this was a term oft used in 1930’s for Jelly (The American version, of course, meaning Jam made with juice therefore clear rather than with fruit like our jam). I faintly recall my grandmother (a homemaker in the 1930’s) often calling it Jell. I recall she had the best wild blueberry Jell, as she called it, around. And would often sneak a taste straight from the jam-pot with a spoon.

As I have begun to read more and more into this year already, I see I shall have to endeavor to keep a balance between the good and the bad. There is much that happens this year, and I was not really aware of that when I chose it. My reason was that 1955 had to ‘5’ so therefore 1933 (two “3’s”). However, there is some divine providence in this date, perhaps, as I see our own times continue to bubble and boil with various changes of hard times. This must be, as it was in the past, be countered with the daily grind of living and the need to smile and laugh as well as be serious. I shall endeavor to keep just such a balance going forward, for you as well as for myself.

Happy Homemaking.

6 comments:

  1. Yes, I've heard of it referred to as a blouse, a long long time ago, by grandparent-types. My husband's grandmother referred to a man's shirt as a "waist," as in "That's a nice waist you're wearing."

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  2. The third picture is of Rose Wilder Lane, the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote The Little House books. She was a very famous writer before her mother was ever heard of. I'm a huge LIW fan so that is how I know. I, too, love learning about the way people spoke in different eras, which is why I love reading books and articles from this time especially.

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  3. how funny! You know, it had her name listed and I just forgot to put it in. And now that you have said that, I should have known by her name who she was. I loved the little house books as well and I remember reading the book about her life and her daughter. Thanks for the information.

    Mary-I have heard and still hear, ladies shirts referred as blouse, of course, but never a boy's. I am not sure if that is what you mean. Also waist would be a short version of a 'shirtwaist' which were popular for ladies at the turn of the last century. A shirtwaist and a skirt were replacing the traditional dress. And shirtwaist factories often played roles in novels of the time to illustrate the danger and move towards the large cold unfeeling production of large corporations, as in Sister Carrie I believe.
    Now, I will have to do a bit about Laura's daughter!

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  4. DarcyLee, I don't think I've ever seen a picture of Rose Wilder in short hair - rather, I always saw her sporting the Gibson girl and Edwardian styles of longer hair, hat, etc. She looks infinitely better in her new '20s cut.

    50sgal, what a beautiful sweater/jumper! I do a lot of knitting and I may have to try tracking the pattern down. I think you will find Rose's life interesting. She switched from being a Socialist to Libertarian in the 1930s, and was friends with Sinclair Lewis and other popular and highly regarded novelists in her day. She also helped her mother write and publish her books, though there is great debate as to how much of it she did.
    http://www.cato.org/special/threewomen/wilder-lane.html
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Wilder_Lane
    Some articles I found interesting.

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  5. I find this period fascinating my grandma Irene would have been 13 in 1933 and everything you have written about she would have done :) ie. canning making jelly etc., i even have a lovely picture of her when she was 17 taken in 1937 with her parents and siblings outside thier farmhouse....she was amazing woman who helped my grandfather run a farm, yet still have time to bake pies, make preserves etc., she was married in 1939 and I have a lovely wedding picture of my grandparents, her hair was in the wave and it was taken on a sidewalk complete with a 1930`s car in the background, thanks for bringing the 30`s alive and giving me a glimpse of how she lived it :) still miss her two this day....

    mom in Canada

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  6. Mom in Canada-
    My Grandma Mary would also have been 13 in 1933, which was also the year her mother, my great-grandmother died, leaving behind 6 children. My grandma was the second oldest and had to help her older sister and father take care of the younger siblings. I, too, am enjoying learning more about this time in history and still miss my sweet grandma.
    Again, thank you, Donna, for doing the 1930's on your blog. I love it!

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