New York City 1900-1919 In Color Hd

M

Rodg: nice description of your father. I think many of us of a certain vintage can relate your description to elders we have known and I think your description of the motivation for doing so I think is right on. If you were an immigrant in a certain age with barely enough to eat, wearing tattered clothes and sharing what meager resources your family had with a brood of brothers and sisters, it would not surprise me at all for an individual if successful in life to do a 180 in his or her personal dress and refinement. I was born in 1951 and remember how ladies and gentlemen would promenade down the boardwalk in Atlantic City on a Sunday. It did not take a special occasion or holiday to do this. My first glimpse of this was the tail end of this practice. You could sense a difference decade by decade.
You could call it bragging rights if you want; but I wouldn't. I think the motivation is much deeper than, for example, what leads a couple today to build McMansions of 8000 or more square feet when only the two of them live there.

Rev: with all due respect, your comments and dismissal of Rodg's story does not surprise me.

I didn't dismiss it. I just pointed out that my father, who was from the same era (born in 1915), would not have worn a shirt and tie to the beach. Lets face it, that is not exactly the usual beach attire. How many here would do so?

Some vintage beach wear




Don

Sure, they wore what they had to to avoid being arrested for indecent exposure. Those were the attitudes of the times. But it was not because they chose to wear this, they had to. At least in the late 19th century. By the 20's and 30's they weren't wearing clothes like these. My relatives at that time wore a lot less, and so did everyone around them.

Quote:

"It was not because they chose to wear this; they had to."

And you know this because you were alive at this time?

I agree that styles and standards over time have changed; let's leave it at that

It was wear that or be arrested. They had to.

Women being arrested for wearing one piece bathing suits, 1920




Don

Styles have changed indeed!
In my opinion.
Cheers
This was an entertaining thread. Thanks all.

Thanks for those photos Don. I learned something. They certainly support Rev's contention regarding women's bathing attire. I wonder if there was a similar standard for men

Yes indeed...

https://aanrwest.org/media/attachme...free-sfw.pdf

Don

Where was this? Standards were not the same everywhere.

Amazing Video Don

Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Dianne