Comments on: Vintage Black Glamour

Vintage Black Glamour

hermitosis — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:53:51 -0800

Vintage Black Glamour: an underexplored avenue of 20th century beauty and style.

By: griphus

griphus — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:57:37 -0800

Could anyone before or since be as simultaneously effortlessly cool and holy shit dorky as Sammy Davis Jr.?

By: EvaDestruction

EvaDestruction — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:06:16 -0800

I don't think the site layout really does justice to the content, unfortunately, but wow am I excited by the content. Off to learn more about Hilda Simms! And see what's been updated at Of Another Fashion in recent months.

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:07:18 -0800

simultaneously effortlessly cool and holy shit dorky I think Pearl Bailey was a little like that too -- robustly glamorous, but not very earthy and not shy about what a goofball she was. In her memoir "The Raw Pearl" she confesses that the first time she was a guest at a rich person's house, she laid on the floor of her bedroom and rolled back and forth across the lush carpeting just to see what it felt like. Also there's a great chapter about how she and her friends became totally transfixed by one of those piggy banks you can buy in gift shops -- the kind where you put a coin on top and a little mechanical hand comes out and swipes it away. She says they'd just do this over and over, and laugh and laugh, and ultimately I think she wound up giving them as gifts to a lot of people.

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:09:57 -0800

I meant "very earthy."

By: supermedusa

supermedusa — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:00:45 -0800

this is great. I wish the pics were bigger!

By: Postroad

Postroad — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:01:29 -0800

For sheer glamor, attractiveness,sense of decorum, earthiness, general all around appeal: Wanda Sykes

By: Trurl

Trurl — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:15:23 -0800

Fantastic post. Lena Horne must be mentioned here, of course. And I suppose Lisa Bonet qualifies as "vintage" now. (sigh) In which case, let's put Sade and Florence Griffith-Joyner in there too. But nothing will ever compare to seeing Chaka Khan for the first time in the "I'm Every Woman" video. I don't think I blinked until it was over.

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:23:51 -0800

Am I misreading this ad? It looks like an example of the kind of anglo-prejudice in beauty that preferred light-skinned models with anglo features and hair, to which the "black is beautiful" movement was responding.

By: dances_with_sneetches

dances_with_sneetches — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:24:22 -0800

I remember in Washington DC when a black female TV reporter was interviewing Lola Falana. Lola declared she was promoting black glamor. The TV reporter asked her, "What is black glamor." Lola answered, "You are." The reporter completely melted in joyous giggles.

By: kinnakeet

kinnakeet — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:14:38 -0800

Great post. Can't wait to spend more time with the site. Do wish the pics were larger though.

By: Houstonian

Houstonian — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:18:15 -0800

Am I misreading this ad? I think so. "Get the light idea" and "Drink mellow Jax beer" and "Delicious with foods... light, mellow" were the Jax beer marketing taglines in the 1950s. They used it in marketing material that did not have anyone's photo on it, and for ads that had photos of white men. It's not too different an idea that "tastes great, less filling." See this ad from an El Paso newspaper in 1955. Notice the white guy, and the copy down at the bottom, which says, "...always smooth and satisfying, but never 'filling.' That's the light idea -- JAX beer!"

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:49:05 -0800

Are you guys not clicking the little black and white photo icon in the corner? It takes you to the full-sized post and large(r) image.

By: flamerz

flamerz — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:15:53 -0800

this is very nice web...i like all the photos

By: mermayd

mermayd — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:09:39 -0800

This is such great stuff! Thanks for posting it.

By: marsha56

marsha56 — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:22:35 -0800

This is a great post. Just watched Eartha Kitt singing C'est si bon. C'est magnifique!

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:39:00 -0800

*happy sigh*