A mug shot of American gangster Al Capone taken in June 1931. He spent 11 years in Alcatraz for tax evasion, which I imagine was one of his lesser crimes!
Al Capone’s mug shot
1930s
1930s acrobats on the beach
I’m not the most coordinated and flexible of people, so I have a natural awe of acrobats (and dancers) and the amazing things they can do with their bodies! These 1930s acrobats were photographed on the beach in Sydney. They make this look so easy don’t they?!
Josephine Baker in costume (well, some feathers & rhinestones)
French actress and dancer Josephine Baker in an amazing stage costume which seems to be made of just rhinestones, feathers and confidence! I’ve known about and admired Josephine Baker for years, but I didn’t realise until recently that she was quite such a remarkable woman outside her stage and cinema career. She was an important(…)
Stylish 1930s swimwear
A beautiful 1930s bathing suit from around 1930. Isn’t it stylish? Do you think the photo is of two different models, or using some clever manipulation to show the same model from the front and back? I couldn’t decide!
1930s gangster chic for girls
Oh how I love this outfit! It’s so chic and Garbo-esque! I love the tilt of the hat, the sharp masculine tailoring, the bold pinstripes, it’s gorgeous! The girl is actress and movie star Lilli Palmer from a promo photo in 1936. Doesn’t she look amazing? I only wish we could see the rest of(…)
1930s French advert: bareback riding in a Casino…?
Isn’t this just the prettiest advert? It dates from 1931 and is an advert for Casino de Paris. I assumed (because of the name) that this was a Casino but couldn’t understand why they’d be advertising with a showgirl riding bareback on horses. I looked into it and it turns out Casino de Paris was(…)
10 things you didn’t know about Clara Bow (including the truth about those scandals)
Clara Bow was the quintessential ‘it’ girl and a flapper icon. She was one of the few silent movie stars who made it successfully into ‘talkies’ with her thick Brooklyn accent in tact. Bow was notorious for her loose living and scandalous lifestyle, so you’ve probably heard the rumours and gossip but here are 10 facts(…)
Vintage 1930s dress
Woman wearing a pleated dress and fur coat, early 1930s.
Vintage brides: 1930s wedding dress gallery
There’s something about photos of real brides on their wedding day which I find fascinating. These brides are all from the 1930s and there are some really unusual outfits. I particularly like the lady with the halo headdress and also the poor woman who accessorised her wedding dress with crutches (presumably out of necessity)! Which(…)
Vintage living: creating a vintage 1920s and ’30s look in your home
For several years, now, whenever people think of vintage or retro décor, chances are they’re thinking 1950s, ’60s and ‘70s. Typically, these are the styles – from ’50s polka dots and jukeboxes to ’70s chintz – that have been best catered for by both contemporary designers and shops and markets selling vintage furniture, but all(…)
A risqué photo of Carole Lombard, 1929
A rather risqué publicity photo of Carole Lombard showing rather a lot of side-boob, 1929.
1930s purple hair
This model won First Prize at the Hairdressing Fashion Exhibition in London 1935. The trend to shorter hair had progressed showing the neck and ears. The colour effect was achieved by incorporating pigments in the setting lotion – so it wouldn’t have been permanent colour. I wonder whether any ‘real’ people had hair colour like(…)
Fashion sketch: 1930s dress design for Jean Harlow
I haven’t posted a design for a while (so much for my New Year’s resolution eh?), but this is one I did a few weeks ago with Jean Harlow in mind – the dress would be made from a gorgeous ivory satin with draping around the neck and a (faux) fur stole with tan Mary(…)
1930s little girl with her pet tiger cub
Isn’t this a delightful photo? I know that opinions have changed enormously about having exotic animals as pets and you just wouldn’t see this anymore, but my 6 year old is obsessed with bit cats and would like a pet tiger more than anything else so I can only imagine how delighted this little girl(…)
1930s beachwear
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Gorgeous 1930s outfit
1930s actress Libby Holman photographed in 1932 wearing a strapless gown. Source and copyright This photograph is a work for hire created prior to 1968 by a staff photographer at New York World-Telegram & Sun. It is part of a collection donated to the Library of Congress. Per the deed of gift, New York World-Telegram(…)
1930s actress Marilyn Miller
1930s actress and dancer Marilyn Miller photographed as a ballerina in 1932. Source and copyright: This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.
3 Beautiful 1930s Hairstyles
Need some inspiration for a 1930s-inspired hairstyle? That’s what I thought! So here’s my gallery of 30s hair dos – which is your favourite? I like the Tallulah Bankhead’s hairstyle myself… [3 photos] Above: Delores Del Rio in I Live for Love, 1935.