PICTURE POST MAGAZINE, 19TH AUGUST 1939

Good Morning to you,

Look what I found, a Picture Post Magazine dated 19th August 1939.  Sadly the front cover is missing but the magazine is full of wonderful pictures of a by-gone age that we only see nowadays in those fabulous 1930's and 40's films. 

Phyllis was almost 9 years old at the time, when these ladies were learning to dance elegantly, around the dance floor.

 Look at the shoes, I was wondering if they were dance shoes.  It really doesn't matter because I love them.  The height of the heel is just perfect and look at their fabulous ankles.

Do you see the seams in their stockings, they are perfectly straight.  Phyllis told me that during the late 1930's and into the 40's, it was hard for women to buy silk stockings in England,  so they would get a friend or sister to paint a straight line up the back of their legs,  to simulate the look of stockings. That would have had to be a friend with a real steady hand, otherwise the end result could have been disastrous.  I don't think these ladies had that problem as they  look like they were wearing silk stockings.

Look at this brave man!  He is learning to dance with a group of women. That takes courage, but as the dancing  style in those days was as a couple,  the men had to learn to dance. I wonder if he was the only man in the dance group, if so he would be very popular wouldn't he.

Don't you just love the dancing teacher's pillar box hat, which she wore during the tuition.

Even in the 1950's and early 1960's ,Ivy would wear a hat to complete her outfit. There were a range of daily hats, which she used for shopping, visiting or going for a walk, but there were always a number of  special Sunday hats which were worn to church. I remember when her hat was suitably placed on her head, she would add  a dash of perfume  to her neck and wrists, then she was ready to go. The perfume was always Chanel No 5 and even today when I pass someone wearing this perfume, Ivy pop's straight into my mind.

I was talking to my mother-in-law and she was telling me that in August 1939 she was 9 years old. On Saturday night's during the summer, she and her friends were allowed to sit on the front wall outside her house and watch all the young women dressed in their beautiful dresses, as they went out to the Saturday night dances. She said they wore  wraps  or short jackets to keep themselves warm and always wore a hat to complement the outfit  they were wearing.  She said as a 9 year old she thought they all looked liked film stars.

 Oh, no, I got ahead of myself.....there were two men. Look at the concentration on his face. This class was for  a lesson in deportment. I can't imagine there would be many men, who would take a lesson in deportment nowadays.

Do you see the Oxford Bags the  chap is wearing.  I remember having a conversation with Gramps, when he told me that he used to wear the same trousers as a young man.

I'll tell you  how that subject came up.

In 1967, I started my first job as a trainee secretary, in a company called Thurmac Limited.  They were a company which sold all things to do with Christmas, but I digress.  My first salary was £3, yes 3 whole pounds a week.  I used to give Phyllis  £1.10 shillings a week and the balance of £1.10 shillings was mine.  One of the first things I bought was a trendy pair of Oxford Bags, which were made in a blue herringbone cloth. You know how it is when you are a teenager, and you buy something new, you are so in love with it, that it's worn over and over again, well that's how it was for me during my teenage years.

So my fabulous Oxford Bags were worn when I went to see Ivy and Gramps. When I arrived, I could see him looking at my trousers and  he kept smiling at me.  When we  sat down  I asked him what he was smiling at. He then asked me if I liked my trousers.  I replied, I thought they were ace (sorry back to teenage 1960's language) and he told me that my trousers were men's trousers. I told him he was wrong as the trouser's were made for women,  and  I had bought them at a trendy women's boutique in town. He said that they were  men's trousers, because he had worn the same  style  as a young man, to which we both laughed. I said I didn't believe him. Ivy disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a photo in her hand of Gramps wearing Oxford Bags. He was amazed to think his young teenage grand-daughter would wear the same trousers as he did as a young man, but even more that I liked them! That's fashion for you!

Look how intensely the dance teacher is watching to make sure the ladies dance the correct steps.  I'm not sure the 5th lady in the picture is doing the correct steps as her skirt seems to be swinging whilst the other ladies dresses are hanging straight. The ladies in the front row look like they are doing a rise and fall. Oh yes, I watch Strictly Come Dancing.

....and so that ends the photos for today.  I have lots to share with you and will at a later date.  It's fascinating to see how the world has changed so much for Phyllis.

See you later in the week, until then, take care.

This week I will be joining,

Karen at Sew Many Ways

Best Wishes

Daphne xxx