Nana's View: 1950s Fashion Fun!

Virginia in Moccasins and bobby socks. I'm wearing a "ready-made" dress. Oh look, Linda has her shirt tied up showing her tummy, like the big girls were doing back in the 1950s. I'm not sure about Mary but I think she is wearing a home made sundress. Three of us are barefoot. And there is one pony tail and two sets of piggy tails. Mary might have escaped Granny's head brushing. or one of her piggy tails escaped the rubber band! lol

Can't say much about Virginia's "1st day of school" dress as can't see it. Beth is wearing a wide belt around her narrow waist as the girls did in the late 1950s. Granny had been busy sewing 3 little jumpers. I remember these dresses well. Mary probably remembers even better as she would have worn at least two different sizes and maybe three! I maybe never had to wear Linda's as I appear to be the taller (right) this year. Linda, left, holding the kitty, Nancy right with the crooked bangs. : ) granny cut! or I should say "mama-cut bangs".

Standing at my Gramma Austin's garden gate.

I can't make two many fashion statements here except that little girls wore "bobby" socks with their shoes and usually wore slips under their dresses. My dress is Granny-made. The top was "smocked" -- gathered up with elastic. I remember that summer that Mama made three little smocked sun dresses. I'm pretty sure Linda's (left) and Mary's (center) are home-made too. I'm a thinking that Linda wouldn't have worn hers another day as it is pretty short and we didn't usually wear them that short. I think Linda had a growth spurt as she seems taller than me, this time!

And too bad the photo wasn't taken a little closed . . . we could have seen my pretty Mama better.

oh my, I loved the "cap" sleeves on this little number (Nancy, left, Linda center front. Again, we are wearing home-made dresses. Linda seems to be bare foot so I'm thinking she's four, I'm three, Mary is 1 and we aren't going to school this year as we are too young . . . on this 1st day of school picture.

Kathryn is wearing saddle shoes. Saddle shoes were way popular at this time. She would have earned the money and bought them herself. I never did own a pair of saddle shoes. I can't believe Alan was going to get to ride the bike to school. I think he was just showing off! lol

And I'm pretty positive Marion isn't going to be taking that gun to school either. He's showing off too! Gary has had his head buzzed and the way this photo is going, he probably has a sling shot and a rock in this hands! Virginia is still a little girl. That always surprises me as I always thought she was one of the "big girls". Virginia would have been about 10 years old.

Probably a "first-day of school" pic. Don't know how Marion escaped, but he's not in here. Mary, center front, blonde, blue-eyed 1-year old, sporting a diaper. Nancy, left front, 3 years. Linda, to Mary's right, 4 years. Alan, left, 6. Beth, 11 yr, Kathryn, 12-1/2 or so. Virgina, 9 yrs (looking like Tasha) and Gary, 8 years. Ages are approximate! lol

Brother, Virginia, Linda, Nancy

I had this pic labeled "Gary" but I'm pretty sure that is Alan. Mary must have been inside napping. You can see the beginnings of the Junkyard, Austin Auto Parts, behind us. Very soon after this, there was a white picket fence to screen our house and the highway from the view of the junk cars.

I have sent this photo out to my sibs asking is this Gary or Alan? half said Alan. Half said Gary. I think "Gary" as Granny was soooo Good to write on the backs of her photos and I'm pretty sure that is where I got this.

This might have been Easter Sunday as Marion has on dress slacks and Kathryn is wearing a necklace. Gary's bow tie, too, indicates, this is NOT a regular school day. This is a Sunday School Day. My dress (chubby little girl to the left) is home made, Mary's too. I am thinking Linda's is boughten due to those tucks across the bodice. Aunt Beth, back left, is sure reminding me of someone . . . but who? Kathryn's dress, I am almost certain, was made by her. Oh . . . don't forget Alan, middle row left. All we can see is his head and Virginia with a full-head of hair just right of him.