7.28.2010

My grandma in the 1940s and 1950s.

Photobucket
Woodlake School 8th grade photo, 1949. My grandma is the third from the right at the bottom row.
Photobucket
Notice how she's hoeing dirt in a skirt AND saddle shoes.
Photobucket
Here she is with her little brothers, she said her hair was so curly and thick she could barely get a brush through it.
Photobucket
One of my favorite pictures of her, and look at that cute dress!
Photobucket
My grandma and mother, sometime in the late 50s.
Photobucket
All grown up complete with pearls.
Photobucket
I wish more people had taken photos of their room set ups, it's great to see how people actually decorated their living rooms, and not just what magazines tell us. This was my grandmas living room, and she said that the couch and chair set was bright red! *swoon*

Recently my great grandfather passed away, and my grandma and her siblings have been working for months going through his and my great grandmas belongings (she passed away about 13 years ago). Among many, many, many other things are of course family photos! So today I'd like to share photos of my grandma in the 40s and 50s. She was born an Okie in 1936, and grew up in california. My great grandmother was a master seamstress, so most of her clothing was handmade by my great grandma. As you can see most instances in her youth required casual clothing, her style is a huge influence on my own.

I'd love to share more family photos if you enjoy these. There's some really cute outfits in lots of them!

38 comments:

Lily said...

how vintage <3
I love these photos :) and I can definitely see the fashion influence!

~Lily

Angela Joy said...

wow, you look so much like her in the fourth picture! so sweet! :D

kater said...

Yes, yes, yes! I love vintage photos, but I love best when they are from family of the people in them! I have such affection for photos of my relatives, I love to know all the stories!

My Little Boudoir said...

Thank you for sharing. I love old photos and I totally agree with you that it would be nice to see more old photos of home interiors. My grandmother and grandfather were Okies too, and also moved to California. :)

Sarah Dee said...

Im very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing these photos, they are really beautiful.

Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com

Sara Kristiina said...

Thanks for sharing, these are so beautiful photos :)

-Sara

jungleworldcitizen said...

Please do share more of these!
xoxo

Anika http://www.byanika.com said...

such a great post! xx

Lara Anna-Louisa said...

These pictures are amazing : )

http://laraannalouisa.blogspot.com

Elizabeth said...

Who's that in the photo frame in the living room? Looks like you!

Heidi said...

Oh yes, please post more, I love seeing and reading about other people's family... And I've actually been doing a few posts lately on my grandparents -feel free to have a look;)

http://ketty-doll.blogspot.com/2010/07/introducing-ketty.html

http://ketty-doll.blogspot.com/2010/07/pedersen.html

http://ketty-doll.blogspot.com/2010/07/wedding.html

Casey said...

Oh how neat! Your grandma had some knockout clothes--I defintiely see where you get your sense of style from! :) Do keep posting more--if you don't mind that is! ;)

I've been trying to beg, borrow or steal family photos for ages. Especially after seeing pictures of my husband's grandmother back in the late 40s/early 50s--I was amazed at how much like a movie star she looked! Plus I pretty much wanted all the clothes she was wearing. ;) rofl. Family photos can be so neat!

♥ Casey
blog | elegantmusings.com

40sDiva said...

I love looking at old photos, and my home is filled with photos of my grandparents from the 1940s and 1950s.... I would LOVE to see more photos of your family! The fourth picture down of your grandma really looks a lot like you.... like looking right at you! Thank you for sharing those, Solanah!

Katie Pink said...

photos are such a great way to look back and remember the people we love!

Anonymous said...

Love the photos, especially that couch! Can't wait to see more.

Flapper Flickers + Silent Stanzas said...

Definitely post more of these - I love old photos! Your grandma is a real looker, too. ;)

Condolences on your great-grandpa. *hugs*

Q's Daydream said...

These are amazing and so special! I just love that white tiered dress she's wearing. I'd love to see more :o)
I need to do my last Nanny post!
Yup, I'm growing my hair out still. It's been awhile since I've gotten this far! lol

Megan Christine said...

awesome pictures! and the 59 buick in the back round of the one of your mom and grandma together. My family actually has a collection of them.

Sam F. said...

I love vintage photos! My Grandma is turning 80 this fall, so my mom and I have been going through pictures of her. Theres 1 where she is baking and is sticking her tongue out at the camera. My mom immediatly said "I've seen you make that face, now I know where you got it!"

Aimee Marieee said...

Love the photos, please keep 'em coming! I agree with Angela, you look so much like her in pic 4.

Victoria / Justice Pirate said...

oh how beautiful! i love these so much. I really would love to dig through everyone's photos of the past.

KristiMcMurry said...

She's lovely! I am a sucker for family photos, even if they aren't my own...so I'd love to see more!

Erica! said...

I love these! More please!

Erica
danired922.blogspot.com

WhenSheWasGood said...

Thank you for sharing - your grandmother is absolutely adorable!

Courtney said...

These photos are wonderful. I love how her lip color just about matches her dress exactly in the pearls photo!

Lucky Dame said...

Fab photos!

I should post some pics of my Grandma (born 1919)....I have this great one of her in the early 40's w/ rollers in her hair and rolling skating in front of the house!

Melanie said...

These are really lovely, I especially like hearing the story behind the photos. Please share more!

Stefanie Valentine said...

I love these photos, it's so lovely to hear the stories behind them. Please keep them coming!

Courtney said...

These photos are so special! Thanks for sharing!

Andi B. Goode said...

These are wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing them. I'd love to see more!
-Andi x

Charlotte said...

Oh my gosh, she looks SO like you in that photo with the tiered dress! It's uncanny. Clearly we now know where you get your thick, curly hair from too :)

xx Charlotte
Tuppence Ha'penny Vintage

Solanah said...

Elizabeth, thats my grandma!

Heidi, great photos! Your grandparents were so cute!

Solanah said...

Elizabeth, thats my grandma!

Heidi, great photos! Your grandparents were so cute!

Irene Palfy said...

So lovely! Thank you so much for sharing this intimate treasures!!

creasha@nn said...

hiya.. thesepictures are amazing.. funny my grandparents lived close to Woodlake..my grandma moved over after the DustBowl.. from mid west.. ahh the 30s!hardtimes!

Solanah said...

creasha@nn How cool! No one has ever really heard of Woodlake, great to know someone with such a similar family history!

xoxo
Solanah

creasha@nn said...

haha yea I know , we still live in the area!! its cool to see these pix my grandma has almost similar ones.. ;)

mommy Orkid Belle said...

That picture of her with the pearls she is so pretty and she kind of reminds me of my mother-in-laws bestfriend. She looks like her and her name was Hilda Berg. She's also in California right now. I enjoy watching old photos and we have tons of them here from my mother-in-law and it's fun going through all of them. Thanks for sharing! I really love your blog.:)

Adin B