Vintage Miscellany – December 21, 2014

 

One of the highlights of my childhood Christmases was going caroling with the youth choir of my little rural Southern Baptist church.  Our community was quite spread out, and so we usually went in cars, or more likely in the backs of some church members’ work trucks.  The photo above is from one of the last times I got to take part.  The best I can figure is that the photo was taken in 1974 or 75, judging by the age of my brother and cousin..  Plus, my boyfriend, Tim, is there on the right and we started dating in 1973.

The kids in the photo, starting on the left are Kim Sharpe, Jimmy Parton, my brother Scott, cousin Sandra Bumgarner, Bo Rhea, me, and Tim. There is actually a second photo, showing the rest of the group but I could not find it.  I remember that my sister Susan was next to Tim, and there were several more kids.   I love this photo, as our group was so close, having attended the same church together throughout childhood.

Unfortunately, Bo was an early victim of AIDS, and my cousin Sandra died at age fifty of lung cancer, of a type very similar to what my sister had.

The photo was taken by my great-uncle Corky, who took photos of everything.  This was in his home, the place where my extended family always celebrated Christmas together.  By this time Christmas gathering had been downsized somewhat, and we gathered at my grandparents.  But it would be Christmas without a visit to Corky and Adore’s house.

And now for the news…

*   Elsa Schiaparelli: A Biography was a recent BBC Book of the Week, as such an adapted version is avail for online listening.  Hurry though, as it is available only through January 7.  There are five parts, fifteen minutes each.

*   Handbag designer  Lauren Cecchi explains why she is having her bags made in the USA.

*   In past conversations here about Urban Outfitters, some of you have theorized that company is deliberately controversial.  NPR investigated the idea.

*   In all the talk about cultural appropriation, somehow Ralph Lauren has manage to escape criticism.  No longer, as a new look book from the company used photos of Native Americans in a way that many saw as being insensitive.  The company has issued an apology.

*   And blogger Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist, was called down for a similar deed.

*   Scientist May-Britt Moser won the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine, and the dress she wore to accept her prize was a reflection of her work.

*   Not all the fabric woven in Bangladesh is cheap and shoddy.

*   Valerie Steele narrates a tour through the Museum at  FIT’s exhibition Dance and Fashion on Youtube.