La Mystique Féminine

If you've spent much time here at DJRD then you've probably noticed that I am a sucker for vintage color photography and could spend hours (and probably have) scouring the archives of places like LIFE magazine.  Here is another batch reminiscent of the circus photos I posted many many moons ago. This time it’s New York showgirls from 1958 and they are so lovely they make me want to cry a little.    

                

It's interesting when you think about how taboo being a showgirl must have been, what with the conventional, almost virginal, 1950s ethos.  That said, this was the very tail-end of all of that and not many years later America would be in the thralls of an all out sexual revolution. Clearly, all was not as clean-cut as we have been lead to believe!   

                           

   

                          


I also can’t help but wonder... where on earth did all of these costumes go?!??!

photos from  
GORDON PARKS’ NIGHTCLUB PORTRAITS / Life Magazine 
“Without the Girls, Show Biz Is No Biz"

mon vendredi soir

my Friday night went a little like this...
I arrived at mr.T's Bowl which is now a venue but was once a bowling alley, apparently.

inside I found "the Brit" (otherwise known as my boyfriend)

the bar looked a bit like a disheveled mardi gras float...

 Eitaro was there as well (he is the guitarist in "The Brit's" sideproject). they were amusing themselves with various iphone apps...

the bar was still decorated for St. Patrick's day.

reckless in red...

as we waited for the boys to take the stage. I looked up and saw this...

 which made the floor look like this...
and the lovely host looked like this...
Kristin was there too...

finally, it was time for the band to play

little rockstar

the band was followed by some burlesque dancers.  my favorite one had bright blue hair...

I found pretty pin-ups in the girls lounge

wearing something to go with the theme

a little more burlesque and some more conversation...

and then it was time to head out into the rain...

goodnight...

xdjrd