Friday, March 22, 2013

Photo Friday: World's Cutest Mom Edition

Good morning! I'm feeling better! Folks, I might just make it to the weekend! :)

As I was sorting through photos on the world wide internet to hobble together a post of someone-else's-family photos for our Famous Photo Friday (TM, LTD, C, etc), I kept coming back to this user's flickr stream and how winning, how very winning a smile the mom, Marguerite, is boasting in almost every photo dedans. There weren't a lot of photos in the stream, but what there were-- adorable! JUST ADORABLE. Take a look:



We've talked about in weeks past the clothing in vernacular photography, and here's another perfect example. Look at the belt and the pockets and the little detail at the neckline on the dress on the left. Look at the high waist of the skirt, the leather belt, and the buttoned-to-the-neck, pert little plaid blouse on the woman to the right. There weren't many details to go by on the photos, but the woman on the right is identified as "Marguerite" (and her husband, Harold, is wearing a shirt in this photo identical to one I saw on Glenn Ford. IDENTICAL!). The gal on the left in the sundress is the mom I'm so coconuts about. Regard:


That big, slightly gap-toothed smile! That all American, fresh-scrubbed prettiness! The demure string of pearls at her neck! The perfect hair! I was really happy to see these two professional studio photographs. The one on the left is with her husband (newly minted at the time, I think, and handsome!), and the one on the right from slightly before. I think part of what makes me like her so much is how she reminds me of my mom (whose 1976 senior photo depicts her as a dead ringer for Ali MacGraw, but with better hair...I'll have to show you some time).


Anyone know what kind of car this is? Other than one I would like to own? We've talked about "sitting next to/near/in the car of the time", and this is great. See the mom's tiny, in-heels feet? See her skirt and the painted-flower on her silk blouse (kind of like the handkerchief dress I got at that vintage sale, except a rose instead of a hibiscus!). I love the terra-cotta shingled house in the background. Tropical!


Ah! The CUTENESS OF IT ALL! Here she is at her wedding. I want you take a good look at the wild woman who decided to wear not only that dress, those gloves, that clutch, but THAT HAT, MY STARS, THAT HAT. We're still in the planning stages of our wedding, but I really am thinking about having it at my parents house with this kind of elegant laid, but small scale buffet service of a table. No lobster, no fine filets of sole, just little snackettes and my friends and family all around. See the iced lemon bars and the cake-that-someone-made? How about the punch glasses stacked up to the right. I knew I'd been hoarding punch glasses for some reason! I love her sweet, sweet expression and the headpiece with its tiny flowers. Good work!

See how you can still see the crazy hat in the background...I wonder if it's an ex-girlfriend or a jealous sister trying to show out on the big day! Here, the bride's father is the winner of the Truman Capote lookalike contest (with those same dark, sparkling eyes as his daughter!) and I'm actually jealous of the mother of the groom's corsage and dress. See the brooch at the top of her collar? I'm doing that on whatever dress I wear next. How smart it looks!


Above, one of the few photos attached to a date...1946. I love the "smiling...not smiling" of this one, and the perfect red lipstick. I have a similarly small mouth yet big smile, which makes stoic face slash not stoic face photo combinations such a contrast.


There are more photos in another two albums in this set, and all ones in Album3 feature the youngest son (possibly the user?) who has, guess what, sole among his siblings, inherited those mischievous eyes from his grandfather and his mother! And is thus....you guessed it...world's cutest mom's cutest kid.

What do you think? Is this mom not a living doll? Do any of the photos remind you of outfits your own mothers and grandmothers have worn in family photos? Did you or any of your relatives have a wedding at home that was way more elegant than chintzy (I'm seriously looking for pointers!) ?

That's all for today...I have to bundle up so I can head out to the flea market in just a little bit. Wish me luck, and I'll see you back here next week for more fun, fun, fun.

PS: Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin, folks. I'm over there; you should be too! See ya soon.

9 comments:

  1. What a cute lady! And I love the wedding at home idea; you had me at punch cups.

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    1. Right? And thanks for the backup on the wedding idea! I was afraid it would seem chintzy, but the more I think about it, the more I L-O-V-E it.

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  2. Wow. Serious cute going on. SERIOUS! I love her gap toothed grin so much! She looks like the kind of person you'd love to have as a friend. I bet she'd have been the life of any dinner party and such fun to pop to the shops with, don't you?
    And my god, that hat! Off. The. Hook.

    My parents were married at my grandparents' house. It was quite lovely and very sophisticated in a toned down sort of way. I think an intimate home wedding is much more memorable and meaningful.

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    1. Just a living doll. I hesitated at first to use her this week because I thought "well, I don't really have a unifying theme for these photos" and then I thought, oh, right, the theme is she's cute as a button! :) Also, that hat in the background....just wow.

      I'm so glad you agree with the wedding idea! And I think sophisticated and toned down is EXACTLY the kind of chord I'm hoping to strike. I'll have to keep you guys up on the rest of the plans as they are hatched!

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  3. She was so beautiful - and yet cute at the same time. I love the gap in her teeth. My Mom used to have that and when she had it fixed, it seemed really strange! That rabbit hat...oh that thing is GREAT. I've actually seen that thing before but will have to attempt to figure out where. I love her wedding dress and veil. Lovely.

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    1. Isn't that funny people would be pressured to have the gap fixed back in the day, and yet Lauren Hutton and (more recently) Georgia May Jagger have made entire fortunes on that adorable imperfection. Also...the rabbit hat. Did you see the other accessories going on with the dress, too? Lace lined gloves, etc? This woman was not afraid to stand out in a crowd! :)

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  4. omigod! How cute is she in her little off the shoulder wedding dress and headpiece. I love her. She is like a nonthreatening League of Their Own era Madonna. I want to drink old timey cocktails with her and I kinda want to braid her hair. Is that weird?

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    1. I know, I agree with you and Eartha, her wedding ensemble is the business! And I love that you brought League of Their Own Madonna into the discussion... I too love her in that movie and am simultaneously afraid of her! Also, the cocktails and hair braiding, totally acceptable friend behavior. I applaud it!

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  5. Could the car be a Nash? Paul and I have been staring at it trying to decide. There's another photo of it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14971532@N05/8258839753/

    What a cute couple! I really love the cake-cutting photo. She looks so real. I'll be she was a lot of fun.

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