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August 1924. Washington, D.C. "Dancers, National American Ballet." Some really nice sashes here. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
"These are all beautiful women, but I can't help but wonder how the first woman's top is staying in places." If you look closely one can see that the straps are tucked into her top. From the looks of her tan line, the bathing suit could be a halter top.
We don't understand people's criticims of vintage beauties. They have real, lovely figures and faces. Nothing's fake and most of today's cosmetic surgery reductions and augmentations would probably seem like mad science in their time. Plus, they are wearing clingy knits.
With or without all the comments aside, I personally find girl # 8 simply delicious!
These are all beautiful women, but I can't help but wonder how the first woman's top is staying in places.
[Ahem. -tterrace]
The beauty ideal was certainly somehwt different back then. Maybe it was more realistic and more attainable. Obviously it was not as 24/7 complete whole-body no-excuses totally flawless 150% picture-perfect as it is today. Even professional dancers did not look like a cross between overtrained athlete and three-quarter starved waif. I would also guess that they had a lot fewer psychological and other problems. 99% of the 1924 population would probably have answered that Bulimia is a country in the Balkans. Maybe people were happier, too. I like it, in its way.
I can't believe the comments implying that these are "manly" women or otherwise not pretty. Get your testerone checked. These are beautiful and strong young ladies. These are ballerinas so they are athletes. Ballet is very very difficult. And this is an old photo. If it were taken today in color, they'd look prettier. There's nothing wrong with these ladies!
When women kept their knees covered it was a good thing.
So were the Women.
A beauty of a photo.
The first lady does not want to be there and strains to be graceful, but only because the instructor, whose cane threatens merciless discipline, seems to be gazing upon her admiringly.
Behind the leading lady is a gal who has already gone Goth. Behind her, we see the benefits of a well-hidden flask, especially during Prohibition.
Number four got a lot of gravy on her tutu during lunch, number six just wants to get this over with so he can remove his makeup and be the benchpressing spotter for number nine, who has obviously been doing curls with 30-pounders. I think number eight is an anarchist, but that's forgiveable since, when a child, her nose was flattened in a scooter accident.
All in all, a very active photo!
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