But there are no fig trees!

The contrast between the lipstick and the teeth makes it look much more severe; it probably wouldn't look so bad if they weren't grinning. The pretty lady in the front has the right idea.

...but they're invisible (i.e., fig men of your imagination).

the men? I wanna see fig men too!

The California Fig Ball probably took place in Washington, since the California State Society was, and is, a Washington social organization dedicated to the promotion of California, its attractions and interests. Before World War II, California's economic interests centered on the state's agricultural production, and California figs were one of the state's most important crops. The tropical setting for this publicity photo was probably taken in one of the green houses of the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, standing in for the famous semi-tropical climate of Southern California. And, the four charming Fig Ball dancers were probably dismayed when the photo was published, since all that excess mascara and dark lipstick appears to be a clumsy darkroom touch-up to the negative.

[This glass negative hasn't been retouched, or even touched. Making lips (or anything else) darker by manipulating the negative would mean scratching off the emulsion. - Dave]

The super dark lips are most likely the result of the photographer using orthochromatic film, which is completely insensitive to the color red. As a result, red lipstick is rendered as black. The same effect can be seen in some of the flowers on the girls. Early movie actresses never wore red makeup on the set because of this.

[It's more a question of emulsion. This photo was shot on glass, not film. - Dave]

Wonder what the story is on the one on the left. She's older and more chubby and more hidden behind the "fig" leaves. Was she the photographer's wife?

Beautiful girls, BAAAAGGGY pants!

Proudly presented by your hosts, Mr. & Mrs. Newton.

Between the lipstick and the teeth, the girl at the back and the girl on the right resemble the Joker. Freaky.

They're wearing tap shoes. It's interesting that even the styles of tap shoes change over the years. Some do still wear the kind similar to those in the photo (I remember as a kid it was a big deal when you were good enough to move to full heels), but most (including me in the later years) have moved over to tennis-shoe like ones for most dances/costumes (like the Gregory Hines flat).

All that bare skin, all those razor-sharp fronds. Where's OSHA?

Cue the wolf whistle.

What surprisingly dark lipstick! And those girls' eyelashes look like tarantula legs. Someone overdid the Max Factor by about a factor of 10. And none of those leaves are from figs. You'd think they could have at least gotten that right for the Fig Ball!