Women Working in the Factory During WW II

Women Working in the Factory During WW II

We all know the image of Rosie the Riveter, the woman with blue overalls and a red bandana showing her biceps (on the poster with the text “we can do it”) she represents the American women who worked in factories during World War II. The wonderful pictures above are the actual women, some even have a name, like Mrs. Irma Lee McElroy, in retrospect a rather romantic view of the actual war industry. Most of the pictures were taken by Alfred T.Palmer, found in the Library of Congress (via petapixel)

Carmen Miranda

Carmen Miranda, the woman with the most and the most heavy hats in showbiz. Also the owner of loads of platform wedges. Do you think she was as small as Kylie Minogue, we ask of you? Yes she was!  And another thing; nobody can carry that many accessories as well as she did, not even Mrs Apfel. Adore x 2!
“The Gang’s All Here” directed by Busby Berkeley 1943. 20th century fox. Photo by Everett (via http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-gangs-all-here-carmen-miranda-everett.html)
Ms Miranda as Dorita in The Gang’s All Here directed by Busby Berkeley 1943. 20th century fox (via kathiesmith)that-night-in-rio-carmen-miranda-1941-everett
That night in Rio(via https://www.bellebijouxaustralia.com/lindo-maravilhoso/)

Ca. Early 1940s,  photo by Everett (via http://fineartamerica.com/featured/carmen-miranda-ca-early-1940s-everett.html)

That night in Rio, 1941, directed by Irving Cummings, (20th Century Fox)

With Croucho Marx (via fabuloushollywoodmemories)

Carmen Miranda (* 9. Februar 1909 in Marco de Canaveses in der Provinz Beira Alta in Portugal; † 5. August 1955 in Beverly Hills), eigentlich Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha war Sängerin und Schauspielerin. Carmen Miranda wurde als zweites von sechs Kindern von José Maria Pinto da Cunha in Portugal geboren, jedoch zog die Familie nach Brasilien, ehe Carmen zwei Jahre alt war, und ließ sich in Rio de Janeiro nieder.

VintageDeLuxe gloves

Model Sticking Through Wall Applying Lipstick. Photographed by John Rawlings in ca 1943.© Condé Nast Archive/CORBIS.


Erwin Blumenfeld: Vogue september 1954.(via)

Erwin Blumenfeld: more gloves photographed in 1947.
Model holding cigarette in cigarette holder by Alfred Orlik, and wearing doeskin gloves. Photographed by Serge Balkin in ca, 1946. © Condé Nast Archive/Corbis.

Zoot suit Riots

In Los Angeles’s infamous “Zoot Suit riots” of 1943, young Chicanos in zoot suits (or “Pachucos” as they were called) were targeted by thousands of white sailors who asserted their racial supremacy by beating and stripping wearers of the fashion. As the days passed historical records show that thousands of servicemen joined the attacks. After several days the military intervened.
During the riots many females who were “Pachucas” (we would probably say “Chola” today) or were in the presence of a zoot suiter were arrested as well (via)

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Happy teenagers in the 1940’s.
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1930’s. Anonymous entertainer jitterbigging on stage.(via)

Cab Calloway performing.


The zoot suit was first seen in the 1930s in New York at the height of the Harlem Jazz culture. Many referred to them as “drapes.”
During that time, the suit was worn by and popularized by African-Americans. A Fedora hat was also often worn to complement the zoot suit.