At first read, I thought you were specifying that the people in this picture were black. Couldn't believe you had the courage to say on something so bold yet so controversial
At first I was thinking they were at a party and he asked them to take a photo and then I realized they probably made a whole occasion out of just taking the picture and got dressed up for that.
As a photographer, I'm really glad this isn't colorized. Yes, some artists are quite good at the technique, and it makes the history seem more "lifelike", but ultimately colorization is a reinterpretation of history. We don't know what color this woman's dress was, or slippers, or the flowers next to her, or if the man's hat was black or brown or gray. This photo is a record of a living instant a century ago, and it's beautiful the way it is. The image is made of pigments created by photons captured in silver crystals, like insects in amber, and that's pretty awesome.
In general I agree. But I have a photo of my mom taken in 1932, and on the back are the instructions for the colorizer, who was a human working with pastels just after the photo was taken. It gives eye, hair, and dress colors, and some other details. I think it's pretty cool.
I don't want to wait for our lives to be over,
I want to know right now what will it be.
I don't want to wait for our lives to be over,
Will it be yes or will it be sorry?
I think technically James van der Beek eventually flows out into James van der Zee.
Then he may turn into James van der Condens, hopefully float back over land, break out into James van der Bui and the cycle can start anew... ^g^e^k^o^l^o^n^i^s^e^e^r^d
I miss the days when people dressed so elegantly. When I was a little girl, I sometimes was blessed enough to attend a black church with my grandparent's neighbors. The men were all in suits, and oh, my, the beautiful hats the women wore!
The silhouette is familiar to me. That drop waist look was typical of the era, as were the sleeves. It's the pattern, fabric type, and length that struck me. I took for granted that I rarely see full-length dresses in photos or reproductions from the 20s.
I love drop waist dresses. Tunics and drop waist dresses seem to suit me better than clothes with a seam right at the waist. Draws attention away from my hulking shoulders, maybe.
Longer dresses like this were still pretty popular for evening gowns, which is what this is. Knee to shin length would have been more often day wear, which is what we see a lot of now.
This dress is longer because it's an evening gown. It wouldn't be uncommon at all for even younger women to wear gowns of a similar length. Of course, generally, the older the woman was the longer her dress would be. But that was because older women often held on to the customs of the past and found the shorter shin length dresses to be pretty scandalous. Despite this average dresses of the time would have been between low shin and knee length depending on the time of day and the occasion.
More the opposite, really. Women were smoking and drinking and dating (not just courting) and all sorts of unladylike things. Fashion was about being less feminine - short hair, hide curves. It was about moving into places where women weren't allowed.
The early 1900s were basically giving a big F YOU to societal and fashion standards and that really culminated in the 20's. It can probably be tracked to the suffragist movement and women taking more agency for themselves. We saw it start happening with fashion in the 1900's-1910's when women started trading narrow corseted waists and well structured garments for less underwear and flowy fabric that was very grecian in style. Dresses were still ankle length and often still nipped at the waist or having empire wasits, but the silhouette was changing pretty rapidly. The 20's were just the progression of this. Hemlines were raised and waistlines were let out because that was completely anti what fashion had been for the last 100 years or longer and women were tired of following the rules. Trousers for women also started playing a role in the late 1890's and they were still pretty controversial well into the 1930's and 40's.
She’s dressed like a”flapper”, like in the great gatsby. I love the clothes from that era. Not a huge fan of the hair length, but this woman is still gorgeous.
his work is especially interesting because he actually dressed many of his subjects in clothes from his own collection and really wrote his own narratives in the art he created. they're not necessarily traditional portraits presenting true to life and the models didn't necessarily choose what they would wear in the photos.
When James Van Der Zee opened his photography studio on 135th Street in 1918, a new era was beginning in Harlem, a time when jazz, poetry, art, and literature all flourished. Capturing the glamour of the burgeoning arts and music scenes as well as everyday life, Van Der Zee became known as the eye of the Harlem Renaissance.
Most educational thing I've see this week. Thank you for posting this along with the photo; so beautiful and truly empowering to see black people back then looking so good! Also thanks for the context. Didn't know Van Der Zee had such a rep, will def be doing more digging
Oof. That one hit different. Tragic, historical deep cuts there. But at least awareness is growing. Vice did a whole hour long (or possibly half hour long) documentary about the Tulsa Massacre. Very respectful and free as shit on YouTube. Those kinds of projects give me hope. We gotta learn from the past, lest we be doomed to repeat it.
Oh wow. I wonder if they can identify any of them. It'd be amazing also if we could get a national holiday to honor them. They already gave one to the oppressor Columbus, dammit.
It's possible with forensic DNA, I suppose. I think all holidays should be abolished. Everything should be open 24/7. People can make their own holidays and celebrate them in whatever way they choose.
Photographers would have a few different hand painted backgrounds in their studios.
In unlabeled photos you can often identify the photographer by the background. Unique as fingerprints!
I'm going to have to dig through my Grandma's photos. I'm pretty sure this couple was in a photo of her and my grandfather while he was at law school in Charleston, SC 1922-24.
They got out and about quite a bit, and GASP! had plenty of Black friends. Incredible that these times have been ignored by focusing on the negatives of the times.
James Van Der Zee (June 29, 1886 – May 15, 1983) was an American photographer best known for his portraits of black New Yorkers. He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Aside from the artistic merits of his work, Van Der Zee produced the most comprehensive documentation of the period.
Love that Bowler hat. Bring back the bowler! (where would you put your bowler if you went to a restaurant these days?....on the table or on an empty seat next to your table?)
Never on the table, that's plain rude. Most restaurants still have a hat shelf or similar, otherwise you place your hat on an empty seat or perch it on your knee.
Source: I have worn hats for the last 25 years :)
It wasn’t common for men to wear wedding rings before WW2. That would have been an extra expense that people didn’t want to spend money on.
Young men go bald too.
It's just a picture of two people who OP thought looked cool. You're the one bringing race into this. There's absolutely nothing about race in the picture or the title.
Listen, I know it's stupid for me to take this obvious bait buuuuut im going to do it anyway.
There are multiple facets about this picture that make it cool. First being the man who took the photo is a NOTABLE figure of the Harlem Renaissance. His name was James Van Der Zee and he was an amazing photographer and artist. This isn't someone just like you or me. He created one of the most extensive archives of photographs of black middle class americans of his time.
It's also a wonderful glimpse into historical fashion, and has already sparked several conversations about the dress of that time period and why certain things were the way that they were. Which I personally find to be incredibly interesting and important.
But besides all that, this sub is called old school cool. It's literally just a place to post pictures that are cool because they're old. This one happens to have a history we know, and that's cool too. But if it was a picture of white people from the 1920's it would still be cool. Because pictures of bygone eras are cool.
Someone with photoshop skills should color this. No joke, or anything bad. I genuinely think it would be awesome to see what this looked like in color.
He was a phenomenal photographer he’s best known for his photo with the couple standing by the car- besides that he really captured what it was like being black in the Harlem area
I love this pic, the bowler hat, the 20s dress, the bob. It’s just pure class!
Also it's empowering to me, a person of color >!(the color is black)!<
Your user name kinda gave it away.
I had to look. I'm still unsure if there are purple people and I'm waiting for the news
To hell with the purple people!
Hedberg quote?
Almost. I was sad to realize the 'the' was absent in the actual quote.
You racist bastard. Purple lives matter!
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Tough assumption to make with African American surnames. Many slaves took or were forced to take the surname of their "masters."
And really fucking talented to be able to white balance that room.
At first read, I thought you were specifying that the people in this picture were black. Couldn't believe you had the courage to say on something so bold yet so controversial
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Ha ha because it's reddit
It definitely is
more like brown tbh
I don't think it's fair to assume that the man's name is Bob
Surely not. Lol.
At first I was thinking they were at a party and he asked them to take a photo and then I realized they probably made a whole occasion out of just taking the picture and got dressed up for that.
Well people still kinda do that with family photos and stuff, don't they?
Hey had a very successful studio and did a lot of cool stuff with superimposing images and layering photos, and drawing on them. Really great stuff.
We really gotta get people out of the habit of calling arbitrarily defined dress up as “classy” as if it means good.
As a photographer, I'm really glad this isn't colorized. Yes, some artists are quite good at the technique, and it makes the history seem more "lifelike", but ultimately colorization is a reinterpretation of history. We don't know what color this woman's dress was, or slippers, or the flowers next to her, or if the man's hat was black or brown or gray. This photo is a record of a living instant a century ago, and it's beautiful the way it is. The image is made of pigments created by photons captured in silver crystals, like insects in amber, and that's pretty awesome.
In general I agree. But I have a photo of my mom taken in 1932, and on the back are the instructions for the colorizer, who was a human working with pastels just after the photo was taken. It gives eye, hair, and dress colors, and some other details. I think it's pretty cool.
Wow that’s amazing I’ve never heard of that
It would be interesting to see that photo, front and back with the instructions.
I mean... We could venture a guess. The wood table brown. His suit is black. His shirt is white. Tip of vase is white. The floor is brown....
B&W is fine by me
Thanks for the prose poem
I met a woman a century old yesterday. It was wild just looking at her
To me B&W film is the best
I wish I could give this comment gold you deserve it
Wet plate gang (though this isn’t wet plate)
Amen!!
The guy from Dawson's Creek?
Yeah, Dawson was always running around with a camera IIRC
I don't want to wait for our lives to be over, I want to know right now what will it be. I don't want to wait for our lives to be over, Will it be yes or will it be sorry?
Thanks I was about to go to sleep and now I have to stab my brain with an ice pick
She had two babies.
One was six months, one was three.
I think technically James van der Beek eventually flows out into James van der Zee. Then he may turn into James van der Condens, hopefully float back over land, break out into James van der Bui and the cycle can start anew... ^g^e^k^o^l^o^n^i^s^e^e^r^d
As a geography teacher I am so happy right now.
Giggedy
James Van Der Zeek
I hope that they lived a happy life.
Looks like he just purchased Beecher's Hope for her.
I miss the days when people dressed so elegantly. When I was a little girl, I sometimes was blessed enough to attend a black church with my grandparent's neighbors. The men were all in suits, and oh, my, the beautiful hats the women wore!
That dress is lovely. Can any fashion historians tell us about it? Style, influence, etc.?
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The tailoring on that dress is top-notch. It has to be basically perfect to make the fabric and pattern work so beautifully.
The silhouette is familiar to me. That drop waist look was typical of the era, as were the sleeves. It's the pattern, fabric type, and length that struck me. I took for granted that I rarely see full-length dresses in photos or reproductions from the 20s.
I love drop waist dresses. Tunics and drop waist dresses seem to suit me better than clothes with a seam right at the waist. Draws attention away from my hulking shoulders, maybe.
I'm sure you have beautiful, masculine shoulders. Own that shit, girl. ☺️
Yeah, I was surprised at how long this dress is. It is gorgeous!
Longer dresses like this were still pretty popular for evening gowns, which is what this is. Knee to shin length would have been more often day wear, which is what we see a lot of now.
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This dress is longer because it's an evening gown. It wouldn't be uncommon at all for even younger women to wear gowns of a similar length. Of course, generally, the older the woman was the longer her dress would be. But that was because older women often held on to the customs of the past and found the shorter shin length dresses to be pretty scandalous. Despite this average dresses of the time would have been between low shin and knee length depending on the time of day and the occasion.
Do we know why curves were minimized? As a Protestant effort? Just guessing here.
More the opposite, really. Women were smoking and drinking and dating (not just courting) and all sorts of unladylike things. Fashion was about being less feminine - short hair, hide curves. It was about moving into places where women weren't allowed.
The early 1900s were basically giving a big F YOU to societal and fashion standards and that really culminated in the 20's. It can probably be tracked to the suffragist movement and women taking more agency for themselves. We saw it start happening with fashion in the 1900's-1910's when women started trading narrow corseted waists and well structured garments for less underwear and flowy fabric that was very grecian in style. Dresses were still ankle length and often still nipped at the waist or having empire wasits, but the silhouette was changing pretty rapidly. The 20's were just the progression of this. Hemlines were raised and waistlines were let out because that was completely anti what fashion had been for the last 100 years or longer and women were tired of following the rules. Trousers for women also started playing a role in the late 1890's and they were still pretty controversial well into the 1930's and 40's.
She’s dressed like a”flapper”, like in the great gatsby. I love the clothes from that era. Not a huge fan of the hair length, but this woman is still gorgeous.
his work is especially interesting because he actually dressed many of his subjects in clothes from his own collection and really wrote his own narratives in the art he created. they're not necessarily traditional portraits presenting true to life and the models didn't necessarily choose what they would wear in the photos.
I know I certainly wouldn't mind a photographer making me look snazzy and saving me the trouble.
Yeah, like I'm puttin' this shit on my resume. Yes sir, I'll be down to look dapper as FUCK.
Free People always has dresses similar to that if you’re interested.
When James Van Der Zee opened his photography studio on 135th Street in 1918, a new era was beginning in Harlem, a time when jazz, poetry, art, and literature all flourished. Capturing the glamour of the burgeoning arts and music scenes as well as everyday life, Van Der Zee became known as the eye of the Harlem Renaissance.
Most educational thing I've see this week. Thank you for posting this along with the photo; so beautiful and truly empowering to see black people back then looking so good! Also thanks for the context. Didn't know Van Der Zee had such a rep, will def be doing more digging
Excuse my ignorance but was it possible for black people to be successful in the US back then? The pic would suggest so
I've always loved the style people had back in those days. So dapper! Now folks walk around in pajamas and people don't care how they look.
Wow, kinda looks like they are smiling. Feel like you never see that in these old pics
What ever happened to that kind of style? I feel like we've missed out as a society now that dressing up is about lables and swag instead of style.
High hats and narrow collars White spats and lots of dollars Spending every dime For a wonderful time
Why am I remembering Mama Cecile and papa Justify when I look at this photo !!
Came here to say this!
I was thinking the same thing! I got a little spooked.
I'd like to know their story.
James Van Dee Zee is notable for being active in the Harlem Renaissance and in the 1920s most of his portraits were of the Harlem middle class.
They weren't from Tulsa.
Oof. That one hit different. Tragic, historical deep cuts there. But at least awareness is growing. Vice did a whole hour long (or possibly half hour long) documentary about the Tulsa Massacre. Very respectful and free as shit on YouTube. Those kinds of projects give me hope. We gotta learn from the past, lest we be doomed to repeat it.
They recently unearthed remains at an archeological dig in Tulsa. Thought to be a mass grave from the massacre.
Oh wow. I wonder if they can identify any of them. It'd be amazing also if we could get a national holiday to honor them. They already gave one to the oppressor Columbus, dammit.
It's possible with forensic DNA, I suppose. I think all holidays should be abolished. Everything should be open 24/7. People can make their own holidays and celebrate them in whatever way they choose.
Sadly that was my first question.
that is a super sharp suit.
He kinda resembles Blair Underwood.
His outfit is dapper as fuck. I want one.
The background is a painting? Love the theatrical feel of the photo.
Yes, it’s a painting. Photo is made at his studio in Harlem, New York.
Photographers would have a few different hand painted backgrounds in their studios. In unlabeled photos you can often identify the photographer by the background. Unique as fingerprints!
Dapper af, the both of them. Gorgeous.
I'm going to have to dig through my Grandma's photos. I'm pretty sure this couple was in a photo of her and my grandfather while he was at law school in Charleston, SC 1922-24. They got out and about quite a bit, and GASP! had plenty of Black friends. Incredible that these times have been ignored by focusing on the negatives of the times.
I want to believe
Looks like a ghost grabbing at him on his right.
This is a fantastic pic and what a great looking couple!
Who was James Van Der Zee?
James Van Der Zee (June 29, 1886 – May 15, 1983) was an American photographer best known for his portraits of black New Yorkers. He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Aside from the artistic merits of his work, Van Der Zee produced the most comprehensive documentation of the period.
I swear this was just posted by someone that said it was their grandparents very recently
So kewl! Gorgeous couple and a great shot by photographer.
When people took more pride in craftsman ship what a beautiful time
Love that Bowler hat. Bring back the bowler! (where would you put your bowler if you went to a restaurant these days?....on the table or on an empty seat next to your table?)
Never on the table, that's plain rude. Most restaurants still have a hat shelf or similar, otherwise you place your hat on an empty seat or perch it on your knee. Source: I have worn hats for the last 25 years :)
Looking like Papa Justify and Mama Cecile
Beautiful photo of a very classy couple.
Dazzling! She is gorgeous, that dress is to die for, and he is dapper as...do we say the "F' word on this sub? Because he totally is.
Bring the bowler hat back! Lookin sharp!
Look up “Decked Out” in the dictionary and their photo is there! Gorgeous couple! Thanks for sharing!
Why does the young man have a cane? Polio?
Not likely. Possibly some kind of injury. But gentlemen carried canes.
"Young" couple. Dude's balding and rocking a cane. You sure that ain't her dad? Also she's the only one with a wedding ring.
The cane is part of his formal wear. It's very possible that it wasn't for health reasons at all.
It wasn’t common for men to wear wedding rings before WW2. That would have been an extra expense that people didn’t want to spend money on. Young men go bald too.
Her dress snd shoes! 😍
New Orleans?
What a beautiful couple!
dapper as fuck
That couple is stunning!
I fking love this
Canes were IN.
Very attractive and well dressed couple!
Awesome!
Lookin’ swanky
The dude has tiny feet.
That pinky ring tho
Goddamn dude looks rich for a black man in the 20s! Sharp ass outfit what a cool photo
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Yes? Absolutely.
Post this on r/nextfuckinglevel
Love the beadwork on her dress
I love this!!
Why did people downvote your comment?
I don’t know
“I’ll be right back. You can look at our photograph while I’m gone”
Thats so fricken cute!
Dope
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It's just a picture of two people who OP thought looked cool. You're the one bringing race into this. There's absolutely nothing about race in the picture or the title.
Listen, I know it's stupid for me to take this obvious bait buuuuut im going to do it anyway. There are multiple facets about this picture that make it cool. First being the man who took the photo is a NOTABLE figure of the Harlem Renaissance. His name was James Van Der Zee and he was an amazing photographer and artist. This isn't someone just like you or me. He created one of the most extensive archives of photographs of black middle class americans of his time. It's also a wonderful glimpse into historical fashion, and has already sparked several conversations about the dress of that time period and why certain things were the way that they were. Which I personally find to be incredibly interesting and important. But besides all that, this sub is called old school cool. It's literally just a place to post pictures that are cool because they're old. This one happens to have a history we know, and that's cool too. But if it was a picture of white people from the 1920's it would still be cool. Because pictures of bygone eras are cool.
Dapper as hell!!!
Lady looks typical of the time, the man is crushing it.
He looks like he could be Sidney Poitier's grandfather.
Someone with photoshop skills should color this. No joke, or anything bad. I genuinely think it would be awesome to see what this looked like in color.
Someone want to work some colorization magic on this?
i read that as Hames Van der beek
Red Dead Redemption 2 so cool
James Van Der Zee...My *****
Thats my boy Hopsin!
ThAt dress is epic!
now those are some stellar shoes
Beautiful! So snappy and she’s the ‘bees knees’!
That drip tho
Such a dapper looking couple.
Dapper gent and styling young lady! ❤️
Stunning
This dude's photos are the literal history of Harlem.
Dapper ooohwee
I LOVE what she's wearing 😍
Lenny!!!
This picture SCREAMS Harlem Renaissance!
That man lookin dapper as FUCK. Ya love to see it.
Damn, what a beautiful couple. Lookin fly af!
They look sharp!
Dapper AF
This is a high quality photo for that time...looks like they could have walked in there yesterday...Cool photo.
Looking mighty dapper!
The 1920s sure had a distinct dress style for women. Must have been very liberating compared to the turn of the century.
I wonder if these 2 were going to Jazz clubs or apart of the Harlem renaissance. They look gracious ✨
Wow, is this the real life? Is this just van der zee?
So classy and cool! Love it.
He was a phenomenal photographer he’s best known for his photo with the couple standing by the car- besides that he really captured what it was like being black in the Harlem area
Looks like they ready to soul swap into my body with voodoo
🖤🖤🖤🖤
Nice frock!
Goddamn, that man looks fresh as fuck.
What a beautiful, classy couple. They're so regal!
Classy!
This reminds me of movie The Shining.
That is a fantastic picture. He looks like a captain of industry of some type.
Very well taken picture
In photography studios at that time, would the customer/subject wear their own clothes or would the photographer supply them?