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Globalization hasn’t only changed the way we do business: it’s had an impact on what we consider to be beautiful, too. Just as many lament the McDonald's and Starbucks on every corner, where once there might have been a local restaurant, so too has what people wear become homogenized in our Global Village.
Love Levi’s? Buy them practically anywhere. Want a pair of New Balance shoes in Eastern Europe? There’s a specialty shop for that.
Before mass communication, and television in particular, there was quite a difference in what we thought was attractive, as this list of postcards from 1900-1910, collected by user PostMan on Flickr, shows.
Which photo is the most surprising? Vote on the photos below, or if you have any vintage shots of ladies’ fashion, post them!
More info: Flickr (h/t: designyoutrust)
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Luzon Woman From The Philippines
RELATED:
#2
Japan Female-warrior
Final score:
237points
ChristopherBurroughs 9 years ago
This picture is Not of a man: "[...] Recent research indicates that Japanese women participated in battles quite a lot more often than history books admit. When remains from the site of the Battle of Senbon Matsubaru in 1580 were DNA-tested, 35 out of 105 bodies were female. Research on other sites has yielded similar results." http://listverse.com/2013/08/06/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-samurai/
#3
Gypsy Girl With Mandolin
#4
Anna May Wong Was The First Chinese American Movie Star, And The First Asian American Actress To Gain International Recognition
HeatherOgden 9 years ago
my grandma was named after her :) but I never saw her picture till this she is so beautiful
#5
Young Algerian Girls
#6
Lily Elsie, English Actress And Singer
#7
Berberian Girl
#8
Anna Pavlovna Was A Russian Prima Ballerina
#10
Unknown Lady With Book
#12
Unknown Young Lady In Traditional Dress
#13
Queen Mary Of Romania
Final score:
118points
#14
Unknown Lady
#15
Agnes Ayres Was An American Actress Who Rose To Fame During The Silent Film Era
#16
Unknown Lady With Book
#17
Unknown Japanese Woman With Umbrella
#18
Gabrielle Ray Was An English Stage Actress, Dancer And Singer
#19
Unknown Lady With Book
ValentinaSiimer 9 years ago
They sure did like to read, didn't they? And I mean, that's what I usually do when I get my hands on a good book - I put on my heels, find a really uncomfortable position and show my underwear.
#20
Louise Derval
ClaudiaGoyzueta 9 years ago
I don´t know what´s more shocking... the tiny little waist or the dead bird on the hat!
#22
Unknown Japanese Lady With Long Hair
#23
Carolina “la Belle” Otéro Was A Spanish-born Dancer, Actress And Courtesan
#24
Young Vietnamese Woman With Sword
PhilipAtkins 9 years ago
Bare footed and armed, she looks powerful and capable. A functional and real beauty
#26
Unknown Tonkin Lady With Big Hat
#27
Princess Viktoria Luise Von Preußen
#28
Unknown Lady With Long Hair
Valerie Drake 9 years ago
It has to be her hair, my hair looks like that when it's air dryed , kind of hard to tame.
#29
M. Thermonde
#31
Unknown Gypsy Girl
#32
Unknown Japanese Woman With Umbrella
MáriaDusová 9 years ago
I imagine what colour was that kimono because even on this picture it looks amazing
#34
Beduinin
#35
Beautiful Geisha
#37
Unknown Lady, Vintage Erotica
Laverne Swanson 9 years ago
Bet my grandma flirted with my grandpa like that. She was born in 1896. Died at 103.
#38
Unknown Lady With Big Hat
YikaRiley-Smith 9 years ago
From her look I'm betting that wasn't the first photo attempt balancing that hat--the dress is so beautiful it just detracts from it.
#39
Margaretha Geertruida Macleod Better Known By The Stage Name Mata Hari
#40
Vesta Tilley Was A Star Of The English Music Hall Circuit For More Than Four Decades
#41
Unknown Lady With Flowers
Angel Reeves 9 years ago
It looks like she is cross-eyed that's why. Her right eye is angled wrong.
#42
Two Unknown Young Ladies
#43
Unknown Lady With Cigarette
#45
Unknown Lady In Nice Dress
YikaRiley-Smith 9 years ago
Couldn't help but wonder how many animals went into making up that entire outfit.
#46
Unknown Lady With Big Hat And Umbrella
#47
Matilda Alice Powles, An English Music Hall Performer
#48
French Show Girl Backstage
#49
Russian Opera Singer Makarova
#50
Young Japanese Lady
#52
Unknown Lady
#53
Georgette Delmare
#56
Vintage Erotica
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What do you think ?
AmandaPanda 9 years ago
The woman in #9 looks super uncomfortable, which is kind of indicative of many women in all time periods, placing aesthetic beauty before comfort. EFF that ... also the woman in #8 creeps me out ... I think its her teeth... I can't.
Morgiana 9 years ago
#9 was in a photoshoot, so it was probably the photographer who asked her to sit like that. And I agree about #8's teeth
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AmandaPanda 9 years ago
The woman in #9 looks super uncomfortable, which is kind of indicative of many women in all time periods, placing aesthetic beauty before comfort. EFF that ... also the woman in #8 creeps me out ... I think its her teeth... I can't.
Morgiana 9 years ago
#9 was in a photoshoot, so it was probably the photographer who asked her to sit like that. And I agree about #8's teeth
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