Outfit of the Day
Though a yearbook primarily functions as a memory book of past times and events by those who experienced them, to outsiders who lack sentimental attachments and baggage, a yearbook serves a different purpose altogether.
Instead, yearbooks function more as history or reference book, providing snapshots in time that help us answer questions about the past. These questions can range from the trivial- who had the best haircut in the 1982 yearbook?- to the more serious- which political leaders visited the College during the Cold War?- but in today’s Outfit of the Day post, we are simply asking: who wore what?
In the 1930’s, it had largely- though not completely- become acceptable for women to wear pants and shorts in public, and Washington College Senior Dorothy Kimble was not afraid to embrace the new leg-baring trend. On top, Dorothy paired a puffy sleeved shirt with a droopy bow- two Depression-era trends. A sassy cape completes her ensemble and adds a regal, masculine air to her Prince’s costume, worn during the 1934 June Fete.
Midcentury women’s formal wear is exemplified by this photograph of two unnamed members of the 1958 Homecoming Court. Both women are wearing gowns that cinch in the waist and accentuate the bust, which gives them the iconic 1950’s hourglass silhouette. In addition, both dresses have a variation of the sweetheart neckline, another contemporary style and both women wear a short, single stranded necklace. These seniors are so trendy it’s as if they are wearing a uniform!
Finally, from the 1966 yearbook, is Nance in the most classic get up of all: a thigh-grazing rain jacket and umbrella combination. Despite the obvious comparison to Morton’s Salt Girl, this is a perpetually fashionable outfit. While the Mod-ish rain jacket and cropped, slim fit pants place Nance’s outfit firmly in the 1960’s, this timeless look would easily fit in on a modern Washington College campus.
To see more past fashion choices, check out the digitized Washington College Pegasus Yearbook Collection, 1909-2010, courtesy of the Internet Archive.
