Summertime, Summertime 1860's Sum Sum Summertime...

Some photos taken by one of my people, I think my great grandmother, while vacationing somewhere. Some of the other pictures in the grouping of photographs are dated from 1910-1923. These few among them must’ve been taken during the First World War. You can see some women swimming in these pictures, but notice all the gawking soldiers! It must have felt rather creepy for a woman to have all those folks staring!
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Godey's Lady's Book, 1861, scantily clad, for the century in beach toggery, it's a daring illustration on Godey's part

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Hot? My New England genes are screaming, the dogs spend a lot of time eating salamanders in the pond, every bug whose job it is to make summer a contact sport has assaulted this house and a faint, green haze just sprouted on all leather surfaces.




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Summer issues of newspapers and periodicals included crafts- children home could pursue. This is pretty cool.

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Children, boys and girls, wore light, cotton dresses- instructions included



How did our ancestors do it? Eyebrow to ankle and beyond, modesty forbade our skimpier efforts at a cool-down. They did their best. And it was summer, war on distant horizons, sometimes summer had to what it always was. Summertime.

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Too funny, but an over view, where to spend one's summer!

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It does all look floating and gauzy ( muslins and poplins ), but can you imagine? Layers, neck to toe, you're awfully warm- albeit charmingly attired.


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Using this because collecting butterflies was a ' thing '- honest. Nature lessons were huge, more easily a ' thing ' for children close to the country.


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This is pretty early, 1840? Kids and summer! How long until those boys are stung, playing in a bee hive?


NO ice! Summer without ice? No, really! Well, you just know three people paid attention to this with July's 90 degree days stretching into August.

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I've always liked model number two of that first illustration. Only, bathing dresses at that time and into the 1920's were made of wool. Most women just waded in the surf or went in for a quick dip.
 
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