Belle, Vintage Photo Contest
this photo is of my grandma when she was twentyeight, in 1937. She was walking through the streets of Ostia, a little town by the sea near Rome. I was amazed discovering her simple, perfect and sophisticated style. She had a great class in style as well as in manners. Loook at the shoes!!! And the way she carried her bag. I was deeply moved by this image because I remember her having great difficulties in walking in her last years. So this is my omage to nonna Rosina who could have been a fashion icon
This is my beautiful mother, Valeria Perojo Frias, born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba on March 23, 1926. This photograph was taken sometime in the mid to late 1940's. I believe she was at a christening of a friend's child in Havana. She was an amazing and inspirational woman - making her way to the US with my father by way of Miami in late 1959, and ending up in New York City two years later, where I was born and raised. She was always a fashionista and had that amazing aura that exuded beauty, charm and grace. And boy could she pose for a picture, eh? She always will be my very own personal style icon
This is my beautiful mother, Valeria Perojo Frias, born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba on March 23, 1926. This photograph was taken sometime in the mid to late 1940's. I believe she was at a christening of a friend's child in Havana. She was an amazing and inspirational woman - making her way to the US with my father by way of Miami in late 1959, and ending up in New York City two years later, where I was born and raised. She was always a fashionista and had that amazing aura that exuded beauty, charm and grace. And boy could she pose for a picture, eh? She always will be my very own personal style icon
Comments on "Belle, Vintage Photo Contest"
I don't think these ladies could have been style icons, they ARE style icons :)
How will you ever pick a winner?
All these women and men look wonderfully chic.
You almost have to wonder if the 20s and 30s were just more stylish.
You could start a second blog with all these wonderful vintage images. I am enjoying them tremendously.
Two most beautiful women! Thank you for sharing this with us. It speaks volumes about their ability to put together fabulous outfits, even though availability was not what it is now.....smiles.
These pictures are just beautiful.
So chic, sweet,classy and innocent, I find all these pictures so moving. In addition to the pictures, its the words of the authors, you can feel the love and I find it very moving, it salutes that part of the human spirt I like so much, a sweetness, a gentleness. This lovely lady exudes that. Class, beauty, elegance but above all a sweetness,thank you for sharing :) Dea
oh wow, these are just lovely and breathtaking. I just watched Nights Of Cabiria and Ostia is mentioned many times! I love the elegance and manners of those days.
Thank you for sharing.
This beautiful pictures are the proof that no matter the fashion moment, style is eternal...
I continue to be blown away by these retro photos :)
and just look at their tiny waists!
xx
These are so beautiful. It's always nice seeing fashionable women from the past. x
beautiful stories, and gorgeous photos.
looking forward to more from this contest.
thanks for sharing.
nice to read your grandma was from italy (a great mix with your beautiful mom)
Now I can undestand why you have this particular appeal!
It is a cliche but true: style is timeless.
can we vote too? I love nonna Rosina. very avantgarde, also the tan on the body. at those times in Italy, also wearing short sleeves like that was a rebellion. brava!
Phenomenal. I see where you get your amazing eye for beauty & fashion from!
Ooops, didn't see the contest part. Lovely shot anyway! (smacks forehead)
i've always loved looking at old photographs... all of these posts are so inspiring!
stacey kelly
http://youareashootingstar.blogspot.com/
Both of these ladies had great taste in shoes and the second one is a great poser. Her hair is gorgeous. I love the skirt length as well. I love seeing these old photos! Keep 'em coming. xo
www.FashionSnag.com
I appreciate the narratives accompanying the photos. The stories give an extra depth to the images, beyond the subjects' style.
It's hard to believe how old these photos are--the classic style and beauty of the women would turn heads even today.
I love the photograph of Valeria Perojo. Such elegance and poise!
Both are absolutely gorgeous, graceful and so-o tiny!
Both were so beautiful and classy, I really love your grandma outfit!!!
Hello!!!
I'm from Brasil and i reallt love this pictures and your love for this beautifull womans
Thank you!
Paula
great women.
such a style !
WOW! Both SOO beautiful. It's tear-inducing!
These vintage pics are simply wonderful!
www.abitoffashion.com
Such elegant pictures! These lovely contributions make me feel sad that I'm so far away from our family photo albums.
Oh,God,I think both are so beautiful and stylish,Amazing!
Thanks for sharing these, makes the whole Sartorialist thing much more real.
love the photos!
www.babelfair.myshopify.com
What beautiful women and stories!
Great women!!!
Zepequeña.
Incredible! They are seen as current ...
kisses
Your mother and grand-mother have both style, class and beauty. It's no wonder you turned into such a fashion icon... It's in the genes! I love turning to your blog for inspiration...
Both of them so simply beautiful and elegant!
Thank u for share with us so personal & wonderfull photos ! They are so beautifull. After my look at the photos I read about them & after they are much more than 'only' beautifull... Best regards.
Two beautiful, elegant women. I'm loving these old photos.
You are so right. Both of these beautiful women in your life were rocking their style! I love the photos. My mom was born on March 23, 1940 I think you would have loved her style as well.
She was really a very elegant woman, seemed to be also delicate. Congratulations on your charming mother.
Lilly Bastos, Brasil
Lovely, truly lovely. A very striking woman and photograph. Thank you for sharing.
that second photo gave me the chills!!!
i love this contest!
that is really really inspirational.
thanks for posting!
xxx from www.chestcinema.com
Beauty by any other name is still a beauty -- or Gertrude Stein said "A Rose is a Rose is a Rose is a Rose"
Timeless beauties,
Joanny
Wonderful! Thank you so much. It's very inspiring and moving at the same time to look at these pictures. So good to look back, as everyone's rushing forward and often seem to be missing something. Not only nostalgia this is. We've got a lot to learn from the past. And when it comes in such wonderful pictures, it's even nicer.
Henry
I am loving these pictures and the bits of history with them! What a great addition to The Sartorialist.
True-blue Cuban beauty. Love that she's holding a hanky with her purse - and her shoes are exquisite...
Eeverytime I try to shop for vintage clothes i bump into the size issue. People really were smaller back then. Just look at that lean, elegant waist!!!
WOW! you came from a beautiful family who knew style. Magnificent!
I love these vintage photos! How they have enriched an already rich photo archive in The Sartorialist. Please keep posting them for a long time.
I have some in our family albums that could compete, but clearly there is a wealth of images out there that deserve an audience!
thank you, merci, gracias!
During the 'vintage' days everyone had a certain panache that we now look for as on this blog. But even in poor places like Cuba you had even people dressing as best as they could. I rummage through my Dad's photos in Habana of the 50's and early 60's and you see him dressed in linen and his whites though he probably didn't have a peso to his name. My mom tells me that should would exchange things to get an extra large men's shirt linen shirt so she could make 2 kids shirts for my brother and me.
Tony
LOVing these vintage images and the stories behind them!! (genius!!)
How very, very lovely. Demure, relaxed, gracious and beautiful.
I am so loving these vintage style photos!! Keep them coming!!
I haven't ever commented your blog (though I've long enjoyed it), but this recent trend in vintage photos is so inspired and lovely I just have to thank you for this site! All your features are timeless and elegant and so full of personality-- treasures, really. Thank you.
What a beautiful woman Valeria Perojo Frias is! Such elegance and grace...
Stunning...
Ah that quiet sort of elegance that seems to have no place in today's world...both these photos exude much of such elegance
stunning.
I would kill for mama's bone structure. All beautiful ovals and warm curves.
your mother is stunning... just gorgeous.
Gorgeous, both of them. I'll bet they only had about 3 outfits between them...& look at them.
Gorgeous - the little white dress is perfect for a summers day in the mediterrenean. What a shame Ostia is no longer like this - there's parked cars everywhere near the beach.
i just knew your mother was of cuban origin when i saw her photo. beautiful! i am cuban myself!
These are gorgeous.
The second one iTs totally GORGEOUS (:
She is absolutely adorable! Oh, my. This photograph exemplifies my adoration of that period's style.
I am just without words...this is pure history and you have a very big piece of a beautiful pie. I think this is amazing.