The Shot, Vintage Photo Contest
May I introduce you to my Texas Grandma, Charlene Beck, I liken her in my mind to a cross between Rosie the Riveter and Bonnie Parker. This image of her was taken in the 1950's on a road trip from Texas to Tennessee by my Papa, Henry Beck, whom you can see in the reflection of the mirror. What is so inspirational about this image goes beyond the fabulous sense of style my grandmother had (and has still very much to this day). I mean, how cute does she look in her cuffed pants and rolled up sleeves with the scarf sweeping her shoulder?! If you look deeper you'll realize she is a woman in the 50's wearing men's jeans, something women did not do in small town USA back then. She was a style trailblazer, not letting the fact she is a woman stop her from wearing what she wants, when she wants. The outfit in present day is not shocking but I think we can still appreciate her sense of style and take inspiration in that freedom she so boldly stood for back then with what we choose to wear today. Just a side note on this photograph — if you ask my Grandma about it she likes to point out the fact that she's at least drinking milk so no one gets the impression she's as bad as she looks... I think anyone can see why she is my hero.
I found this image packed away in my grandfather's army trunk along with old valentines, pictures of Europe, his family on the farm and mementos from his life after he passed away in the 90's.
ps keep the photos comong. Almost 800 enteries now.
All weekend I will be posting more images from the contest.
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post a commentWhat an inspirational woman!
x
This image is beautiful. If I had a grandmother like your´s, she would be my hero to :)
Is that a gun? :)
Tough girl.
http://iamako.blogspot.com/
beautiful! I love old photos!
visit/follow: http://wheresthegoodgonegirl.blogspot.com
wow. bad. ass.
I have never commented on a post before, but after seeing this photograph I felt utterly compelled to! This is so infinitely chic and beautiful, truly stylish. A glorious shot. I do hope you win, because in your Grandma I think I may have just found my new style icon.
That is so bad-ass cool. I'm entering my Grandad. :) I'll email tomorrow. (To add to the 800!) If this is anything to go by, I love this contest!
I honestly don't think it will get any better.
The woman who wrote this - and the grandmother are amazing. She explains it so wel...
It is all in the attitude. This is something you have. Not something you can learn.
This should be one of the winners.
Too bad the cigarette was not lit. The smoke would have been extra cool.
That's an awesome photo, your grandma looks very cool!!
amazing, made my day x
That is FANTASTIC!
fabulous and just fantastic! what a woman! you are so lucky, having such a heritage! We know now! looking forward for another images of your brave and stylish ancestors.
DAZZLING....COULD BE FROM ANY FASIHION SHOOT TODAY.....THE PROPS..OVER THE TOP..ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW NONE OF IT WAS INTENTIONAL....BUT THE 'STARTLED' LOOK CARNIVAL CAT LOOKING OVER HER FABULOUSNESS' SHOULDER...WELL THAT'S JUST "THE CAT'S MEOOOOOOWWW!
I LOVE HOW THE GRAND DAUGTER IN HER LOVELY CAPTION DOES NOT EVEN MENTION THE OBVIOUS...THE GUN..POINTED AT PAPA.
DEAR SCOTT AND GARANCE, ONCE AGAIN, YOU'VE DONE IT...I FEEL A WHOLE NEW GENRE/FAB BIZ DEVELOPING FOR YOU OUT OF THIS BRILLIANT/HEARTFELT IDEA!
LOOK FOR US TOO...ANITA AND ANNABELLA CIRCA 1954...MY SISTER AND I HAVE HAD SUCH FUN ACROSS THE MILES PUTTING OUR ENTRY TOGETHER AND GABBING ABOUT THESE AMAZING FIRST 2 ENTRIES AND THEIR STORIES. OUR DAD, H'ART, 84 WHO TOOK OUR ENTRY PHOTO W/ HIS BROWNIE IS GRAVELY ILL NOW, AND THIS CONTEST IS ONE OF THE FEW 'HAPPY' THINGS GOING ON FOR US NOW. BLESS YOU AND GARANCE AND ALL ENTRANTS, FOR THESE WONDERFUL TENDER MERCIES!! ANNABELLA AND ANITA
Congratulations, your Grandmother is the coolest Grandma I have ever seen. I always thought mine was, but you win! What a character and how stunning. I love this image, it is amazing!
Que abuela mas moderna!!!
Me encanta, se la ve fuerte y decidida.
un saludo
Um. While I love the photograph and the idea behind it, I have to tell you that those ARE NOT men's jeans. Jeans were wore by women from the war onward, as EXTREME casual wear for around the home or for outdoor wear. The zipper for women's jeans was located in the pocket on the hip, while for men is has always been in the front...for obvious functionality purposes. The jeans she is wearing have a straight seam up the front, no fly, no zipper = women's jeans.
Totally badass
I have never commented before either, but the photo of this amazing woman should win the contest. so sexy and tough and amazing. wearing jeans? with a gun, a cigerette and a glass of milk? what could be more amazing?
This is my first comment on a photograph as well... Fabulous photo... Fabulous idea for a context. Thanks!
seriously badace!
...I think the quarter full cup of milk is
one of the best parts.
xx
She definitely looks like a woman to be reckoned with! Great photo.
I think I will never be as awesome as this photo is.
Great photo! She is so pretty. I love how she pointed out the milk glass to prove she isn't as bad as she looks. She has great style! xo
www.FashionSnag.com
This post is beautiful.
She's looks mad boss
She's awesome. What an ancestor!
No wonder you are so cool.....smiles.
WOW!! So free & idependent, and very refreshing!
i love this competition idea - hope to enter too!!
Hey what about a book with all the cool vintage images, i adore vintage pictures!!!
This should win...what a beautiful picture! Such a dynamic to it, it really captures the imagination!
What a beautiful, expressive photo. I can just imagine the countless stories that can be told with it.
This image is amazing!!!!!
i love this.
and what about the gun??? I want to hear it...
wow!… good genes
The idea of milk and a cigarette is a little gross and a little awesome
absolutely epic post and woman.
what an amazing photo of an incredible woman! i love her style and how it reflects her attitude. but i'm not sure if i should be heartened or saddened that such images of strong women seem to be universally lauded while your earlier post of strong men wearing skirts drew a significant amount of knee-jerk disgust. seems that men could benefit from some liberation themselves.
I love this picture....truly a classy woman!
so beautiful!
you should check out the webstite
myparentswereawesome.com
Like a scene out of Breathless by Godard.
Amazing! What style an incredible style.
she look so beautiful and it's a fantastic picture!! i always love black&white photo from my parents or grandparents that r great inspiration sample!
that is amazing- I love the viscera of cigarettes and milk.
Super cool. This is perfection. Evokes a whole story with an amazing character.... My favorite part i think is the strong hand and wrist holding the gun. Um, why does she have a gun? The scarf, the down-turned pout... with lipstick. What kind of belt is that? Look at that china dog! And the clock! And the legs, akimbo... that's why she's wearing jeans... so she can sit like this. She is super strong, i love her.
She definitely had Attitude. I thought it was a current well art directed well posed retro shot. She'd fit right in today and put lots of people to shame.
Isn't it ironic that whilst admiring her gutsy expression of feminine power and liberty, which she makes through her choice of clothes and pose, you continuously picture women in cripplingly high heels and miniskirts?
well, what the hell is she pointing a gun at your grandfather for?
anyway. her style is pretty fantastic.
Oh my god! This one is just brilliant!
dude... your grandmother is hot.
amazing!! this could be a Tarantino image! congrats. You inspired me to take a look at my grandma´s pics!
What a fantastic photo, I love it!
awsome blog
fantastic shots
we've just started a blog
check us out and tell us what you think
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be cheerful :)
The cat statue is quite amazed at Charlene also.
I wonder if she remembers the moment this photo was taken...
http://aswimminghorse.blogspot.com
This image is incredible. I like her and respect her free spirits.
This woman is adorable! I love her! It's great why she did in those times!
fabulous photo and an amazing woman! i would have loved to have a grandma like her. inspirational.
Well, that's great. Perfect vintage photo style.
I like the style too. seems it would really worth for. ;-)
wow!!
I'm so curious to see her now!
She looks very tough and beautiful.This shor really reminds my of Bonnie and Cylde.A Roadtrip and a gun.
wow Charlene.. loving the set and I love that she's had her milk. this woman knows what she is doing and look so beautiful at doing it. congratulations.
She is incredible. Thank you for sharing these entries with us.
wow. she totally looks like she's living in a movie.
bonnie and clyde is also what comes to mind for me.
I love this one! that's something in her that reminds me of Audrey Hepburn, maybe it's something about natural grace
What a classic!
She's fantastic!! Femininity, sass, moxie, strength, subtlety... all in one photo.
i absolutely love this!!!
What a great picture, and what a neat lady...an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing! :-)
wow! amazing.
Wow, just wow. What a photo! This could be some fashion editorial. Modern day fashion editorial. Wow!
thank you for these pictures, finally I get some inspiration from real people.
The gun is a huge turn-off for me, it dominates from what is otherwise a stylish photo and hip gal. But guns (especially when used as props to signify "cool") just turn my stomach.
honestly don't think she's pointing the gun at him,look at the relative size-distance cue in the reflection, and the angle of the barrel and the top of the mirror... no one who has much sense would do that even unloaded. Of course, she could say for sure.
This is weird, but I knew a blind girl in Tucson who had severe brain damage who looked so much like her... she was tough as nails, too. Same attitude. thanks for sharing this.
I think this is my favorite so far. She is gorgeous, and I just love the feel of the photo.
Amazing photo... I just hope no one got hurt.
There´s nothing like vintage, wish I could have born 50 years before!:)
I have looked over the other photos and found them all interesting. However, this one takes the prize. She is beautiful, untouchable, and has the "Don't mess with Texas" attitude down. Every time I look at the photograph something new jumps out at me. Great time capsule into the 1950's.
I love the strength of this woman, you can feel it right through the photo!!
Hi, this is Jamie- the proud Granddaughter of the woman in this photograph-
I can't tell you how thrilled this makes me to see this image on your site and read through all the comments! I tell you, my family in Texas is hootin & hollerin about this! I called my Grandma last night after I emailed her the link to her photo on your site (yes my Grandma emails!) and got a little more information on the image. She remembers the photo being taken and her sister-in-law had one made identically which doesn't exist anymore. She says they were just "poor old kids" that took a road trip to Nashville and went to the Grand Ole Opry which back then cost 50 cents a person and all she remembers was "some old drunk threw up on my shoe." The heater in their car didn't work and it was snowing but my Grandma declared with a sigh, "Those were the days, when I was young.... then somehow I got old." She says she was about 19 in this photograph and married to my Papa who was home on military leave, which explains where the gun came from. I asked her if there was anything else she remembered about that night and she said yes, she wishes she would have had on her fringe jacket.
hands down. the best.
Someone mentioned Audrey Hepburn as a comparison to this tough and graceful lady - I agree, what natural beauty!
Luv the picture of Charlene, I'm prejudice I was her neighbor for a few years us old gals just e-mail and talk occasionnaly and She is a wonderful woman the matriarch of the family, this photo should definately win. Good for you Jamie, Margaret G.
Amazing style and photo.
This is an amazing image. What a beautiful and bad-ass grandma!
Loving this picture and all the contrasts - attitude and grace, softness and a cigarette, mens jeans on a woman - that represent what fashion and style are all about. Well done.
Wow, wow, I mean seriously WOW.
Most amazing shot up so far! Love it!
Love this shot!
What a wonderful memory to capture. Great photo!
This is fantastic...LOVE it!
this is hands down the best picture !!! i cant get over the milk glass!! just brilliant!!!
http://donotshoeme.blogspot.com/
Brings back memories of Bonnie and Clyde hidden out in a motel room, getting ready to rob another bank!
Jamie you know I adore this photo of your grandma!!!! What a great story too!!!!!!!!!
Love love love this! The perfect embodiment of a stylish 'broad'. Love the cuffed jeans! It's too funny to see that back in style right now!
So far this is my absolute favorite. The way she's sitting, the gun, the cigarette, the pants, everything! I love that the granddaughter pointed out the class of milk. It's such a small detail, and I can just picture her saying, "I wasn't that tough... see, I was drinking a glass of milk!" Despite the milk, this woman is clearly a force to be reckoned with.
What a great contest!
Pure Americana. Totally cool & I never say that!
I guess hotties become grandmas, too! This really makes you think about previous generations and how they had just as good a time as the rest of us. We tend to see history alternately through old fashioned and newfangled lenses, but young people in any era are still young people.
Hands Down Best Shot, I Love it what a great to the past.
love this one! great contest!
Wow! What an amazing piece of family history to hold and a stunning photo! Love the well articulated words too.
Nice post
haha! I love the milk comment! she sounds like an amazing character, beautiful.
This photo is hands-down fantastic. I think it deserves to win because of the attitude, the style, and the well-preserved moment. I'd love to have a print of this.
This photo makes feel Poweful and feminie at the same time that's so Freakin awesome <3
At first glance, I thought this was Barbara Stanwyck. I'll bet she got that a lot.
wallet, cigarettes, and a tall glass of milk!
She is amazing. I love her. Best photo ever.
Yes, I think the Becks should win! This one is a super lady and I love and care about her and all those connected to her! Awesome picture!
Wow, this picture is amazing in so many ways. It could easily be a staged modern fashion mag shot. I REALLY wish I had a picture of my grandmother like this!!! I'm off to look at the other vintage pics! xo