Yesteryear

40 Elegant Studio Portraits of African-American Women in the Late 19th Century

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The late 19th century was a remarkable period for African-American studio portraiture. Despite facing significant social and economic challenges during the post-Reconstruction era, many African-American women sought to present themselves with dignity, pride, and elegance in front of the camera. These exquisite studio portraits showcase the grace, strength, and quiet determination of Black women during this transformative time.

Dressed in their finest Victorian and early Edwardian attire, with carefully styled hair and composed expressions, they asserted their humanity and beauty in images that remain incredibly powerful and moving today. These photographs serve not only as stunning visual records but also as important historical documents of resilience and self-representation.

Girl in Russian Kokoshnik, Late 19th Century

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The kokoshnik is a historic, crest-shaped traditional Russian headdress worn by women to accompany the sarafan (jumper dress). Originating as early as the 10th century in Veliky Novgorod, its name derives from the Old Slavic word kokosh, meaning a “hen” or “cockerel,” due to its resemblance to a bird’s crest.

Historically, the kokoshnik was strictly reserved for married women. Unmarried girls wore a similar but open-backed crown called a povyazka. In Orthodox Christian tradition, a married woman showing her hair in public was considered improper. The kokoshnik featured a back cloth that completely covered the hair. The specific shape, embroidery, and beads served as a visual biography, indicating the woman’s hometown region, wealth, and social status.

Outtakes of Kylie Minogue From Her 1990 “Rhythm of Love” Photoshoot

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Rhythm of Love is the third studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released in the United Kingdom on November 12, 1990 by Pete Waterman Limited (PWL) and in Australia on December 3, 1990 by Mushroom Records. Recording sessions took place in London and Los Angeles during early-to-mid 1990. Minogue started to become more involved in the writing and production of the album; she was credited as co-writer for the first time, while Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) were the primary producers along with new producers and collaborations, including Keith Cohen, Stephen Bray and Michael Jay.

The album’s artwork was photographed by Austrian photographer Markus Morianz; it shows Minogue wearing a white, bare-midriff blouse and raising her hands behind her head. Christian Guiltenane of Classic Pop said the seductive pose offers “a freer—and, it was implied— more sexually liberated” nature than her earlier image.

Writing for Idolator, Robbie Daw commented that the cover “[takes] a drastic turn for the sexy.” English artist Nick Egan, who previously art-directed sleeves for Duran Duran and INXS, handled the design for Rhythm of Love with designer Eric Roinestad.

The photograph session for Rhythm of Love took place within Los Angeles in October 1990; Minogue wore a small, cropped leotard with chains and a white, feather costume while standing in a desert. Minogue donated the bikini costume with boots worn in the photoshoot, which was designed by Azzedine Alaïa, to the Cultural Gifts Program of the Arts Centre Melbourne in 2004.

A month before the album’s UK release, photographs from the session were featured in a six-page spread for Smash Hits, in which Minogue said of her “dramatic” new image, “I’ve grown up. I’m more womanly!… I think the outrageous me has been kinda subdued for a long time and now it’s coming out!”

Rhythm of Love was not as commercially successful as Minogue’s previous albums, becoming her first studio album not to reach number one in the UK, reaching number nine on the UK Albums Chart. In Australia, it was Minogue’s third top 10 studio album, peaking at number 10, while also attaining top 20 positions in Ireland, France, and Spain.

Carrington Hotel, Katoomba: Beautiful Vintage Kodachrome Slides From 1970

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The Carrington Hotel in Katoomba is one of the most iconic and historic landmarks in Australia’s Blue Mountains. Originally opened in 1883 as the Great Western Hotel, it was later renamed The Carrington in honor of Lord Carrington, the Governor of New South Wales. This grand Victorian-era hotel quickly became the premier social destination for wealthy Sydney residents and international visitors seeking the cool mountain air.

With its elegant architecture, sweeping verandas, ornate interiors, and luxurious ballrooms, the Carrington remains a symbol of Edwardian grandeur and old-world charm. Even today, the hotel stands as a living piece of history, offering visitors a nostalgic glimpse into the golden age of Blue Mountains tourism.

Taken in 1970, these beautiful Kodachrome slides offer a beautiful, nostalgic window into one of Australia’s most historic and atmospheric mountain hotels during the final years of its classic era.

Guests enjoying the pool and front lawn, Carrington Hotel, Katoomba, April 1970

View from the balcony showing the pool and Katoomba Street. Also visible: Penfolds Wine Bar, Aroney’s Cafe, Mercantile Mutual Insurance Co., ANZ Bank and St Hilda’s church, Carrington Hotel, Katoomba, April 1970

Hotel entry foyer with guests. The bronze statue was traditionally thought to be the Greek philosopher Diogenes with his lamp, looking for an honest man, Carrington Hotel, Katoomba, April 1970

Hotel forecourt with pool and lawn facing Katoomba Street, Carrington Hotel, Katoomba, April 1970

Twin room with bar, Carrington Hotel, Katoomba, April 1970

Stunning Portraits of Carroll Baker as Jean Harlow on the Set of “Harlow” (1965)

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Carroll Baker’s portrayal of Jean Harlow in the 1965 biopic Harlow was a heavily publicized but critically flawed performance that leaned more toward 1960s sex-symbol glamour than historical accuracy. While Baker brought her established screen presence and stunning physical beauty to the role, the film itself was widely panned for its sensationalized script and biographical inaccuracies.

The path to casting Baker was fraught with standard Hollywood melodrama. Originally, 20th Century Fox had planned a lavish biopic starring Marilyn Monroe, but following Monroe’s death, the rights shifted. Producer Joseph E. Levine purchased the rights to Irving Shulman’s highly controversial, sensationalized book Harlow: An Intimate Biography for $100,000.

Baker, who had just come off a successful collaboration with Levine playing a heavily Harlow-inspired character named “Rina Marlowe” in The Carpetbaggers (1964), was the natural choice. However, a bitter contractual battle ensued when Baker almost signed with a competing Columbia Pictures Harlow project. To settle the feud and secure her for the Paramount version, Levine famously presented Baker with a spectacular platinum and diamond necklace as a peace offering.

Adding to the chaos, a low-budget rival film also titled Harlow (starring Carol Lynley) was rushed into theaters via an early videotape-to-film process just weeks before Paramount’s version premiered, resulting in a box-office clash that damaged both films commercially.

While the film’s narrative leaned heavily into melodramatic fiction, the visual production values were highly praised, anchored by the legendary costume designer Edith Head. Head faced the daunting task of capturing Harlow’s iconic 1930s silhouettes while catering to 1965 cinematic tastes and a widescreen color presentation. Rather than doing direct, historical duplications, Head reinterpreted Harlow’s signature “liquid lingerie” style.

A prime example of Head’s work in the film is the signature premiere gown. It is a bias-cut, floor-length evening dress constructed of ivory satin and entirely encrusted with white bugle beads to catch the studio lights. Head paired it with multi-tailed white fox fur stoles. In an expert nod to film history, Head deliberately reversed a technique from Jean Harlow’s classic 1933 film Dinner at Eight. In that original movie, Harlow wore a famous satin bias-cut gown and a beaded bed jacket. For Baker, Head chose to bead the evening gown itself and construct the bed jacket from pure satin.

Carroll Baker approached the role with a striking platinum coif and a performance that balanced vulnerability with the brassy, tough-talking demeanor Harlow was famous for. The film tracked her rapid ascent under the gaze of a Howard Hughes-like mogul (played by Leslie Nielsen), her guidance by agent Arthur Landau (Red Buttons, who earned a Golden Globe nomination), and her tragic, ill-fated marriage to producer Paul Bern (Peter Lawford).

Though the film did not achieve the box-office heights Paramount hoped for and was criticized for its historical inaccuracies, it remains a beloved artifact of 1965 cinema. It successfully launched the classic jazz standard song “Girl Talk” by Neal Hefti and continues to be studied by costume historians as a masterclass in how one Hollywood era retroactively styled another.

Los Angeles Urban Oil Fields

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In the 1890s, the small Californian town of Los Angeles began a transformation driven by the discovery and drilling of some of the most productive oil fields in history. By 1930, California was producing nearly 25% of the world’s oil output, and its population had grown to 1.2 million. In the decades that followed, many wells […]

Menace Unseen

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1 9 8 8 (UK) 3 x 60 minute episodes “The more you know about people, the more you can control them”. Computer expert Robert Shriving (Andrew Ray) is killed when his computer explodes and disintegrates. His death is quickly dismissed as a tragic accident. His business partner, Duncan Free (Ian Ogilvy sporting Mickey Rourke designer […]

Diane Cilento: The Bold and Beautiful Australian Star

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Diane Cilento (1933–2011) was a talented Australian actress known for her striking beauty, intelligence, and strong screen presence. Rising to prominence in the 1950s and ’60s, she earned critical acclaim for her performances in both film and theater.

Cilento is perhaps best remembered for her unforgettable role as the seductive and mysterious Willow in the cult classic horror film The Wicker Man (1973). She also delivered notable performances in movies such as The Naked Edge (1961) and Hombre (1967). Married to Sean Connery from 1962 to 1973, she brought a bold, independent spirit to her roles at a time when many actresses were typecast.

Beyond acting, Cilento was also a writer and later devoted herself to her artistic and spiritual pursuits in Queensland, Australia. These striking vintage photos capture the magnetic beauty, intelligence, and fearless spirit of Diane Cilento, one of the most captivating and independent actresses of her generation.

The Narrow Door at the Alcobaça Monastery in Portugal

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The famously narrow door at the Alcobaça Monastery (Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça) in Portugal is one of the most curious architectural features of the medieval world. Locally known as the Porta Pega-Gordos (literally the “Fat-Catcher Door” or “Anti-Gluttony Door’), it stands as a stark, physical reminder of medieval monastic discipline.

The Monastery of Alcobaça, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was founded in 1153 by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques (Afonso I), and given to the Cistercian Order. It is one of the largest and most important medieval Cistercian monasteries in Europe, known for its Gothic architecture, austere design reflecting Cistercian values of simplicity, manual labor, and discipline, and its historical ties to the Portuguese monarchy.

The refectory (dining hall) is a large Gothic room with rib vaulting where monks ate in silence while one read aloud from the Bible (from a notable embedded pulpit). Adjacent to it was the kitchen.

According to the widespread story, the door between the kitchen and refectory was deliberately built very narrow (often cited as ~32 cm / ~12.5 inches wide and quite tall). Monks had to pass through it to fetch their own meals. If a monk had become too overweight to fit (due to gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins), he was forced to fast until he could squeeze through again. This enforced discipline, humility, and adherence to vows of poverty and temperance in an era when monasteries could have abundant food from their lands.

This is largely a modern myth or folk legend, not supported by strong historical evidence. The doorway is approximately 50 cm (about 1.6 feet) wide, narrow but wide enough for most people to pass comfortably, and certainly not a strict “squeeze test.”

It was most likely a serving hatch (an early version of a pass-through window) for handing plates, dishes, and food from the kitchen to the refectory. The official monastery visitor guide refers to it as the “dish-carrier” door used for passing food.

A true anti-gluttony door would be highly inconvenient for daily operations. There is a wider regular door nearby. Cistercian monks followed a generally modest diet, and constructing a special architectural feature just for rare cases of overeating makes little sense. No contemporary medieval records confirm the gluttony-enforcement use.

The story appears to have gained traction in recent decades, possibly popularized by tour guides for entertainment. The monastery itself acknowledges the legend but clarifies the practical serving purpose.

It’s a memorable, humorous anecdote that embodies stereotypes about medieval monks and the strictness of monastic life. Similar “anti-gluttony” stories exist for other sites, but evidence is thin across the board. The door remains a fun photo spot for visitors today.

Façade of the Monastery of Alcobaça. The portal and rose window of the church are original Gothic (early 13th century), while the towers are Baroque (18th century).

The Golden Age of Curtains: 35 Vintage Photos From the 1950s and ’60s

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The 1950s and ’60s are often regarded as the Golden Age of Curtains, a period when window treatments became a central element of interior design. During this era, curtains evolved from mere functional coverings into bold decorative statements, featuring luxurious fabrics, rich textures, elegant drapery, and eye-catching patterns ranging from atomic prints and florals to bold geometrics.

These vintage photos beautifully capture the artistry and attention to detail that homeowners and interior designers devoted to curtains: from floor-length drapes with elaborate valances to sheer cafe curtains and sophisticated pinch-pleat styles. More than just decoration, they reflected the optimism, prosperity, and refined domestic taste of mid-century America and Europe.