When I first saw this photo of my Grandmother and Grandfather years ago, I was struck by how glamourous and fashionable they looked - whilst pushing the pram down the street! And Grandpa with his hands on the handles - how modern! I thought somewhat enviously that if someone had of taken a photo of me out for a walk with the baby I would have been looking a lot more bedraggled and frumpy. People did dress more formally and carefully in that era.
They usually had less clothes but they were often of a higher quality, and they had a more tailored style in the 30’s and 40’s. The average person may have had just a couple of ‘good’ outfits and an amazing coat, and then their everyday clothes. It was years later that I learned that there was such a thing as ‘street photographers’ back then that you could organise to get a photo of you walking "‘casually by’. It was actually quite a planned and formal set up and not spontaneous.
It was only when I was looking through my husbands Grandma’s photos and saw a very similar set up, that I wondered how everybody could have possibly looked so relaxed, cheery, well dressed and dammed stylish when they were out walking! After consulting my Mum (who incidentally, takes Grandma’s chicness and raises it by 100) I learned the truth! It’s interesting that street photographers these days strive for the opposite thing - totally unprompted, casual and ‘real’. Having said that, it wasn’t all photographer, Grandma did have a natural elegance and took considerable care with her outfits. I think I would have too if there were photographers hanging about waiting to get that shot!