"America in Color "

I've developed an obsession with all things American, i'm wanting to know anything and everything. I stumbled across this photographic collection "America in Color" - a series of images showcasing the effects of the depression upon America's rural and small town populations, upon project365

Backstage at the "girlie" show at the state fair. Rutland, Vermont, September 1941

 

Boy building a model airplane as girl watches. Robstown, Texas, January 1942

 

Bayou Bourbeau plantation, a Farm Security Administration cooperative. Vicinity of Natchitoches, Louisiana, August 1940

 

Women workers employed as wipers in the roundhouse having lunch in their rest room, Chicago and Northwest Railway Company. Clinton, Iowa, April 1943.

Children stage a patriotic demonstration. Southington, Connecticut, May 1942.

More pictures can be found here 

Trying to find THAT dress ...

... and our plans are going really well. It's weird how quick you just know what you want. We want our "do" to be simple. That's the key, that's who we are. I don't think we could do with everything all flashy and large and loud. That's just not us. We've picked our witnesses [even if they themselves don't know it yet], we're hoping for a little ceremony with just our witnesses and married by a judge and then onto our little vintage afternoon tea reception made up of numerous unmatching teacups and saucers, mini cakes and sweets, cake stands, traditional flowers  [very English ones] and a music list made up of Glenn Miller, Fred Astaire, Bing Cosby and Louis Armstrong to name but a few. 

The hardest task at first was thinking omg what kind of dress. I know some girls daydream for years about the dress they want, be it huge or tiny, meringue or a line. However, I have a bad relationship with dresses. 

THE dress was one of the thing i've started to really search for intently, being an hour glass shape it kind of adds to the issue - just seems like no dresses seem to fit this kind of style typically on the high street anyway. The tend to fit in one place and not in another. Me and shopping don't tend to go well on the average kind of of day, yet alone for a dress this important. The internet therefore is my saviour, and I will be risking it by buying a dress on the Internet - why because i'm willing to risk it, i'd get to try it on in my own time, in lighting that's natural [rather then fake lighting that makes you look fine in something at the time until you get home and your like "why the hell did I ever buy this?!"] also because of our budget. I really can't justify spending loads on a dress that probably isn't "me" and i'll only wear once. Plus loads of dresses you see in shops and magazines tend to be all the traditional kind, i'm not really one for traditional, i like breaking the rules at times. The net offers me all this at a fraction of the price.

So i'm opting for a 1950s halter-neck, mid length dress in white maybe even with a bit of fancy patterning or lace. Perfecto me thinks, jazz it up with some accessories and it'll be perfect!]. But i'm loving all 1950s inspired and original vintage dresses

I utterly love the last image, I love the idea that the dress doesn't have to be red to make it a wedding dress, and the shoes are just yum. I've also developed a thing for bunting! 

BUT .... I could just do with ideas for accessories [ie jewellery] do I do with the colour of the dress - so your going down the route of white beads/pearls or go with the colour theme [currently pale blue/purples/pinks]. I'm asking this mainly because i'm having a lot of issues trying to find pure white beads at the moment, everything seems to be off white/cream.

All ideas highly welcome!

My name is rayray, i'm nearly 24 and I still live at home

One of the things I wish I could change about my life right now is living at home. I was one of those birdies that fluttered away to university when they were 18. I moved from Yorkshire all the way up to Newcastle and absolutely loved it. It was my haven. After living and growing up in the countryside in a middle of nowhere, going nowhere town, Newcastle had everything. It had bars, it had people, it had noise, it had things going for it. It was my escape. I lived there for four years while doing my degree and my masters. I think one of the reasons for doing my last minute application to do an MA was just to get away from living at home.

After that though, I was leaving university in the middle of that R world - the old recession. Bugger. Apparently all was going to be okay though because I had a job lined up, but sods law and everything fell through and well, a year later i'm still at home.

Don't get me wrong I love hardly paying any rent, and yeah i'm a little spoilt. But it depends on what way you look at it. All my meals are still made for me - and it's food thats buggering up my stomach. My mam has the habit of overcooking and solving everything, I haven't seen a salad or a jacket potato really since leaving university. That's all I ever really use to eat, and its why I lost two stone. Now that weights coming back and every time I look in the mirror I hate myself a little more. I've tried over and over to say i'll make my own food, that she don't have to bother reheating tasteless food, but even under her watchful gaze she'll think I just don't want to eat.

I really can't win. I feel like I have to clock in and clock out every time I leave home. If my bus is five minutes late its like hell's broken loose. And yeah I know its "only because they care" but i'm nearly 24. To be honest i'm scared of my mam too. She has this habit of twisting things to always be against her, everything has to be personal. My dad just sits there and just don't won't the get on the wrong side.

This is the crisis of being an only kid. If only there had been another kid to distract them from me. You hear of people returning from university and STILL living at home when they are in their 30s because they can't find a way out or get a mortgage or whatever. That scares the living daylights out of me.

I know I could move out but with saving for holiday and getting married and moving to the states I need all the money I can get. And I probably sound utterly spoilt and sulking because I can't get my own way.I wish I could run away and jump on a plane to JJ in the States but the visa people wouldn't like that.

I would just like my freedom back. Or maybe i'm super ungrateful