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New Jersey, April 1905. "The Boardwalk parade, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Wow, what a great Edwardian Era photo! I wonder if any of the Astors or Vanderbilts were here. I know its not New York, but some of their relatives would fit in with this group.
Also I see ONE black man, under the striped awning on the right side. He does not really seem part of the parade. Perhaps he works in the store.
It's amazing to me to think that all of these people have lived their lives already. It can make you feel very insignificant.
This is like Times Square on New Year's Eve, except with more hats and less beer.
In a sea of bowlers, a few wider-brimmed, lower-crowned hats are on display. Often when I see these turn-of-the-century street scenes, with bowlers dominating men's headgear (or boaters), I wonder what sort of social cues might have been embedded in a gentleman's hat noncompliance. Could it have implied a particular social attitude, position, profession? Or would it taken as a mere sartorial preference?
On the other hand, notice the guys in the top hats. If this, as a previous commenter suggested, was an annual semi-formal social outing, no doubt about the level of formality that implied -- bumping everything up a notch.
Tough to see, but I think he's the 71st person down and fifth in from the right.
Idiotic then, and idiotic now.
I wouldn't have believed these existed without a photo.
Still hats and nothing but, except for one man out front.
Meet you on the Boardwalk at noon. I'll be the one wearing a bowler hat.
Make a hole, coming through, pizza delivery here, make a hole --
Down in front -- somebody's spotted the camera!
Was Easter Sunday in 1905. Atlantic City claims to have one of the oldest Easter parades in America, dating back to 1876. It's fun seeing everyone in their finery. The "sniper" is the only one in the pic without a hat.
With the exception of a couple of people leaning out of windows above the crowd, I can't find a bare head anywhere.
I know there is probably one somewhere - but still - can you imagine this amount of fashion "compliance" today?
This would be the Easter Parade in AC. It was really a big deal back then to dress up and stroll some main thoroughfare on Easter. Fifth Avenue in NY, the Boardwalk in AC, and any town's Main Street.
Where you could be on the curb and not ever see the parade. Wow, what a mob scene.
I was intrigued by the advert for 'Elsie Janis, the worlds greatest imitator'. So I found this http://library.osu.edu/sites/exhibits/Janis/
Amazing lady, someone I hadn't heard of before. Great photo by the way!
Elsie Janis at Young's Pier, we can still hear her perform!
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