I'm going to be really embarrassed if someone leaves a comment identifying this lady as their mother, but I'm sorry, I think this is a picture of a man. That jaw line, those bushy eyebrows. And the hair...well, it looks like it might be a wig to me.
I spent decades working in photo labs. I printed many an amateur pin-up, naked wives and girlfriends, the occasional naked man, and yes, pictures of people having sex. But by far and away, the most common "private" subject, was men dressed as woman. Many were fairly obvious; some were so good, I only knew because I was told. And, obviously, there were probably some that I didn't know about at all.
There are still plenty of conventional photo labs around, as well as a growing number of labs that specialize in digital photography. Fair warning! Photo lab workers collect favorite pictures. Ladies, if you went to a lab to have that special photo printed up for your boyfriend, more than likely it was taped up on a dark room wall. I knew one guy who had albums full of pictures of nude and scantily clad women. And yes, there are collections of guys in dresses that will, one day, end up on EBay.
They are a bit startling when you find them. I have one that I'm convinced is a fellow in a dress, early last century. Having the name "Lou" on the back doesn't convince me otherwise. I know it could be Louise, but then why not write Louise? The photo really makes me wonder about what Lou's life was like.
ReplyDeleteIt almost looks like a silk muff with her/his hands inside. The hairline above the forehead also is suspect.
ReplyDeleteInteresting picture!
Not sure. But it's a wig.
ReplyDeleteOne could ask the people of the Hair Hall of Fame (here).