Yellow prom dress, 1969
By: usermattw
Tags: African American, antiques, photography, Polaroid, vintage photography
Category: Women
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I’ve mentioned before how happy it makes me to go through an unsorted bin of photos for sale and find photos that belong together. It’s even more exciting when I find those photos months apart. I believe this photo somehow belongs with the one I previously posted here. Both are Polaroids date-stamped May 16, 1969. Each has names written on the back with a black pen, and other information written in another hand in blue pen. The handwriting and pens seem to match between the two photos. This one says “Libby” in black ink and “on the way to the prom” in blue ink. Libby isn’t in the other photo, so I’m wondering what the connection is here. Shall we at least assume it’s the same prom? It almost looks like she’s purposefully posing with the images of the women on the wall behind her, like she’s honoring their memory or something, though I suspect that may have simply been the best place for her to stand to get an unobstructed view of her full gown. Prom can be an awkward collision of excitement and teenage awkwardness, so I hope that she at least felt as pretty as she looked.
Pics of Then 
Her dress is pretty. I’m surprised to see a dress that long in 1969.
Good point. Maybe she was going for classic glamour, rather than something more trendy. Or maybe there was a dress code.
Perhaps she’s the photographer for the other photo!
Good thought! Or maybe somebody’s parent was the chaperone/photographer for the whole group.