In the 1950s, the age of conformity, individual style was almost exclusively the domain of women’s wear. After WWII men returned from military service anxious to fit in, to be identified with the establishment. To understand how revolutionary this was, consider the historical context. Impacted by the Women’s Liberation and Gay Liberation movements, the other hot trend of 70s men’s fashion was a more gender-neutral expression. Turtlenecks, slim-fitting shirts and jackets, capes and tight-fitting flared pants all contributed to the silhouette. The new school designers glorified the tall, lean figure. Her most influential and memorable designs were for legendary singer Tom Jones.Īlong with the other designers featured in this collection, Gloria was part of the “new school” of fashion that began in the late 60s (as distinguished from the “old” classic fashion like Dior and Chanel). In the early 1970’s she was designing clothing for men including international celebrities Sean Connery, Sammy Davis Jr., Marcello Mastroianni, Marcel Marceau and Tiny Tim.
In 1965 she arrived in London, at the time a magnet attracting talent from around the world.ĭesign work in the UK, Europe and Japan built her reputation.
Gloria was a fashion designer, book illustrator and graphic artist. This collection of vintage 70's fashion photos was acquired from the estate of South African-born Gloria Gross.
The Gloria Gross Archive of 70's Men's Fashion Photos The New York Times notes: “More than a catalog, the tapes are the soundtrack to a critical juncture in gay history as the AIDS crisis emerged and a new generation of activists fought for their rights and survival.” Continue reading
Digitized, remastered and offered to stream for free on Mixcloud with permission from all of the living DJs they were able to contact. Recently found in a house on Pine Walk, there are over 200 cassette tapes of DJ sets from Fire Island Pines and New York City (1979-1999). Yes, she actually reads them so you don’t have to! But her reviews are not to be missed. Think of her blog posts as the Cliff Notes of gay pulps. If only Damon could silence the mean-spirited subconscious that keeps telling him he hates absolutely everything about the life he was barely living before he hopped into bed with a member of the queer undead. Take this example from her post on Vampire’s Kiss. But with style, a touch of cynicism, and a sly sense of humor, Maitland McDonagh reveals a surprising amount of depth in books generally prized only for their covers. Her prose outshines that of the gay pulp novels she reviews. (The Headless War Memorial in Langendreer is an interesting story in itself).Ĥ” x 3” gloss print on Agfa Brovira paper, Germany, dated 1957. Stamped: Drogerie Eduard Schultz, Langendreer Denkmal. More than friendship, their intimate pose suggests union: possession. Silly Hat nestles against his chest, rests a forearm on his leg, and grabs hold of two fingers. Black Hat (is it Peter or I?) drapes an arm around his underwear-clad mate.
Sidenote: Two Arrghs and a bag of doubloons to the creators of the hit HBO series “ Our Flag Means Death” for not just reading this book, but having the balls to incorporate Burg’s research into the show. In fact, it was pirate society that instituted “ matelotage” where same sex partners would contract their assets to each other - a 17th century equivalent of gay marriage. Most pirate officers had their “lads,” and the working crew had each other. Burg’s scholarly examination of homosexuality on the high seas.īurg’s careful research proves that the “Golden Age of Piracy” (1650 to 1730) was an oasis of male to male sex and loving relationships. The classic depiction of pirates: sword (or bottle of rum) in one hand, the other fondling a buxom wench, is a hetero-normative fantasy. Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition: English Sea Rovers in the Seventeenth-Century CaribbeanĪ must-read for anyone interested in academic gay history and/or pirates. All we know for sure is the date of the photo: June 1936. But his expression is coy, almost come-hither. A shaft of light? A tractor beam? Probably doesn’t matter to this young guy who surrenders with one hand and smokes with the other.