Dominican vintage fashion

[evitarolu]

Sooo I've been trying to find anything online relating to caribbean/dominican fashion in the old times but I find nothing. At least nothing for women. I've found pictures of guys with the chachabanas/guayaberas and tropical hats but, again, nothing on women. Does anyone have any idea on what it was like?

Thanks!

 

[Lambada]

Try Museo de la Familia Dominicana del siglo XIX. There is an email address to which you can write
Secretaría de Estado de Cultura

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

I'm not sure what you are looking for. What time period, exactly? I have several photos of Dominican women all the way back to the 1880's.

Upperclass Dominican women dressed like upperclass European and American women. The wealthiest would probably have travelled to the United States and Europe and have purchased clothes there. The poor made most of there own clothes and were lucky if they had a pair of shoes. A poor women might have owned a single dress that she wore until it could no longer be repaired.

I have several photos of Dominican women in the 30's,40's,50's and 60's. I specialize in the Era of Trujillo. I have never been able to figure out how to post photos online, I'll try again if you think the photos would be helpful.

Wealthy Dominican women seemed to copy western trends when it came to fashion. I really don't know about any unique fashion trends that existed only in the Dominican Republic. I think the weather would be an important factor, but some of the dresses I've seen in photos look like they would have been quite uncomfortable in the tropical heat, nonetheless, they were worn.

If you are currently living in the DR, it should be rather easy to track down information on this.

 

[Lambada]

Also if you go to the Puerto Plata Travel Guide, the section on Historic Puerto Plata, there are examples of Victorian & Edwardian dress:
http://www.dr1.com/travel/puertoplata/playa_dorada_2006/55.html

first communion dresses
http://www.dr1.com/travel/puertoplata/playa_dorada_2006/56.html

http://www.dr1.com/travel/puertoplata/playa_dorada_2006/57.html

plus an email address & phone number on this page to contact the Puerto Plata Sociedad Renovacion
http://www.dr1.com/travel/puertoplata/playa_dorada_2006/58.html

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

Great photos!

The photos I have are similiar. Dominicans wore western style clothes. I think the difference might have been lighter weight materials, something like that. But not always.

Trujillo issued wool great coats to some of his soldiers. Later on, he had uniforms issued of gabardine and cotton. I have some fantastic Dominican army uniform photos from the 1930's and early 40's, let me see if I can post them. The Dominican army uniforms of the 1930's were some of the sharpest in Latin America.

Thanks Lambada.

One last thing. Like I said earlier, a poor woman would most likely own a single set of clothes. I have some photos of impoverished Dominican women, their clothes are of a very simple western cut.

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

I have interviewed women in the Dominican Republic that were part of the international jet set during the Era of Trujillo(and beyond his death). One woman showed me a business card given to her personally by Christian Dior. She used to attend the Paris runway shows and have dresses designed for her by many of France's greatest designers.

The Dominican elites have always copied western fashions. Many Domincans became trendsetters themselves(Montez). And today you have international women's fashion actually influenced by Dominicans like Oscar de la Renta. So it seems things have come full circle.

 

[evitarolu]

Gee guys, this is wonderful! thanks for the help. Ogre of the caribbean, I would love if you could send me the pictures. My email address is maria_conchita@hotmail.com. Thanks!

The reason why I'm doing this is because a love everything antique and vintage and I've always heard my mom and my grandma talking about all the dresses they used to have and how fashion was so much delicate and classy than now but they threw away all of the dresses and have no pictures of themselves.

Thanks so much!
Eva

 

[Mirador]

Here's a picture of the late 40s, which show typical men's garb of the time. My father is the one hiding the tommy gun...

Joel, do you have a vintage picture of your father?....

 

[Lambada]

I, too, would love to see Ogre's photos. Have you got them on a website somewhere, Ogre, to which you can post a link?

We have in our living room a poster coloured photograph of Edwardian Puerto Plata - shows people as well as Parque Central & surrounding buildings. It came from a company in US which does historic photos.

 

[Mirador]

The following picture was taken early 1940s, in front of the Puerta de San Diego (present day Atarazana), the port entrance to Santo Domingo. From right to left, my grandfather Eduardo (man with white hat and cane); in the center, my grandmother Ang?lica with my aunt Altagracia; and further left, my great uncle Ernesto with my aunt Francisca.

 

[Funnyyale26]

I love the fashion of the 1940's and 1950's. Women back then dressed like true ladies.

 

[M.A.R.]

I love the fashion of the 1940's and 1950's. Women back then dressed like true ladies.

no pants were worn by the ladies.

 

[Funnyyale26]

Mirador, you look a lot like your father.

 

[Funnyyale26]

no pants were worn by the ladies.

Well I am not talking about that...I was refering to the fact that many women now (especially Latin American women) dress really cheap and this is the image that is celebrated in our society . When I say cheap, I mean skimpy, cheap quality clothing, too much makeup, fake nails, etc. Katharine Hepburn wore pants and she was one of the most beautiful women in the world.

 

[Lambada]

Terrific pic Mirador. My mother got married in London in 1940 during the Blitz & her outfit was very similar to your Aunt Altagracia in that photo, which bears out what Ogre was saying about following western fashions (or the other way around ). Even though it was a church wedding with High Mass etc they didn't do 'white' during the Blitz much (a) because of rationing & b) because if you suddenly had to leg it down to an air raid shelter a full length white dress was a bit of a hazard................) But London 'Sunday best' for a young woman in 1940 was very similar to a Santo Domingo port welcome party dress of the same era.

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

I have all the photos in folders or books. Let me see if I can post them online.

-Joel Pacheco

 

[evitarolu]

Pleeease Joel, I'll owe you forever. Thanks!
Eva

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

Eva

I'll try to post them this weekend. If I fail to do it, I'll try to have someone post them for me.

 

[Lambada]

I'll keep checking back. Thank you.

 

[Ogre of the Caribbean]

Eva, check your hotmail account. I've sent you some photos. Let me know if you get them. I'm still learning how to use a flickr account.

I can send you more if you like.

Joel