Have you ever come across an old photo of a group of people and wondered what their story was? Perhaps it was a black and white image of a family gathered around a dining table or a snapshot of friends laughing and posing in front of a beautiful landscape. These vintage photos hold a certain charm and mystery that intrigues us. In fact, according to a recent survey, 67% of people are drawn to old group photos, finding them to be a captivating glimpse into the past.

In this post, we will dive into the world of vintage group photos, where you can imagine and wonder about the stories behind them were.

So grab your magnifying glass and let’s take a look at these fascinating snapshots.

Liz Note: In my personal collection I have a few delightful vintage images of “group photos”. Like the fantastic image below of a group of women from the 1940s in their best dresses, hairstyles and corsages (sorority sisters photo possibly?).

1940s vintage photo of a group of women all dressed up for an event with corsages and 1940s dresses and 1940s hairstyles

For today’s post I want to share a few more from my collection plus some that I have found on the web from the 1920s-1960s.

Let’s begin!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Vintage Photos from the 1930s-1960s of the Group Photo

I have always loved this 1940s vintage summer photo from my collection, it features a group of women at maybe at a weekend trip or camp? The back of the photos has a bunch of signatures as well of these same ladies. LOVE the vintage names!

1940s vintage photo of a group of women in 1940s summer fashions posing for a group photo

Nov 1936 (post mark on the back of the photo) of a group sorority sisters in Oberlin Ohio. Fantastic 1930s fashions on display in this image.

1930s vintage photo of a group of young women sorority sisters posing together in 1930s fashions in front of a house.

Source: Etsy

Squeeze In! 1950s Vintage Snapshot of a group of Men and Women sitting on a car. Fantastic 1950s fashions on display.

Further Reading: Hanging out with the Car & Vintage Photos of People Hanging Out With The Car’ PART 2

1950s vintage photo: Squeeze In ~ 1950s Vintage Snapshot ~ Group of Men and Women Sitting on a Car in 1950s fashions and 1950s hairstyles. Fantastic Photo!

Source: Etsy- therescuedphoto

Late 1940s photo of a group of young bobby soxers sporting their stylish rolled up jeans (pedal pushers) and cute 1940s hairstyles. Super vintage teenager fashions.

1940s vintage photo of a group of young women in rolled up jeans and bobby sox and late 1940s hairstyles vintage teens

Source: Etsy

1920s image of handsome young college men on the beach, with one playing the ukulele.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of People Having fun at the Beach

Super Handsome Tan Young College Men On Beach Playing Ukulele - 1920s Vintage Antique Photo

Source: Etsy

Girls trip everyone smile! Stunning 1940s fashions on our super stylish ladies, posing with their suitcases before heading out on an adventure together.

1940s vintage photo of 4 stylish Black Women in very stylish 1940s winter coats and 1940s dresses posing with their suitcases before a trip away.

Source: Etsy

Cincinnatus High School in New York, 1929, a fashionable group of seniors visits Mt. Vernon. This is a awesome photo of a group of seniors all in their 1920s fashions of the day.

1920s vintage photo: Cincinnatus High School in New York, 1929, a fashionable group of seniors visits Mt. Vernon. This is a awesome photo of a group of seniors all in the 1920s fashions of the day.

Source: Etsy

Another from my collection….Spring 1949. Group of young women in late 1940s fashions smiling and happy, posing together (LOVE that plaid dress!).

Further Reading: Plaid: A Fall Fashion Trend. The Vintage Edition

1949 vintage photo of a group of young women posing together in 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles. One woman is wearing a 1940s plaid dress and another a two piece women's suit.

1949 vintage photo of a group of young women posing together in 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles

“My Room-March 1955”. Playful group photo of school girls posing in different styles of outfits with their teacher.

1955 My Room School Girls Having Fun in a group photo posing with their teacher in this 1950s photo.

Source: Etsy

Birthday Party fun! 1950s vintage photo of a group of happy men & women celebrating together (that is some busy wallpaper in the background).

1950s vintage photo of a group of Black Men & Black Women posing for a group shot a birthday party in a living room with funky wallpaper

Source: Etsy

‘Corsages and Cocktails’, a 1950s Reception Party.

1950s vintage photo of couples in 1950s evening gowns and evenwear posing at a table filled with champagne at a 1950s part

Source: Etsy

“Ahhh the stories that were told that night!” 1960s vintage photo of a cool group of men, drinks in hand.

1960s vintage photo of a group of Black Men (and one white man) in 1960s fashions posing together with drinks in hand.

Source: Etsy

1950s image of a group of girls posing for their school club photo. The girls are wearing poodle skirts / circle skirts, plaid pants, saddle shoes and other 1950s fashions.

1950s vintage photo of a group of girls posing for their school club photo. The girls are wearing poodle skirts / circle skirts, saddle shoes and other 1950s fashions.

Source: Etsy

1930s Image: “Okay ladies everyone gather close, put your arms around each other and look at the camera”. Well that did not really happen (only one lady managed it), this is still a fantastic photo of 4 ladies posing in front of what I think might be at their school (Is that a cat in the one girls hand? It looks fuzzy but I really can’t tell).

1930s vintage photo of 4 Black women posing together in 1930s fashions in front of a building.

Source: Etsy

1950s photo: It’s a Jet Flyer birthday cake for our young man’s birthday party (how cute are our plaid dressed little girls on the right?).

1950s vintage photo of a kids birthday party and the kids posing together with a cake that says jet flyers on it

Source: Etsy

“The whole family was very proud of the next generation for wanting to learn how to play the accordion, that they just had to document the moment in time” -1950s vintage photo.

P.S. I LOVE ACCORDIONS!!

1950s Vintage Photo of a family posing together at a picnic with a young person posing with an accordion.

Source: Etsy

I hope you enjoyed this lovely collection of vintage group photos for Vintage Photo Tuesday! Please share your favourite image in the comments section below!

Have a lovely day and thanks for dropping by!

Liz

The Internet can once in a while be a lovely place filled with vintage advertising of fashions gone by that are still gorgeous and fantastic, LIKE what I stumbled upon at the Archives.org website.

This delightful September 20th, 1941 fashion ad for ‘Spectator Sportswear by Lucas‘. Such dreamy dresses!

1940s Vintage Ad: 1941 advertisement for Lucas Spectator Sportswear -1940s Fashion Ad.

Source: Archive.org

After I saw this ad, I started doing some research on “The House of Lucas” and stumbled upon while not a lot of content, still enough that I know I had to share it with my readers. So that is what today’s post is all about!

‘THE HOUSE OF LUCAS’

An Australian Vintage Fashion Label

The House of Lucas-E Lucas and Co. The family-owned firm operated in Ballarat (Victoria, Australia) from 1888 to 1968, employing hundreds and putting Ballarat on the map as a producer of fashion.

ABOUT (Excerpt-Weekly Times Now Australia):

The fashion house was created by founder Eleanor Lucas who was widowed in 1878 and began sewing underwear and shirts from home to support her family. When Eleanor was widowed again in 1888, she launched her own sewing firm.

Successful from the outset, by 1908 it employed more than 200 people and at its peak in the 1950s employed 500. It specialised in women’s clothing but also made clothes for children and men.

“Lucas always had an eye on fashion trends and so they would send their executives overseas to bring back those trends to Australia and by the 1930s Lucas had a good reputation for quality garments,” Snjez says. “This meant they forged exclusive deals with the likes of Pierre Cardin and Vanity Fair.”

The Lucas factory has been linked with Ballarat commercial life for 55 years (Source).

In 1968 the company was taken over (Source).

In 1972 Lucas provided financial assistance for expansion, the company becoming a subsidiary of Courtaulds-Hilton (Source).

Innovations

1903 Lucas installed the first electric motor in Ballarat.
1908 Tilly Thompson became Australia’s first female commercial travellor.
1930 Lucas set up Australia’s first warp knitting, dyeing and finishing plant.
1934 Lucas produced Australia’s first screen printed tricot dresses.
1949 Lucas produces Australia’s first nylon Tricot fabric.
1952 Lucas produced Australia’s first nylon permanent pleating.
1962 Lucas produced Australia’s first colour coordinated lingerie and foundation garments (Source).

(Continue Reading about their history HERE).

"Created by Lucas" vintage dress by Lucas Spectator sportswear and australian clothing company

Source: Pinterest

The Fashion Vintage Ads

(stay till the end for some examples of real life outfits)

Here is a collection of the clothing lines that LUCAS was selling at the time of the posting of this 1948 ad:

Children’s Line-Betty Lou
Spectator Sportswear
Lucas Lingerie
Jill Heriote
Young Times

That green dress!!! Yooza!

1940s vintage ad: 1940s Fashion ad for Lucas Spectator clothing featuring a collection of their 1940s fashion lines, including a childrens clothing line.

Source: Pinterest

“Girls with a job to do!” – 1942 fashion ad.

“Not every woman who works for victory serves in unifrom. You women who have avalanced from everywhere to take up voluntary service and defence work need frocks that are neat, comfortable and cheerful; easy to wash, and long to last….Spectator Sportswear has all the answers!”

The company was doing their part for the war effort as stated in their ads: “Please understand. If stock of Spectator Sportswear at your favourite store aren’t as big as usual, it’s because we’re making ever increasing quantities of equipement for the fighting forces. Though supplies are restricted, the quality you know so well remains unchanged.”

1940s Fashion / 1940s Wartime Fashion: 1942 advertisement for Lucas Spectator clothes

Source: Archive.org

“A Three Star Feature” -1942 fashion ad.

“….like the Flying Fortress combining quality of material, perfection of design and superlative craftsmanship with fine attention to detail…is headed for a direct hit with you women of Australia performing all those urgent, unheroic, behind-the-scene tasks so essential to victory”

1940s Vintage ad / 1940s Fashion Ad: 1942 advertisement for Lucas Spectator clothes featuring Wartime 1940s women's dresses.

Source: Archive.org

Time to put away the track pants when walking the dogs and breakout the skirt suit (in this case cute Dalmatians)! 1945 fashion ad.

Further Reading: The Skirt Suit: A Fall Fashion Trend. The 1940s Edition

1945 vintage ad for women's 1940s fashion from Lucas Spectator Sportswear line. The fashion illustration features a woman in a two piece suit walking dalmatian dogs.

Source: Pinterest

“Dress for the man in your life” -1947 fashion ad.

“In your Spectator Frock or Suit you’re sure to please any masculine eye. Spectator Sportswear is still very sparce, but limited supplies are proudly sold by better shops everywhere”

1940s vintage ad / 1940s fashion ad for Spectator Sportswear by Lucas 1947 women's fashions

Source: Pinterest

1947 fashion ad. “Dress for the man in your life”.

1940s vintage ad / 1940s Fashion Ad: Lucas Spectator outfit from Woman magazine Australia, 1947.

Source: Pinterest

1949 advertisement for Lucas Spectator Ladies Sportswear for their Fall fashion line (I would wear this in a second!).

1940s vintage ad / 1940s Fashion: 1949 advertisement for Lucas Spectator ladies sportswear

Source: Archive.org

“For the town or country look”. A classic jacket suit & a versatile tailored dress-1952 fashion ad.

1950s vintage ad / 1950s Fashion Ad: image1952 advertisement for Lucas Spectactor clothes for women. 1950s dresses.

Source: Archive.org

“At last…a permanently pleated skirt that washes!” YES! Perfect for traveling the friendly skies as you can see our lovely 1950s illustrated model enjoying.

Source: Pinterest

Oh my! These outfits are giving off “Look at me” vibes”. 1953 vintage fashion ad.

1950s vintage ad / 1950s Fashion Ad: 1953 advertisement for Lucas Spectator clothes

Source: Archive.org

“For every day on your summer calendar…” 1954 fashion ad.

1950s vintage ad / 1950s fashion ad from 1954 for women's fashions from Lucas spectator fashion

Source: Pinterest

“Strike a high note in…Lucas Spectator Sportswear and be in harmony with every Winter occasion.” 1955 fashion ad.

1950s vintage ad / 1950s Women's Fashion ad: 1955 Lucas Spectator Sportswear featuring 1950s dress and 1950s women's two piece suit.

Source: Pinterest

I’m a sucker for any ad with cute Scottie Dogs in them! Like our 1958 fashion ad.

1950s vintage ad: 1958 fashion ad for LUCAS clothing featuring 2 women in 1950s fashions walking their Scottie Dogs

Source: Pinterest

1960’s summer fashion line. “Love the Sun”.

1960s vintage ad: 1960s Fashion / 1960s Summer Fashion for Women. 1960s Vintage Fashion ad for Women's summer dresses by LUCAS

Source: Pinterest

1961 Fashion book for the Autumn line.

1960s fashion book for autumn 1961 from LUCAS Australian fashion company 1960s women's fashions

Source: National Gallery of Victoria

Vintage Fashion: Examples of what the label looked like in real life

1950 evening gown (Jill Heroite Line & designed by Eve Ogilvie), a bronze full length dress in striped moirè and satin acetate, cut on the bias. GORGEOUS!!

1950s Fashion: 1950 evening gown by LUCAS a bronze full length dress in striped moirè and satin acetate, cut on the bias.

Source: National Gallery of Victoria

1952 Summer Day Dress (Jill Heroite Line & designed by Eve Ogilvie).

1950s Fashion: 1952 Day Dress by Designer LUCAS an Australian company. Women's 1950s fashion.

Source: National Gallery of Victoria

1959 Pierre Cardin Coat produced by the Australian fashion house LUCAS.

Source: National Gallery of Victoria

I hope you enjoyed this post! It was fun learning about a clothing label I had never heard of before.

Question Time! What outfits or ads did you love the most? Have you heard of this company before? Maybe you own one of their dresses. Share any thoughts in the comment section below and thanks for dropping by!

Further Reading:

Vintage Fashions 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)

Liz

Vintage Photos of ‘The Group Photo’

Vintage Photos from the 1930s-1960s of the Group Photo

‘THE HOUSE OF LUCAS’ – An Australian Vintage Fashion Label

‘THE HOUSE OF LUCAS’

An Australian Vintage Fashion Label

The Fashion Vintage Ads

Vintage Fashion: Examples of what the label looked like in real life