For my History of Fashion Lecture/Recitation, I was asked to choose family photographs which I find compelling and would like to work on throughout the semester to write my final paper. The images that I have selected are from my father’s side of the family, ranging from 1867-1989, which are my topic proposals for the final paper.
The first image that I choose is a photograph from the Primelles Gingele Archive. In the picture, on the right side, there is my grandmother Marianne, and on the middle left side, there is my grandfather, José, and my cousin Tinky. This photograph was taken around 1987 and 1989 near Washington DC. They are posing near a body of water and forest.
I find this image really interesting because both my grandparents are wearing jeans, and in a casual manner, not for work. This is so amusing since I never saw my grandmother with jeans, or with such an outfit in my entire life. Since I was born she usually wore dressing pants and blouses — more elegant clothes. Personally, I have never worn this type of outfit like the one my grandma is wearing in this photograph. I connect much more to her dress practice since the time I was born (1999). My design work has always been influenced by her elegance and timeless clothing, from the time I got to spend with her until last year.
The second photograph was taken in 1883, with the title “Opera Lucia de Lamermour que cantaron las Porros en el Nuevo Liceo de la Habana.” This is a photo of the family of my grandfather from my father’s side. The title in Spanish explains that seven women from the Porro’s family sang at the Nuevo Liceo in Habana, Cuba. My grandfather was born in Cuba and he had a big family there. On the image from left to right, is Elvira Porro Primelles with his sisters: Morbila and Luisa Porro Primelles, Angelina Porro de Mora, Leopolina Porro y Primelles, Juanita Porro Primelles y Emma Porro y Primelles. I am very drawn to this image because, their dress practice is completely different from the current fashion, they are wearing long puffy dresses with big sleeves, and corsets, all of them have tight curls. Even the way in which they were photographed is so different from today. Women during that time were expected to have that dress practice, but in comparison to mine, I have more options and freedom when it comes to choosing and wearing clothes. I am intrigued to discover more about their dress practice and what it meant to be a woman during that time period.
The third photograph was taken at my aunt’s wedding in 1989 in La Villita Church in San Antonio, Texas. My grandparents, from my father’s side, are in the middle of the photograph, and on the right to my grandpa, there is my uncle Luis. The other people in the photograph are unknown to me, but they were family friends because they were wedding invitees. The men in this photo are wearing very elegant suits. The garments my grandmother and the two other women on the image are wearing a similar style of dress, with a floral print, with different shades of pinks and blues. The sleeves are very puffy and round and the silhouette is not very tight to the figure. I am intrigued by this image because I want to know the zeitgeist in order to understand what influenced this style to become a trend during the 80s. In my design work, I rarely include patterns in my designs, but I have been very loose-fitting clothes that is why it is so intriguing for me because I feel more comfortable if I wear loose garments.
[Photogpraphs]
Primelles Gingele Family Archive
