Guest Post by Jaira J. Harrington

Jaira J. Harrington is a PhD student in Political Science at the University of Chicago. She is a West Side Chicago native and Spelman College alumna who is currently conducting dissertation field research in Brazil.

Iconic model Grace Jones

There’s something special and gratifying about taking a peek into the past to see the fashion of yesteryear. The thrill of seeing unusual fabrics and skillfully coordinated pieces under brushed sepia tones in a photograph from decades ago. If you look closely, you can see a fire in the eye of the subject. You are witness to confidence captured in a single moment that doesn’t fade even if the Polaroid has started to yellow. You look once more to see it clearly: fly never ages. Flyness is timeless. It’s an even better experience when you can see yourself through your ancestors represented in such images. Here are a few Tumblr websites that express just that: their emphasis is on people of color and their untold contributions to the fashion history of the United States.

Ebony Magazine Tumblr

Ebony is a monthly lifestyle magazine in publication since 1945. For many black families in the United States, Ebony and Jet were indispensable magazines that you’d find practically everywhere: in your own home, at the grocery store, at the hair salon…all over! When I wasn’t engrossed in Highlights children’s magazine, I remember leafing through Ebony magazine with my mom and admiring the positive images of black women, men and families. Ebony magazine has developed a tumblr website dedicated to these images which includes an array of covers and advertisements over the years. It’s refreshing to see the fashion evolution of black celebrities like Michael Jackson, Dorothy Dandrige, Aretha Franklin and Sister Sledge. Classic.

Vintage Black Glamour Tumblr

Vintage Black Glamour is another collection of similar, but broader style. This site displays magazine covers, celebrities and other fashionable people at notable historical moments. One cool aspect of this site is that some of these photographs appear to be from personal archives. Here you’ll see playful vacation images of Nat “King” Cole and wife Maria, and candid, on-set snapshots of Sammy Davis Jr. and Eartha Kitt. Gorgeous.

Of Another Fashion Tumblr

The last Tumblr of important note is “Of Another Fashion”. It is a website developed by University of California, Berkeley professor Minh-Ha T. Pham. Her wonderful and diverse collection of photos come from sources as large as the Library of Congress and university archives to the personal family collections of individual contributors. Here you won’t see many famous faces, but you will witness an online celebration of the rich diversity represented by these beautiful, fashionable American women of color. You can’t help but smile looking at these images.