1920’s East Africa– “AN ODE TO WOMEN IN SHORTS”
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When one thinks of the “roaring twenties” one thinks of flappers in short dresses covered in lots of long fringe. Certainly that was shocking, especially considering that just a few years earlier women had for generations worn floor or at least shoe length skirts. And while no flapper style clothes had made the advertisements in the Nairobi newspapers, there was a shocking new trend – shorts!
Shorts appear on the heroines in Florence Riddell’s romantic African fiction such as Kenya Mist and Out of the Mist, but those were published in 1924 and 1926, respectively. Just how much earlier did Nairobi women make an appearance in shorts?
As early as March 1921 If the following poem (submitted to the East African Standard) is any example. It is unclear if the author, Pat Beckett, is a male or female, but I’d wager male.
Headline and poem taken from The East African Standard, March 2, 1921)
***Read an interview of me on the Scene of the Crime blog and see who I'd pick to play in a movie of my life. http://www.kittlingbooks.com/2011/02/scene-of-crime-with-suzanne-arruda.html
By the way, The Crocodile’s Last Embrace received a starred review by Publishers’ Weekly who called it “rip-roaring.” Romantic Times gave it 4 Stars and called it “Enormously fun” and Library Journal’s starred review stated “Do not miss this one.”
SPEAKING OF NEWS!
*****Piatkus UK is offering Mark of the Lion, Stalking Ivory and The Serpent’s Daughter in the UK. Brand new covers! ********* http://www.piatkus.co.uk/Genre/Crime-and-Thriller
Next week: More Nairobi news:
NOTE: These blogs are meant to give some insight into the life and times of my fictional character, Jade del Cameron. Jade’s mystery adventures take place in post WWI Africa. To date they are: Mark of the Lion, Stalking Ivory, and The Serpent’s Daughter, and The Leopard’s Prey, Treasure of the Golden Cheetah and THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE. An excerpt and information on ordering signed copies is available at the website: www.suzannearruda.com. Follow short updates on http://twitter.com/SuzanneArruda and on facebook to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Arruda-Mystery-Writer/165784103431688?ref=ts
When one thinks of the “roaring twenties” one thinks of flappers in short dresses covered in lots of long fringe. Certainly that was shocking, especially considering that just a few years earlier women had for generations worn floor or at least shoe length skirts. And while no flapper style clothes had made the advertisements in the Nairobi newspapers, there was a shocking new trend – shorts!
Shorts appear on the heroines in Florence Riddell’s romantic African fiction such as Kenya Mist and Out of the Mist, but those were published in 1924 and 1926, respectively. Just how much earlier did Nairobi women make an appearance in shorts?
As early as March 1921 If the following poem (submitted to the East African Standard) is any example. It is unclear if the author, Pat Beckett, is a male or female, but I’d wager male.
Headline and poem taken from The East African Standard, March 2, 1921)
***Read an interview of me on the Scene of the Crime blog and see who I'd pick to play in a movie of my life. http://www.kittlingbooks.com/2011/02/scene-of-crime-with-suzanne-arruda.html
By the way, The Crocodile’s Last Embrace received a starred review by Publishers’ Weekly who called it “rip-roaring.” Romantic Times gave it 4 Stars and called it “Enormously fun” and Library Journal’s starred review stated “Do not miss this one.”
SPEAKING OF NEWS!
*****Piatkus UK is offering Mark of the Lion, Stalking Ivory and The Serpent’s Daughter in the UK. Brand new covers! ********* http://www.piatkus.co.uk/Genre/Crime-and-Thriller
Next week: More Nairobi news:
NOTE: These blogs are meant to give some insight into the life and times of my fictional character, Jade del Cameron. Jade’s mystery adventures take place in post WWI Africa. To date they are: Mark of the Lion, Stalking Ivory, and The Serpent’s Daughter, and The Leopard’s Prey, Treasure of the Golden Cheetah and THE CROCODILE’S LAST EMBRACE. An excerpt and information on ordering signed copies is available at the website: www.suzannearruda.com. Follow short updates on http://twitter.com/SuzanneArruda and on facebook to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Arruda-Mystery-Writer/165784103431688?ref=ts
Labels: Africa, Fashion, historical fashion, Jade del Cameron, Kenya, Nairobi, shorts, The East African Standard
posted by Suzanne Arruda | 8:06 AM
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