I'm with you there, actually. People who tan exchange a "healthy glow" for premature aging. I've never been one to lay out -- was always the ghostly one in college photos -- but my skin is in good shape, and I don't really look my age. In fact, when I was helping out with initiation a couple of months ago, one of the NMs asked me if I was an active at another school. Considering that I was in college when these girls were born, I was *very* flattered!

The make-up is a very, very good point!

Way back when, they had to use very long exposure times...so smiles were hard to hold! That's why so often it seems that people are scowling or look sad/stoic/forlorn in photos-- they had to hold their faces very still or the photos would come out blurry. We all know those cheek cramps from holding smiles too long!

I'm also trying to scan post some of my mom's photos from the 70's that I dug up today, hopefully I'll figure it out soon.

So my mom doesn't know I dug these up, but they are awesome, definitely retro, and pretty funny, all from University of Florida:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...dom/pammom.jpg

That's my mom and her best friend! It's not the best photo because they look a little silly squinting in the sun. Zeta and AOII were both houses they preffed, but then they just clicked with different people at each chapter. Their houses were back-to-back and shared a backyard though :) They are at my mom's house, maybe on school break or something. I think they were heading to the beach or going to lay out, evidenced by the towels and radio :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...DerbyDays2.jpg

This is from Derby Days (note the hats, and Sigma Chi banner in the background), maybe like 1973? Not sure how reliable the dates on the photos are, though. My mom's boyfriend was Sigma Chi, so she has a lot of photos of Sigma Chi stuff. This brother is apparently in drag...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...byDaysdrag.jpg

I find this hilarious. Even his nails are painted! :eek:
(I guess it really is 73, evidenced by the derby in the background)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...bydaysline.jpg

More Derby Days. I LOVE seeing all the letter jerseys together! They're a little hard to see on here, but on the original, I can make out Sigma Chi, AOII, KD, and ADPi.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../AOIIdecor.jpg

I'm guessing this is before a football game. Too bad we can't read the banner! The platinum blonde Gator chick on the swing over the door kills me. The date on the back of this says 1977.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...AOIIdecor2.jpg

On the left it says "98 lb. weakling," with what appears to be an emaciated tiger...I guess they were playing LSU or Auburn. I think the banner said something about "...in the ring..." so I'm guessing there's a Gator and Tiger off to the left battling it out in the ring.
ETA: or maybe it's a wildcat for Kentucky?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...AOIIrolled.jpg

Not sure who these two are... but it looks like the front yard got rolled!

Cool pics tangelo!! :)

Great pics Tangelo!

Side note: The AOII house looks pretty much the same still at FL!

Love them! Thanks for the post.

i love the pics Tangelo! But is your mom a ZTA or an AOII?

Great picture!

Ladies...Ladies...Why do women look so different now? Yes...nutrition. Yes...photographic improvement and as a gift from southern California: plastic surgery, orthodonture, dermatologists, contact lenses, and the ability to know your best angle.

Especially with the pursed lips there on the bottom left, and the disapproving sidelong glance of the lady next to her!

She's your sister! An AOII :)
She is much prettier when not squinting!

Yay!!

I wonder if it has to do with the fact that over the past 50 years or so, parents are more likely than they were in the past to marry outside their ethnicity. Think of historical physical traits of different ethnicities - for example, if someone's parents are both 100% Italian, their children may bear strong Italian features (Roman nose, olive skin, etc.). Many native Americans tend to have distinct facial features and hair (prominent cheek bones, very dark hair).

Perhaps having more than one ethnicity in your heritage changes the way people look. If you are old enough, think back to when you could possibly identify someone's heritage by looking at them. The stereotypes still exist, but not as much. We must be very careful not to judge people on their assumed heritage. It's getting better, but it still exists.

Additionally, years ago, it wasn't necessarily proper to marry outside your ethnicity. Even in the 70s and early 80s, I remember ethnic issues going on at our church, which for many years was primarily Irish. Then the Italians moved into the area, and it caused quite a stir. Then Portuguese immigrants moved into the area, and the Church started having one mass a weekend in Portuguese.

Anyway, it's just my opinion based on my personal experiences.

I hear ya - my grandmother got a lot of flack from her parents for marrying someone whose family was Swiss (and from the German region of Switzerland at that). My parents got a lot of flack from their parents (both) because my mom's dad was Irish Protestant (read: English family that lived in Ireland) and my dad's mom was Irish Catholic. After meeting and getting to know each other, though, they melded pretty well into one big happy American family.

My brother "looks" very German, however. And I "look" very Irish.

In fact, we don't really look that much like each other at all - you would think my SIL and I are actually sisters and he married in - if you didn't see how much he looks like my dad (who looks like his dad, who looked like his dad, etc).

/hijack (on my part, at least)

I was looking at some of my cousin's pictures from the mid to late 90s when she was an active with Chi Omega. I can not believe how much things changed in the six years between when she joined and when I joined - but some of the pictures are pretty funny as far as wardrobe. The hair was curly with the curled under bangs and tons of plaid school-girl type skirts. I'm so glad I went through after 2000, where it seems like the fashion is a little simpler (of course we went from spending an hour curling our hair to spending an hour straightening our hair every day).

I can't wait until I can look at my pictures and think "WTF was I thinking with THAT outfit?!?!"

Thanks tangelo212!
 

Does that include the "platinum blonde Gator chick on the swing over the door"? ;)

I look back on some of my pics from when I was a new member (2004), and I ALREADY ask that sometimes (espcially with date party outfits and stuff I wore to mixers).