Entertainment!!!

Because of the depression by the 1930s money was scarce, and people did what they could to put some happiness back in their lives.  Movies, parlor games and board games were popular and people also gathered around radios to listen to the Yankees, A lot of modern pastimes started too, like crossword puzzles, mahjong, bridge, and board games and guess what "MONOPOLY" the business game was invented back then in the 1930's and till today its been played!!!  Isn’t that terrific!!!

the superman comic -1938

Since spendable income was limited, people had to look to inexpensive hobbies and things to do. President Roosevelt helped make stamp collecting a popular hobby; Comics too became popular in fact the superman comic was introduced in this decade....

Some of the popular entertainment during the 1930's was going to the movies to escape their stressful lives. Also neighbors would come together to play cards and other games. Kids from the neighbourhood would make up and play games with things they could find. Sports were big too. Friends and family would play friendly football or baseball games, but professional sports weren't doing that well. Many students would spend their time studying to get a good job to succeed during those hard times. Also bands and music got pretty big too, people would go to concerts just to have as much fun as they could. Schools and communities would hold social events like dances, parties, and other activities.

King kong Movie poster

Interestingly the movies  also  were a huge pastime in the '30's -- going to the show was a fun thing to do and we still have some movies from the 30's that are good entertainment, full length movies like snow-white, king kong to name a few...Television didn't exist for the most part, but the '30s are considered the golden age of radio as per what i read in a few published articles listening to radio shows was a major pastime. There were morning shows for the "housewife" and afternoon shows for youngsters. In the evening, sitting in the living room, listening to radio shows--comedy, drama, and news--was a frequent family event.

Times were hard economically -- women knew how to sew (mending clothes was cheaper than buying new) and fashions were followed and valued. Boys worked on cars -- a whole generation of mechanics arose from that time.

There were more what we now call "wild spaces", outdoor activities like hunting and fishing were not just fun pastimes,they were essential survival skills.

Prohibition had ended and people could enjoy alcohol so going out on the town was much the same then as it is now dinner, dancing, a movie …

Most of the things people do for fun now -- they did in 1930's!

Art Deco!!!! a new trend in art that flourished in the 1930's

Art Deco Style Painting

Art Deco Style is the definition of eclecticism. Drawing inspiration from a wide variety of sources, Art Deco Style has its own unique look that is difficult to define. Its range of characteristics makes it an extremely versatile style, and an enjoyable one to work with, since Art Deco is easily integrated into a wide variety of personal styles. This makes Art Deco admired by many and a favourite among collectors. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and jewellery, as well as the visual arts such as painting, graphic arts and film

Art Deco Broach

During its apex in the 20's and 30's, Art Deco style defined the mindsets and lifestyles of the times. Art Deco served as an interpretation of the social norms, expectations, dreams, desires, interests, fascinations, frivolities and spontaneities of the culture in which it developed. A redistribution of wealth, brought on by the end of darker times, paved the way for industrial progress. Prohibition was prohibited, and a sense of revelry and celebration pervaded the country. Women cut their hair, hemmed their skirts, and asserted their rights. Morale was at an all time high; the future was bright with promise.

Modern day Art Deco Interiors

The Art Deco movement collapsed in 1940. As times of war have a tendency to do, the collective high spirits of American culture expended gracelessly like hot air from a balloon. The optimistic outlooks of the culture crashed faster than the stock market.

Modern day Art Deco Interiors

Well here's the good news Art Deco Style is returning and you want to know why??? well here's the answer you are looking for',  The vintage modern trend appeals to modern popular culture because of the psychological associations connected to the Art Deco period, instilling nostalgia for a period in history that exemplifies positivity. The spirit of Art Deco during the 20's and 30's defines the essence of the American Dream. The optimism, the cultivation of beauty and glamour in the every day, and the pursuit of hedonistic happiness inspire popular culture to lighten up, to keep the faith, to foster pride and to make the most of every day.

1930's Hair styles

In the 1930's, curls and waves were all the rage for the women.  Some women opted for soft waves set close to the face, while others arranged their hair in tight pin curls. Finger waving and pin curling create smooth lines and voluptuous waves create the look of the 30's.  Deep side parts allow a heavy wave section to sweep across the forehead.  Clip one or both sides back with hair accessories take this look up a notch for a special event

 
Men's hairstyles of the 1930s reflected public principles and cultural trends of the era. Grooming was an important part of maintaining the gentlemanly fascia so prized during the depression era. Men wore their hair short and visited the barber often in order to maintain perfectly shaved faces and sharp cut styles. The 1930s were focused on well-kept perfection. Short cuts, dapper hats and fashionable facial hair were of the utmost importance to the depression era gentleman, & For men today, most of the times the style s is still the same !!! 

Music 1930 - 1940

Jazz in several forms; in particular, small groups and larger dance bands. Many dance bands played a more heavily arranged form of jazz known as Swing.

Mills Brothers

Blues, mostly performed by black musicians in that terribly segregated era.

"Sweet" music, sort of like jazz in orchestration but (at least in my opinion) with a lot of saccharine easy-listening aspects to it.

Vocal groups such as the Mills Brothers, the Andrews Sisters, the Pied Pipers, and so on.

Solo vocalists such as Bing Crosby, usually backed by an orchestra and sometimes by a small vocal group.

i suggest visit www.tuxjunction.net to hear a lot of music from that era.

here's a link to the same!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA0eQ0IdnKs

THE 1930s SPORTS OVERVIEW

The 1920s were called the golden age of sports. Every sport seemed to be dominated by a single personality. Though several of these athletes were still active in the 1930s, the golden age essentially ended with the retirement of golfer Bobby Jones in 1930. In the new decade, titles and records would be won and shattered many different times by different people, and no one, with the possible exception of Joe Louis in the second half of the decade, came to dominate his or her respective sport. Sports fans today continue to draw comparisons between modern athletes and those of the 1920s and 1930s.

The Depression forced sporting promoters to look for new ways to increase attendance and interest. As a result sports became more and more commercialized a trend that bothered many sportswriters, who were convinced that sport was becoming a gaudy spectacle for mass entertainment. The 1930s saw the advent of night baseball, particularly in the minor leagues and the Negro League.

Sports fans demanded greater speed and faster games, as records fell in sports from swimming to powerboat racing.

people listening to sports broadcast

Radio, more than other medium, came of age in the 1930s and brought sports into people's homes and, later, their automobiles. Americans could listen to boxing title fights, Army-Navy football games, and horse racing, among other sporting events. In 1934 NBC broadcast tennis matches from England and France, with John R. Tunis, noted author and sports-writer, doing the commentary. A turning point for radio sports was the 1932 Winter Olympics from Lake Placid, New York. Though sports were essentially "free" on the airwaves, broadcast rights and commercial airtime had to be purchased.

johnny Weissmuller and cast of tarzan, king of jungle 

 Being a professional in sports did not just mean playing in professional competitions; to support themselves athletes had to take on other jobs, sometimes modestly paying ones but not always. Rewarding offers to sports heroes from Hollywood made it difficult for many amateur athletes to resist temptation. Early in 1930 swimmer Johnny Weissmuller took a screen test and became filmland's "Tarzan, King of the Jungle."

Women in Sports: The decade began with women seeking to achieve equal opportunities and social development. By the end of the decade various sporting organizations were beginning to recognize the competitive needs of women athletes as well.

 Technology continued to boom, and it swept sports along with it. Accuracy and efficiency became more attainable. A motorboat with a pair of 12-cylinder motors and 2,200 horsepower hit a record 101.351 mph in 1931.By the end of the decade there were twenty-three television stations around the country offering limited programming, including sports. Television was still a decade away from becoming the dominant influence on popular culture and the great link between the American fan and sports, though.

1932 Summer Olympics 

Athletes seemed to be a lot younger in the 1930s 
& in 1932 - The Olympic Games are held in Los Angeles. Photo finish equipment is used for the first time in track events. Kusuo Kitamura of Japan, aged 14 years 309 days, wins the men's 1500m freestyle swimming gold medal.

1936 - Olympics Games held in Berlin. Jesse Owens, the black American athlete wins gold in the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4X100m relay.
1939 - This year's hurling final becomes known as the "thunder and lightning final" when a thunder storm marked the clash between Cork and Kilkenny. This is also the day when war is declared in Europe.

the official match ball of the firts fifa world cup

The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place inUruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930. FIFA, football's international governing body selected Uruguay as host nation as the country would be celebrating the centenary of its first constitution, and the Uruguay national football team had successfully retained their football title at the 1928 Summer Olympics. All matches were played in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, the majority at the Estadio Centenario, which was built for the tournament.

Thirteen teams, seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America entered the tournament

Popular names of the 1930's

Hey friends here are the most popular given names for male and female babies born during 1930 - 1939. For each rank and sex, the table shows the name and the number of occurrences of that name.

	Male		Female
Rank	Name	Number	Name	Number
1	Robert	590,486	Mary	572,822
2	James	547,174	Betty	300,318
3	John	487,698	Barbara	296,345
4	William	416,507	Shirley	229,326
5	Richard	330,346	Patricia	220,543
6	Charles	303,026	Dorothy	210,348
7	Donald	283,543	Joan	173,396
8	George	192,168	Margaret	157,327
9	Thomas	183,788	Nancy	142,455
10	Joseph	180,477	Helen	140,372

Fashion shows back then

Here's a video that i found on YouTube... and did u know 1930 also marks the beginning of what is considered to be the 'golden age' of Hollywood, a period which lasted through at least the 1940s.

Fashion Back den!!!

The fashion of the 1930's was very different than the fashion today.  Hats for both men and women were popular for both day and evening wear. Dresses were often cut of the bias to allow a smoother drape of the fabric. Women wore long halter topped dresses, lace frocks, negligees, and corsets. Men wore suits with a matching top hat and over coats. 

But the question is, How much is the fashion of the 21st century inspired from that of 1930's... whats your take???  



Here are Few facts about the fashion in this decade!!!

• ·         Since Paris fashions became too expensive for all but the very rich,  American designers came into their own.
• ·         Hollywood movie stars such as Bette Davis and Greta Garbo set fashion trends in dresses designed by Adrian and Muriel King and hats designed by Lily Dache.
• ·         Since clothes had to last a long time styles did not change every season. The flapper attire of the 1920's was replaced by the simple print dress with a waist line and longer hem length.
• ·         The use of the zipper became prevalent for the first time because it was less costly than the buttons and closures previously used.
• ·         Another innovation of the 30's was different hem lengths for different times of the day. The mid calf length was for day wear and the longer length for evening clothes. Men's pants were wide and high waisted. Vest sweaters became an alternative to the traditional matching vest of the three piece suit, and hats were mandatory for the well dressed male