fete

Some kind of Bastille Day celebration, note the date on this one:

As penny says, the date is definitely Bastille Day (July 14) - the girls seem to be playing a blindfold game to win dolls. Never heard of such a game, maybe someone has.

pennylrichardsca and Stephoto: Thanks for your observations about this image. The date 7/14 probably refers to Bastille Day. A related photograph from the Bain collection shows a similar scene with the caption reading "July 14 fete": hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b06690 We will add this information to the description when we upload the database.

The 1940s was the era when the midriff was born, and it was shown in swimsuits as well as playsuits. 1940s swimsuits were tight, unlike the suits of previous era. One-piece swimsuits were still popular, but the new two-piece suit had plenty of fans too. The materials used to make swimsuits our of rayon jersey and rayon jersey blends with knit cotton linings. Many suits had accent panels of a velvet like rayon velour. Some also featured ruching on the front or side panels that were both pretty and figure flattering. The one-piece swimsuit looked like a very tight, short dress. The bra top resembled a full-coverage bra. The suit then extended down into a tight ‘skirt’ that would cover the backside completely. Skirts were either snug fitting around the hips and thighs or loose, called “swing skirts.” Source: medium.com/@riabohra9196/1940s-swimwear-cca03eca4513

It looks like the date 7/14 is right on top. So perhaps July 1914?

More likely July 14, Bastille Day.

Thanks for your observations about this image. The date 7/14 probably refers to Bastille Day as pennylrichardsca notes. A related photograph from the Bain collection shows a similar scene with the caption reading "July 14 fete": hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b06690 We can add this information to the description when we upload the database.

In 1913, July 14 fell on a Monday. The permanent-looking lunch building and bandstand suggest that the celebration may have been held in a public park.