Browsing the Tate Modern art gallery I was struck by this 1930’s secretary, posing for German Documentary photographer August Sander, oozing nonchalance with her slouchy stance, cigarette in hand. Ok this cool as a cucumber muse is in Cologne rather than the streets of London, but her portrait is in London. Two things to note, firstly, what luxuriousness to wear that black satin applique dress to the office, and secondly, she was rocking the androgynous look way before Twiggy, Erin O’Connor and recent male-model-on-a-womens-wear-catwalk sensation Andrej Pejic. No visible bust, beautiful boyish features and a Richie Hawtin hair style cropped one side with an asymmetric fringe, all polish her androgynous look nicely.
Secretary at West German Radio, Cologne, 1931:
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