20 Vintage Photographs That Show What Life Was Really Like For Housewives In The Mid-1900s
Today’s woman might look back on the 1950s housewife and scoff. The idea of staying home, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children, and not working wouldn’t necessarily sit well with her. But that viewpoint comes from those who didn’t live the mid-century lifestyle. These pictures give a better idea of what it was really like for housewives during this time – and it wasn’t quite as compartmentalized as women today might think.
20. Trying out the latest in home decor
A housewife had to make her house a home, and that job didn’t just require her to cook, clean, and do the laundry. She was also responsible for its interior design, and that’s why the woman pictured has curled up in an armchair that flaunted 1953’s most modern styling.
19. Roasting the perfect turkey
Thanksgiving Day feasts call for a turkey at the center of the table – and that bird had better be roasted to perfection. We imagine that this mid-century housewife had her cooking method down to a science because she’s pulling one perfect-looking piece of poultry out of her oven.
18. Daydreaming in the kitchen
With so much time spent cooking and cleaning – all by herself – the mid-century housewife certainly had the opportunity to daydream. And apparently she sometimes did so while leaning on her mop!
17. Preserving her wardrobe
Some people may romanticize 1950s housewives, but their routine wasn’t so glamorous. Washing, drying, ironing: a lot of the classic housewife’s jobs revolved around her and her family’s wardrobe. This photo shows a clothes-centric task in which a woman pours mothballs into a bag to hang in her closets, thus protecting garments from the insects.
