About Me

As you look through my Living-Fifties-Fashion website you will see I am enamored with the 1950s. My life continues to center around all things from my childhood. This website will bring you a peek into an era that never lost favor with me and is now enjoying a renewed interest by many. Although I will never claim to be an authority on those times, I will offer insight into my early life in relation to other happenings during that time.

Now for an introduction. Hi, my name is Rita. That is the first piece of information about me that indicates I was born in the fifties. I was named after the very popular during this time Rita Hayworth. There are many Rita's my age but not so many who are younger.

I am a registered nurse in the home health field and while that is not pertinent to the website, it leads me to a little story about Rita Hayworth. I once met someone who noted the name Rita on my identification badge. "Do you know there was a Saint Rita?" he asked. read the story of Saint Rita here When I said I was named after Rita Hayworth, his very serious reply was, "I don't think she was a saint."

Rita Hayworth as "Gilda"

Here is a copy of the bill for my delivery at the local hospital. The $22.00 total for a two night room rate, delivery room, lab and an identification bracelet would be proof enough of my 1950's birth without the date at the top. I have often wondered how my dad was able to pay the bill in full on a gas station attendant's wages.

And this is my handsome Daddy when he was working at the Lion station in our small town. Note the example of 1950s prices with the sign behind him advertising blackwall tires for $11.

This is a picture of me and my Mama's mother. My Grandma is wearing catseye glasses and a fifties style dress. I am sure she made the dress as she was a seamstress by profession. This is also the Grandma I speak of in my vintage girdle page. Vintage Girdle Page Except for a couple of short stays in Oklahoma, Mama and Daddy raised me and my younger brother and sister in a small southern town near our grandparent's farm. Daddy had eight brothers and sisters so there were cousins galore to play with.

Me and my Oklahoma City Grandma

I was in the second grade when we got our first television set. The Lone Ranger was the first program to come on. I was glued to those black and white images from that moment on and became the family's equivalent to a TV guide. It was a little easier to keep track of then as we only received two clear channels and the ABC network only intermittently.

This picture is all about the fifties. I am watching the very small television that sits on a blond end table. Note the tiered lampshade, fiberglass curtains, and cabbage rose patterned wallpaper. My little sister's rocking chair is in front of the TV too.

I am wearing my aunt's grey felt circle skirt that my Grandma had cut down to fit me. My can-can slip and bobby socks peek out from underneath. I am surprised I don't have on those indestructible saddle shoes Mama was forever buying me. I still remember being excited when I graduated to penny loafers.

Although I may not have always been a happy child, I only remember happiness.

As that pretty much gets me out of the fifties, I will tell you about now. I did grow up, marry, have children, and now I have grandchildren. My husband I live in the beautiful Arkansas River Valley area where we see our four grandchildren frequently. We still work full time but are counting down until retirement. Unfortunately we are still counting in years.

As my fascination with those times continue, I want to curate the information and photos that interest me. Well, that is pretty much everything about the fifties. Just take a look through all the pages and be sure to check back frequently. The fifties had a lot of fascinating people and happenings so there will always be something to read about.

Return to Living Fifties Fashion Home Page