Natural Beauty

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This passage has to do with courtship in the slave community of the Antebellum American South. I find these women creativity fascinating and very intriguing. So natural...so beautiful:

“They [slave women] used sweet-smelling flowers and herbs as perfume and often kept the good dress packed in the flowers and herbs so that the clothing would absorb the pleasant fragrance. Hoops were made out of grape vines and were worn to make the dress fall neatly away from the body. A bright-colored hat or headwrap made for the finishing touch.”
Source: (excerpt from Aren’t I a Woman? Female Slaves in the Plantation South, Deborah Gray White,1985.
Artist: Susan Lyon

Comments

poeticpin said…
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for me natural beauty, is most beautiful.
Those these women were slaves, they seemed to be free mentally, and took pride in themselves.
I shall have to have a read.
Monday, February 16, 2009 4:59:00 AM
poeticpin said…
PS. Thanks for your enlightening posts. Great!
I just realised, it must be Black History month in America, its in October here.
One love
Monday, February 16, 2009 5:03:00 AM
get zapped said…
Gorgeous profile. Such strong and yet soft features. I've always adored natural beauty over made up. I hope it spreads...thanks for sharing.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 12:48:00 PM
Deany said…
I have recently gone back to my natural beauty look,and I am very happy that I did. Thanks for reminding me that there is nothing better.
Thursday, February 19, 2009 9:02:00 AM
Rose-Anne Clermont said…
It's amazing how much time and social acceptance (through icons like Erykah Badu, India Arie) many of us needed to resort back to our natural beauty. I did it before it was en vogue and received a lot of flak for it from friends and family . . . so nice to have a reminder of how beautiful we are naturally.
Saturday, February 21, 2009 5:20:00 AM
neena maiya (guyana gyal) said…
She's lovely, the gal in that pic. How I like the idea of storing dresses with sweet smelling flowers and herbs.

Note: *the* good dress. One good dress. We have so much today, taking it all for granted.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 8:58:00 PM
Stephen A. Bess said…
Poetic-
Yes, check out the book. You will love it.

Getzapped-
Me too. Natural beauty is how I fell in love and remain.

TStephens-
Amen.

Deany-
So true. There's nothing better.

Rose-Anne-
I hope that you are still rocking that natural beauty. It's a beautiful thing. Thanks for the visit.

Guyana-
So true. It wasn't too long ago when I had that one good suit. *giggle* God is good.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009 9:23:00 PM
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