#straw boaters

[directedbychuckjones]

Vaudevillians, oil on canvas, 18″ x 24″, by Chuck Jones, circa late 1980s.

I concentrated on learning a little bit about everything that interested me and a lot about drawing until my hand would respond to what my mind dictated and my brain became a treasure house of pertinent trivia. --Chuck Jones

[retropopcult]

New York City, 1907 - Fifth Avenue hotels north from 51st Street

[iblamegutenberg]

Although this allegedly shows the raucous crew who've turned up for a lecture on "The Law of Warranty and Soundness in Horses", it was actually the monthly meeting of the Kashmiri Society for Inappropriate Dressing. That month's prize, in 113 degree heat, was won by the chap on the far left, who while rocking a pith helmet also wore his new three-piece wool suit and long johns.

Other favourites: the psycho with the shaved head four from the left who's taking time out from beating the natives for not memorising all the winners of the Derby, and the bright young thing second from the right who has chosen a jaunty diagonal design to go round his boater. The decline of the British Empire began there.