Research

LGBTQ+ and photobooths 

With the invention of new technologies such as photobooths and the Polaroid camera, methods that instantly develops the photo, it gave LGBTQ+ people of the past the means to safely take and keep photos without the chance of being caught. In times when being gay could land someone in prison or worse killed, these technologies allowed them to safely keep photographic memories without having to have those photos developed by a third party who could potentially put their safety at risk.

The photography above was taken in a Photo Booth and is of a gay couple from 1953 in America, at a time when the law allowed the police to arrest lesbian or gay people for things such as wearing clothes of the opposite sex, propositioning sex with someone of the same sex, or holding hands with someone of the same sex. The picture above could have gotten these men arrested.

​​https://time.com/3394483/gay-pride-in-the-1950s-the-photo-booth-as-a-safe-space/

From this I wish to produce a short comic depicting a same sex couple using a Photo Booth to safely take pictures together.

Photo booths

The first Photo Booth resembling the machines we think of today was patented in 1925 by Anatol Josephewitz. Over the years innovation and competition improved the design of the Photo Booth, and by the 1950’s everybody took pictures in them. The trend was only slowed by the rise of the Polaroid camera in the 70’s. Although nowhere days photo booths are used to take passport photos, they can still be found for recreational photography and many people use them as a fun alternative to mobile phones. 

​https://boothmasters.com/blog/the-history-of-photobooths/

1950’s - 2020’s 

For this comic I want there to be a time jump through the decades till the time period changes to the present day. To do this I need to research the fashion, interior design, and any other trends that could be useful to illustrating the comic. 

1950’s mainstream trends

The idea of a teenager or the youth is actually a modern concept, so in the 1950’s there was little distinction between them an adults. A market for teenagers had yet to open up so there wasn’t fashion directly targeting them, so they wore the same clothing as adults. For this project I think I want my focus to be on women’s fashion as I would like the focus to be on lesbians, as a lesbian myself.

​https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-teenager-fashions-girls-fashion-trends-and-clothing-styles/

Queer fashion 

1960's mainstream trends

By the 1960's a market for the youth had started to open up, and with this came fashion directed at teenagers and young adults.

​https://medium.com/@kalyanii8927/fashion-history-the-look-of-the-1960s-292958b78951

1970's mainstream trends

https://designyoutrust.com/2022/09/vintage-photos-show-what-teens-wore-in-the-1970s/

1980´s Mainstream trends

Queer fashion

1990’s

​https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2023/sep/15/renegades-san-franciscos-lesbian-scene-in-the-1990s-in-pictures
​https://lesbianherstory.com/lesbian-and-gay-nightlife-in-1990s/

2000’s 

2010's

2020's

In the past each decade had it's own distinctive fashion trends that are associated with that period of time, however with the rise of the internet, fast fashion, and apps such as Tik Tok, the 2020's has become a melting pot of new fashion trends and those of the past. The 2010's also had multiple different fashion trends but it still  known for mostly having a distinctive style. It has also been noted that trend cycles have been getting shorter which is thought to be due to the speed at which the consumers demands are met by fashion companies who learn of the demand through the internet that has become widely accessible.