Vintage Photo Friday - 1965

Herald Examiner, October 1965: "Angel's Flight fashions for Angel Week include career bound paisley-printed, sheer-wool skimmer shift."

It's October, 1965, downtown Los Angeles.  A fashion shoot at the original Angels Flight Railway location, with tracks connecting Hill Street and Olive Street at  Bunker Hill, operated from 1901 until it was closed in 1969, when its site was cleared for redevelopment.  

I really cannot find anything at all about Angel Week in downtown L.A.  The next photograph associated with this fashion shoot has a caption that says, "Fashion seminars by the Broadway Department Store, part of Angel Week festivities, will feature two-piece knits for the working girl headquartered in the business district of downtown Los Angeles."

Apparently, Angel Week must have been some sort of festival including seminars, luncheons, etc. to promote the downtown business district.

Herald Examiner, October, 1965.  Angel's Flight

This was just before the re-devlopment and destruction of most of the buildings on Bunker Hill (1969) from old mansions turned into rooming houses, small grocery stores and shops, to high-rise apartments and office buildings.  You can see one of the old houses in the photo above.  This is not a very glamorous spot for a fashion shoot.  Maybe that was the idea.  The juxtaposition of beautiful office fashions to the seedy side of downtown.

This was just 5 months after the Watts riots in South Los Angeles.  I remember people being nervous about traveling downtown and to South L.A. in fear of happening upon an ongoing riot or police action.  Maybe this was a way for the Downtown L.A. business district to show that everyone could visit downtown and be safe.  I don't know?  This is just me, throwing ideas around in my head!

I'd kill for one of those FABULOUS hats featured in the fashion photos!

Have a wonderful weekend!  Go downtown.  You'd be surprised at the transformation!

Photos courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library Archives.