Lipstick Party, Somewhere, Ohio, 1955
Even in the stillness and silence of this pre-teen portrait a quartet of Ohio boys express a variety of emotions and moods.
The colorless wall behind them is a stark contrast to their smart sport shirts, fun hats and unusual variety of props – toy walkie-talkies that look like phone receivers with tiny little red-tipped antennas, maracas that have just inspired the color scheme of my going-out-to-dinner ensemble tonight and a bigger-than-average red sucker.
How did their lips get so red? I don’t think it was by sharing licks off that lollipop! Someone’s been in mom’s makeup case. Their cheeks are powdery pink too.
It’s highly doubtful that these young men styled this photo shoot themselves. This must’ve been master-minded by one of their mothers, or even more bizarre, one of their fathers.
I don’t remember putting on lipstick or rouge as kid (or as an adult either, thank you!) but I do recall the day I painted my nails. I was about five or six. It was the middle of the day.
As Dionne Warwick was spinning the stereo console in the living room and my mother was in the backyard hanging laundry out to dry I quickly applied peach frost to my fingertips. The fumes made me intoxicated. I don’t recall my mother holding her breath while she painted her nails. Did yours?
The second boy from the left looks like Gia Scala in Tunnel of Love with that poodle haircut and overbite.
Gia Scala on Wikipedia
Oy! A couple of them look like they are in mascara as well! I think I see eyeliner on the kid in the back.
Wow, Charles…that is a WEIRD picture…probably the most bizarre I’ve seen of your collection thus far. The thing I kept wondering while gazing at it was: which of these boys is destined to put on lipstick AGAIN at some future date? Is it the boy on the far left with the impossibly garish red shirt and the perfect fifites mom smile? Or is it his sultry neighbor who appears to be vamping for the camera in a way that is just a tad too sincere. Clearly, “giant lollypop” boy on the far right is on his way to becoming homophobic, no doubt supressing some repressed urges yet unrecognized.
C R E E P Y !
That is nearly the finest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s too perfect to even comment on, you’ve already said it all.
I think it may have been overlooked that they are wearing rouge, as well.
Wow. What did the rest of that slide show party look like?
Mr. Charles!
What do we have here? A bunch of funny boys? Now I do like enthusiasm in a young chap and I’m crazy about silly boys posing for pictures — especially boys with hats, maracas, and rosy complexions! But I do wonder: do they have good senses of humor? I mean, if we extracted Mrs. “I’ve Got A Tube of ‘Jungle Red’ In My Makeup Case!” and Mr. “We Use Walkies Talkies During The War And It Didn’t Do Us a Damn Bit Of Good But Hold These Anyway” from behind the scenes, would these boys be capable of being funny on their own? And would they know what was funny out in the world?
Good questions. So I am turning today to a stalwart in the field of teen education and advice: Gay Head. Yes. Gay Head. Snicker at her name now, but benefit from her advice later. I reference today: _You’re Asking Me? Questions for the Mail Box answered by Gay Head_ (1958). I know. Gay Head. Even I admit it makes me giggle. But not too much. That would be rude. The question sent to Gay Head is from a young person who was told by a friend that he doesn’t have a very good sense of humor. In turn, Gay Head provides a quiz to suss out if the young man actually does have a sense of humor. A sampling of the questions:
1. Can you and do you laugh at yourself sometimes?
3. Do you find an unexpected change of character in literature or life funny? (I’m sorry but … huh? Gay Head is really talking over my head on that one)
6. Do you consider the antics of kittens or puppies funny? (Is not enjoying kittens and puppies a lack of humor or just the mark of serial killer?)
7. Do you enjoy the unconscious clowning of babies, young people?
12. Do you have a desire to laugh when someone falls down?
13. Do you make fun of people behind their backs? To their faces?
14. Do you laugh at the mistakes of others?
Obviously, those last few questions are questions you should answer “no” to. The others you should say “yes” to. And if you don’t, then Gay Head recommends getting “into the habit of telling your friends, family and yourself about the ‘funny’ things you see, hear, or think.” She then gives a very un-funny example of what to say when the school bus is late. It is embarrassing to her and the field of teen advice, thus that part of the answer will be redacted by me.
Moving on. I imagine that My Sunny Funny Face with the lollipop and maracas tells a lot of people about how funny HE is. And that’s bad manners. I also imagine that Lil’ Teaser hiding in the back thinks this photo is stupid and not funny. He’s a sulky puss who laughs at the pain of others. But Bob Crane in the Red Shirt is a delight, no? He’s got a great sense of humor — it’s obvious! He laughs at the clowning of babies and young people! Brown Slacks is just along for the ride. And he doesn’t understand the change of character question either.
Now where are my maracas? It’s is Friday after all!
xoxo!
Miss Sharon
I am mesmerized by the expression of the kid on the right. I think he’s hypnotizing me!
The boy 2nd from left looks like he may also have mascara. Either that or some amazingly pretty natural lashes!
This is so wrong on so many levels . . . but I’m convinced these boys are comic geniuses. Andy Kaufman, Pee Wee Herman, Milton Berle, Red Skelton, Howdy Doody . . . they have nothing on these lads! I do hope some, if not all of them are still alive and hilarious.
This has GOT to be some sort of Howdie Doody reference…….right??? I am just too disturbed to not come up with some light, innocent, logical-like explanation.
I have a similarly crazy family photo, but there’s an easy explanation there: Spike Jones on a Sunday afternoon at Grandma’s.
(I’d include the pic here if I were tech savvy enough, and I’m sure you would all agree….)
Funny picture, but I think I have a reasonable (albeit less interesting) explanation. One of these boys had an attractive older sister who was “practicing” her make-up skills on her brother, and his friends.
I fell victim to this on several occasions…ok twice…when I was a wee lad.
The older sister understands that she is immortalizing their immasculinasation for all time, and the poor 10 year old boys are clueless, and are just going along with the ride so they can look down the girls shirt as she bends over to apply the makeup.
That’s what I think is going on…
the clash!
Words cannot simply describe. I’m speechless. That’s a first. But there is something fascinating about this, no? And boy on the right looks like he’s fresh from a rave with those ‘runaway bride crazy eyes’ and lolipop.
Doh! Kathy, you nailed it!
FABULOUS!!! That’s all I can say!!!
Oh, my mouth is watering right now! That is a Charm sucker he’s holding. 5 cents each and lasted half a day and it would turn your lips that color even longer. Yum Yum toxic red dye # 2!
Looks like Boy George’s first band when he really was a boy!
Did you also notice that the eyebrows and eyeliner were applied also? And, it all looks waaay too professional. Don’t ask me how I noticed these details… The mind reels when wondering how this picture came about…. and why.
the clash!
i was thinking devo (this could definitely be something from one of their casale-directed dada/futurist-inspired videos). also, what the heck is in the water in ohio?