Election Day, 2026

If you missed early voting or failed to get your ballot in the mail, head over to the polls. 

Let's place empathy, justice and compassion at the heart of all we do as a nation.

 

Brenda Starr's New Fall Outfits, 1941

 

There are question marks on the captions for the bridal gown and the nightgown...was there a vote by readers? Or maybe a copy editor's marks that someone forgot to delete? Hmmmm....

Brenda Starr's Halloween costumes, October 1942

 

Daisy by Margaret Hays, ca. 1913

 A lovely paper doll by Margaret Hays, who of course is the sister of Grace Drayton, creator of Dolly Dingle and the Campbell Soup kids.

In addition to paper doll books with fairy tale themes, Hays illustrated a number of Valentine cards and postcards, many featuring children with very large hats. Daisy was gathering honey, so the marginalia includes a bee, a bucket and the Bees House.

Brigitte, ca. 1960s

Another gem from the Strong Museum, with a colorful border and all kinds of bonnets! I'm taking a guess on the date; could be 1960s.

 

Angela ca. 1950s

A charming paper doll, from the Strong Museum website. The hats have a sweet 1940s charm, but the outfits seem more like the 1950s.

The Pava

The pava is a wide-brimmed straw hat favored by the jibaros in Puerto Rico to provide sun protection when they worked the sugar cane fields long ago. The jibaros are country people who live in the mountains of Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny raised the visibility of the pava, which he donned at numerous concerts and events.

Did you know Puerto Rico's agricultural sector was wiped out during the industrialization of the island's economy after World War II? How my mother ended up in New York City.