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Back When We Were Mad for Plaid

Back When We Were Mad for Plaid
While digitizing photos from the 1970s in our photo archive, we came across an explosion of normally staid New Englanders suddenly opting to wear plaid. Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

We’ve recently had hundreds of our old Lake–ville Journal photo negatives digitized for us by two wonderful volunteers: Perry Gardner and Kathy Phillips. 

It’s been immensely fun to look at the old photos, and often surprising. 

There are beautiful images of people and the landscape, and there are historic events like the time the plane crashed into Lake Wononscopomuc in Lakeville, Conn.

A sort of added bonus is the fun look at Northwest Corner fashion trends. This is New England, so of course most of the outfits range wildly in color from khaki to navy with some occasional bits of black. Sturdy crewneck sweaters are popular. The ladies usually have had their hair permed and coiffed, the gentlemen are usually in suits or at least slacks and a collared shirt. 

Sometimes you see stripes, when someone is feeling frisky.

And then sometime in the 1970s there was an eruption of wild plaids; some stripes too but more plaids than stripes. 

Enjoy these mad plaids, and the chance to look back at how our world looked half a century ago (yes, it’s incredible: 1970 was 50 years ago).

And if you can, help us identify some of the people in this photo by sending an email to cynthiah@lakevillejournal.com.

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​

Photo from Lakeville Journal archive​
Cynthia Hochswender

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