tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post4621346053538736450..comments2024-03-14T06:37:42.430-04:00Comments on Vintage Travel Postcards: Cypress Gardens November 1991Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389095010943001668noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post-51941451571165549222011-11-03T15:00:18.374-04:002011-11-03T15:00:18.374-04:00I was one of those belles and I got a lot of model...I was one of those belles and I got a lot of modeling jobs, commercials, etc from working there. What year was that post card? I don't think too many African American girls wanted to be a belle back then. We weren't there to represent the war. Check the whole story and you'll know how they came about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post-41210205312006366062011-09-20T12:24:24.142-04:002011-09-20T12:24:24.142-04:00Ah, Publix, Cypress Gardens, IPC, Florida, America...Ah, Publix, Cypress Gardens, IPC, Florida, America, the World!Susan Stone-Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08054497872957062623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post-82305647288330459562011-09-19T16:27:13.120-04:002011-09-19T16:27:13.120-04:00I actually just finished a couple of books on the ...I actually just finished a couple of books on the history of the gardens. Yes, there were non-white Southern Belles but they took a long time to arrive (at least an African-American one). I don't recall the year of the first one but I believe it may have been in the 90's or 00's.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00389095010943001668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post-7094414530901461272011-09-19T10:32:26.626-04:002011-09-19T10:32:26.626-04:00Now that we have established that fact, can we rem...Now that we have established that fact, can we remember seeing (or do we have any photographic evidence of) any non-white Southern Belles at Cypress Gardens?Susan Stone-Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08054497872957062623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post-57984996697898261152011-09-18T13:40:18.541-04:002011-09-18T13:40:18.541-04:00You're second assessment is the correct one. ...You're second assessment is the correct one. They were meant to be flowers, not to represent any particular place or time period regardless of what the name "Southern Belle" might conjure up.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00389095010943001668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6980728701542005306.post-57229050433679863392011-09-18T13:25:32.193-04:002011-09-18T13:25:32.193-04:00I remember the sink hole!
In recent years, when I...I remember the sink hole!<br /><br />In recent years, when I look at photos of Cypress Gardens Southern Belles, I find myself amazed by how out of place they would appear in the pre-Civil War era setting I always assumed they were intended to conjure in the imagination of park visitors. Tanned skin, blonde hi-lights, 1980's "fly-back" hairstyles, the apparent lack of any substantial foundation garments, etc. But I doubt the job paid enough to allow the young women to transform themselves more than putting on a frilly, pastel dress. <br /><br />Then again, I don't know enough about the origins of the concept. Maybe the Southern Belles were intended to be contemporary visions of floral females enhancing the garden setting.Susan Stone-Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08054497872957062623noreply@blogger.com