Vintage Mugshots From The 1920s

[Zwielicht]

I was going through my bookmarks when I found this article I saved on vintage mugshots.

Apparently, the reason for the "cool poses" in some of these mugshots is to show others what they looked like when they were just out and about; making them easier to identify.

 

[tomtom]

Men used to be so stylish
Sometimes I wonder how we went from that to this:

 

[TheVigilante]

Men used to be so stylish
Sometimes I wonder how we went from that to this:
View attachment 4954

Doink the clown

 

[GoldenGlovez]

Men used to be so stylish
Sometimes I wonder how we went from that to this:
View attachment 4954

Plenty of men still dress stylish today, especially here in Europe.

The early 1900s Edwardian conformist "fashion" era had non-conformists just like we do today. The bohemian fashion style was looked at just as odd and weird as you perceive homeboy with the green beard and tie-dye shirt today.

You're also seeing that era through the selection bias of that time. Photography was still relatively expensive and mostly reserved for the well off, which would more likely be a white-collar worker with multiple tailored suits (much like today)... your average blue collar worker typically owned one suit and wore it on occasion as a necessity (their Sunday best), instead day to day wearing function over fashion e.g denim overalls, one piece outfits. Of course they would put on their suit if being photographed.

Personally, I'll take the freedom of expression over strict conformist sheep fashion any day.