Lovely Photobooth Portraits of a Young Girl in the 1920s

Long before the selfie, there was the photobooth. Behind the tiny velvet curtain of the 1920s, a young woman named Evelyn found a private space to shed her formal persona and reveal her true, spirited self. From playful winks to rebellious poses, these photobooth portraits capture the authentic heart of the flapper era.

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The Heroes of Chernobyl, Who Saved Europe From Nuclear Fallout

Ten days after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, officials discovered a new, potentially greater threat: a massive pool of water had collected beneath the melting core of Reactor 4. If the molten fuel (corium) reached this water, it could have triggered a massive steam explosion. Experts feared this second blast would have been powerful enough to destroy the remaining three reactors and render much of Europe uninhabitable.

The men seen suiting up in the photo were not professional divers, but power plant employees who knew the facility's layout: Alexei Ananenko, a mechanical engineer who knew where the release valves were located; Valeri Bespalov, a senior engineer who assisted in the search; Boris Baranov, the shift supervisor whose job was to provide light for the others.

Alexei Ananenko (second from left), Valeri Bezpalov (center), and Boris Baranov (far right) preparing in protective equipment during the Chernobyl nuclear accident of 1986 in Pripyat, Ukraine.

When asked, Ananenko’s response was simple: “How could I refuse, when I was the only person on shift who knew where the valves were located?”

Equipped with basic respirators, wetsuits, and flashlights, they waded through knee-to-waist-high radioactive water in the dark to manually drain the chambers. Despite their lights failing during the mission, they successfully located the valves by touch, following a main pipe until they reached the sluice gates.

For years, popular legend claimed that all three men died of radiation poisoning shortly after the mission. However, reality was much different. All three men survived the immediate aftermath of the mission. Boris Baranov lived until 2005, when he died of a heart attack at age 65. Alexei Ananenko and Valeri Bespalov were still alive as of 2018 and were personally awarded the “Order for Courage” by the Ukrainian president. 

30 Vintage Photos That Defined Menswear From the Mid-19th Century

Menswear in the mid-19th century marked a decisive turn toward the structured sobriety that would define the modern masculine wardrobe.

During this period, the vibrant colors and extravagant silhouettes of the earlier Romantic era gave way to a more “gentlemanly” aesthetic, characterized by the dominance of the frock coat. This knee-length garment, with its nipped-in waist and full skirts, became the quintessential uniform for the Victorian middle and upper classes, symbolizing respectability and professional stature. It was an age where the three-piece ensemble, consisting of a coat, a contrasting waistcoat (vest), and trousers, became the standard, often complemented by a crisp white shirt with a high, stiffened collar.

Accessories played a crucial role in navigating the strict social hierarchies of the 1850s and 1860s. No gentleman was considered fully dressed without a silk top hat and a meticulously tied cravat or necktie, which provided one of the few opportunities for a splash of color or pattern. As the decade progressed, the Lounge suit began to emerge as a more relaxed alternative for informal settings, signaling a gradual shift toward comfort.

This era of menswear was a masterclass in tailoring and proportion, reflecting a society that valued formality, rigid etiquette, and the dignified silhouette of the rising industrial age. Step back into a world of impeccable tailoring and Victorian etiquette with these vintage photos from the mid-19th century.

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Supercars in the Office Taken by George Grippinos During the 1990s

George Grippinos is a photographer renowned for documenting the extravagant, high-stakes culture of 1980s and 1990s Wall Street, specifically focusing on financiers and their luxury supercars. His work often captured the, at the time, unique trend of lifting Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches into high-rise penthouses and offices. Between 1992 and 1999, Grippinos shot a series featuring luxury vehicles installed as centerpieces in boardrooms and living spaces, reflecting extreme wealth.

During the 1990s Wall Street boom, supercars were treated as “domestic sculptures.” Having a supercar was not only about enjoying speed. It was about sending a message. By placing the car indoors they made sure it was always seen. Clients and visitors would walk in and immediately understand the level of wealth and power in the room. To get the vehicles into these unconventional spaces, owners often had them lifted by crane into high-rise offices, penthouses, and Upper East Side homes.

Grippinos’ work frequently showcased iconic 1990s models such as the Ferrari F40 and various Lamborghinis and Porsches. He captured this with a calm and honest eye. He did not judge or exaggerate. He simply showed how objects can define people and how success can be displayed in very personal ways.

These images capture something that feels almost surreal today, the sheer audacity of having a supercar as office décor, a symbol of how excess defined that particular moment in American finance culture. It’s a time capsule of a very specific kind of wealth flexing, long before social media made such displays routine.

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Wonderful Photos From the Set of “The Young Girls of Rochefort” (1967)

The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) is a 1967 French musical comedy directed by Jacques Demy. A companion piece to Demy’s earlier The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the film is celebrated for its pastel-colored aesthetic, jazzy score, and tribute to the golden age of Hollywood musicals.

Set over a single weekend in the seaside town of Rochefort, the story follows Delphine and Solange Garnier, twin sisters who teach dance and music while dreaming of finding love and artistic careers in Paris. As a carnival comes to town, a series of missed connections and near-misses unfold, with characters often narrowly avoiding their ideal partners until the final moments.

 Played by real-life sisters Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac. Tragically, Dorléac died in a car accident just months after the film's release. The film features Hollywood legends Gene Kelly as an American pianist and George Chakiris (West Side Story) as a carnival worker.

Composed by Michel Legrand. Notably, Danielle Darrieux (playing the twins’ mother) was the only cast member who sang her own parts; others were dubbed by professional singers. To achieve Demy’s vision of a “pastel paradise,” production designer Bernard Evein repainted 40,000 square meters of Rochefort's city facades.

The film is considered a masterpiece of the French New Wave’s later years, blending whimsical optimism with subtle themes of military presence and social change. A stage musical based on the film was produced in France in 2003, adapted by Alain Boublil and directed by Daniel Moyne. It is now widely regarded as one of the best musical movies all of time, one of the best films out of French cinema, one of the best pictures of the 1967, of the 1960s, as well of the 20th century and Demy’s best film alongside The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964).

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Arlene Dahl: The Flaming Redhead of Hollywood’s Golden Age

Arlene Dahl was a dazzling star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, best known for her vibrant red hair and sophisticated beauty. Born in 1925, she became a prominent leading lady at MGM during the 1950s, starring in classics like Three Little Words (1950) and the adventure epic Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959).

Beyond her acting career, Dahl was a savvy businesswoman. She founded her own cosmetics empire and became a successful author and syndicated columnist specializing in beauty and astrology. She was also the mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas. Even after she stepped away from major film roles, she remained a symbol of timeless glamour until her passing in 2021 at the age of 96.

Discover the timeless charm and sophistication of this legendary star through these stunning vintage portraits of Arlene Dahl.

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Vibration Therapy Treatment for Headaches, ca. 1895

Headaches have troubled humans for millennia, long before modern medicine provided effective treatments. One of the strangest historical remedies comes from the 1890s: vibration therapy. This involved placing a patient’s head inside a helmet and then striking a metal anvil beneath it with a mallet, sending vibrations through the skull. Whether this method actually eased pain or simply stunned the sufferer into silence remains unclear, but it highlights the desperate and sometimes bizarre lengths people went to in order to find relief from chronic headaches.

In the Middle Ages, treatments were equally harsh. Migraines were often addressed by applying opium soaked in vinegar to the patient’s nostrils or temples using a sponge. This method aimed to sedate the sufferer, not only dulling the pain but inducing unconsciousness. Such treatments were risky and reflected a time when managing pain meant suppressing symptoms rather than curing the underlying causes. The line between healing and harm was thin, and relief often came at a significant cost.

Going even further back, ancient cultures practiced trepanation, a procedure that involved drilling or scraping a hole into the skull to “release evil spirits” or relieve pressure believed to cause headaches. Dating back as far as 7000 BCE, trepanation was performed across various continents despite its dangers and high fatality rates.

Today, by contrast, a simple dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen can relieve headaches quickly and safely. This stark evolution from anvils and opium to over-the-counter painkillers reflects humanity’s enduring struggle with pain and the gradual advancement of medical science.