Jeanette MacDonald Stoffregen
Jeanette MacDonald Stoffregen lived from September 7, 1898 until May 14, 1956. She was born to father Robert Lee Stoffregen and mother Anne Gilmer Martin.
Jeanette, like the other women in her family, was involved in school events and was a supporter of local history. Jeanette’s involvement in her community shows her appreciation for the Fredericksburg area and the rich history that can be found there. In one photograph from this album, Jeanette is seated among a crowd gathered around the Mary Washington Monument.
Weddings
Much of Jeanette’s scrapbook collection is centered around marriage and honeymooning. In keeping with wedding fashion in the 1930s, Jeanette’s wedding gown appears to have long sleeves and fabric that reaches the floor, as well as a long veil and a large bouquet. She is photographed much like many women of her time period – looking elegant and regal.
The 1930s symbolized a departure from the short dresses of the previous decade. Women of the ’30s focused far more on looking like royals than they did on looking like the life of the party.
Fashion during this time period began to center around a woman’s personality more as designers and marketers began to notice that women were tasked with managing the finances of the home. Designers started to stress the importance of dressing to match one’s personality.
As seen in Jeanette’s scrapbooks, women of the 1930s were infatuated with their honeymoon destination. In Jeanette’s case, she can be seen researching the magnolia garden she plans to visit and saving some flowers she may have found on her journey. While it may seem unusual today, saving plant life in scrapbooks was commonplace in the early 20th century – especially as honeymoon dream vacations began to highlight the beauty of nature.
References
Ancestry. “Jeanette MacDonald (No Children) Stoffregen 1898-1956.” Accessed Mar. 10, 2020. https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/jeanette-macdonald-no-children-stoffregen-24-9bympf
Berry, Sarah. Screen Style: Fashion and Femininity in 1930s Hollywood. Vol. 2. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000.
Lentz, Cheyenne. “Here’s What Honeymoons Looked Like the Year You Were Born.” Insider, February 26, 2018. https://www.insider.com/how-honeymoons-changed-then-and-now-2018-2
Photograph, “Parade, July 26, 1943” [ca. 1943], 2018-047-P-030, Cadwallender Collection, The Central Rappahannock Heritage Center, Fredericksburg, VA.
Sessions, Debbie. “1930s Wedding History.” Mar. 14, 2019. https://vintagedancer.com/vintage/1930s-wedding-history/.
