I don’t smoke...

But have an odd fascination with old photographs of people smoking.

(Hildegard Knef)



And on the subject, my friend Thomas sent me this photo (shown above) today with the message ‘When people still knew how to smoke and look pretty’. After reading that it finally dawned on me why I love old photographs of people smoking more than say current ones, something to do with a time when people looked elegant and pretty while smoking and also the innocence of the deed... before Surgeon General’s warnings came into play with fear, guilt and even (as my sister Anna who smokes would tell you) the public displays of disdain that are often attached. Here are more pretty smokers and a great video (with a tremendously good song) all for the sake of nostalgia:

My Bloody Valentine 'Cigarette In Your Bed'
(Great video for a game of 'Name that film!')



'Teenage Girls Just Hanging out'



'Wife of Rudolph Friml During a Cruise' (ca.1922)



Woman with a 'cocktail whistle' (ca.1935)



'Teenage girl sitting in profile position'



'A woman lies on a window seat smoking a cigarette'



'Young Brunette Woman Reclining On Pillows'
by H. Armstrong Roberts (ca.1938)



Sources: All photos after video courtesy of Corbis.