Grand Junction Colorado’s Fashionistas From The 50s & 60s
You sure can date a photo by the clothing people wear. Take a trip back in time with these Grand Junction, Colorado fashionistas of yesteryear.
The gallery below contains a number of Robert Grant photos from Grand Junction of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Many of these images come from photoshoots Bob did for downtown merchants. Take a look, you may see someone you know.
Grand Junction, Colorado - Fashion Mecca of the Western Slope
As I recall, my grandpa, Robert Grant, used to shoot images for a Sunday insert featuring top fashions offered by Downtown Grand Junction merchants.
Between you and me, he loathed every second of it. My grandpa was a newsman, pure and simple. He cut his teeth serving as a soldier/photographer for the Army during World War II. I can remember him cursing, groaning, and stomping around the house any time he had an assignment involving models and fashion.
Grand Junction's Downtown Merchants
If you lived here in the 1970s, then you can recall a time when there was no Mesa Mall. Back then you did your shopping at Fashion Bar, Mode O'Day, and a handful of other merchants. There were, of course, a number of department stores such as Woolworths, Sears, and JC Penney. If you made your way out of downtown, you could find stores in Grand Junction such as Woolco and KMart.
A Different Time
Not all of these photos come from modeling shoots. Some feature people dressed extraordinarily well, drastically overdressed for whatever it is they are doing. Others show fashion trends that stick out like a sore thumb.
A Work In Progress
I'm working as quickly as I can to digitize, catalog, and share the collection of Bob Grant photos in my possession. My dad spent 20 years working on this project, and when he died in 2019, I took it over.
My method thus far focuses on sorting through photos, finding a theme, and then scanning, editing, and publishing 20 to 30 prints at a time. In addition to getting the photos in front of the public, publishing the prints opens the door where people can reply with information about the shots and their subjects. Regrettably, my grandpa never wrote anything down on his prints.
This takes time and lots of it. At the rate I'm going, it's my sincere hope to have it completed sometime in the year 2068. It will be nice to wrap this up two years shy of my 100th birthday.
Please enjoy this short gallery of Bob Grant photos showcasing Grand Junction's fashion of the past.