bobby soxer
Swooning wartime teen
A bobby soxer was a teenage girl in the 1940s, typically one who followed popular music and swooned over crooners like Frank Sinatra.
The term comes from bobby socks—white ankle socks that were part of the youthful fashion.
Bobby soxers represented an early form of teen fan culture: The bobby soxers screamed when Sinatra took the stage.
Informal school dance
- malt shopRetro milkshake parlor
- soda fountainBar dispensing carbonated drinks
- jukeboxCoin-operated music player
- doo-wopFifties vocal harmony genre
drive-in · 1940s · 1950s · vinyl · phonograph · oldies · diner · hot rod
Oxfords with contrasting center panel
- poodle skirtAppliquéd circular garment, mid-century
- ankletsBracelets for lower legs
- circle skirtA-line hemmed roundly
- cardiganFront-opening knitted garment
twinset · penny loafers · pedal pushers · ponytail · hair ribbon · charm bracelet · sweater girl · petticoat
Energetic swing-era partner dance
- swingSuspended recreational seat
- Lindy HopSwing dance from Harlem
- big bandLarge jazz ensemble
- boogie-woogieDriving bass, freewheeling treble
Glenn Miller · Benny Goodman · dance hall · ballroom · jazz · bebop · jive · bandstand
Losing consciousness briefly
- screamingLoud, shrill vocalizing
- autographHandwritten personal signature
- croonerSoft-voiced romantic vocalist
- heartthrobObject of romantic admiration
Frank Sinatra · Elvis · fan club · matinee idol · pinup · poster · scrapbook · fan mail
sock hop
Informal school dance
- malt shopRetro milkshake parlor
- soda fountainBar dispensing carbonated drinks
- jukeboxCoin-operated music player
doo-wop · drive-in · 1940s · 1950s · vinyl · phonograph · oldies · diner · hot rod · greaser
saddle shoes
Oxfords with contrasting center panel
- poodle skirtAppliquéd circular garment, mid-century
- ankletsBracelets for lower legs
- circle skirtA-line hemmed roundly
cardigan · twinset · penny loafers · pedal pushers · ponytail · hair ribbon · charm bracelet · sweater girl · petticoat · crinoline
jitterbug
Energetic swing-era partner dance
boogie-woogie · Glenn Miller · Benny Goodman · dance hall · ballroom · jazz · bebop · jive · bandstand · dance partner
swooning
Losing consciousness briefly
- screamingLoud, shrill vocalizing
- autographHandwritten personal signature
- croonerSoft-voiced romantic vocalist
heartthrob · Frank Sinatra · Elvis · fan club · matinee idol · pinup · poster · scrapbook · fan mail · hysteria
- 1940sWWII, D-Day, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, VE Day
- vintage fashioncorset, vintage style, vintage clothing, bustle, classic style
bobby soxermatron
Female institutional supervisor
adult · old maid · senior citizen · old-timer · grown-up
bobby soxermusic critic
Evaluates performances professionally
highbrow · squares · stuffed shirt · killjoy · philistine
bobby soxerflapper
Twenties unconventional young woman
hippie · punk rocker · millennial · debutante · suffragette