1323 Ocean Ave.
Gussie Moran House
photo by Michael Grandcolas
Roof detail
Gussie Moran showing her ruffled tennis undies
Queen Annes in a rainbow of colors
All of this new technology allowed for a lot of individuality in home building. Victorian America had fashions in house design; they were highly status-conscious, and in Victorian America, nothing displayed your status like your house.
House fashions literally started at the dinner table. Most wealthy Victorians spent what would seem to us to be an incredible amount of time socializing: it was not uncommon for them to either attend or host a dinner party 2 to 5 times a week. Victorian dinners were formal and long, consisting of many courses served over as much as three hours. Afterwards, the gentlemen would retire to the game room for cigars, brandy, and billiards or cards, while the ladies would retire to the drawing room for needlepoint, possibly music, and have sherry or tea.
In short, your social circle saw your house a lot, so it was important that the house be impressive -- that is, designed in the latest fashion. The house of a successful Victorian family was more than merely a home; it was a statement of their taste, wealth, and education.
The Queen Anne Victorian dominated residential architecture from 1880 to 1910. The Gussie Moran house captures some of the style’s bewildering excess, including projecting bay windows, towers, turrets, porches, roof finials and crestings, terra-cotta trim panels, cantilevered upper stories, decorative trim, patterned shingles, elaborate brackets and chimneys on Queen Anne houses are spectacularly crafted, as the photo here shows.
This particular property was once owned by international tennis sensation Gussie Moran. In 1949, Moran competed at the Wimbledon Championships wearing a short tennis dress with ruffled, lace-trimmed knickers peeping out below the hem. The effect was electric — this was the first time in history that ladies’ knickers had been fully and intentionally put on broad public display.
In a tournament in Egypt nine months later, Moran defied expectations by wearing a pair of plain black shorts. Why the unexpected change, she was asked. Having gained 13 pounds, she explained, her white tennis attire no longer fit her.
My business thrives on referrals.
I can always make time for you, your friends and your family when it comes to your real estate needs.
Jodi Summers
Sotheby's International Realty
233 Wilshire Blvd • Suite 100 • Santa Monica, CA • 90401
310-260-8269
jodi@jodisummers.com
WHAT ARE YOUR REAL ESTATE goals?
Click here and you're one step closer to fulfilling them...
© 2004 - 2008 - Jodi Summers. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. is Owned and Operated by NRT Incorporated. Jodi Summers & Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. do not make any representation or warranty regarding any information, including without limitation its accuracy or completeness, contained on this website.
Broker/Agent does not guarantee the accuracy of the square footage, lot size or other information concerning the conditions or features of the property provided by the seller or obtained from Public Records or other sources. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of all information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
For problems relating to this site, please report them to: webmaster@groundzeroltd.com.
powered by Ground Zero