Sweet And Gloomy

It’s a beautiful spring day right now and I am sitting thinking about the fashion for the timeline of the book Lolita. It takes place in 1947-1952 roughly, in the south of the United States. It can be inferred that we meet Dolores in the late spring time because she is sitting outside reading and sunbathing. The story goes on throughout the summer. The southern states are notoriously hot and humid. The car, where most of the story takes place, would not have had AC yet as Pontiac wouldn’t introduce the system internationally until the late 50s. All of this is to say that the skimpy outfits Dolores wears, the ones humbert thinks are to seduce him, are being worn because it’s hot as hell and she is dressed for the weather.