Era Fashions Committee
The Era Fashions committee is an integral part of MAFCA. Era Fashions are a part of every MAFCA regional, divisional, and national meet, as well as most MAFCA chapter meets. The Era Fashions Committee oversees the rules for judging era fashions, assists MAFCA chapters and regions with their era fashions events, and researches era fashions.
How It All Began – The Beginnings of the Era Fashions Committee by Lynette Marcione
Applications are being accepted for EFC membership. For more information, click here.
The Era Fashions Committee
Anne Neely-Beck
Milledgeville, GA, Chair 2025-2026
My Model A involvement began when I married Jamess Beck in 1986. James bought his first Model A chassis when he was 14 and his dream of owning a 1931 Roadster became reality in 2001. James and I have enjoyed owning six Model A's since 1994. Joining the Shade Tree A's Model A Club was, of course, key to our growing knowledge of the Model A hobby. I was Chairman of the EFC in 2010 when the big rewrite of the Fashion Guidelines took place. My advice to the fashion enthusiast is "Don't be afraid. Go for the look of the era first and decide what you want to tackle ... Original, Reproduction or Model A Era I mage:' I think you are bound to make mistakes but that is okay. It's the fun of making new friends and gaining a new perspective about the ladies of our Model A era.
Brian Carlson
BC, Canada, Member
Everyone knows someone that had a Model A Ford in their family. How can you not appreciate the continuing relevance of Henry’s influence on the historical collective. Respecting its enduring legacy, I believe that MAFCA supports this vision by reaching out beyond the vehicle itself through its support of period fashions that are enjoyed by so many. My personal journey with the Model A Ford began with the purchase of a 1928 Roadster in 2002. Concurrently a new chapter was forming, the Lions Gate Model A Club and I became a charter member. I believe that selection of a Roadster was influenced by having pictures of my father’s 1929 Roadster that he drove on Vancouver Island and still possessing the registration. My Roadster eventually moved on, but other A’s have taken its place and provided me with many pleasant hours working on them in the garage. Prior to Model A ownership, I had an appreciation for period fashions of the 20th Century in a passive way. Being introduced to a world of fashion through The Restorer magazine or at the conventions and supported by a spouse that became similarly enthused with the concept, resulted in both of us participating in era fashion events and working through the process to become master judges. She pursued a path of Era Fashion Committee leadership while I advanced into judging at the regional and national levels, ultimately becoming Chief Fashion Judge at a national meet. I have a particular interest in accessories and head gear of the Model A era. This has led me to build collections of pocket watches, men’s hats and railroad uniforms. It is always fun to explore a new antiques store looking for that next acquisition. I am a collector at heart but must use restraint. Perhaps what I like best about the Model A Era fashions is the appreciation of what a dynamic period of change it enjoyed during four years of transition from the 1920’s to 1930’s. I look forward to new perspectives, challenges and interactions within a dynamic hobby.
Diann Eason
Broomfield, CO, Member 2025-2026
I have been a member of the Model A Ford hobby since 1967 when I married my husband. My interest in the era fashion began very quickly as I became curious about the design features of the 1928-1931 fashion. Researching and hunting for fashions to match the years of my husband's Model A Fords allowed me to be engaged in a family hobby. Through the years I have learned so much about fashion design, manufacturing, culture, and the impact of society norms on fashions. I enjoy reading, researching, and developing displays to provide education to new members of the Model A hobby.
Perry Jones
Cypress, TX, Member 2025-2026
When I was dating my wife back in the 1970's, I knew that her father had a Model A (that he bought in the early 60's) stored in the garage, in pieces and not running. I thought nothing of it since I was there to pick up my date. My brother-in-law took the car up to Dallas in the late 1990's, and with help from the Dallas Model A Club, fully restored the 1930 Deluxe Coupe. He kept the car in Dallas for eleven years and decided that he would bring the car to Houston and share it with his sisters. In 2011, it was my wife's turn to possess the car. I knew nothing about it until the day it came to us, but once we started to drive it we both fell in love with all that was Model A; so much so that my wife said we had to get our own car because she "doesn't like to share." Thus, we also own a 1931 Slant Window Fordor. In 2012, we joined the Piney Wood MAFC and were instantly accepted as family. We started touring and eventually found ourselves at the Texas Tour where we learned about fashion and that there was actual Fashion Judging (who knew?) My wife became interested and found a mentor that to this day is extremely helpful. Then came that day, while antiquing in Galveston, where on a dress form I spied what looked like an era dress. My wife tried it on and it fit so we bought it, our first purchase. The dress was later identified by my wife's mentor as an original 1931 day time dress and we were off to the races. With help, my wife put together and entered an ensemble in the 2018 Fashion Judging at the Texas Tour. We both had a blast and I became hooked as well as we both entered in 2019. My next step was to take the MAFCA Fashion Judging tests which I passed in 2020 and look forward to participating in my first judging event as an apprentice judge. Since I am so new to Era Fashion, my goal with the EFC is to learn from the best and more experienced and to promote Era Fashion to the MAFCA community.
Cynthia Barnes
San Jose, CA, Member, 2025-2027
Ragtime dance & early jazz music were my entrées to this era & lifestyle. Historic dance requires historic costumes to really “sell” the effect. Whenever I learned a new dance style, I needed a new ensemble. A vintage car makes a pretty fine fashion accessory, if you ask me. Even before college graduation I had a hand in vintage aircraft restoration, sewing fabric pieces, doing aircraft frame welds, refinishing woodwork & rib stitching on my dad’s vintage 30s & 40s “ragwing” planes. Oh sure, he did the lion’s share of the work, but was happy to teach skills & give flying lessons. Despite the fact that we live in a teen’s era house in an “L’il Rascals” & “Our Gang” look-a-like historic neighborhood, my husband & I are both Silicon Valley engineers. Oh, And the car? It is, like many cars in this hobby, our 1931 Deluxe Coupe is a hand-me-down gifted from my dad. The family joke is that it was my folks’ 5th but oldest child (the vintage Piper Cub was the 4th child.) I particularly love it as it’s one of the first cars advertised primarily to women drivers. Husband, Raz, is the mechanic keeping it running & except for safety items, it’s in pretty-close-to-stock configuration. Find us in the slow lane at most events! I satisfied my appetite (or so I thought) with the purchase of my first Model A in 1997; a restored 1931 Deluxe Coupe. I immediately joined the local Sonoma A’s and MAFCA, and immersed myself in the hobby studying every detail about the car, its history, and what made it tick. I tapped into the knowledge and guidance of experienced Model A owners and took on any task in the repair, upkeep, and enhancement of that car. Then came another; a 1930 Town Sedan. After completing all the tests I began judging in 2007, advanced to Senior Judge, and have served as Team Captain at several national and regional events. I am grateful to Alex Janke and many others for their support and encouragement along the way. The Model A Club truly changed my life. I met my husband Dave Uhlig, also a Senior Judge, in the Sonoma A’s and our A collection became a herd. A few others have come and gone, but we currently have an early 1928 AA Express, a 1929 Pickup, a 1930 Cabriolet, and a 1931 Roadster. There’s a 1950 Studebaker pickup in there too, who feels a little awkward. Not yet retired, I am a partner in a multi-disciplinary civil engineering firm in Santa Rosa, California. My 40-plus-year career as a civil designer with an art background has given me the traction to organize and design successful Model A tours and events. I have chaired the MAFCA National Awards Banquet in 2011, the 2019 Northern California Regional Group Roundup, and co-chaired the Welcome Party for 800 attendees at the 2016 Reno MAFCA National Convention. I have served in the Sonoma A’s in several capacities, including President, Vice-President/Tour Leader, Advisor, Director, Tools Chair, and currently as Webmaster. I am honored to have been recruited to the MAFCA Judging Standards Committee.