Pick of the Day: March 31, 2012

Christophe Josse Spring 2012

I'm a sucker for nude tones, and I loved the look of these champagne pieces put together. The soft silk of the blouse and the metallic crocodile skin skirt are both almost luminescent in appearance, which sets off their otherwise plain color. The fit combines loose and flowing with straight and slim, accentuating features without being excessive. The entire ensemble has an almost dreamlike, fairytale quality about it, and embodies my ideal form of beauty; simple yet sophisticated.

Fashion in the 1950's

Halfway through with the 20th century! Today, I did some research on women's fashion in the 1950's.

The first source I went to is the blog of my friend, Sarah, who is researching a similar topic as mine. Her blog (http://lavendor.tumblr.com/) is full of wonderful pictures of both women's and men's fashion from this decade specifically. If you want to find out more about the 50's, take a look!

Three 1950's Fashions

America in the 1950's was just emerging from the restrictions of war into an age of relative prosperity. The development of new financial institutions, including a credit card system, meant that consumer buying power increased, and consequently, more manufactured clothing could also be bought. The youth culture that started developing in the 1940's continued to grow during this time, influenced by British non-conformism (such as the neo-Edwardian "Teddy Boys") and the rise of rock-and-roll. The youth culture has sometimes been referred to as the Beat Generation

Woman in "Teddy Boy"-inspired Clothing

Postwar women roles were also beginning to return to the ideal of a homemaker. The ideal woman was characterized as "doe-eyed" and "feminine", features achieved through the use of mascara and fitted dress forms. Fashion emphasized femininity: soft shoulders, stiletto heels, wrist gloves, and full skirts. Dress forms such as the chemise dress (with a waist line determined at whim using a belt) or the sleeveless dress were also favored for their convenient wear and availability. Fabrics such as velvet, tulle, and chiffon gained popularity, as well as the iconic staples of patent leather and fur. Dior continued to hold a prestigious role in haute couture, continuing from the previous decade, releasing new couture fashions such as the Princess Line, the A Line, the H Line, and the Profile Line. Corsets and conical brassieres also became popular in order to achieve the ideal figure.

Actress and Style Icon Audrey Hepburn

Work wear included sleek pencil skirts and ornamentation such as small hats, veils, and feathers. The notable tailor's suit figure consisted of a straight skirt and a jacket like an old riding habit, complete with high lapels, narrow sleeves, and single-breasted design.

Woman in Tailored Suit

Sources:
http://www.enjoy-your-style.com/1950s-fashion.html
http://www.paperpast.com/html/1950_fashion.html

Pick of the Day: March 24, 2012

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2012

Leave it to Gaultier to design a line of fashion especially dedicated to the memory of Amy Winehouse (down to the beehive hair and winged eyeliner!) I liked the eccentricity of the pieces in this collection: elegant yet unconventional. The structured fit of the pieces and the combination of dark and bright colors support this interesting mix. I especially love the black lace trenchcoat paired with the pop of orange. The jacket below is probably one of the most interesting pieces of the collection, in my opinion. One arm is covered in a full sleeve, and the other wrapped in an almost shawl. It puts a novel spin on the classic one-shoulder design of clothing that I find intriguing. With design, you can't be afraid to take risks.

War and The New Look: Fashion in the 1940's

Fashion in the 1940's was defined largely by the onset of World War II in 1939. Because wartime rationing meant less consumer buying power, ornaments were rare and clothes were kept simple and practical. Nylon and wool were required by American soldiers, and Japanese silk was banned following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thus, versatile rayon emerged as the prominent material for women's clothing. Women's dresses were knee-length and had padded shoulders. A popular jacket form was the peplum, which narrowed hips while flattering the waist. During the war, fashion lost its center in Paris, with the tragic closing of Chanel's couture house.

1940's Trench Coats

Sportswear and multiple layered pieces became popular because allowed for more combinations of clothing and thus a more diverse wardrobe. Despite austere silhouettes, suits, and overalls, femininity was preserved through curls and lipstick. Working women sometimes had to wear slacks or blue jeans, making both common articles of clothing. Pants became common features of fashion, popularized by actresses who flaunted them on the silver screen.

Actress Katharine Hepburn popularized slacks

Wartime shortages of textiles meant a shortening of hemlines that in turn placed a greater emphasis on female legs. Short, boxy designs were in style, partially out of necessity, popularized by movie stars and pin-up girls like Betty Grable. The scarcity of fabric also gave rise to the first bikinis; two piece swimsuits with bared midriffs were solutions to the issue of material shortage. Even shortened bobby socks and shoes saved material by adopting short heels and T-bar and open toe designs.

Actress Lauren Bacall wore popular fashions in her movies

The First Bikinis!

Starting in 1947, however, with the end of the war, a movement known as "The New Look" began to gain popularity, pushing Paris back to the spotlight of the haute couture scene.This movement was pioneered by the brilliant Christian Dior, and focused on accentuating curves and an hourglass figure. Features of these fashions include narrow corseted waists, long full skirts, soft sloping shoulders, and full busts. This contrasted dramatically with the previous wartime simplicity, winning approval from some but disgust from others.

Christian Dior's "New Look"

Sources:
http://womens-fashion.lovetoknow.com/Women's_Fashion_1940's
http://doloresmonet.hubpages.com/hub/Fashion-History-Design-Trends-of-the-1040s

Pick of the Day: March 10, 2012

Ralph Lauren Daryn Dress

I have an obsession with little black dresses (I personally own about 16), but this is probably one of my favorites of all time. From the front, this sleek, vaguely Oriental number looks relatively plain and insignificant and hardly worth the almost $4,498 it retails for. But when you view it from the back...

A large portion of the back is embellished with a stunning, beaded Chinese dragon design on sheer fabric. The overall dress is so simple, and yet so intricate; the ultimate effect it produces is one of effortless elegance, which I really admire. The dress has most famously been sported by Rooney Mara on November 2011's issue of Vogue (which is fitting, for the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo actress). The simplicity and sophistication of this little black dress reminds me a little bit of the iconic black dress sported by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but with a twist. I think it's absolutely wonderful.

More Chanel!

While I'm at this Chanel research, I figured I'd add some more to this plethora of Coco adding up on this blog. I found a website (http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chnl/hd_chnl.htm) with pictures of real items from Chanel's early 1920's collections, and thought it was incredible to see the actual iconic pieces that started so many classic fashion trends and changed the face of fashion.

         

 Evening Dress (c.1926-27)                        Day Ensemble (c. 1927)             

                  

           

Evening Coat (c. 1927)                                Day Ensemble (c. 1927)

  

Shirt (c. 1935-37)                                                 Theater Suit (1938)

Coco Chanel

I was doing some research on Coco Chanel for my French IA, and I wandered across this. It's a short video on Chanel's life and legacy, and I thought it fit in nicely with the research I'm conducting here.