New Year and New Ideas

Aloha! I just made it back from vacation in Hawaii a few hours ago. The trip was wonderful (and the islands are gorgeous!) but unfortunately, I did not have ready internet access, and thus, I could not update this blog or do extensive online research into my ISP topic.

I did, however, have a burst of inspiration during my vacation-- an epiphany, if you will. I was window shopping with my mother among the street kiosks set up down by Waikiki Beach, in Honolulu, when we wandered across a particularly interesting piece for sale. One stand had laid out a shaped piece of wood with holes in the sides and a long, thick string attached.The vendor claimed that it was a pair of shoes. I was baffled by this claim until the vendor picked up the two bizarre items and demonstrated how by threading the string through the holes in a variety of different patterns, one could create a pair of flip flops or gladiator sandals or any sort of lacing the wearer chose. The design was simple and innovative, and it was incredible how many different designs could be produced at whim with unexpectedly cheap supplies (although being a tourist shop, the shoes on sale were terribly overpriced).

This got me thinking. My ISP project focuses on the investigation of fashion trends in relation to social atmosphere and the ever-changing needs and ambitions of society. I've been working to trace the road to gender and class equality through observing how normal, day-to-day fashion has become increasingly homogeneous within American society, and evermore adapted for a comfortable and active lifestyle. Society is advancing with the goals of achieving maximum efficiency, comfort, and usefulness. And what would say that better than clothes that can be made from easily accessible materials, put together within seconds, and convertible according to the wearer's own personal taste?

I did some more research into DIY fashions and convertible clothing when I got home today. It's amazing how many creative and beautiful things can be made from the simplest materials and designs! A large piece of cloth can be a scarf, a shawl, a headband, a belt, a sarong skirt, or even a dress. Beautiful jewelry can be made from supplies as basic as safety pins or buttons. One of my particular favorite designs is the "infinity dress", so named because it is a single, simple yet elegant dress with long straps that can be worn in numerous different ways. Better yet, I even found a site that provided a tutorial on how to make it yourself!

The "Infinity" Dress

I've been planning to present my project in the form of a fashion show through the ages, but this recent insight has given me a new idea. Why not, in addition to sharing with others a look into the couture of the past, also give a peek at the potential of the future? It could be fun to create a miniature line of fashion that embodies the essence of a society that is ever on the move and striving to create a better, easier lifestyle.

We'll see how this goes. I will hopefully be able to conclude basic research soon, so that I can begin the design process of this project.

Happy New Year, everybody!

Fashion in the 1910's

I realize that I skipped this decade and wrote about the 1920's a while ago, so I decided it's time to travel back into the past for another quick peek into the years between 1910 and 1919.

During these ten years, women's fashion underwent major changes. The previous rigidity of the century's first decade was replaced with a less restricted standard. In the first half of the decade, fashion was characterized by an air of opulence. Corsets became less tight, sometimes even minimal or completely neglected. The popular dress form of the era was slender and lithe, as opposed to the curvy ideals of the corseted past. The movement known as Art Nouveau also began in this era, a craze originating in Europe in response to the Industrial Revolution and that quickly spread to North America, characterized by geometric lines and decorative designs. A new craze for Orientalism also swept through the nation, popularizing exotic designs such as the kimono and turbans. Some of the most popular designers of this era included Paul Poiret, Jacques Doucet, and Mariano Fortuny. Waistlines were high and loose at the start of the decade, gradually dropping to the natural waistline as years passed. Tunics, tailored jackets, and fur coats were commonly worn over skirts, which were ankle to calf length.

Flowing forms and furs: elegance and splendor of early 1910's fashion

The latter half of the decade, however, found itself with a whole new set of fashion standards. World War I (1914-1919) meant that male designers were drafted into the army and trade with textile suppliers was cut off. However, the absence of men on duty meant that women gained an increased role in society. The hobble skirt that first appeared earlier in the decade remained a popular design, but its tight-fitting form restricted the wearer's stride. Shorter, calf-length skirts began appearing to accommodate more active lifestyles.

The Hobble Skirt

The absence of male designers also meant the opportunity for the rise of female ones. Coco Chanel (previously mentioned in the Roaring Twenties post) had her first start during this time, producing designs such as loose-fitting chemises with belts at the hip, casual pleated skirts, and expensive wool jerseys popular with the wealthy for their youthful, casual elegance. She also popularized the use of costume jewelry, which were cheap alternatives to expensive pieces that working women could wear while they labored. Large hats with wide brims, short-heeled shoes, and "tango" shoes were popular at this time as well.

The Rise of Chanel

Sources:
http://tirocchi.stg.brown.edu/514/story/fashion_teens.html
http://www.ariaaustin.com/1910s.html

Pick of the Day: December 10, 2011

Sadly, I don't know who the designer of this collection is, but I found these on an art blog, and just thought they were too neat not to post. The outfits are inspired by a theme of design supplies: the dress above, for example, is supposed to resemble colored tape or ribbons. The outfit on the bottom is an imitation of a colored pencil. The sharply pleated skirt even features a long train (not pictured) that is meant to resemble the sharpened pencil's chain of wood shavings. 

The designs are all part of a spread for Madame magazine. It is a collaboration between art director Hattie Newman and photographer Matthew Brodie. Fashion photography is always so gorgeous. And what a creative idea!

Pick of the Day: December 7, 2011

Versace 2012 Resort Collection

This isn't my favorite collection of all time, but I like the emphasis put on contrast here. As an artist myself, I have experience with the importance of using design elements such as color and variety in pattern to create harmony and aesthetic appeal. Common tenets of design involve pairing opposites with each other: patterns with solids, loose fits with tight ones, etc. Here, the bright, colorful accessories add a playful touch to the seriousness of the black and white, and lessen the severity of the monochromatic color scheme with a little bit of fun. 

Pick of the Day: December 1, 2011

Carolina Herrera Resort 2012 Collection

I came across this collection today on www.fashioncollections.org, and I literally saved just about every image in the lookbook. The first thing that caught my eye was the vibrancy of the red and black poppy print on white. I love floral designs, but it's easy to go wrong with them if they're overdone or boring. This print, however, looks almost alive, the way the paint splatters seem to flow and drag along in the presence of some nonexistent wind. Upon taking a closer look at the other pieces in the collection, I was thrilled to find that they displayed a wide range of different patterns and designs, each different and yet harmonious with the next. Crisp, solid white gives way to blazing red, which turns the stage over to playful black and white polka dots, and finally to lavender and orange silk and flowing golden tulle. 

As a bonus, each design reminded me of different eras in fashion history, which may have been a basis of inspiration for the collection. The two pictures posted today, for example, showcase pieces that bear resemblance to the day wear of the 1940's, during which knee-length dresses and collared tailored or trench coats, belted at the waist, became popular (and still are today, as this collection proves).

There are at least ten other looks from this collection that I want to post about at some point in the future. I think I will devote a few days especially to this collection, posting pictures in sets according to which era they belong in. I've been reading through 20th Century Fashion, by John Peacock, and the illustrations are incredibly useful in my mission to pinpoint certain trends fast. If I can figure out how to, I might try to upload scans of pages alongside historically-inspired picks of the day, to show the similarities between them.