Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Social Style in History

Social Style and Relevance in History 1. environmental protection Eskimo man (Charles Edward Gordon in traditional Eskimo attire. - circa ~1921) Surviving in the snow was no easy feat without Gortex boots and waterproof gear. This outfit was made of animal skins and furs and offered the best environmental protection of the time. Eskimo family ((Left to right) Reindeer Princess Holulu Buliak, (daughter of Sinrock Mary), husband Charles E. Gordon, daughters Anna (my grandmother) and Rose (my grandmother's sister) - circa 1903) Here is the same man with the rest of his family. This is not a glamorized image of beautiful white fur hoodie and people who look comfortable in the cold. In this image you can really see how the clothes are their sanctuary.
2. decoration
Queen Elizabeth 1
(The Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1588)
Here is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth in her extremely decorative outfit. No human needs this much ornamentation to survive. She considered this a display of power for her country.
3. gender differentiation
Women's and men's baseball
1950's
(The first four women signed into the league,1943)
These are two standard outfits for men and women who are playing the exact same sport with the same rules, just a few years apart. The women's uniform is not conducive to good baseball.
Men's (1950's Brooklyn Dodgers)
These are the men's uniforms from 1950.
4. group membership
Boy Scout Uniform
(designed by Oscar de la Renta 2010,
for 100 year anniversary of Texas Boyscouts.)
Boy Scouts is one of the oldest American traditions and all over the country boy scout headquarters are celebrating their centennial. These were designed by de la Renta.
5. ceremonialism
Marie Antoinette,
On April 19, 1770 Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste were married by proxy in the Augustine Church in Vienna.
On May 16, 1770, their French wedding was held at Versailles in the Chapel Royal. Her wedding dress was decorated with diamonds and pearls.
We studied Antoinette in this module, and I have always been so interested in her, I wanted to do more research. This ceremonial wedding dress was worn by Marie Antoinette in 1770.
6. sexual enhancement
Agent Provocateur 2007
This is my favorite lingerie designer. This is nothing but sexual appeal and lust mongering.
Suzanna

Sunday, June 21, 2009

I found a great book with a lot of usable pictures, The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute FASHION A History from the 18th to the 20th Century, also a few are from the web. Styles have changed through the ages but some fabrics like silk and cotton have been staple fabrics since the Egyptians and ancient Chinese eras. "In the two bodices shown here, McQueen pressed leather and Miyake converted plastic into a realistic second skin. Their new way of looking at the human body as the basis of clothing is very apparent here." Alexander Mcqueen/Givenchy Bodice and Pants Label: Givenchy Couture Autumn/Winter 1999 Red pressed-leather bodice; white leather pants. Issey Miyake Bodice Label: None Autumn/Winter 1980 Red plastic bodice; embossed inside. "Ever since her debut, Rei Kawakubo has never relied on the standardized concepts of fashion when creating her own designs. Her designs are always noble and beautiful. This sweater looks complex, but it is basically structured by one straight-line panel. There is an abundance of space inside, and when the sleeve is open to the side, it is shaped like a Japanese kimono." Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons Sweater and Skirt Label: tricot COMME des GARCONS (sweater), COMME des GARCONS (skirt) Autumn/Winter 1983 Off-white wool garter-stitch knit sweater, rib-knit at hem; off-white wool jersey skirt. Gabrielle Chanel Dress Label: Chanel c. 1926 Dress of off-white silk chiffon with cape-like piece; pin-tucks; skirt made of 15 panels; underdress of silk crepe de chine. Left Corset c.1785 English Beige quilted silk taffets; front lacing with hand-darned eyelets; boned at center front and back and both sides; straps tied with ribbon. Center, above Corset c.1785 English Beige couril with continuous straps; front lacing with hand-darned eyelets; boned throughout; probably altered from a mid-eighteenth-century corset. Center, below Child's Corset c.1785 English Beige plain-weave linen; boned throughout; back lacing. Right Corset c.1790 White Linen chintz; boned front, back and sides; metal spring at side. "During the Second Empire (1852-1870), crinoline dresses became so large that it was impossible to wear a coat over them, and even larger cashmere shawls came into fashion. With the change to the bustle style the shawl also changed, and the visite made it's appearance. As shown by the display on the left, the cashmere shawl changed to a visite or indoor garment, and gradually became a piece of indoor decoration, disappearing from the fashion scene." Visite Late 1870's Polychrome fabrics woven in Kashmir (India); fringe trimming on collar, sleeve and hem. Cashmere Shawl 1850's-1860's Polychrome cashmere shawl, rectangular with fringe at edges, made by Frederic Hebert, shawl maker in Paris.

I found this image very inspirational for this research project. The ancient Egyptians used looms to weave fabric, they were the first civilization to move fashion away from animal skins.

Two women at a loom, passing their shuttle back and forth Attic black-figured jug, c.550 BC, attributed to the Amasis Painter. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fletcher Fund, 1931 (Eric Schaal, photographer)

TimeLife
's series, GREAT AGES OF MAN: Classical Greece, 1965:86

Mitts 1830's Black lacy silk knit embroidered with metal beads.

Dress (round gown) c.1795-1800 English Indian ikat muslin; turban of silk gauze figured with wool and silk.

"The word 'dandy' first surfaced as a anme for refined men in England in the early nine teenth century. Encouraged by the Restoration in 1815, aristocrats who had fled to Britain returned to France, and the dandies who returned to Paris became a feature of the city. Their clothes were in the sinple and functional style of English fashion. Since the style was simple without decoration, a cut0to fit, perfect tailoring technique and the use of superior-quality fabric were stressed. The carefully combined color scheme, and the cut that perfectly fits the body line, makes this typical 1830's -style dandy suit almost a work of art."

Man's Ensemble 1830's Dark brown tail coat of wool broadcloth with velvet collar; waistcoat of black silk satin with cut-velvet woven floral pattern; trousers of plaid cotton twill; silk pongee scarf.

Man's Hunting Jacket Mid-18th Century Light-yellow chamois leather; buttons: left, metal in checked pattern; right, tewntieth century replacements.

This stylish hunting jacket is made out of flexible and strong chamois leather. The flaps can either be folded back as reverse or fastened double breasted.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

SourceBook for Fashion

This source book is a place where I can display my favorites in the fashion world and show what I would buy if I could afford it. I want to share ideas and images with others and have discussions about the meaning of designs. I like American fashion. My favorites are Marc Jacobs, Badgley Mischka and WALTER. Here are a few current designs I adore. Zac Posen 2009 Ready-to-Wear Badgley Mischka 2009 Ready-To-Wear Marc Jacobs 2009 Ready-To-Wear Badgley Mischka 2009 Ready-To-Wear Zac Posen 2009 Ready-To-Wear
Zac Posen 2009 Ready-To-Wear
Luli Fama Swimwear 2009
Luli Fama Swimwear 2009 pictures are from style.com, lulifama.com