f

Monday, April 15, 2013

Monday Morning Inspiration

Three years ago, I had a chance to go to Nashville and see this incredible exhibit from The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. The exhibit focused on couture between the years 1947-1957 and it showed what was going on in London and Paris at that time. Of course this was just after the war and London had been devastated by all the bombing, so it was especially interesting to see what was being worn in London at that time. If you are interested, you can find this book on Amazon here
 We'll spend two weeks with this book. Today I am showing a few of the tailored pieces. Next week we'll take a look at some of the gowns.
 Dress by Peter Russell. From British Vogue, 1946.
 Balenciaga, Paris, 1941.
 Day dress by Dior, Spring/Summer 1947.
 Perfect seams from Balenciaga, French Vogue, September 1951.
Balenciaga, French Vogue, 1950. I have actually had my hands on this jacket. When I worked in the costume department at the Chicago History Museum, this coat came into their collection. It is beautiful.
Another coat from Balenciaga, 1957. You can buy a pattern similar to this from Vogue.
Above and below, I thought I would show a few shots of the underclothes. Take note of all the boning and then the lovely decoration on the hose. At one time, as much attention was paid to what was won underneath as what was worn on the outside.
 The last chapter of this book focuses on modern day couture. Below a coat from Hardy Amies, Fall/Winter 2006-07. Take note of the pleats in the collar.
And finally, no collection would be complete without something from the House of Chanel. Below, a beautiful suit from the Fall/Winter 2006-07 collection.   
What I always find interesting is how wearable the vintage pieces are. We may not want vintage head to toe, but a jacket or a blouse can add such a wonderful look to a modern day piece.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Rhonda



Share this PostPin ThisShare on TumblrShare on Google PlusEmail This

7 comments:

  1. I can't believe you just slipped that in abut working for the Chicago History Museum! You have many hidden talents, don't you?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gorgeous! And I do believe that you just solved my "problem" with that Hardy Amies coat. You'll see soon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. this is great... that generation was inventive and creative.
    Like it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I clearly missed this expo at the V&A - I would have loved it. Great pics they are all so glamorous and how lucky are you to have actually seen one of the pieces up close and personal (so to speak).

    ReplyDelete
  5. Being a teenager in the late '50s and early '60s, I love this era. Beautiful. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, this is my favorite era for women's clothing. So elegant, these clothes elevate us from mere women to creatures of mystery! Thanks for sharing this. I would wear any of it except the hip pleats. Not a good choice for a pear-shaped woman.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a fabulous time for fashion!
    I can't wait to see what you post next.

    ReplyDelete