How high can you jump (or how low can you go)?
When Mary was chosen to be the caller for ‘Simon Says’ at the Winstanton Ladies’ League garden party she’d had no idea how much fun that game could be. After years of envelope stuffing and doing the bidding of Cynthia Pinkerton-Smyth she suddenly saw a way to get her own back. She’d put them through their paces all right!
“Simon says hold up your right index finger. Oh, very good, ladies!”
Just how far she could make them go?
“Now, Simon says take that finger and insert it in…”
Sorry today’s pattern update is a rather overdue. But at least now there new patterns are now in the store. Hurrah!
Backing the wrong horse
Autumn must be almost here: The mornings mists have begun. And fat little Autumn clothing catalogues are beginning to plop through my letterbox. I love these little mini-magazines. I could spend hours poring over how each clothing company have chosen to style their models, their choice of location. I find I will analyse whether the catalogue tells a story, the quality of the print and paper, the actual descriptions of each garment. I ponder what works, and what doesn’t. And sometimes I even pay attention to the clothes :)
Today on the doormat: a catalogue (from a company who will remain nameless) which claims cheerfully that fringing is fabulous. I beg to differ. I don’t mind fringing on the very ends of scarves, and I’ll tolerate it on the bottom of sofas. But almost every piece of knitwear in this catalogue has woolly fringing. Fringing around collars, fringing in the seams, and up the sides. The general effect is that of the illustration at the top of this post. It’s from a Vogue Knitting Book from 1961, and even Vogue suggests that it may be judicious to knit a version without the fringe: “Pullover in delicious mango, with madcap fringes for the latest Italian look; or, more orthodox, without”.
It seems to me a risky business, designing a mass market/high street clothing collection. After all, the whole process must start so far in advance of that catalogue landing on my doormat. A year? Two years? Armed with “market intelligence” and “trend forecasting” each clothing must make that fundamental decision: what trends do they think will sell? (It must be a tiny bit like, say, putting your entire year’s salary on Prancing Snowdrift to win the 2.30 at Epsom because a friend of a friend says they’re a stone cold cert.)
It’s certainly intriguing to see what trends each retailer is backing to win profits this season. My catalogue confidently asserts that fringing is “right on trend”. I think they may have backed the wrong horse. But that’s just me. I will endeavour to remember that no amount of being told something is “on trend” means I have to suspend my personal disbelief and buy it….
Ritz crackers
Vivien wondered whether she should tip Margaret off about the best air raid shelter in Paris. Down in the wine cellars of the Ritz hotel, elegance still held sway. There were fur rugs and sleeping bags by Hermès, and the most stylish women walked about in Schiaparelli siren suits with pink flannel lining, or jaunty capes by Piguet. There was a grand piano, and impromptu sing-a-longs and dancing. And of course there were several hundred thousand bottles of champagne, champagne that was served in tea pots…
According to Dominique Veillon, in her book Fashion Under the Occupation, air raids at the Ritz during World War II did indeed involve sleeping bags by Hermès and couture siren suits. (The grand piano, dancing and tea pots are my embellishments.)
On a slight tangent, I hadn’t realised that on the day that Paris was liberated from German occupation in 1944 writer Ernest Hemingway rocked up at the Ritz in a jeep and supposedly “liberated” it. Or the bar that now bears his name and cellars at least. Did he really liberate it, or just liberate a few bottles of champagne? (Apparently he had to be removed comatose several hours later…)
This pattern is now up in the store, along with a few others…
Not so Perfect Behavior
Satirical cartoon on ‘Practical Dress’ from La Vie Parisienne, Sept 1923.
Causing me to chortle into my morning coffee today is a most amusing guide to etiquette, first published in the 1922, called Perfect Behavior. Written by Donald Ogden Stewart (Hollywood screenwriter and friend of Dorothy Parker, which figures), it was obviously intended as a rib-tickling read for the dashing 1920s bachelor. Tongue firmly in cheek, Mr Stewart provides all manner of insights on subjects which include weddings, their arrangements and the handling of wedding gifts:
As the gifts are received, a check mark should be placed after the name of the donor, together with a short description of the present and an estimate as to its probable cost. This list is to be used later, at the wedding reception, in determining the manner in which the bride is to greet the various guests. It has been found helpful by many brides to devise some sort of memory system whereby certain names immediately suggest certain responses, thus:
“Mr. Snodgrass—copy of ‘Highways and Byways in Old France’”—c. $6.50—”how do you do, Mr. Snodgrass, have you met my mother?”
“Mr. Brackett—Solid silver candlesticks—$68.50″—”hello, Bob, you old peach. How about a kiss?”
Illustration from the Gazette du Bon Ton, 2, 1921.
There’s observations on making payment for a street car (or tram):
A young married woman, for example, on entering a street car, should always have her ticket or small “change” so securely buried in the fourth inside pocketbook of her handbag that she cannot possibly find it inside of twelve minutes. Three or more middle-aged ladies, riding together, should never decide as to who is to pay the fare until the conductor has gone stark raving mad.
Illustration from the Gazette du Bon Ton, 3, 1921
And indispensable advice on writing most original Halloween party invitiations:
Another novel invitation is made by cutting a piece of yellow paper thirteen inches long and four inches wide, and writing on each inch one of the lines given below. Then begin at the bottom and fold the paper up, inch by inch. Fasten the last turn down with a “spooky” gummed sticker, and slip into a small envelope. When the recipient unfolds the invitation, he will be surprised to read the following:
Now what on earth
do you suppose
is in this
little folder
keep turning
ha ha ha
further
ha ha ha
further
ha ha ha,
further
ha ha ha
further
It would perhaps be best to telephone the next day to those guests whom you really want, and give them further details as to the date and time of the party. Additional fun can be gotten out of this invitation by failing to put postage stamps on the envelopes when you mail them; the two cents which each guest will have to pay for postage due can be returned in a novel manner on the night of the party by inserting them in sandwiches or stuffed tomatoes.
Cartoon on ‘Practical Dress’ from La Vie Parisienne, Sept 1923.
Misunderstood…
Betty just didn’t know where to look, and she heard Sandra at her side let out a nervous giggle. It appeared that there had been some kind of dreadful misunderstanding. When new committee member Sally Wilkins had asked what she should wear to the Ladies’ League charity garden party, they’d just told her to wear a fancy dress. So what an earth had possessed her to turn up in a giant penguin costume….?
Yup, time for a few new patterns in the store…..
Hit or miss: Swimwear edition
A big sorry first for the extended blogging silence! Things have been busy here- I wish I could say due to holidays and gadding about, but actually mostly due to work. (Pulls face and presses one hand limply to brow, etc, etc…)
Anyway, I thought we’d play a little game of hit or miss with three different vintage bathing suit shots (from three different summer issues of L’Officiel de la Mode magazine). I keep coming back to look at these shots and can’t quite decide whether I love them or loathe them. Was whoever was responsible for the styling of the models a genius, or simply suffering from too much sun?(Either way, some kind of medal for sheer fashion bravery is probably in order…)
The first one, from 1953, is up at the top of this post. I know. I quite like it too, especially with the shades, and the sassy hair. But then I come back to the suit, and that neckline. Why do I keep feeling that the only things missing here are a snap-on collar and cuffs and a pair of bunny ears?
Next, 1961:
The model on the right. The suit (or is it a cover up- I can’t decide?) with its ‘Egyptian’ detailing is all well and good. But the Cleopatra hair- is it a design touch too far? I presume it’s not the model’s actual hair, because it looks peculiarly like plastic. Is it a wig? Or is it some kind of bizarre novelty swimming cap?
Finally, from 1963:
At least that hat will be nice and shady. And might even be perfect for standing drinks on. Or that afternoon game of beach frisbee.
What do we think: hit, or miss?
Just mad about Mad Men
Well, the wait is almost over- this Sunday night in the US sees the premiere of the long-awaited new season of Mad Men! I came late to the Mad Men cocktail party, but I can barely contain myself, and of course I can’t wait to see the costumes for this season! Luckily there are some beautiful gallery photos on the Mad Men site that show a glimpse what we have to look forward to…
The only other thing we know about season 4 (because the producers have been very good at keeping just about everything under wraps and spoiler free- even the promo trailers are only footage of past seasons) is that season 4 will be set in 1964. (Season 1 was set in 1960, season 2 in 1962, and 3 in 1963.) Janie Bryant, the costume designer for the show, is hinting at a touch of Mod being about to creep into the characters’ wardrobes in this article, where also she talks about her inspiration for the costumes (and the impact Mad Men has had on the fashion world in general). ”The show’s costumes are inspired by old snapshots, Montgomery Ward and Sears catalogs, advertising illustrations and pattern books.” Ooh, pattern books!
So I thought it might be fun if this week’s pattern store update was Mad Men themed. Sometimes I come across a pattern and immediately think- that is such a Joan, or, Peggy would definitely wear that. For example, the redhead in this pattern from 1960 below- isn’t that Joan Holloway in pattern illustration form?!
Joan has in fact worn an almost identical dress, in green…
When I saw this Vogue pattern I thought “Betty Draper”:
Betty is, of course, generally elegant and ladylike, with a touch of Grace Kelly, but this pattern reminds me more of Betty’s sultry look in Rome:
This next number, from 1960? Peggy, of course!
Especially as Janie Bryant has commented that she tends to associate Peggy with plaid (and polka dots):
This next one from 1962 I thought might be Peggy doing party wear, but then I wondered if it was more Trudy Campbell:
Anyway, I hope that makes the wait seem shorter :) You also get even more excited about the new season by watching head writer and executive producer Matthew Weiner and the cast talk about the rules of Mad Men and how Mad Men messes with the notion of what a good TV show should be:
Images from Mad Men: copyright AMC.
The Hunting Party
Jemima had a positive mania for scavenger hunts, and her team knew that she always played to win.
“One High Court judge’s wig… One previously unpublished manuscript by Mr. Hemingway- well done, Althea! One real sapphire…. One baby aardvark- do keep him under control, Cynthia! And one titled eligible bachelor- we’ll pick one up on the way back….”
Happy Pattern Saturday :)
When in Rome…
Yay- I finally got around to adding some “Roman Holiday” film screenshots to the Project Audrey pages!
It’s been so long since I last saw this film that I’d forgotten quite how charming it is, and how enchanting Audrey Hepburn is, in what was her first major movie role. She was yet to become any kind of style icon, yet to meet Hubert de Givenchy, who would dress her in later films, and, as a result, Roman Holiday is less about the costume, and more about her perfomance (and the locations!).
What struck me while rewatching this film is the “chameleon” quality Audrey displays (which is perhaps more noticeable when she was an unknown new actress, and less when she became a major star and icon in her own right). In Edith Head’s costumes, she is utterly believable as the regal Princess Ann (above), the epitome of the 1950s ideal of ladylike grooming. She is no less believable as the vulnerable, fussed-over girl who hates all her nightgowns (below). Or indeed as the the spirited carefree girl about town she becomes in Rome.
Very little screen time is given to her “Princess” dresses and formal gowns. More time is spent with her in a variety of night attire- dressing gowns, nightgowns, pyjamas! But most screen time (by nature of the plot) is given to one particular outfit: the white blouse and skirt she wears to escape her royal life for a day of forbidden delights in Rome. What is ingenious is how this one outfit, with a few styling tweaks (which I’ve analysed on this page) totally transforms her from this….
…into this (although of course a haircut certainly helps!)….
The page for Roman Holiday is here, with a list of all the outfits worn. Clicking on an image will open up a page on that particular outfit, as ever, and clicking on any pic will open up a bigger version. Hope it brings a little Roman sunshine to your Friday :)
Too many carrots?
Abigail did her best to model Mr. Dior’s latest creation, but the restaurant location was a little… distracting.
Over the photographer’s head she could the see the waiter chalking up the lunch specials. “Entrecôte de boeuf”…”ecrevisse”…. “oeufs à la neige”…. Her mouth watered. She had no idea what any of it meant, but it had to be a step up from the carrot sticks she’d had for breakfast….
Just a quick post to announce that the store has a few new patterns up!
