In November 1919 pictures of Gabrielle Chanel's chemise dress had filled the pages of Vogue: 'A gown that swathes the figure in straight soft folds, falling at the sides in little cascades.' The editorial commended Chanel's reliance on an uncluttered natural beauty, with a dress that showed only a slender pair of shoulder straps holding … Continue reading The Myth of Chanel and the 1920s: Introduction
Category: 20th century
A Little Advice?
Today I got the Joann's package I've been waiting for - fabric for a 1920s dress. On the plus side: nothing ended up being a huge mistake, too heavy or too light, a bad color or weird texture. Here's the indigo blue twill cotton with a nice little geometric print that I intended for the … Continue reading A Little Advice?
Fashion vs. Feminism
AuntieNan left a comment on my Godey's post that I started to answer, but realized it was going to be long enough (and could do with illustrations) that it'd be better served as a full post. I had a costume history teacher who talked about the development of feminism and how a burst of power … Continue reading Fashion vs. Feminism
Making a Waist, The Delineator, Sept. 1901
The original article by A. L. Gorman is fairly long, so I thought I'd summarize the points made. They're helpful, for both modern and historical sewing. The first is definitely something I should keep in mind! "Of all the work incident to dressmaking the construction of a waist requires the most minute care in every … Continue reading Making a Waist, The Delineator, Sept. 1901
New Designs for October, Miroir des Modes, Oct. 1907
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Mimic of Modes 