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Category Archives: Fashion History

The Alphabet of Style

23 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by chiccityvintage in Fashion History

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

a to z, alphabet, atheletic wear, barney's, epaulette, fashion

PrintEver wanted to know what an Epaulette was.  Or, who started Athletic Wear.  Well, it seems as though the uber high end luxury department store Barney’s has got you covered with their “Alphabet of Style, Explained. Fashion A-Z.”  Check it out.  Then come back for you test……

Elsa Klensch

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by chiccityvintage in Fashion History, Style Icons

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

cnn, elsa klensch, style, Style Icon, style with elsa klensch, supermodels

When I was a little girl, I used to watch “Style with Elsa Klensch” on CNN with my step-mother on the weekends.  Elsa is one of the reasons I love fashion.  Anne of Green Gables (the 1985 movie) is the other!!!!  But I will save my rant on Anne of Green Gables for another post.  Until then, here are some videos I found of Elsa’s show.  (Also, look out for the Super Models of the day!)

 

“Better than a tonic for your winter-dreary spirits…”

21 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by chiccityvintage in 1930s, Fashion History, Hollywood Glamour, Museums

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

1930s fashion, american textile history museum, bias cut dress, bias cuts, coco chanel, Fashion History, glamour, grace and glamour, hollywood glamour

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit one of the best textile museums you have never heard of, The American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA.  During this time, they had an exhibit called “Grace and Glamour: 1930s Fashions.”  This collection featured many beautiful bias cut dresses that were the fashion statement of the 30s.  Luckily, the museum allowed me to take photos.  Here are some of the dresses from this exhibit.

(I tried my best to clean and sharpen them up in Photoshop.  Flash was not allowed.)

30sGlam2_Closeup
30sGlam2
30sGlam3_Description
30sGlam3
30sGlam4
30sGlam5
30sGlam6
GypsyDress_Description
GypsyDress
HesitationHem_Description
HesitationHemDress

Gibson Girl. The original Pin Up!

28 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by chiccityvintage in Fashion History

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Tags

Charles Dana Gibson, Gibson, Gibson Girl, Gibson Girls, Pin Up, Pin Up Girl

I am doing some research on pin up girls for a photo shoot I am styling in April.   And wouldn’t you know, the iconic illustrations of Charles Dana Gibson and his Gibson Girls could be thought of as the original Pin Ups.   The more you know, the more you grow!

GibsonGirlsGibsonGirls2

Mysterium Tremendum.

20 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by chiccityvintage in Fashion History, Find of the Week, Trend Alert, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Cartridge Pleating, Edwardian Dress, Gunne Sax, Victorian Dress

I am constantly buying vintage clothing to either study, sell, or wear. On one of my last buying trips, I found the below dress. It really intrigued me. Firstly, there are no labels which suggests that this dress was handmade. But than, I started to wonder…who made it? Why was it made? When was it made?

CartridgePleatDress

You see, this dress has cartridge pleating at the waist. If this dress was handmade, who took the time to do that? If you know anything about cartridge pleating, you know it can take a lot of time and patience to do.  The fabric seems to be a printed cotton voile and is lined with a lighter cotton muslin or voile.  The size and length suggests it was created for an adolescent girl. It is very very small.  I tried it on my display mannequin that has a 25.5″ waist and it was too small.  So I laid the dress flat and measured the waist.  This dress has a 24″ waist.   Also, the length is odd.  Not quite maxi yet not short.

CartrdgePleatDress_Closeup

Cartridge Pleated Waist Line

The old world detail of cartridge pleats, lace around the neck and pleating in the bodice seem to suggest this dress was created during another time such as the 19th century or is a 19th century reproduction.  Teenage dresses in the 19th century were a shorter length than adult dresses.  But then the designs of Gunne Sax came to mind.  Popular in the 70s and 80s, Gunne Sax maxi dresses were inspired by Victorian and Edwardian styles.

GunneSaxDress

In any case, I wish I could fit it because I would wear this dress!!!

Embroidery Now and Then

02 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by chiccityvintage in Fashion History, Style Icons, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Balmain, Charles Worth, Christian Dior, D&G, Dior, Dolce Gabana, Elsa Schiaparelli, Embroidered, Embroidery, Fashion History, Gaultier, Jean Paul Gaultier, Marchesa, Myrbor, The Met, The Metropolitan Costume Institute

This past year I learned the art of embroidering.  I love it and can’t wait to add embroidery to my own designs!  Because of this, I was inspired to write this post.  Take a gander of how it was done then and how its done now.

19th Century Vest--The Met
19th Century Vest–The Met
18th Century Court Dress--The Met
18th Century Court Dress–The Met
18th Century Court Dress Close Up
18th Century Court Dress Close Up
19th Century Charles Worth--The Met
19th Century Charles Worth–The Met
19th Century Charles Worth--The Met
19th Century Charles Worth–The Met
1926 Myrbor--The Met
1926 Myrbor–The Met
1939 Elsa Schiaparelli--The Met
1939 Elsa Schiaparelli–The Met
1939 Elsa Schiaparelli
1939 Elsa Schiaparelli
Marchesa Fall 2012
Marchesa Fall 2012
Marchesa Fall 2012
Marchesa Fall 2012
Marchesa Fall 2012
Marchesa Fall 2012
Dior Spring Couture 2008
Dior Spring Couture 2008
Dior Spring Couture 2008
Dior Spring Couture 2008
Dolce & Gabana Fall 2012
Dolce & Gabana Fall 2012
Gaultier Spring Couture 2008
Gaultier Spring Couture 2008
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012
Balmain Fall 2012

Irene Lentz, a beautiful tragedy.

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by chiccityvintage in 1930s, Fashion History, Hollywood Glamour, Irene Lentz, Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Costume Design, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Irene Dress, Irene Gibbons, Irene Lentz, Irene Lentz Gibbons, Lana Turner, Shall We Dance, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Vintage Irene

Irene Lentz.  What can I say?  I only just learned of Irene Lentz and made mention of her in my last post, but have seen her work in many films without knowing whose work it was.  I did not know that she designed the costumes for movies such as “Shall We Dance” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice” where she put “hot pant’s” on Lana Turner.  Check out the Vintage Fashion Guild, Irene Lentz, and Wikipedia for a more in-depth look into her life.  However, take a look at some of her beautiful designs here…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Sometimes success like this doesn’t bring complete happiness.  She committed suicide November 15, 1962.

Here are some excerpts from two of the famous movies she worked on.

Christian Dior

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by chiccityvintage in Christian Dior, Fashion History

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bill Gaytten, Christian Dior, Couture, Dior, Haute Couture, John Galliano, The New Look

Most of us know the uber luxe fashion label Christian Dior.  But not many of us know the history behind the brand.  Here are a few bullet points on the basics of the House of Dior.

– Couture fashion label founded by Christian Dior in 1946
– Christian Dior is the inventor of the “New Look” silhouette which debuted in 1947

For more in-depth history on Christian Dior, please watch this great video as well as check the info found on The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website and Wikipedia.

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