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The
Clothing Chronicles ================================================
In This Issue: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hope you had a safe and wonderful holiday season! We did, although my computer put a damper on things by requiring serious maintenance right before Christmas. Needless to say, I had to push back some of the activities I had planned for the break, including moving to a new list server. I hope to be able to do that in the next few days, so be on the lookout for the accompanying notice. In the meantime, with everyone else hitting you over the head about putting your New Year's resolutions into action this week, I'll ease you into 2004 with a look at the continued popularity of vintage clothing. Enjoy!
Diana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Allure of Vintage Clothing As the holiday season wound down last week, my sister and I finally got around to taking in the Elsa Schiaparelli (pronounced Scap-a-relly) "Shocking!" exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Arts, which ran through January 4th. Packed in with hundreds of other fashion enthusiasts, many of whom were from all over the East Coast, it was an amazing experience. Not the least of which because the clothes were absolutely fabulous. Born in 1890 in Italy, Elsa Schiaparelli was not an attractive woman. Short and a yo-yo dieter, she learned early on how to use apparel to disguise and detract from her less favorable parts. Her clothing collections clearly illustrated this knack, allowing women of all shapes and sizes to look chic and well-dressed. Designing during the height of the surrealism period in Paris in the 1920's and 30's, "Schap" (as she was known by her friends), was heavily influenced by her artist friends, most notably Salvador Dali. Pieces from the collection included painted lobsters, butterflies, bunnies, and circus clowns, as well as one of her most famous accessories, a hat in the shape of a shoe. Her sense for the theatric won over a wide audience, and she dressed people like Zsa Zsa Gabor and Mae West for the movies and Marlene Deitrich and the Duchess of Windsor in real life. While her archrival Coco Chanel was designing signature gold-button suits, Schiaparelli was creating necklaces adorned with plastic insects, evening apparel inspired by Indian saris, gloves with red snakeskin "fingernails," and short boots made from monkey fur. Yet as exotic as these items were, she also created beautiful everyday wear, including tweed suits and wool wrap dresses that are as relevant today as they were seventy years ago. Which just goes to show you that classic lines never go out of style. If you want a glimpse at a few of the pieces in the collection, which has unfortunately closed in the United States but will be in Paris this spring, look here: http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/exhibits/schiaparelli/tour/index.htm So why does vintage clothing like Schiaparelli's continue to create allure? Before I answer that, let me note that while many people refer to "vintage" as anything that's older than current season, that's technically not correct. To recap:
So why do vintage clothes enjoy enduring popularity? I think there are several reasons. 1. It's Unique If you like to make a statement with your clothes or want to guarantee that you won't see any duplicates wherever you go, vintage gives you that edge. This is one of the biggest reasons vintage pieces are so popular on the red carpet, so celebrities know that they won't show up at an event wearing the same thing as someone else. 2. It's Typically Well Made This is especially true of clothing made prior to 1970, and one of the most obvious things I noticed at the Schiaparelli exhibit. The quality of materials and workmanship was unmistakable. Clothes lasted in those days, which is why they're still around today. You'd be hard-pressed to find apparel that fell apart in the wash after one or two wearings in the 30's or 40's, and given the washing machines they used in those days, that's really saying something. (You should, of course, learn the best way to launder any vintage piece you buy.) 3. It's Budget-Friendly This isn't always true, given the origin and current condition of the piece, but you can usually find vintage designer apparel at a fraction of the cost of current designer clothes. Which means, of course, that you can dress well for less. 4. It Shows Your Fashion Knowledge True fashion lovers tend to know a lot about the field, including fashion history. If you say, "It's a Mainbocher," or "A Lelong," or "An Adrian" to the average label snob, they'll assume you're slumming it because they don't know those names. Say them to a learned fashion-lover, however, and she'll say "Oooh!" and take a second look. 5. It Offers a Glimpse At A Forgotten Lifestyle Back before television, the Internet, and cellular phones, people actually used to go out and co-mingle with other people at parties, clubs, restaurants, and the like on a regular basis. Cocktail and evening apparel were staples in many households, and as important to one's elegant entertainments as good china and sterling silver flatware. Today, few people entertain regularly, and most people's idea of dressing up to go clubbing is putting on their "good" pair of jeans. My, how times have changed! Vintage clothing remains popular because people like well-made, unique clothing that doesn't cost a fortune. If you want to break from the mainstream without breaking your budget, educate yourself a little by learning about styles and designers from the period you like the best. Then, look around your hometown or online for reputable vintage dealers. With everyone cleaning out her attic hoping to score big on eBay, you may be surprised and delighted by what you come across. Want some recommendations on popular online vintage dealers? The Shopping section of the current FASHION SAVVY will point you in the right direction, ************** Until next time,
Diana Pemberton-Sikes
http://www.FashionForRealWomen.com ------------------------ Published by:
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