By Lucy Collins,
July 30th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(International Fashion, Uncategorized)
After ruminating a little on my post from last week, I’ve realized that it is bit too much of a generalization to say that French woman are always the ultimate in style. Or that they always wear black and look utterly elegant. It is true that they do experiment with trends and wear unusual and unique items that may or may not be deemed “beautiful.” Some French women even embrace a kind of grunge that doesn’t necessarily have universal appeal.
However, it still remains the case that French woman “appear” more classically and universally attractive than some in other countries (most notably, America). I’ve been thinking on this and I am still puzzled as to why this is the case.
Is it simply because there is more basic uniformity in their physical appearance than there is in other countries? Like, say the ethnic melting pot that is America? Or is it only my (and other’s) culturally-informed perspective(s) that inclines me to perceive a certain physical “look” as more attractive than another?
Now, obviously, these are huge questions that could launch a thousand books, but I do think it is worth investigating a tad deeper into what it is that molds our own standards of beauty and style and where, or why, we ever got our own criteria of what is fashionable in the first place.
As we continue to explore a variety of international style scenes, it is important to remember that each of us represents an amalgam of different stylistic and sartorial references. And as I’ve written elsewhere, true fashion only appears when we are loyal to the whole variety of memories and influences that reside within each of us as individuals.
Additionally, to discuss fashion in an international sense, or any kind of broad manner, is to make certain generalizations about a group. As Georg Simmel wrote years ago, fashion is explicitly the interplay between the group and the individual. By making observations about any one nationality or location, I am in no way diminishing the individuals who stand out as unique within that particular background.
Which brings me to one last point… It seems as if certain kinds of regional and ethnic dress are disappearing. While this is not necessarily a recent phenomenon, I’m sure that the advent of the internet (as well as the influence of American styles of dress on all kinds of fashion) has made trends accessible to everyone. Now any fashionista, in any small town around the world, can check out a blog or style.com to learn what she “should” be wearing. As a result, clothing has certainly become more and more homogenized. Supposedly, this allows more people to gain access to global “trends,” but are we in fact losing precisely the regional particularity that makes each geographical region unique?
So why are regional styles of dress important anyway? I would argue most basically that collective fashions maintain group identity. See this article for a study of how children who are in touch with their national forms of dress are in fact healthier.
Even as we foster our individuality through dress, it is always significant to remember the context within which we clothe ourselves. Ultimately, an individual trendsetter only makes sense against a background of some kind of cultural uniformity.
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By Heather Vaughan,
July 29th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Exhibitions, Uncategorized)
I’m prepping a review (to appear in a few weeks) of Richard Avedon Photographs, 1946-2004 from the SF MOMA and thought I would give you a teaser glance at it. It’s on view through November 4. Enjoy! (P.S. I’m now on Twitter. Follow me @FashionHistoria)
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By Heather Vaughan,
July 28th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Conferences and Calls for Papers, Uncategorized)
Costume Society of America, Western Region 2009 Regional Symposium
Costume in the American West: Historic to Modern Times
September 25 – 26, 2009
California State Railroad Museum
Sacramento, California
The CSA Western Region announces a two-day regional symposium to be held in Old Town Sacramento, California.
In addition to our day-long program of juried papers and research-in-progress reports, members and guests at the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento will see a world-class tribute to the role of the “iron horse” in connecting California to the rest of the nation. The museum features 21 lavishly restored locomotives and cars, some dating back to 1862. There is a full-scale diorama of an 1860′s construction site high in the Sierra Nevada as well as a bridge elevated 24 feet above the museum floor. Scenic train rides are available just a few steps away from the museum. Visit the museum web site for more information:
http://www.csrmf.org/default.asp
The Friday night reception and Saturday lunch offer opportunities for socializing with colleagues. You can also wander the raised boardwalk sidewalks in Old Town Sacramento for shopping and evening dining. The Western Region’s annual meeting will be included. The conference hotel is the Delta King Hotel, an authentic 285-foot paddle wheel boat. The Delta King Hotel is also the site for the Friday reception. Visit the web site for more information: http://www.deltaking.com
Keynote Address: Inez Brooks-Myers, Oakland Museum of California History, “What is Western Costume? ”
Speakers:
- “Advertising the West”, Sheryl Birkner, Independent Researcher
- “The 1940s-1950s Squaw Dress: From Ethnic to Regional to National Attire”, Nancy J. Parezo, University of Arizona and Angelina R. Jones, University of Minnesota
- “Louella Ballerino: Many ‘Points of Concentration’”, Shelly Foote, Independent Researcher
- “The Unknown Adrian”, Richard Adkins, Hollywood Studio Museum
- Student Award Presentation: “Then Becomes Now: How Costumed Interpretation Engages the Public with History”, Alyce Graham, Virginia Commonwealth University
Download the Registration Form
Registration Fees: Postmarked by Aug. 18, 2009
| Costume Society Member |
$100 |
| Non-Member |
$120 |
| Student Member |
$80 |
| Student Non-Member |
$90 |
Registration Fees: Postmarked after Aug. 18 but before Sept. 12, 2009
| Costume Society Member |
$120 |
| Non-Member |
$140 |
| Student Member |
$100 |
| Student Non-Member |
$110 |
Photo Caption: American Indian woman standing next to basket. California State Library, Picture Catalog
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By Lucy Collins,
July 28th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Jobs, Uncategorized)
1.)
Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago
Adjunct Instructors – Fashion Design
The Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago is currently seeking adjunct instructors to teach in our Fashion Design Department. The adjunct instructors will facilitate meaningful learning of the course competencies in the curriculum and proactively support all facets of the learning environment. He or she will provide education through learning-centered instruction that will enable graduates to fulfill the evolving needs of the marketplace, and will encourage a culture of learning that values mutual responsibility and respect, life-long learning and ethics as well as personal and professional development.
Master’s degree in Fashion Design or a fashion-related field is required, as is a minimum of five years professional experience. Candidates should have a minimum of two years of teaching experience, preferably in a post-secondary institution. Candidates must have computer proficiency, including working knowledge of Gerber technology, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Candidates should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills including the ability to build successful relationships with student populations.
Additionally, outstanding conflict resolution skills, excellent time management and the ability to work effectively under pressure and to meet frequently occurring deadlines is a plus, as is the ability to develop a professional rapport with diverse school/campus constituents.
Membership in a professional association related to Fashion Design is preferred.
Candidates should be prepared to present copies of transcripts, portfolio of professional work (if applicable) and samples of student work if invited for an interview. Please do not send any of these materials with initial resume.
Contact:
Assistant Director of Human Resources
350 N. Orleans St.
Chicago, Illinois 60654
Email
2.)
San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, California
Fashion Instructors- part time
San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton has a growing fashion program and we are in need of industry-trained and experienced professionals to teach one or more of a variety of skill areas, including: Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Product Analysis, Industry Sewing, Pattern Making, Tailoring, Embellishing.
Compensation: $46.14 – $78.08 Per Hour, depending on degrees and experience.
Desired skills: Industry experience in either fashion merchandising or apparel design and production, The minimum requirements are an MA and at least 6 years of industry experience.
Contact:
San Joaquin Delta College
5151 Pacific Avenue
stockton CA 95207 US
http://www.deltacollege.edu
Email: Leslie Asfour
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By Monica Sklar,
July 27th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Jobs, Uncategorized)
Angelina, my dear friend and colleague in the Univ. Minnesota Apparel Program, started a Facebook page in 2006 “as a way for aspiring museum professionals to connect with people already working in the field.”
What started as her ‘lil page is now up to OVER 6000 MEMBERS!!!! Wow!
She is now leaving Facebook, due to a busy schedule, and needs someone to take over managing the page.
We thought we’d throw the bone toward the costume community via Worn Through, as it’d be good to get another museum professional from the costume/dress world out in front of such a popular public site.
If you are interested in taking over this position, please email Angelina ASAP as she is about to turn off her FB account and if no one from here picks it up she’ll offer it up to people from any discipline within museuming. Not that it’s such a bad thing, it’d just be great to see another apparel person enjoy this nice opportunity.
Below you will find the description of the page:
This is a group for those who presently work at a museum, gallery, library, archive, zoo, aquarium, or botanical garden or who plan to in the future.
Related Areas of Interest: Museums, libraries, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, Art History, Anthropology, History, Classics, Archeology, Historic Preservation, Conservation, Archival Science, Exhibition Design, Education
Members are encouraged to post information related to jobs, conferences, current events, and/or any other subjects vaguely related to museums/collecting institutions.
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By Lauren Michel,
July 24th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Teaching)
- Copper Mordanted Yarn
If you’ve been following my posts this summer, you know that I am teaching Spinning and Dyeing. Class meets once a week, and last week my students were quite productive in the dyeing department. Here are some of the different dyebaths they got going.
- Fresh Marigold Heads
1. Marigolds: One student brought in two flats of marigolds, ready for planting in the garden. She and a partner clipped the blooms off to use for a dyebath. The plants later went home to be installed in the student’s garden.
Yarn and Fiber Dyed with Marigold
Above are the results on mordanted wool yarn and unmordanted wool fiber.
Yarn and Fiber Ready for the Dyepot
2. Cochineal: Crushed dried insects. One of the most exciting and satisfying dyestuffs to work with, one: because you get to crush dried bugs into a carmine powder with a mortar and pestle (and what’s not to love about that?); and two: the colors you get can range from soft lavender to shocking pink.
Cochineal Dyepot
The photo above shows you how yarn and fiber dyed with cochineal look in the pot. We simmered the crushed cochineal for about 15 minutes and then added the fiber and yarn, simmered it for one hour, then let it steep for an hour before draining it.
Indigo Vat
3. Indigo: It’s not the indigo in the rainbow (remember Roy G. Biv from grammar school?), it’s the traditional color of blue jeans (except today industry uses synthetic indigo). We had a successful indigo vat that afternoon. The key is to not stir it once you have your indigo simmered and the heat turned off.
In the photo above, it is having its chemical reaction with the thiorea dioxide having just been sprinkled (never stirred) on the surface. Did I mention that you must not stir it? If you do, you introduce oxygen to the dyebath, which will make it useless. You want a pot that has deep blue scum on the surface of a yellow swamp-scented liquid. Then you can add your fiber. And don’t stir it. Don’t.
Yarn in the Indigo Vat
After half an hour in the vat, here is the yarn (above). “But, it’s white!” you say. Watch me smile knowingly. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to look when it’s still in the vat.
Oxidizing Indigo
When the yarn comes out of the pot, then the indigo is exposed to oxygen, which is what it needs to turn blue. The fun is watching the color develop, from white to blue, before your eyes.
This is one of my favorite courses to teach. It is great for hands-on learners and the visual learners fashion programs tend to attract. If you have any questions, please ask!
1 Comment
By Monica Sklar,
July 24th, 2009 at 5:00 am
(Academic Research & Related, Uncategorized)
Last week I wrote about how I get a bunch of emails asking questions about apparel studies.
Many are inquiries stemming from WT posts, and many others are friends, friends of friends, and lots of strangers (which I think is cool). I write everyone back the best I can, with my attempts at thoughtful and helpful answers (which is sometimes why it takes a few days or weeks-yikes! Sorry, I know, I’m a bit swamped at times-but I do write EVERYONE back).
So as with last week’s post regarding the emails I’ve received about the best grad schools, this week I’d like to talk about emails I’ve received on what are the must-read books and journal articles, and who are the must know authors and scholars in our field. This was a tough question, that I’ve gotten a few times, and generally comes from people who are studying dress/costume history/fashion in some manner from a discipline other than specifically apparel studies.
I’ve rattled off the major profs and curators over the years, the sociology, anthropology, material culture, visual culture, and cultural studies scholars whose work has been widely circulated through apparel research. The PhD programs generating lots of research, the journals that are tried and true, and the books that seemingly everyone I know has on their shelf and regularly goes to for definitions, dates, and theories. I’ve been lucky to have had some professors who pass out good old-fashioned reading lists, which I store protected like gold, as they are vastly helpful in those go-to times.
Also, since this PhD is my third go ’round with apparel programs (BS, MS, and PhD), and I’ve taught at and worked at a few other institutions, my personal library is something I have a little glow of pride about. I’ve also had the benefit of attending different types of programs, as my BS is from a fine arts program, my MS was from a Human Ecology program that switched to a Technology program while I was there, and my PhD is from a former Human Ecology program that switched to a Design college right before I came.
But, I still always feel a little funny answering emails about who someone else should read to really “know” the field. I’ve got my list of favs, my list of go-to’s, and my list of “I don’t like them but I understand why they are important” authors, books and journals.
I’d like to know your thoughts on this topic. Regarding dress studies: Who do you think should always be on a reading list? What book or article changed your world? What do you always put on a syllabus or always reference or cite? Basically, when someone emails asking “what do a I need to know?” what would be your response?
Please comment on this topic and let us know what you think!
8 Comments
By Lucy Collins,
July 23rd, 2009 at 5:00 am
(International Fashion, Uncategorized)
Last spring, on the cusp of beginning my dissertation on fashion theory, I found myself spending three months in the most fashionable city in the world. I had agonized for weeks over what clothes to pack so that I could easily blend in with the locals, but it only took me one day in Paris to realize that as an American, I could never project that “je ne sais quoi” that French women so effortlessly possess.
In fact, one particularly cold and rainy April day, as I was sniffling through the streets trying to salvage some shred of my sartorial dignity, I kept noticing the beautiful French women walking by me, one after the other after the other – each one with perfectly rosy cheeks, exquisitely painted eyes (the cat-eye was very “in”) and clothes that seemed exactly to fit the rainy urban background.
It dawned on me, in one of those annoying moments during which an academic person “discovers” something completely obvious, that fashion (and by extension, femininity) is truly so very culturally informed. I realized that even if I spent the next three months doing nothing but observing the fashion and styles of French women there’d still be certain things I could never emulate.
So I just want to write very briefly about a few of the traits I noticed in those months in Paris which provided me with a glimpse into the many ways that the French have affected fashion.
Historically speaking, France and fashion are very closely wed. Marie Antoinette is seen by some as the very first fashionista (all the way to the guillotine!). Read Caroline Weber’s fantastic book, Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
for more on the original shop-o-holic herself. And of course France introduced Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Coco Chanel and Christian Lacroix to the fashion world (among many others).
But despite the longstanding relationship between France and fashion, in modern times Parisians seem surprisingly anti-trendy. That is, if we understand trendy-ness to be part of an inclination to wear anything and everything “cool,” with a total disregard for what looks good. French women, on the contrary, seem to have completely cornered the market on “what looks good.” Yep, the ability to re-interpret style and elegance in way that is neither gauche and trendy or cheap and crass is precisely what defines the unattainable essence of the French style maven.
Take for example some of the photos Garance Dore has captured on her site: Sexy elegance and confident individuality. Although she has started traveling a bit to photograph women in other cities, Garance highlights many of these qualities in the stunning French women she photographs. Her French subjects never over do it. They always manage to showcase one or two unique pieces against an outfit of complete elegance. When I realized that the Monoprix (the French equivalent of Target) sells more sophisticated and classic pieces of clothing than many high-end stores in the US, I understood that the French fashion default is always elegance. And yes, they do wear a lot of black. And always, always perfume.
As Paris Fashion Week winds to a close, and the question of collapsing couture houses is on everyone’s lips, it seems apropos to take a moment and ponder the role of the different “centers of fashion”: Paris, London, Milan, and New York. I’ll be exploring some of the ways that these cities (and a few others) play a unique role in the fashion world and how fashion is really defined in each of them.
But, there will really only ever be one Belle de Jour. French style icons like Catherine Deneuve embody the timeless chic and femininity (not to mention the sex appeal of Brigitte Bardot) that one can detect in almost every French female.
For more on French fashion in general see Fatale : How French Women Do It
by Edith Kunz or Parisian style in particular check out Paris Fashion: A Cultural History
, by Valerie Steele.
While some have argued that French style is a little lackluster in its refined sophistication, I think in the end French women must be doing something right if it was ultimately a French songbird – Vanessa Paradis – who stole the heart of Johnny Depp.
4 Comments
By Monica Sklar,
July 23rd, 2009 at 4:30 am
(Uncategorized)
Worn Through is thrilled to announce the addition of our newest contributor – Lucy Collins.
Lucy will be writing bi-weekly on Thursdays about international trends in fashion and their relation to socio-cultural issues. It will be great to have a more global perspective on Worn Through, and we look forward to reading her posts!
She will also be helping Monica out with all of those job postings that WT readers love. (Thank you Lucy for lending a hand! In this recession we need to get as many jobs up there as possible.)
Below you will find Lucy’s bio:
“Lucy Collins is a PhD candidate in the philosophy department at Temple University. Initially interested in the philosophy of art, Lucy’s own fascination with her sewing machine led her to think of fashion as a possible realm for philosophical inquiry.
Lucy has worked in a variety of areas including museums, art publications, and yes, fashion, before returning to school. She has delivered papers at multiple scholarly conferences on fashion and is looking forward to speaking on Fashion as Confession at the 1st Global Conference: Fashion – Exploring Critical Issues this September in Oxford.”
1 Comment
By Heather Vaughan,
July 22nd, 2009 at 5:00 am
(History of Dress, Uncategorized)
This week I thought we’d take a look at a specific object. In particular an English coif from the collection of the Metropolitain Museum of Art, Antonio Ratti Textile Center.
Fig 1: Coif, 64.101.1238 English, last quarter 16th century, W 8 ½ X L 6 ½ inches, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Irwin Untemyer, 1964.
This woman’s hat, known as a coif, shows embroidery in gold, black, and silver thread on a plain weave (or tabby) linen ground (Fig. 1). The design consists of crudely stitched flora and fauna with meandering curvilinear vines and scrollwork. While the vines curve, the figures have jagged edges and sharp angles. The design does not have a recognizable or repeated pattern per say, but the figures are in the same positions on the left and rights sides of the coif (though the figures themselves are not precisely identical). Approximately eight types of embroidery techniques are used to create the design. Most of the gold on the thread has tarnished or worn away, revealing the metallic core. The coif itself has hand rolled hems and is gathered at the neck. The seam, sewn with a creamy yellow thread, travels from the front to the back along the top of the head ending in a thin, linen covered, wooden disc at the crown. The linen is also gathered around this disc to provide fit.
Fauna represented includes abstractions of animals commonly seen or hunted in the English countryside. These include a stag, a fox, a small bear, a peacock or turkey (or perhaps a palm-like fan), and other quadrupeds. The Flora represented are further abstracted and could be roses, honeysuckle, and acorns. A guitar or similar musical instrument also appears at the back of the coif. Black thread is used as the outline of the figures as well as for the vines or scrollwork. Black thread is also more densely used for shadowing. Several of the individual figures are encircled by black stitching. The gold and silver threads are/were used minimally for highlights.
Figure 2: English Triangular forehead cloth. Linen Embroidered with black silk. Early 17th Century. Victoria and Albert Museum. (Benn, Elizabeth. Treasures from the Embroiderers’ Guild Collection).
Often referred to as “blackwork,” this type of Embroidery was common during the period and included floral and animal motifs (Fig 2). Other women’s and men’s headwear from the period included in the Antonio Ratti Textile Center have more refined and elaborate decoration and often have repeating patterns. Many motifs of the period were copied from herbal or pattern books[1] and may have held any number of symbolistic meanings.[2] Seen in figures three and four, these pieces show a similar use of gilded threads as well as floral motif’s and similar stitching techniques. Given the roughness of the work on this piece, and the use of so many types of embroidery, I speculate that this may have been created by someone new to the craft.
Figure 3.: English Man’s Cap of white linen with embroidery in silk and silver-gilt threads. Late 16th or early 17th Century. L. 5 ½ by w. 7 ½ inches. Rogers Fund, 1926. MMA, Antonio Ratti Textile Center (26.29).
Figure 4. Black and white English coif, Last quarter 16th Century. Silk on Linen. L 8 ½ by 6 ½ inches. Gift of Irwen Untemyer, 1964. Antonio Ratti Textile Center, MMA.
English embroidery had become well known during the Middle Ages for its quality[3] and by late sixteenth century had become quite detailed. Queen Elizabeth was known to favor black and white embroidery which was often enhanced with gold thread[4] or other metallic’s. She, and Mary Queen of Scots are also known for their own skill at embroidery.[5] Many portraits of the Queen and persons of rank show the popularity of black-work in various garments, though coifs are not seen. A later portrait of “The Lacemaker” by Caspar Netscher shows a Dutch version of a black-work coif. The coif became popular between 1500 and 1550 and was generally worn under a peaked or gabled hood.[6] They were also typically used for “domestic embroidery” and were worn at home or when receiving in bed.[7]
Figure 5: “The Lacemaker” by Caspar Netscher (1662) Oil on canvas, 33 x 27 cm. Wallace Collection, London.
Exhibited:
- “Hastings Museum, Hastings, England, 1913, British Needlework from the 16th Century Onward,” no. 49, pl3.
Sources:
Bath, Virginia Churchill. Embroidery masterworks; classic patterns and techniques for contemporary application
. Chicago: Henry Regnery Co., n.d.
Burnham, Dorothy K. Warp and Weft
. New York: Scribner, 1981.
Edwards, Ralph & L. G. G. Ramsey (eds), THE TUDOR PERIOD 1500-1603
. New York : Reynal & Co., 1957.
Jourdain, M. The History Of English Secular Embroidery (1912)
. London: KeganPaul, Trench, Turubner, and Co. 1910.
King, Donald and Santina Levey. The Victoria & Albert Museum’s Textile Collection: Embroidery in Britain from 1200 to 1750
. New York: Canopy Books, 1993.
Parker, Rozsika.The Subversive Stitch: Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine
. New York: Routledge, 1989.
Raggio, Olga. Highlights of the silver in the Untermyer Collection of English and continental decorative arts
. Exhibition held at: New York, NY, USA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 29 Sept 1977-June 1978.
Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Design. Western European Embroidery in the Collection of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum: The Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Design
. Smithsonian Museum, 1978.
Wells-Cole, Anthony. Art and Decoration in Elizabethan and Jacobean England: The Influence of Continental Prints, 1558-1625 (Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in Britis)
. New Haven : Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art by Yale University Press, 1997
[1] Bath, 43
[2] Parker, 71.
[3] Boucher, 235.
[4] Raggio, 193.
[5] Mary Queen of Scots also studied under Catherine de Medici who was known as an accomplished embroiderer (Parker, 73-75).
[6] Bath, 43.
[7] Bath, 43.
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