FIDM Museum Blog

Spring flowers

 

Spring is here! Today, March 20, is the first day of spring for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring brings longer days, warmer weather and a host of colorful blooms. In celebration of spring's arrival, we offer you an array of flowers from our collection. Enjoy!

Evening boots
1850-55
Gift of Barbara Bundy
2006.37.3AB

This pair of nineteenth century evening boots feature a pattern of roses and twining foliage. Made of a lightly iridescent silk damask brocade accented with green leather foxing at the heel and toe, these boots were almost certainly made to match an evening gown. Because of their delicacy, they would have been worn indoors only. As was common throughout much of the 19th century, these boots have undefined left and right soles. Shoes with distinctly different shapes for the left and right food didn't became widespread until the late 19th century.

Lanz Original, late 1940s

 

Jacket
c. 1946
Wool, cotton, brass buttons
Lanz Original
Gift of Patricia Marks
2003.45.3

Lanz originated in Salzburg, Austria during the early 1920s. Founded by Josef Lanz and Fritz Mahler in 1922, Lanz of Salzburg specialized in ski wear and traditional Austrian dress. Salzburg was also home to the newly established (and increasingly popular) Salzburg Festival. Founded in 1920, the Salzburg Festival's summer program of music and theatre quickly attracted international attention. By the early 1930s, the Salzburg Festival was a fixture on the international event calendar and attracted visitors from around the world. Lanz benefited from the popularity of the Salzburg Festival, and quickly gained an international clientele for its regional styles. In 1933, Vogue mentioned Lanz in an article describing the jet set's transformation on arrival in Salzburg: "The women take off their Mainbochers and Augustabernards and put on a cotton dirndl dress and rakish Tyrolian [sic] felt hat with a feather (bought at Lanz in Salzburg, probably)."¹

Bolero-style jacket, 1894-1898

 

Jacket
Silk faille
1894-98
Gift of the Manlove Family
S2006.870.32

In 1894, a Harper's Bazaar writer reporting from Paris was "struck with the popularity of the bolero."¹ Among young Parisian women, short jackets paired with gored skirts and taffeta blouses were worn as street dresses, i.e. for activities that took place outside the home, such as shopping or visiting a cafe. In an attempt to pinpoint the origin of these jackets, the Harper's Bazaar reporter looked to the cafe waiters of Paris. As the garcons of Paris's many cafes typically wore short, open jackets with a rolled collar, the writer suggested that the jackets worn by Parisian women were most accurately named garcon de cafe jackets.

Monkey fur coat, c. 1938

 

Monkey fur inspires strong reactions. On my first encounter with a monkey fur coat, I was shocked by its smooth black locks, which were alarmingly similar to human hair. Among the FIDM Museum staff, we have differing reactions not only to monkey fur, but to fur in general. These differences in opinion arise during our frequent discussions about various aspects of fashion history, or when a new acquisition features fur elements. Despite any personal preferences, we all understand that fur has been an integral element of human dress for thousands of years and it is therefore important to both document and study examples of fur in fashion. Previously, we've written about our Ted Lapidus wolf and coyote fur coat and on issues arising from the use of feathers in fashion.

Monkey fur bolero
c. 1938
Gift of Steven Porterfield
S2008.897.1

Lounge jacket, 1880s

 

Lounge or at-home jacket
Silk with cotton embroidery
1880s
Museum Purchase
2008.5.34

We are excited to announce that our 1880s embroidered silk lounge jacket will be featured in The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900. Opening April 2 at the V&A Museum in London, this exhibition explores the arts of the Aesthetic Movement, including painting, sculpture, design, furniture, architecture, fashion and literature. We are thrilled to contribute to this exhibition!

Coats and jackets

Whether you're ready or not, fall is here! Yesterday, September 22, was the official first day of fall in the northern hemisphere. By this time of year, most of us are ready to shed our lightweight summer clothing and are looking forward to wearing sweaters, boots and even winter coats. For those of you reading our blog from the southern hemisphere, you are probably having the exact opposite reaction and are excited to pack away your winter gear until next year!

In general, outerwear either mimics or complements the fashionable silhouette. This early 1970s graphic maxi coat looks very much like a maxi dress, a length of dress and skirt which first appeared in 1969-70. Though it might have been worn over a maxi dress, this maxi coat was possibly worn over leg-baring hot pants and platform boots. When walking, the 3 center front buttons would keep the top portion of the coat securely fastened, but the rest of the coat would swing open, exposing the legs of the wearer. Made of a heavy, warm wool, an interior tag indicates that it retailed at the New York store Henri Bendel.

Maxi coat
Wool
1970-72
Gift of Anonymous Donor
2003-40-55

Since we began our blog, we've featured a number of coats and jackets from our collection. Readers favored our orange 1930s velvet evening coat and a late 19th century military-inspired jacket. We also featured two Bonnie Cashin wool Noh coats and a Balenciaga coat and dress ensemble.

Readers, do any of these resemble the fall/winter coat you'll be wearing this year? How do you balance fashion and practicality (protection from rain, snow, etc.) when selecting a coat?

Sewing patterns from the FIDM Museum

Within the FIDM Museum collection are a number of smaller mini-collections. Some, like the Rudi Gernreich Archive, consist of large groupings of objects that document the work of a specific designer. Others, like our photograph collection, are less focused groupings of objects collected to help us interpret fashion history. One of my favorite mini-collections is our collection of paper sewing patterns. In addition to their entertaining envelope illustrations, sewing patterns are a valuable source of fashion information because they help us understand how high fashion or runway garments are interpreted for the mass market. This is particularly true for patterns associated with known designers. They can also point to the social context of specific garments or styles. Because many patterns are copyrighted, they can be very useful in dating extant garments. Sewing patterns also allow us the opportunity to engage with fashion on a very personal level. With a bit of practice and patience, any sewer can create a custom-designed garment demonstrating either a highly individual sense of style or one perfectly attuned to the latest runway fashions.

  Misses' and Women's Slack Suit and Coverall pattern
Simplicity
1942-45
2003.46.10
Gift of Andrea Tice In Memory of Carmelita Johnson

Norfolk jacket

First appearing in the 1860s, the Norfolk jacket is a durable, loose fitting jacket designed to provide ease of movement to hunters and sportsmen. Deriving its name from the Duke of Norfolk, the jacket was reputedly created specifically for the Duke at his request. Other origin stories suggest that the Norfolk jacket was created for the Prince of Wales, but somehow became linked with the Duke of Norfolk. Regardless of its origins, the characteristics of the Norfolk jacket made it ideal for outdoor and sporting pursuits, specifically hunting. Constructed from rough woolen fabrics and buttoning to the collar, the jacket was extremely warm and durable. With a center back and two front pleats allowing for easy arm movements and large patch pockets providing extra storage, it was widely adopted as sportswear or casual day wear by gentlemen of leisure when vacationing in the country.

Paired with a cap, short knickerbockers, rough woolen stockings and sturdy short boots, the Norfolk jacket was suitable only for informal rural settings. Unlike an urban suit, Norfolk jackets weren't always paired with matching trousers. Though fashion plates indicate the existence of matched Norfolk suits, the jacket was also worn with knickerbockers cut from a different fabric. Color also marked the Norfolk jacket as a casual garment. Unlike urban suits, which were almost uniformly black during the late 19th century, Norfolk jackets were usually made from rustic woolen fabrics in earth tones of green or brown.

Because of their functionality, Norfolk jackets were adopted by sportsmen of all varieties. Always, however, they were associated with the well-to-do, who could afford specialized garb for leisure activities. This fashion plate from May 1901 features a golfer (right) clad in a Norfolk jacket and matching knickerbockers. Dating from roughly 40 years after the origination of the Norfolk jacket, this plate confirms the longevity of the style. The jacket pictured here features all the classic characteristics of the Norfolk jacket, including patch pockets, front box pleats and a self-belt. Notice his cravat pin, a pair of crossed golf clubs.

May 1901
The Sartorial Art Journal

Sketch to Screen exhibition at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art

As we told you in this post, eight costumes from the FIDM Museum collection are currently on exhibit in Sketch to Screen: The Art of Hollywood Costume Design at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Consisting of more than 85 original garments and accessories, the exhibition highlights the work of influential Hollywood costume designers, including Gilbert Adrian, Walter Plunkett, Edith Head and Travis Banton. Sketch to Screen closes on August 15, 2010, so you'd better visit soon if you haven't already!

For our readers who can't make it to Oklahoma City, we offer you the next best thing: installation photos of the FIDM Museum pieces accompanied by relevant segments of the audio tour. Narrated by our curator Kevin Jones, these short, informative segments are part of the Sketch to Screen audio tour. To listen, click on the link. Enjoy!

Kevin Jones discusses the gown worn by Marlene Dietrich in A Foreign Affair

Paisley strapless evening gown worn by Marlene Dietrich in A Foreign Affair
Irene/Edith Head
1949
HC 3633
Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles, FIDM Museum
Photo by Jim Meeks, Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Kevin Jones discusses the "Suit of Lights" worn by Rudolph Valentino in Blood and Sand

"Suit of Lights" jacket worn by Rudolph Valentino in Blood and Sand
Natacha Rambova
1922
HC 4001
Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles, FIDM Museum
Photo by Jim Meeks, Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Military influence

Military inspired fashion has been getting a lot of attention lately. March 2010 issues of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue (both American and British) feature fashion editorials focusing on garments in khaki and shades of olive, while a recent New York Times article also describes the trend. When examining the accompanying images, its clear that designers are primarily referencing 20th century military uniforms, which were designed in a variety of drab colors to make pinpointing a particular soldier difficult. Though solid color uniforms have been largely replaced by sophisticated camouflage patterns, the iconic military uniform is still a solid khaki or green.

Military uniforms haven't always been so sedate. Prior to about 1850, military uniforms were often elaborate affairs, featuring extensive embellishments and accessories. Ironically, the most elaborate uniforms were typically seen in times of peace, as functionality was less of a concern. Some of the more visually distinct elements found their way into feminine fashions. The FIDM Museum wool jacket below features gold braid and a high collar, elements commonly seen in these more fantastic uniforms.

Wool jacket
1891-92
Gift of Steven Porterfield
S2008.897.2