FIDM Museum Blog

Printed cotton parasol, c. 1909-1919

Two women posed for this casual outdoor snapshot, c. 1911. Their nearly identical ensembles of short-sleeved middy blouses and ankle-length skirts suggest summertime leisure. Though popular as school uniforms for children, middy blouses were also worn as women’s sportswear. The loose fit made swinging a racket or holding an oar much easier, and also set the mood for watching spectator sports. The slight rumpling of their middy blouses suggests these women have recently engaged in some kind of sporting activity. The parasols add a colorful accent to these casual ensembles.

Snapshot
c. 1911
Gift of Kathryn Alessio Estate

Lily Hanbury picture postcard

 

In the late nineteenth century, London theatres staged productions designed to entertain the working and middle classes. Operettas, comedies, melodramas and Shakespearean drama offered theatregoers "an escape from the dreary monotony and daily discomfort of lives spent mostly in the business of survival."¹ Despite its appeal to the lower classes, theatrical entertainment was also popular among the elite. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert frequently attended the London theatre and had a particular interest in Shakespearean productions.

Naturally, theatrical productions required talented performers. With some exceptions, men filled most of the roles required to stage plays, including writing scripts, managing theatrical troupes, directing and producing. Popular actresses, however, frequently surpassed their onstage roles, becoming internationally known celebrities. This celebrity was only tangentially related to acting skill. Instead, it depended on the attributes that still define twenty-first century celebrity: adherence to particular standards of beauty, glamorous self-presentation and savvy self-promotion. Involvement in a low-level personal scandal with romantic overtones was helpful too.

Lily Hanbury postcard
c. 1900
Gift of Ken Weber
2009.924.20

Top five posts of 2011--Louella Ballerino crop top, 1946

 

First published in July 2011, the second most popular post of 2011 describes how a serendipitous find dramatically altered our understanding of a midriff-baring 1940s crop top in our collection.

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In 2003, a black and coral crop top was donated to the FIDM Museum. The top is of coral silk, with black silk appliques in a stylized floral pattern. Accompanying the donation was a snapshot of the donor actually wearing the top. We love this kind of supporting documentation! Here's the photo, taken someplace in southern California and dated 1946.

Photo of donor in the coral and black crop top
1946
Gift of Patricia Marks

During the mid 1940s, the crop top, or midriff top, was widely popular. Exposed midriffs were seen in swimsuits, playsuits and even evening gowns. A Jan 1946 fashion spread in the New York Times highlighted full-length evening gowns with exposed midriffs and cut-out backs. The accompanying copy reads, "Fashion is baring the midriff this season not only for sports wear, but for evening."¹ As the photo above documents, the bare midriff was more than a trend promoted by the fashion press; it was also adopted by the woman in the street.

Holding history in my hands

 

In today's post, Christina Johnson, associate curator and resident photography expert, describes her long-standing fascination with historic photography. She also discusses the conservation of a mid-nineteenth century ambrotype portraying two dashing urban gentleman. In previous posts, Christina has explained how photography can be used to understand fashion history. You can find her two-part series on that topic here and here.

Ambrotype
Probably United States
c. 1855-60
Glass, leather, silk velvet, metal & wood
Gift of Steven Porterfield
2010.897.25

I’ve studied fashion history since I was a little girl. When I was a teenager, I discovered my grandmother had two antique trunks jam-packed with old photographs—literally thousands of portrait photographs—dating from the 1850s to the 1950s. Grandma had inherited them from her sister-in-law, who had methodically asked for old family photos anytime a relative, however distant, died. Everyone ended up handing over all their heirloom photos to Aunt Marjorie. I spent hours poring over them, organizing and dating them by what people were wearing. They taught me fashion history. I loved looking at peoples’ clothes and their faces. I wanted to know their stories.

Fashion history through photographs, part II

Part two of FIDM Museum Collections Manager Christina Johnson's examination of how photographs can be used to study fashion history.

Carte de visite
c. 1875-77
Gift of Steven Porterfield
2009.897.103

Carte de visites were produced from 1854 through the 1880s. They are small paper photographs mounted on cardstock, about the size of a Victorian calling card -- 4” by 2 ½”. They utilize a process that creates a glass negative which could produce multiple paper prints. This carte dates to 1875-77. Very little of the sitter’s gown shows, therefore, the portrait has been dated through the woman’s hairstyle and jewelry. Her hair is oiled, parted at the center, and arranged in a wide braid--possibly a separate hairpiece. A small whitework collar, silk fringed bow, and necklace of black thermoplastic links ornament her dress, the bodice of which has been imperfectly fitted and pulls tightly across her bust.

Fashion history through photographs, part I

Today's post was written by Christina Johnson, FIDM Museum Collections Manager. Part II will be posted on Wednesday, December 9. Enjoy!

Tintype
c.1895-1897
Gift of Stephen Porterfield
2009.897.74

Photographic portraits are valuable resources for understanding fashion history. Knowing the dates certain photo techniques were used can help date extant objects. These images also reveal a great deal about how clothing was accessorized and styled. They present a less-idealized version of dress than fashion plates or painted portraits. The FIDM Museum actively collects historic photographs for these reasons.

Shopping

Did you brave the crowds to do a bit of Black Friday shopping? If so, you probably visited a department store, boutique or perhaps a local craft fair. Or maybe you waited until today, Cyber Monday, to do your shopping online. Did any of the retail outlets you visited resemble the late 1920s dry goods store pictured below?

Though it might be a bit difficult to see, note the many bolts of fabric, one of which is being examined by the woman in the center of the image. Notice also the ready-made garments, hanging on the rack in front of the window.

Interior of a dry goods store
Late 1920s
Gift of Steven Porterfield
2009.897.135