Evening dress, 1925-26
From the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Day Dress | c. 1947
An enormous bustle bow dominates this striped silk dress by Victor Steibel. In February 1947 Christian Dior had launched the New Look featuring pinched waists, full skirts and a soft shoulder line. It was an attempt to reinstate feminity in dress after a period of wartime austerity and shortage. The impractical scale and frivolity of Steibel’s bow was clearly a defiant gesture against rationing. It makes lavish use of material and is so large and weighty that it requires the support of a sturdy horsehair frill beneath the skirts.
“La Cigale” | c. 1952
Harper’s Bazaar (September 1952) described “La Cigale” as built in “gray moiré, so heavy it looks like a pliant metal,” while Vogue (September 1, 1952) called it “a masterpiece of construction and execution.”
“Pisanelle” | Christian Dior | c. 1949
I am just seeing this write-up about Defunct Fashion from 2 years ago (oops.) Very nice. I always love hearing from people who are as infatuated with historic fashion as I am. (p.s. I am not a she).
http://stylethroughhereyes.blogspot.com/2010/08/defunct-fashion.html
