We all dressed in black for this one ...well, back with touches of red or other favorite colors and since it was just before Halloween, I did see a few skeleton earrings, brooches, and other nods to individual creative expression. Stand outs spotted in the audience, the knee high red boots, from Salvation Army and the Moschino (Italy) black dress with colored circles, bought in Vancouver. SMOC events tend to be celebrations of style and lively conversation. And, when Ivan Sayers is on the podium, we all dress for him. He truly does appreciate the dress, its history and how it reappears today, sometimes unchanged and sometimes upcycled or repurposed. Ivan has the best collection of classic little black dresses and his models display them elegantly.
Black was popular because it denoted prosperity. It was the most expensive dye and its shades complex: dark brown, blue or green. Black was great for business suits because it stayed clean: ink stains were invisible and on hems, dirt could easily be sponged off. Black, a statement in itself, could be easily accessorized, with lace edged hats and handkerchiefs and subtle or glittering jewellery. Depending on the era, legs were visible, in seamed stockings, or hidden under hoops, petticoats, and varying lengths of dresses.
We saw the early Edwardian S shaped curve for the female body (1903/4), the back on black focus on texture and layering (1910-12) bigger hats, but never so big that the brim touched the shoulders, or else reputations would be ruined, a 1912 hobble dress with less corseting, Asian exotic touches, like decorated tassels and fringed handbag. (Turkey, India, Japan) And, imagine, horsehair for hats and crinolines. A Russian look, because Russia still had a Royal Court, was a sable coat, and under it, for a long, lean body, was a 1921 dress. A nod to Ancient Egypt, this long tunic, moved with the body and the haircut was an Egyptian wig like bob.
There were 8 outfits in the first set and 8 in the second, all the way up to the late 60's, early 70's. So many details, all of which you can learn much more about when you dress up and attend SMOC events. See more at smoc.ca. You get a fabulous newsletter, when you join SMOC, so you need never miss another fashionable event. The next one, titled PUNK, features Ines Ortner, Costume Designer
I find the audiences such a rich source of enthusiasm for style and design. There are Artists, Set Designers, Academics, Crafters of all kinds, Curators, Collectors, Musicians, Writers, Film Makers, and Volunteers from places near and far. Loved the Textiles Teacher from Surrey, who brought some students all the way to Hycroft. And of course she bought our featured book, by Jen Croll: Bad Girls of Fashion, 2016, which was also a terrific door prize. All ages and both women and men, come to SMOC. People wear their special pieces, many handed down in families, others traded, thrifted, hand made and collected, collected, collected. In addition to Ivan's house full of treasures, Claus Jahnke and others thoughtfully add to many of the shows.
Black was popular because it denoted prosperity. It was the most expensive dye and its shades complex: dark brown, blue or green. Black was great for business suits because it stayed clean: ink stains were invisible and on hems, dirt could easily be sponged off. Black, a statement in itself, could be easily accessorized, with lace edged hats and handkerchiefs and subtle or glittering jewellery. Depending on the era, legs were visible, in seamed stockings, or hidden under hoops, petticoats, and varying lengths of dresses.
We saw the early Edwardian S shaped curve for the female body (1903/4), the back on black focus on texture and layering (1910-12) bigger hats, but never so big that the brim touched the shoulders, or else reputations would be ruined, a 1912 hobble dress with less corseting, Asian exotic touches, like decorated tassels and fringed handbag. (Turkey, India, Japan) And, imagine, horsehair for hats and crinolines. A Russian look, because Russia still had a Royal Court, was a sable coat, and under it, for a long, lean body, was a 1921 dress. A nod to Ancient Egypt, this long tunic, moved with the body and the haircut was an Egyptian wig like bob.
There were 8 outfits in the first set and 8 in the second, all the way up to the late 60's, early 70's. So many details, all of which you can learn much more about when you dress up and attend SMOC events. See more at smoc.ca. You get a fabulous newsletter, when you join SMOC, so you need never miss another fashionable event. The next one, titled PUNK, features Ines Ortner, Costume Designer
I find the audiences such a rich source of enthusiasm for style and design. There are Artists, Set Designers, Academics, Crafters of all kinds, Curators, Collectors, Musicians, Writers, Film Makers, and Volunteers from places near and far. Loved the Textiles Teacher from Surrey, who brought some students all the way to Hycroft. And of course she bought our featured book, by Jen Croll: Bad Girls of Fashion, 2016, which was also a terrific door prize. All ages and both women and men, come to SMOC. People wear their special pieces, many handed down in families, others traded, thrifted, hand made and collected, collected, collected. In addition to Ivan's house full of treasures, Claus Jahnke and others thoughtfully add to many of the shows.
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