Showing posts with label vintage dresses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage dresses. Show all posts

Monday, May 19, 2014

Charles James

English-born fashion designer Charles James (1906-1978) was known as "America's first couturier". He was pretty much self-taught, and became a master of cutting and creating highly structured pieces of clothing. He is mostly known for his lavish evening gowns, which he saw as pieces of art, making new designs and reworking old ones year after year, not caring about the season-stress that usually goes on in the world of fashion. According to The Costume Institute curator in charge, Harold Koda, Charles "transformed fashion design" and his "many advancements included the spiral cut and the taxi dress (created in 1929 and so easy to wear it could be slipped on in the backseat of a taxi). "He also "championed strapless in the Thirties; invented the figure-eight skirt, the puffer jacket and the Pavlovian waistband that expands after a meal, and was an early proponent of licensing." It is also said that Christian Dior himself credited Charles with inspiring The New Look.

So, here follows a few of Charles James' droolworthy evening gowns! This is what I call "architectural dresses"!


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And here is a photo of famous burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee in one of Charles James' dresses in 1955. I think it very much resembles the pink one in the picture above...


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Wednesday, January 08, 2014

Fabulous Dresses From The Past

Christmas and New Years is over. So let's stress down a bit by looking at some amazing dresses from the years that have passed!





Black, sparkling evening dress with matching cape by Chanel, ca 1930.




Evening dress worn by Queen Soraya of Iran, by Emilio Schuberth, 1953.




Sequined evening dress by Lanvin, ca 1925.




Green evening ensemble with fur trimmed cape and ostrich feather fan, ca 1929.




The ultimate glam evening dress! 1936.




Costume designed by Edith Head for Ginger Rogers in Lady In The Dark, 1944. One of the most expensive costumes ever made! I want this one for a burlesque act...or just an evening at home...




"Petal" by Charles James, 1951.




Evening dress, 1890's.




Evening dress, ca 1908. In love with this one...




Tea gown by Worth, 1895. See ladies - THIS is the only acceptable piece of clothing for the drinking of tea!

























Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Early 1900s Dresses

In keeping with the theme of my last post, where I wrote about my time as an extra in the TV-series Fröken Frimans Krig, that takes place in 1905, here are some gorgeous dresses from around the same time! I can just dream over these outfits for hours. Studying all the little intricate details, and wondering what they saw back in the days when they were worn, in a time when ladies were ladies, and men were gentlemen...


1910

Look at the tassels!!!




1910


1909


1905


Devoré 1910


Paul Poiret 1910



Wednesday, September 04, 2013

Fräulein Frauke Presents - Hooray For Hollywood!

Last Saturday it was time for me to get up on stage and throw my clothes off again! And this time I was actually a bit nervous! Most of you probably know about Fräulein Frauke's amazing burlesque events by now, since I blog about them every time they take place. The difference this time though, was that I wasn't going there "just" as a guest, but I had been invited to perform too! The theme of the party this time was Hooray For Hollywood, and Fräulein Frauke wanted me to do my Diamonds Are Forever act.






As usual, the party took place at Nalen, and I was the first one on stage, warming up the audience in a smaller room called Harlem, before the doors opened to the main stage. I had to change my act a little to fit it to the small stage, but everything went well, and I felt really good dancing around in pink light, surrounded by an amazing audience and the beautiful atmosphere of Nalen, which is decorated in late 19th century style.




Next on stage was Yvette Les Fesses, who took her clothes off while singing a song I love - Put The Blame On Mame form the 1946 film Gilda.




On the big stage Elegy Ellem stepped out in a very...um...cute Jabba the Hut costume. But behold! Out of Jabba then emerged...




...Princess Leia! Fabulous!




Fräulein Frauke and Velma Voluptuous did a sparkling duett from the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes...




...La Viola Vixen shook he tassels...




...Coco Belle stapeled pink feathers to her/his ass...




...Fräulein Frauke did her wonderful Carmen Miranda inspired act...




...Comedian Wes Zaharuk made us all laugh...



...and conférencière Ophelia Bitz tied the show together with amazing wit and a wonderful voice!




After performing I changed into what I call my Ghost Dress from the late 40s, and partied away! My mother and here sister came to se me strip for the first time, and they both liked my performance. At least that's what they said... Hehe...




Fräulein Frauke wore a very pretty dress, that I just wanted to rip off her and take with me home! All the guests looked amazing too! Dressed to the nines to fit the Hollywood theme! As usual I can't wait for Fräulein Frauke's next burlesque event, and am waiting with anticipation to find out what the theme for that party will be!


All photos taken by John Paul Bichard.






















Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Vintage Dresses

Here in Sweden we have a blogger and vintage expert etc...named Elsa Billgren. One day I stumbled over her Pinterest site, and found a page full of gorgeous vintage dresses! So after having looked at it for a while, and then changed my clothes - my own dress became full of drool for some reason... - I decided to simply "borrow" my favorite pictures and share them with you all! So. Here we go!

1895-1910 Belle Epoch summer dress

1905. Anna Pavlova's "The White Swan" costume, designed by Leo Bakst

1948. Designed by Charles James

1937. By Madeleine Vionnet

Backside of the dress above

Dated to the last third of the 18th century

1913. Russia

1950s

1957. By Elizabeth Arden

1951. "Petal" Dress by Charles James

1950s

1950s

1949. "Venus Gown" by Dior

To see all the dresses on Elsa's Pinterest, go here: http://pinterest.com/elsabillgren/klanningar/















Hyper Smash