Photo: Helmut NewtonI'm finishing reading my book about John Bates, and I was discussing it with Sewing Diva Phyllis the other day. One of the things that we were discussing was the fact that, while I admire the work and intellectually "get" the silhouettes of the 1960s, they aren't something that appeal to me viscerally. I don't really have an emotional connection to the silhouettes of the day. Phyllis' take was pretty much the opposite. She really loves that silhouette and is a big fan of the Emma Peel look. I said to her, "I think I'm more of an Yves Saint Laurent 'Le Smoking' kind of gal."
Eureka! I had never really thought about it in terms of defining icons before, but that's it for me. I have always been drawn to YSL's silhouettes, and I have made several tuxedos for myself over the years. I owned a couple of YSL original dresses back in the 90s (thank you, Filene's Basement!). The other archetypal image that shaped my fashion preferences when I was young was also an Yves Saint Laurent dress, photographed in Vogue. In the photo, Maria Schianno (My bad, I thought it was Catherine Deneuve) was seated with her back to the camera, looking over her shoulder. She was wearing a black, long sleeved Saint Laurent haute couture dress that was quite demure until you saw the back - it was made of lace from the high neckline down to her bum. That photograph and dress are seared into my memory. Thank you all for finding the link!
One day I will copy it and I'll wear it to some very swish event. I suppose I'd best do it soon while I can still get away with it!
BTW, for anyone in the San Francisco area, the DeYoung Museum is holding a YSL retrospective. I wish I had a reason to be on the Left Coast. I would go to it in a heartbeat. It looks like a great exhibit. Don't miss it if you are nearby!
So what is your fashion avatar? I'd love to know.
Meanwhile, I'm off to finish the dress. Happy sewing!
15 comments:
I think I'm a little 60's Mod. I try to subtly slip it in every now and then... down to the winged liner! But then I also love the 70's Studio 54 look. I would kill for a vintage Halston!
T&A and Donna Reed all the way!, baby! Early Dior, Givenchy and Valentino (ah, yes). That's me. When you're a curvy girl as I have always been, the 60's look will usually not work for you. Certain elements may work individually, but the lines are pretty much straight/vertical.
I actually remember the 60's well. The two major fashion icons of that era were Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton - both tall, leggy and shapel... er, willowy -- with huge heavily-lined eyes and white-pink lipstick'd lips (sans liner). But I digress. As Mom used to say -- you need to be flat as a board to pull that style off. Think Agent 99 on Get Smart. Emma Peel was about the only style icon of that era to have a hint of a curve to her shape and she was about the only shapely counterpoint to a developing International Supermodel culture.
The YSL Le Smoking Jacket was the bright light for curvy girls in an otherwise shapeless world -- plus the 60s shoes were gawdawful. We went from champagne glass to chunky heels and from pointy to squared toes paired with printed or opaque hose (I had two pair of small-scale argyle plaid opaque stockings). Yikes. Couture was truly couture and ready to wear couture lines had not yet been born. Bonded fabrics ruled in RTW and they were so uncomfortable to wear (and they creased unattractively when you sat down).
I always thought that photo of the YSL dress was a take off on the Man Ray LeViolin photograph from the 20s.
http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=61240
The pose and the headdress certainly is evocative.
Well, considering my size and shape, I should probably say "Mamie Eisenhower" (heh), but certainly anyone from the 50s would be in the ballpark.
Have a look at Dress A Day
http://www.dressaday.com/dressaday.html
Is this the dress? If so, you must make it! I want one too!
I like the vintage 30's (think bias cut long gowns of the silver screen) but I could never wear them. For practicality, I prefer the 40's, the WWII swing dresses. Homefront in the 90's was one of my favorite shows.
Audrey Hepburn is my fashion icon. I could dress like here very day of the week, those ballerina flats, slim black pants, big white blouses, big belts, tiny hairdo. I love it all. Definitely my personal icon.
I am a Chanel girl all the way! I love the layers of pearls...the simple cardigan jackets and matching skirts...it's probably one of the reasons I like the 60s Jackie K. look...her style icon was really Chanel!
I was an Anne Klein sportswear/Belinda Bellville dress kind of girl. Time has eroded my image as well as my shape, so I'm having to redefine my look - constantly, as a matter of fact. But I think your question has helped me focus on my style dilemma. It's definitely time to modify my current icon: http://www.retroland.com/retrotalk/userfiles/10081561_gal.jpg
Ann, I just came back from seeing the YSL exhibit at the DeYoung for the second time! The lace back dress is about third in the exhibit as you come in, and is even more awesome in person. I took a REAL close look at the hand picked side zipper in that one. There were at least half a dozen various examples of the tuxedo look, plus several of the iconic pieces from his "Russian", "Chinese" and homage to Matisse, Picasso, Bracque and Mondrien collections. The workmanship is superb. I saw many examples of hand stitched topstitching that must have taken years for the seamstress to perfect. Each stitch exactly the same, perfectly placed - and this was on a day ensemble! Plus the accessories were so beautifully matched to each piece.
Truly, a once in a lifetime exhibit - words really don't express how exquisite each of the creations are.
My fashion icons are posted permanently on my blog. Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy. Mid/late '50's, early '60's. The eleganct, classy look--if only I could look like that all the time instead of 2% of the time (long sigh...).
I'd have to call myself a 60's Jackie O follower . . . love the classic, simple lines she wore, I think her style was timeless. Of course, I don't think I ever saw her in lime green (my favorite color), but that's MY spin on her style!
I have no idea. Really.
I guess I'm eclectic. (That sounds so much better than 'clueless')...
But I did want to thank you for clearing up a debate on the YSL dress. I saw it on someone's post yesterday and my 23-YO DD and I got into a discussion about it...I was sure it was just lace, with rear cleavage clearly visible, and she maintained I was imagining it and it was just the shadows of the lining.
Now I get to say 'I told you!' ;)
Hmm . . well that can't be hard for me to answer. The 50's definitely for an era. For people as icons, I'd say Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn.
I don't know that I'd call her my style icon, but Chanel is one of the few people in high fashion who's style I'd love to approximate.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Coco_Chanel_by_Horst_(2211541725).jpg
http://a689.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/13/l_23e27fe49dd0ee33980f0447afc67e40.jpg
If there was a designer who approximated my style...he would go out of business quick.
I am still working on defining my style. A bit if Valentino, a smidgen of Chanel, a touch of Prada maybe. And any dress Laura Bennett from Project Runway is wearing is good...adjusted for more curves of course.
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