On Sunday, I saw the American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity, an exhibit of women's fashion from 1890s-1940s, at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The American woman's social evolution was reflected in their changing fashions, according to the exhibit. As women embraced sports, the arts, politics, and Hollywood moving making, fashion designers responded with the appropriate outfits.
I enjoyed the exhibit because I love looking at beautiful clothes. (I try not to think about the gifted seamstresses who were paid pennies for turning clothing designs into exquisite garments.) The dresses were like works of art. Many of them were beautifully embroidered with metallic thread, sequins, beads and the tiniest rhinestones and pearls. They reflected a glamour and sophistication that are rarely seen today. You can get a glimpse of the exhibit, which is now closed, by taking the museum’s video tour.(Scroll down a little for video box)
One thing I learned at the exhibit was that “votes for women” was first proposed at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. I had no idea it took 71 years for women to be granted the right to vote.
The exhibit also made me think about what a similar exhibit portraying the American Woman’s social evolution from 1950s-2010 would look like. I assume there would be the predictable 1950s homemakers, the 1960s mods and hippies, 1970s liberated woman, etc. I’m curious, though, about how the museum curators would explain the transition from the 1970s feminist’s pant suit to the 2010s baby doll dress. I can’t explain it.
More Scarves Sightings
No trip to the Met is complete without a stop at its beautiful museum store. When I was writing about scarves in a recent post, I should have mentioned the Met. You’ll find a wide selection of art scarves, starting at $25 for small squares and $50 for long rectangles.
And finally, if the fall issue of the Land’s End catalog is any indication, scarves are the trend this fall. In the first of what I assume will be many “fall” and “holiday shopping” issues from the clothing company, about 50% of the models are wearing scarves. Check out the photo collage at the company’s New Arrivals page online to get a sense of what I’m talking about. If you’re trying to get “psyche” for wearing scarves this fall and winter, take a look at the catalog models.
In case you’re wondering…the scarf at the top of this post is by Gucci. I recently inherited it from a most beloved aunt who was always dressed to the nines. It seemed appropriate to dress up this posting about a recent art museum visit with the scarf, since I think it's art with all the vivid flowers and various insects, including a dragon fly. Now I just have to figure out what to wear it with. If you want to see more Gucci scarves, click on the highlighted words.
