04 May 2010

elegance,ease and glamour

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far removed, (very far) from the dazzling world of fashion-I confess I enjoy it. At one point I might have said I love it. One dirty little secret I've shared here before is my love of paper dolls-I chalk it all up to the paper dolls. Do little girls even play with them anymore?

the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Benefit held last night celebrated the  American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity. When did the American woman step out onto the fashion stage? It started with the first American original -the Gibson Girl. The exhibition chronicles the changing styles of fashion in America and the women who wore them.


detail of an Oscar de la Renta dress
Autumn 2010



The beauty of fashion in America is the beauty of America-It is a fusion of cultures, styles, the exotic, the glitter and the gold. For the most part this post is a piggy back to the elegant Ulla van Zeller's Model's Own telling of her evening at the Met Gala (click here to read it)


elegance, ease, glamour

 Ulla in Oscar de la Renta
the colours are real favourites of mine together
(the most fabulous dress,click to enlarge for the gorgeous detailing)


Though some of my readers may scoff at fashion and its milieu, but It is just like an interior or a novel-some are good, some are bad, some indifferent. Fashion though- is uniquely and surprisingly original beyond that of a well  decorated room, made so by the woman that wears it- and so it follows-some good, some bad...

Here is a glimpse at what is good about fashion- American fashion at its best, at least for last night.

elegance


ease

glamour



go see Ulla's gala photos here.

images are from Style.com or from model's own.
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15 comments:

  1. Creating fantasy worlds for my paper dolls consumed my winter days, before I started school.

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  2. I adore these gowns, and yes the detail on the De La Renta is stunning!

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  3. Barbara, I am glad to hear that, My mother drew them for me, along with the Betsy McCall and I still have somewhere George Washington and Martha (of course-starting early!)

    Karena, yes I know you appreciate that-arent the colours beautiful together!

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  4. Little Augury an eye is an eye when observing but your eye is spot on regardless being far removed. Great observations and rarely does a short skirt come off so well.

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  5. Gosh, I loved paper dolls, too. I had old ones (from tag sales) and loved to examine the old-fashioned costumes. I don't know if that's where my love of domestic history started, but I never wanted the current (1970s) costumes, I always liked the ones from earlier times. Also LOVED playing with my Barbie Townhouse (with string operated elevator) and was far more interested in the interior design aspects than the outfits, except when it came to the 50's and 60's style garb found, again, at tag sales.

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  6. Love this Post.
    You know I had some paper dolls!
    —E

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  7. Scoff?! Hardly! Quite the opposite, and I always love to read YOUR take on all things Fashion...to have Fashion AND the MET combined, I come here first!

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  8. Never would I think I could find a place to profess my love of paperdolls! I saved some that were my daughter's!

    I am not particulary knowledgeable about fashion, although I always appreciate those who are well dressed and confident!

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  9. ok coming clean, wanted to be a fashion designer or illustrator first - at about 11. my dad was in the theater and i was fascinated already at 5 with the watercolors done for the costumes. and hanging out in the "attic" with the costumers.

    thanks for coming onboard over at Passage Paradis! nice to have you. and it may take awhile but i will try to dig out those min hogg bits. now that i have blogs i don't look at my magazines anymore! but i have kept them all.

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  10. townhouse-seems you found your calling and blog too! another paperdoll out! pgt

    elizabeth, thanks, is it the era?

    mlle paradis-I bet you were memorized. I loved the ones my Mother would do for me. It all somehow connects and resurfaces for us all. How I wish I had save every magazine, some people that know me would laugh at that!, do track down Min at some point and surprise me. pgt

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  11. Acanthus, yes weren't they fun, do girls play with them ever. I have tried to give them for gifts to clients daughters and friends daughters-they all seem to love them! That is by far the best way to judge fashion-as you say. pgt

    the Zhush, too kind, it is fun. mostly women are given too many choices dont you think? that as they say is why men always (mostly) look great.pgt

    Anon. gee thanks, the short looks good on her, sporty and glamourous. pgt

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  12. Wow, the Oscar de la Renta dress is gorgeous. How did I miss that one? Also, regarding your comment above- I will relish my choices, thank you very much!

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  13. I must add my name to the legions of those who spent their childhood in the company of paper dolls. Those dearest of friends.

    The detail photo of the Oscar de la Renta dress is stunning. Capturing it from that angle was inspired.

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  14. EA, isn't that dress and the fabric gorgeous. love the fuchsia and black. it is liberating to come out of the paper doll closet no? pgt

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  15. Thank you for posting that absolutely divine Oscar de la Renta dress that Ulla is wearing. It's ultra refined + delicate with a dash of 70s... I love it... it's a painting.

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