Casey's Elegant Musings » style inspiration

fashion in film: laura

casey — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:32:48 +0000

I’ve talked about my love of Gene Tierney before, and since I haven’t highlighted any 1940s fashion films, I thought this would be a good time to gush more over Gene and one of my favorite films: Laura. Bonnie Cashin designed the costumes for this 1944 film, and her sense of easy-going style is reflected in Gene’s outfits. Rather than overly glamorize the star (who was quite stunning and didn’t really need glitzy costumes!) as many films of the era had a tendency towards, the designer stayed within the limits of what could have plausibly been worn by any well-heeled, fashionable young woman of the era. Looking at these outfits, you can see the sportswear influence that Cashin became increasingly known for, while still keeping within the silhouette acceptable at the time. This is one of those films that I’ve idolized for years and continue to scheme from time to time about recreating various dresses or outfits! I hope you’ll enjoy looking through these… (As always, click images for a larger view!)

[ Check out the impeccable bias trim on this suit--it's subtle, but adds a higher end feel to the garment because it's such a fiddly detail to execute perfectly! ]

[ The skirt and knit top that is worn with the suit jacket above. I love the fitted jersey with buttons up the back--and the bias trim is echoed here on the shoulders and neckline. Wouldn't this be a neat variation on the plain ol' tee? ]

[ An array of beautiful knits that Gene wears at the beginning montage. The first outfit is a matched cardigan and skirt set, while the second is a chunkier cardigan and pony skin (!) skirt. Talk about wild fashion on the latter one... I love the chunky bracelet and belt though. ]

[ A glamorous, Grecian inspired evening gown. It's deceptively simple, in that it lacks a lot of surface decoration, but the genius is in the intricate draping. Note the large sparkly brooch on the left shoulder; that's a great way to add some sparkle to an otherwise simple neckline! ]

[ I love this floppy hat that Gene sports! Somewhat unusual to the period (structured hats tended to be more popular), but it frames Gene's face well and would be an easy style to reproduce today. ]

[ I love this striped jacket to bits--look at all the different directions the stripes are cut to create a rather dynamic jacket. Gene's pageboy inspired hairstyle is very nice too! ]

[ Another floppy brimmed hat, this time with a classic trench coat. Note the stitching on the brim of the hat. ]

[ A sporty pants ensemble: this is probably the outfit that is tempting me most right now to try and make! Again, the patterned fabric is cut in various directions to show off bias piecing on the blouse. I love the waist tie detail too! ]

[ Another striped jacket that goes with lounging pants. The hairstyle is so lovely! ]

[ An unstructured skirt and blouse set; another unusual look for the period (although other designers certainly were playing with the idea of less structure, it just wasn't as mainstream). The long scarf-wrap drapes around the neckline to make it suitable for streetwear. ]

[ One of my favorite dresses; a back buttoned street length garment with pleats at the shoulder, extended shoulders forming sleeves, and a shaped belt. The belt has some sort of embellishment too; simple but fitting with the elegance of the piece. Note the bracelet Gene is wearing--it's a floral cuff design that is very similar to a lot of bracelets I've seen in shops recently. ]

[ A gorgeous, draped front dressing gown worn in the final scene. I love the floral applique on the left front--very pretty! ]

pretty little things

casey — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:35 +0000

The romantic mood that has been haunting me for the past couple months hasn’t waned. I’m still very much into lacy little blouses, bows, scallops (eying all the fantastic scallop shorts that have been popping up!), delicate jewelry… basically anything that is pretty and feminine. Still couched very much within my adoration of the 40s, but branching out back to my love of the Edwardian period (one of the “original” eras that got me into vintage styles) and making things all the more whimsical (something I’m always drawn to). I thought I’d show you some of the things that have been hanging around my closet (or the vintage boxes)–pieces that have been inspiring me and making me daydream about romantic summertime outfits…

What is it about warm weather that always makes me indulge in my adoration of lace and especially pretty things? I tend towards a much more tailored, classic look in the colder months (partially because I hate layering, and would much rather wear as few layers as possible, providing they are thick and warm!), but come spring all bets are off! I think the return towards romanticism in some fashion lines hasn’t been helping, nor has watching movies like Pretty Baby and Picnic at Hanging Rock lately… I think what I’d really love this summer is to find an Edwardian white dress that fits and is in decent condition (or only needs minor mends) within my minuscule budget. Or maybe I should make one (eventually). After all, I do have a pile of antique lace…

What particular styles are catching your fancy for summertime wear?

scarf tricks c. 1944

casey — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:24:14 +0000

I’ll be the first to admit I am not the most consistent person when it comes to utilizing my stash of scarves. More often than not, like a lot of women, I’m at a bit of a loss to figure out more artistic ways to show one off! Some of these ideas from 1944 are quite dramatic and would be fun to try even in a modern context. Plus a scarf is a great way to add a little pick-me-up to your winter wardrobe right about now!

[ as usual, be sure to click for the enlarged view! ]

So I’m curious: would you try any of these scarf tricks? What is your favorite way to sport a pretty scarf?

fashion in film: the women

casey — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:19:15 +0000

[ check out the unique, "winged" sleeves on the jacket, and the lacing up the front of the playsuit. ]

In my last round up of late 1930s film fashion, I can’t believe I forgot to mention one of my favorites (and seemingly many of your’s too!): the 1939 classic The Women! If you haven’t seen it, you really must. I won’t clutter this entry with a description of the plot, but suffice to say it’s a wonderful mash-up of fashion, amazing actresses (Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russel… just to name a few!), and witty dialog. It’s basically what we’d call in modern terms a “chick flick”, but it’s certainly one of the chicest chick flicks I’ve ever seen!

The film is so chock full of wonderful, over-the-top clothes (designed by the talented Gilbert Adrian), that I’m not even going to try and cover it all in one post! For this (first!) post I decided to cover my favorite part of the movie: the fashion show! Although the rest of the movie is in black and white, midway through the main characters attend a fashion show and the film switches into color (a true late 30s touch!). The fashions are fantastically theatrical as only Adrian could design them, with many sly winks at the mania for surrealism at the time. (Check out the beach jacket with the modeled-hand closure!) I hope you’ll be as inspired by all these fun looks as I am! (If you haven’t seen the movie, check out the scene in action here.)

Seeing all these makes me wildly excited about playsuits with sweet little details and jaunty hats! What details catch your eye?

[ more sweet playsuits. ]

[ one of the most interesting, surrealist pieces in the whole fashion show--check out the modeled hand clasp on the jacket! ]

[ I've pretty much decided if I can have a beach jacket with snappy red stripes around the shoulders, I'd be a happy girl! ]

[ more seaside fashions; two longer lounging outfits. the series of pockets on the left outfit are so interesting! ]

[ eye-catching cool-weather outfits. the center one is my favorite--especially the jaunty hat! ]

[ more gorgeous daywear. the fur details on the black outfit are pure Hollywood--so glamorous! ]

[ fanciful gowns. the one on the right with the simulated black skirt and midriff waistband and scalloped hem is so pretty! ]

[ more floaty gowns! ]

[ striking evening gowns. take a close look at the hat the model in the green gown is wearing: the crown is a clear plastic! ]

[ the caped evening ensemble is so interesting... ]

[ more glamorous looks! ]

[ I love this bustled gown so much--the shaping is divine, while the color keeps it elegant. ]

[ gloves all in one with the sleeves! ]

[ another nod to surrealism: gigantic gold "studs" on the gloves! ]

swanky updo’s

casey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:32 +0000

[ click for a larger view. ]

If there is one thing that I love and never tire of, it’s the vintage updo. Truth be told, I wear my hair up in some configuration the majority of days; it’s just easier to have it out of the way (not to mention cooler not to have it against my neck!). Something I have been doing in spare moments lately is scanning through my image files for new vintage updo inspiration! A girl can never have too many ideas for new ways to arrange her hair…

01. alida valli, I love this simple, almost Grecian inspired chignon.
02. madeleine carroll, a simple wave at the front with a crown (or “Heidi” braid)–so very elegant!
03. evelyn venable, a variation on the previous style with a twisted crown braid, rather than a plaited braid (try a hair extension for this one).
04. lauren bacall, a casual updo in this context, but just haphazardly piling curls atop your head would look sweet with a more modern cocktail dress!
05. joan bennet, another “curl pile” ‘do, but this one is a little more purposefully balanced and arranged.

[ click for a larger view. ]

So many of these are deceptively simple. But even for those that aren’t, just the concepts are good in that they can be imitated with a little hair know-how. Even if you’re not game for doing an updo on a regular basis (my everyday ones are never anything special!), they are great for special occasions that crop up!

06. lena horne, a simple center part with a triple layer of braids piled atop the head–so dramatic! (again, hair extensions would be key for this one.)
07. jane wyman, a fun idea for incorporating a string of pearls (or any other costume jewelry–chain necklaces, brooches, or even bracelets!) into the hairstyle.
08. audrey hepburn, I love this modern, sleek updo; it would go with so many party dresses!
09. deanna durbin, when in doubt, add flowers! one can never have too many, imho.
10. ginger rogers, a bit more involved than some of the other styles, with a rope of hair hanging down the back. still, an adventurous style for the more hair adept!