Wife Dressing by Anne Fogarty: a Review

After months of languishing on my nightstand I've finally finished Wife Dressing: the Fine Art of Being a Well-Dressed Wife by Anne Fogarty.

Illustration by Renee Forsyth

It's okay to roll your eyes at the title but consider this: Wife Dressing was published in 1959 and was republished here in the U.S. in 2008 and in Britain in 2011. It's in print nearly sixty years later! There must be a reason for that, right? Although few people today would think of aiming fashion advice solely at married women, many of Anne's tips about fashion, travel, and entertaining are still applicable today. 

While some of her advice is dated given that it is the 21st century, Anne Fogarty was very liberated for her time as most married women with children did not work in the 1950s. Anne was a successful fashion designer for Saks Fifth Avenue when she wrote Wife Dressing. She is credited with developing the "Paper Doll Silhouette" (a full skirt over petticoats inspired by Dior's "New Look") and created a line of dresses sold at Lord & Taylor. She designed until 1980, the year of her death.

via Pinterest

via fuzzylizzie

via Pinterest
 

The short chapter "The Delicate Matter of Bargains" caught my attention this summer. July and August are typically huge sale seasons here and in Europe as retailers clear out their spring and summer stock to make room for new fall designs. It's a great time to shop for deals on basics and classic pieces that will stand the test of time even though you'll have to wade through plenty of trendy styles before finding those timeless pieces. And with so much interest these days in simple living, minimalism, and especially decluttering (Konmari, anyone?) this chapter was a great reminder that just because something is marked down it doesn't really mean it's a bargain. To Anne, a bargain is something that:

"I really adore, never tire of wearing; something that makes me feel good that has given me more than my money's worth in terms of fun and confidence and the pleasure of being dressed."

In concert with simple living principles and one of Marie Kondo's guiding questions "Does it spark joy?" are six questions Anne wants you to ask yourself the next time you find a bargain on one of your shopping trips:

1. Is it something I really want?
2. Is it in perfect condition?
3. Is it the right size?
4. Is it still in style?
5. Does it fulfill a wardrobe need?
6. Will it pay its own way as a member of my wardrobe,
   not just loll as a temporary guest in the back of the closet?
   

In Anne's words: 

"Each of your answers will give you a clue as to whether or not the bargain is really a bargain.
If it's not something you want, you'll keep making excuses to avoid wearing it--or wear it and wish you hadn't. However much you like it, if it doesn't fit in with your other clothes,
do yourself a favor and forget it."

The foundation of Anne's approach is common sense with a healthy dose of femininity on top. There is so much timeless advice in Wife Dressing that I recommend it to women, married or single, who wish to update their style.


I purchased a copy of Wife Dressing for my collection.. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com. If you decide to make a purchase through my link, Amazon will pay me a tiny commission for it. This helps to keep the rest of my content free, so thank you!

Laura Bennett's Handmade Chic: Book Review + Giveaway

via Parents.com

Do you remember Laura Bennett, the fashionable, gorgeous, and witty redhead (and mother of six boys!) from Season Three of Project Runway? She was also on  Project Runway this year, Season 10, Episode Three for the Lexus Team Challenge .   

She was actually my favorite designer in Season Three and won second-runner up at the end.  Thus I was really happy to receive her fabulous book,  Handmade Chic:  Fashionable Projects That Look High-End, Not Homespun,  for review.

   

In my opinion, this book is truly a stand out in the craft book / sewing book genre because every design is chic, upscale, and reflects Laura's innate good taste and creative skill. It contains 35 projects and is divided into four sections, Small Luxuries, Fashionably Organized, Stylish Carryalls, and Evening Extravagances,  and the projects are arranged in skill-building order, from the easiest to the most difficult.

 

The majority of the projects are fairly straightforward accessories such as bracelets, wallets, electronic device (smart phones, Kindles, etc.) covers, and bags or totes:  

via Project Runway blog

Many of these projects are unisex and can be made for the man in your life as well, and the man's billfold is obviously designed for a man!  I do wish that instructions on embossing the leather projects had been included, as Laura embossed her name on some of the projects (e.g., the business card holder) and this really lent a high-end look to the finished project.

Laura uses leather, feathers, and recycled fur in this book, but if you would prefer not to use animal products you can easily use a quality vinyl or faux fur for the projects in this book.

I do think that Laura outdid herself in the amazing Evening Extravagances section; it has a wide diversity of truly exciting designs, a few of which require little-to-no sewing. Do you remember this gorgeous beaded dress from Laura's New York Fashion Week runway show at the end of Season Three? 

via TLO

Well you can learn how to incorporate that beautiful rhinestone embellishment into your own look!  The Fade-Out Dress project will show you how to create a similar waistline effect as featured on the dress above, and you can also embellish your own high heels with this stunning look:

I highly recommend Laura's truly chic little book!  Just about all of these projects would make personalized and sophisticated Christmas gifts for someone special in your life.

How would you like to win a copy of Handmade Chic?  Just enter to win below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

I received a copy of this book for review but as always, my opinions are my own!

Fashion Cheats to Save You Money, Part Four of I Hate to Housekeep

It's true these days that most of the clothes that we buy are not built to last for more than a season (or two).  We all love a good bargain and love to show off a great bargain.  But some things we buy simply aren't bargains -- they don't last long enough to make it worth the expense, or worse yet, they look like a bargain (in Peg's words, they look "cheap").

Wouldn't you like some general tips about what type of clothing items you can save money on and still look good, and what you should save your pennies to buy?  In this final part of the I Hate to Housekeep series I'll share some of Peg's advice about your wardrobe that I believe has stood the test of time.

Doesn't the little girl in this Hillary Knight illustration look a lot like Eloise?

First a little advice from me: if you know the item is going to wear out quickly, I suggest buying it from the clearance rack, or even better, at a consignment or thrift store.

A personal example of this are cotton knit t-shirts because they are a basic wardrobe staple that I frequently wear with jeans. Over time they become stained, or the color washes out, or the cotton simply wears so thin that the fabric starts to look cheap. I'm not the type to spend upwards of $20 on a t-shirt so I know that it is best to buy low priced items that can head to the rag bag when they get ratty.

And here is Peg's advice about clothes you can cheat on -- in her words, "buy cheap" -- and get away with it, and those clothing items you should buy to last. Keep in mind that this is 1960s advice, apply it in terms of your wardrobe and lifestyle.  Some of us attend cocktail parties; some of us don't.

What You Can Cheat On

1. Summer shoes. (You'll have probably worn things like flip-flops and espadrilles out by the end of summer if you wear them frequently).


2. Summer cottons or synthetic dresses.  Peg says, "Dispose of them at the end of the season because at that point the cheap ones have lost their bounce.  If you don't dispose of them, you'll continue to wear them and they'll look their price."


3. Cocktail dresses, especially bright ones.  Peg says, "It takes a trained eye to discern the difference between a flame-colored $22.95 number and a flame-colored $98.95 number, particularly after a couple of Gibsons."


4. Jewelry, if you chose carefully.  (You know that you can get some fabulous-looking vintage costume jewelry at thrift stores, right?)


5. Handbags, ditto. 


6. Underwear, depending on your audience, if any.  (Ha ha ha!  Perhaps no one is looking?)

What You Can't Cheat On

1. Girdles and bras.  (You've seen countless articles in women's magazines about being fitted for the correct size bra.  And the more you spend on your Spanx-like undergarments, the better they will smooth you out and hold you in and the longer they will last.)
   


2. Shoes.  Peg says, "The trouble with cheap ones is that they lose their spurious good looks very rapidly but they won't quite fall apart so you go on wearing them."  (You put a lot of pressure and weight on your feet every day.  Whatever the size, shape, and height of the shoe, buy the best-fitting shoe that you can afford in order to problems like corns that occur because of ill-fitting shoes.) 


3. Belts.


4. Tailored suits, coats, dresses.


5. Nylon stockings.  Peg says, "Finding the right brand, size, gauge, and denier can take some doing; but once done, they look much better than the grocery type or factory seconds."  (If you do wear stockings or tights to work, as part of costume events, or for formal events this tip is very true.  Cheap stockings look just that -- cheap.)


6. Perfume.
   


7. Gloves, except for short white cottons.  (Consider this especially if you live in colder climates and wear gloves frequently in fall and winter).

Do you agree with Peg's advice (and mine) Dear Readers?  When it comes to fashion, in what ways do you economize?  Tips, ideas, and stories are always welcome....

Win a Dress from Shabby Apple's New Mad Hatter Collection!

Have you seen the beautiful new Mad Hatter collection at Shabby Apple?  I can't get enough of the gorgeous women's dresses and skirts in this collection. I especially love the lace dresses, and they are so on-trend for spring 2012.

Would you like to win the dress of your choice from this collection? (I am SO jealous!).  This is your chance!

I'm Late, I'm Late

Caterpillar Skirt

The Mad Hatter

The Red Queen (my personal fav)

{discount}

For those of you who can’t wait to win a dress or plan to make a purchase, Shabby Apple has offered Serendipity Handmade readers a 10% off coupon code: 

serendipity10off

The code is also above the banner on my sidebar and is good for 30 days of savings on Shabby Apple’s array of vintage-inspired women's dresses.

{giveaway}

This giveaway is open worldwide and ends on March 13th, 11:59 Pacific Time.  The winner will be chosen by random number and announced on March 14, 2012.  You have six ways to win!  

To enter (mandatory):

1) Like Shabby Apple on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me that you did so.  Please remember to leave a method of contacting you (e.g., your email address) in this comment.

For each extra entry, leave a separate comment:

2)  Browse the Mad Hatter collection and tell me which one is your favorite.

3) Like  Serendipity Vintage on Facebook

 

4)  Leave one comment if you become a new follower or are already a follower of Serendipity Handmade via Google Friend Connect. 

5) Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this giveaway (be sure to use @SerendipityVint in the tweet).

6) Blog about this giveaway (be sure to leave a link to the blog post in the comment).

Best of luck!

Madison Avenue Monday: Party Color

A photo spread of party dresses made from vintage Simplicity patterns in Modern Miss magazine, Winter 1960:

Simplicity 3616

Simplicity 3483

Simplicity 3593, 3538

Simplicity 3183 (my favorite)

The Skimp: 1974 and 2011

Did you watch Project Runway last week?   Like so many others, I really loved Bert Keeter's sleek color-block mini dress that was produced for Piperlime:

via Lifetime.com

 As you may know, Bert designed in the 1970s so he was well-prepared to meet the design challenge to create a modern look inspired by 70s fashion.

Bert also worked at Halston, the designer who revived the mini-skirt and introduced what he called "The Skimp" in November 1974 for his Spring '75 line.  The raised hemline was big news (read all about it in New York Magazine, December 1974) and gave women another option apart from peasant skirts and maxi dresses. McCall's even produced pattern #4600 in 1975 called "The Real Halston Skimp":

via the Vintage Pattern Wiki

While watching that episode I kept wondering why the judges were making such a huge deal of the little cord belt with silver tips that Bert made to accessorize his dress, as though they had never seen one before. 

I also kept thinking that I'd seen something similar in my pattern collection.  So I dug through part of it and found Vogue Couturier Design 1170 by Belinda Bellville:

via the Vintage Pattern Wiki because I was too lazy to digitize my copy

Clearly this simple A-line silhouette was a popular design choice in the mid-1970s. I'm certainly not trying to stir up any sort of controversy by sharing any of this, by the way.  Bert's look was indeed modern (color-blocking! wide v-neck!) and truly did update a classic 70s look. 

I just have this compelling need to point out to Nina and Michael that the cord belt with the silver aglet tips is not a new idea -- these were mass-produced in the 1970s.  Neither was the flowy A-line silhouette in jersey fabric.  Regardless, Bert  made a fab little dress and it's already sold out!  I think we'll see some knock-offs soon.

In other news, we have a My Memories Suite giveaway winner, chosen by random number: commenter #4, Gustosa of Gustosa Giveaways!

Stay tuned for another fun giveaway coming up soon....

Field Trip: Starstruck Exhibit, Ulster Museum

Time for a field trip!  Like a moth to flame, though thousands of miles away from home, I stumbled over a costume exhibit while visiting Belfast.  And a Hollywood-themed exhibit, no less.  The costumes were all from period movies and television productions, many of which I liked so well I own them on DVD:

This gorgeous robe à la française was worn by Swoosie Kurtz as Madame de Volanges in Dangerous Liaisons.

via Google Image Search

Dear readers, you know how often I go to costuming exhibits.  Yet the Starstruck exhibit at the Ulster Museum was more wonderful than most of the costume exhibits I have ever seen for three reasons:

1) one of my favorite costumes of all time was on display and I never imagined I would see it in person, and
2) I could get quite close to the costumes to study the construction and fabric, and
3) I could take as many pictures as I wished!

How could I fail to photograph Colin Firth's costume from the BBC's production of Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle, by far the best Pride and Prejudice series to date? (I dare you to argue with me about this!).  I love the film still on the wall behind the costume that says "Grand Finale":

I was excited to see several of the costumes from the recent and exciting PBS Masterpiece production, Downton Abbey.  

Season Two can't come fast enough!  I particularly like this evening gown worn by the irascible Lady Mary Crawley, played by Michelle Dockery:

via Downton Abbey fan site

Last but not least, one of my favorite dresses of all time was in a children's film.  I have adored this gorgeous sari-inspired dress ever since I saw Irene Jacobs, as Lilias Craven, grace its lovely folds in The Secret Garden.  The beading is extraordinary and the color is amazing.  It seems much like something Paul Poiret might have designed:

via Bellazon.com

I hope that you enjoyed our little field trip.  See more costume photographs from this exhibit on Flickr  in coming days.

Field Trip: FIDM Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition

Costumes for Anne Hathaway as the White Queen in Alice of Wonderland

Went on a fun field trip today to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising's 2010 Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition of actual costumes used in some of last year's biggest movies.  You can view the exhibits from past years by clicking here).

Some months ago I visited FIDM when they had costumes from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and I was delighted to see a few of the wonderful costumes were still on display for this exhibit.  I was very bad...photography is not allowed but I took a few photos (without the flash!) as the costumes for Alice and the White Queen were among my favorites:

Anne Hathaway's gown as the White Queen

Detail of the gown for the White Queen

Costumes for Mia Wasikowska as Alice

Detail of the costume for Alice

For those of you in the area, the exhibit will be up until the end of this month.   If you stop by, DON'T MISS a visit the FIDM scholarship store for incredibly cheap clothing and accessories --  designers and various clothing labels donate their fit samples and retail stores donate overstock clothes, jewelry, and accessories are to the store to benefit the students, yet the public is welcome.  This time of year there are beautiful wedding gowns that retail for $1,000 that are sold for as little as $200.  The store also offers a constantly updated selection of fabric on sale at only $1.00 a yard!  Yes, my stash grew by leaps and bounds today.

Have a wonderful weekend all...more later!

Making Do and Mending

I've been trying to figure out the best way to darn a hole in thick terrycloth without a darning foot/plate on my sewing machine.  I don't particularly want to do it by hand.  Any suggestions?

Found this charming wartime newsreel out of Britain about the subject of making do while scouring the web for tips.  Enjoy!

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Oh Dear! What Shall I Wear?

For this Vintage Thingies Thursday  have a peek at chapter one from my well-worn copy of Oh Dear! What Shall I Wear!, a Complete Guide to Dress for Every Occasion, published in 1946 by Helene Garnell. (If you missed the 40s fashion collage from the frontispiece of the book, click here).  Ms. Garnell's witty and sarcastic tone makes this tome a fun read, I'm amazed that 60 years after she wrote it, the advice in Ms. Garnell's book still applies to today's "Mrs. Average Woman":

• Plan your wardrobe.
• Keep it simple.
• Be sure it is appropriate.

Chapter one is entitled, "I Haven't a Thing to Wear!"  (How many times have we said that while staring sadly into our closets?).  Just click on each image to enlarge the picture and read the text:

Enjoy, and be sure to stop by and visit the other Vintage Thingies Thursday party-goers today!

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles - Part One

I spent last week in Northern California (hence the blog silence) and had the opportunity to visit the incredible Lacis Museum of Lace of Textiles located in Berkeley.  It's not your usual museum! Think of it as part-museum of antique and vintage lace and other textiles, and part massive store that carries in-house, domestic, and imported products to support all aspects of textile crafts such as lace-making (of course), sewing, embroidery, beading, weaving, crocheting, and knitting.  I cannot express how much I wish I lived nearby so I could be a regular visitor or even a volunteer, as it is truly a "haven for the textile community" as the founders, Kaethe and Jules Kliot, intended.

I'd like to show you some of my personal photos of some of the current exhibit,  Night and Day, The World of the 1920s.   You can follow the previous link to the slideshow of the exhibit on the Lacis site, but I took my own photos as I love the unique design of vintage costume and it's not easy to see some of the handmade lace and hand-sewn bead embellishments.  I took so many photos that I'll still have lots to show you next week!  Feel free to click on each of the photos to see the lace and beading in more detail. 

By the way, the mannequins are period-correct (dating from the late 1870s to the 1930s) and are made of wax, right down to their teeth.  Their hair is actually human hair!  You can read more about them here.

First, some lovely daywear.  I was stunned at how lovely the crocheted lace is on the bottom dress; it is handmade, of course.  I wonder how many hours were spent in lacemaking before the dress was made (it is handsewn as well):

The embroidery on this dress was also handmade:

Handmade tatted lace adorns the adorable pink handbag in the mannequin's hand:

The men wore fabulous suits:

Lightweight summer jackets and vests:

And they looked very dapper in the evening:

A woman's evening dress in lace and handmade silk ribbon embroidery:

My favorite evening dress in the display:

Amazing black net lace evening gown:

I hope that you enjoyed this edition of Vintage Thingies Thursday.  Don't miss next week for more vintage costume and accessories!