tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80300594925600144482024-03-21T14:02:16.614+00:00freedom books and flowersfreedom books and flowersJess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-51147789181860748552016-04-27T13:11:00.000+01:002016-05-02T16:43:26.052+01:00An Ode to Vogue at the NPG<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is it that makes a 16-year-old girl pick up a copy of Vogue? It certainly isn't to check out the latest £340 pair of heels or the prospect planning a stylish 'Capsule Working Wardrobe'. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">For me, aged 16, Vogue was a little life raft of pure joy and escapism. The sheer weight of its heavy, glossy pages acted as a barrier between myself and the real world of A Level exams, UCAS forms and teenage angst.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">I was lucky enough to discover that at my local 6th form college (for reasons unknown but never questioned) there was a corner of the library which housed an endless supply of British Vogues, ordered chronologically and stretching back at least 30 years up to the present day. This was more than enough to keep myself and my best friend occupied. At lunchtimes, and study breaks, when we should have perhaps been practising our French past participles, we would go through the latest editions and analyse each model's outfits, announcing 'yes', 'no', ' or 'What were they thinking?' </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But, most importantly, we would scan the pages for the editorials. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">The extravagant fairy-tale like stage set-ups. Our favourites were the Tim Walker stories with girls dressed as China plates and doll-like models staring out in saucer-eyed wonder. These were the models of our generations; Lily Cole, Gemma Ward, Jourdan Dunn and Lily Donaldson. Faces which became familiar friends issue after issue. Only a couple of years older than us, their fantastical lives seemed, in our idealistic teenage brains, almost within reach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What these hours and hours spent pouring over 'The Fashion Bible' did for us I'll never quite understand, but, to us, the spreads </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">seemed as creative as an A Level photography project (although with the financial backing of a certain Conde Nast). They were magical and haphazard and unbelievably out of this world. It wasn't the brands or the prices (which we gasped at on a regular basis) it was the creativity, the putting together of outfits; the 'More Dash than Cash' spreads showing knee high socks with strappy Mary-Jane shoes. The youthful, excitable feel of discovering something that felt like it was made just for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Entering the National Portrait Gallery's <i>Vogue 100 </i>earlier this month - the exhibition dedicated to the magazine through the ages as it celebrates its centenary - was like walking into my teenage brain and roaming around for a bit. Seeing the Vogues I had collected so diligently at the age of 17 onwards on display behind glass cases was more than a little surreal. The editions I had cherished and which now line my bookshelves are seen displayed beautifully in chronological order. The cover of Kate Moss (yes there are many) reclining in a gold ball gown for the December 2008 issue and the Cara Delevigne's first solo cover a few years later are copies that seem fixed in time and bring me back to certain points in my life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is something so intimate and emotional about these weighty fashion doorstops that seems more personal than anything I've seen before in a gallery. Of course the photography, created by such masters as Mario Testino, Nick Knight and, my favourite, Tim Walker are works of art in their own right. But, in my mind, the magazine seems to belong in on the bedside tables of teenage girls, to be poured over, cherished and well loved, with pages earmarked for future use and favourite outfits cut out and tacked on pin boards.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, this is a little 'Ode to Vogue', to say thank you. Thank you for 100 years of fashion, creativity and escapism. And thank you for allowing an awkward 16 year old girl to carry around (in her tatty canvas tote bag) a piece of pure fashion magic.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-45412854613855767282016-03-04T13:04:00.000+00:002016-03-04T13:04:02.161+00:00Saul Leiter: Fashion Photography<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">Last weekend I happened to be back down in London and decided to take a look at the new exhibition on Saul Leiter at the <a href="http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/" target="_blank">Photographer's Gallery</a>. I initially heard about it via the blog <a href="http://thatsnotmyage.com/photography/being-inspired-by-the-photography-of-saul-leiter/" target="_blank">That's Not My Age</a> - one of my absolute favourites - and she described Saul Leiter's work as being one of the main inspirations behind the cinematography of the film Carol. Of course, I was sold! I loved the muted colours found in Carol, the coral lipstick and camels coats, and was intrigued by this photographer that I had never heard of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although Leiter moved to New York in the 1940s intent on becoming a painter, his fascination with colour led him to explore the possibilities of colour photography using Kodachrome film. His photographs still retain a painterly quality – I love the shot of a young woman in a pea green coat (below) - and he even experimented with using paint on actual photographs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He began to take on commissions for fashion photography, and many of his images can be found within the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. One of my favourite images is of two young sisters looking out a window both wearing matching jumpers, one holding a cat (see below). I love their expressions and how he captured that sense of boredom and a sisterly relationship – all in the context of a fashion shoot – something that seems so rare nowadays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The exhibition is brilliantly put together and is littered with quotes from the man himself. One of my favourites is "It is not where it is or what it is that matters, but how you see it." </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His snapshots of New York; of train carriages, fire escapes, and through shop windows capture the city perfectly. I love this quote in that it is applicable to writing, photography, art, whatever it is you do – use what is there in front of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What great inspiration for a rainy winter’s day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also wanted to mention how lovely <a href="http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/" target="_blank">the photographer’s gallery</a> was. It’s hidden away behind Oxford Street and is a little oasis of calm amidst all the bustle. Thank you <a href="http://thatsnotmyage.com/" target="_blank">Alyson</a> for your wonderful blog post and providing me with some much needed inspiration!</span><br />
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-55378988375654007432016-01-15T10:30:00.000+00:002016-01-15T10:30:18.098+00:00My Top 5 Exhibitions of 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you've read my blog for a while, you'll know that I love a good exhibition. And 2015 was no exception! Scanning through my diary I realised that I've visited a whopping 15 exhibitions at 9 different museums and galleries over the last 12 months including galleries in London, Paris, Bath, Budapest and little old Eastbourne. My ArtFund Pass definitely worked out overcome and more than paid for itself! So, I thought I narrow them down to my top 5 museum events of the year and have a good ol' reminisce about my favourites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>1. Savage Beauty at the V&A</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Alexander McQueen exhibition was one of the most anticipated of the year and I remember logging on to my computer the moment tickets came on sale. I was not disappointed - this was a showstopper in every sense of the word. Beautifully displayed outfits in glass cages conjured up a cabinet of curiosities feel and showcased McQueen's sheer creative genius perfectly. Read my full review <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/savage-beauty.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<u style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2. </b></u><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><b>Sonia Delaunay at the Tate Modern</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hadn't heard much about Sonia Delaunay before exploring the summer exhibition at the Tate, but now she is one of my absolute favourites. A textile designer, painter, tapestry weaver, and fashion designer; the sheer abundance of her creative output is so very impressive. I couldn't help but be inspired by her as you can read in <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/poetry-in-motion-sonia-delaunay.html" target="_blank">this blog post here</a>. She truly was an incredibly talented woman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back in <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/silent-partners_29.html" target="_blank">January</a> I visited the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge for the first time and saw the Silent Partners exhibition. The 'silent partners' showcased were artist's dummies of all different types and varieties, from wooden mannequins and childlike dolls to more sinister creations. This was one of the most eery and magical displays I saw this year and something a little bit different!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">4. Liberty in Fashion at the Fashion & Textile Museum</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I heard that the Fashion & Textile Museum in London (one of my perennial faves) would be putting on an exhibition of Liberty fashion in the autumn I knew it would be right up my street. Florals and fashion are a match made in heaven, and the exhibition gave a wonderful look at how Liberty has influenced what we wear through the decades, from smocked blouses to ditsy print dresses. Read my full review <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/liberty-in-fashion.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>5. Splendour and Misery: Pictures of Prostitution at the Musee D'Orsary</u></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Earlier this year I went on a mini weekend break to Paris with some friends. Luckily they also enjoy museums and were happy to come along to the Musee D'Orsay where there was an exhibition on prostitution in art. Not your average topic for a fine art gallery but I really loved what they did with this concept. Aside from some rather risque photographs from the Victorian era that would make your grandma blush, there were some beautiful paintings by Toulouse Lautrec, Degas and Manet. It was so special to see these in real life and the whole exhibition really opened me up to look at art in a different way and to see how women in Paris were seen by these predominately male artists. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So that's my round-up of what I saw in 2015. Let me know what exhibitions you loved last year and what you are looking forward to in 2016. Here's to many more hours spent in museums and galleries!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A bientot!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Xx</span></div>
Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-74324370833298447922016-01-02T23:46:00.000+00:002016-01-29T13:03:50.927+00:00New year, new books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy new year! I hope you've had a peaceful and restful Christmas and are looking forward to all that 2016 may bring. After a few months of being in a bit of a reading slump, I was very happy to receive some lovely books from friends and family, which look tempting enough to tear me away from Mad Men (Season 4, I'm obsessed!). Last year's <i><a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/christmas-reads.html" target="_blank">Christmas Reads</a></i> post was pretty popular so I thought I would share with you a few words about which books I was lucky enough to be given this year. The only problem now is which to read first!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Public Library by Ali Smith</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've had this on my wish list since before it was published but somehow managed to hold off buying before Christmas. I've really got into Ali Smith over the past year after first falling in love with <i>How to Be Both </i>followed by <i>Artful </i>and then <i>The Accidental</i>. I can't wait to dig into this collection of short stories, all about the wonderful places that are public libraries. I owe a lot to my local library which has provided me with copious amounts of fashion books, recipes and the classics over the years. Hopefully, there will still be some left to visit in the future!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not much really needs to be said about Donna Tartt, she is a literary genius. Ever since reading <i>The Goldfinch</i> and then wolfing down <i>The Secret History</i> (whilst simultaneously trying to savour ever word) Donna Tartt has quickly become one of my favourite authors. I knew I had to get my hands on her other novels and was so pleased to discover this one on Christmas Day.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">M Train by Patti Smith</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ah, Patti! If I could fan-girl about anyone it would be her, she is such a legend. <i>Just Kids </i>is one of my favourite books, it is so beautifully and poetically written, and Patti's sheer drive and creative nature shines through in every word. I cannot wait to be swept into her world again with M Train.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My friend Grace surprise me with this gorgeous street style book. Based on the blog <i><a href="http://womeninthistown.com/" target="_blank">Women in this Town</a> </i>it captures women from across the world, documenting their personal style. Each section is divided by city, be it London, New York, Tokyo etc. and it's fascinating to see how each metropolis has its own unique style. I'm looking forward to flicking through this and hopefully gaining some inspiration and perhaps the impetus to be a little braver with my style choices in 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>VOGUE Colouring Book by Iain R Webb</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last but not least, a fun one to end with. Colouring books for grown ups have been inescapable this year and I was secret hoping I might receive one for Christmas. Low and behold: The Vogue Colouring Book - perhaps the chicest of them all?! My lovely mum scouting this one out and I had the best afternoon spent colouring in whilst watching <i>It's A Wonderful Life!</i> What I love about this book is that it's so beautifully produced with drawings straight from the pages of 1950s Vogue magazines, complete with captions describing each item of clothing in glorious detail. Once I got over the fact that I had to DRAW ON A BOOK(!) I had loads of fun deciding which colour gown each model should wear. Hardly the worst dilemma to have!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hope you all had the loveliest festive season and have loads of good books and mulled wine to keep you company during winter! Let me know if you have any recommendations in the comments, I would loving to hear them!</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-11689254681051243052015-11-08T09:30:00.000+00:002016-01-29T13:04:19.072+00:00Liberty in Fashion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The new exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum combines two of my favourite things: fashion and florals. <a href="http://www.ftmlondon.org/ftm-exhibitions/liberty-in-fashion/" target="_blank">Liberty In Fashion</a> </span>charts the history of the famous London shopping destination and the impact the brand and its designers had on British fashion. At the grand age of 140, Liberty has seen many changes in fashion and design but has maintained its place as an iconic institution, pioneering beautiful prints and bohemian designs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The exhibition itself is a treasure-trove of ditsy prints, intricate embroidery and bright colours. It starts with the company's early days when it was set up by Arthur Liberty as a warehouse supplying fashionable goods and textiles from the Far East in the 1870s. Liberty then moved into creating beautiful embellished gowns, befitting the wardrobe of a Downton debutante, as shown in the image of the delicate ivory capelet below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The beginning of the 20th century saw Liberty embrace the idea of 'Aesthetic Dressing'. Long, flowing kimonos inspired by japanese paintings became sought after lounge wear for the bohemian woman. Liberty began to not only look to the East for inspiration but started to reinterpret the farm labourer's staple - the smock - for modern women. Smocks were loose, comfortable garments which carried with them an air of nostalgia for a rustic and rural life, but also hinted at the wearer's artistic temperament as the perfect outfit for painting and writing. I particularly loved this embroidered smock below, with it's palette of green purple and white echoing that of the Suffragettes' uniform.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The fashion for smocks also extended to childrenswear and both boys and girls wear dressed in these smart but loose-fitting tunics. Children's author Kate Greenaway's illustrations, which revisited the clothing styles of the 1880s and 90s became inspiration for Liberty's childrenswear. I found it fascinating that imagined dress from storybooks could lead to real-life changes in children's clothing and remember the vogue for this as a nineties child dressed head to toe in Laura Ashley floral smock dresses!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps what Liberty is most associated with is it's iconic ditsy florals. These rose to fame in the interwar years of the 1920s and 30s when small prints on dark backgrounds of black or brown where popular. The lighter, more optimistic blues and pinks were favoured in the 1940s and were often made into pretty tea dresses (see below). Just looking at these gorgeous war-time outfits, with their nipped-in silhouettes and bakelite belts cheered me up. You can see where Cath Kidston get some of their nostalgic print ideas from. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although Liberty reluctantly (to begin with) veered into more outlandish and vibrant prints in the 60s and 70s, when many of their prints were designed by the fabulous duo Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell, they returned to their trademark bohemian look in the 70s, with their floaty and romantic dresses (below). The smock dress made a triumphant return and prints were produced in beautiful muted browns and mauves. I loved the patchwork pinafores - they looked so practical and easy to wear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although I am probably biased, being already obsessed with prints and florals, I loved this exhibition of Liberty London. It was wonderful to learn about the shop's history, from its origins transporting textiles from across the world, to the work of its creative printmakers and design talents. Liberty will always hold a sense of nostalgia for me, but it was fascinating to see how often the brand has borrowed from the past to create something refreshing that echoes current fashions. Never more have I desired a few metres of Tana Lawn to make a ditsy print dress!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let me know if you've been to the exhibition and what you thought of it - I'd love to know!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Liberty in Fashion is currently on at the Fashion Museum until 28th February 2016.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-18746565508000071802015-10-25T09:00:00.000+00:002016-01-29T21:11:29.176+00:00The painter that Britain forgot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne is one of my favourite places to visit when I'm back down south. It's a lovely space with great coffee and wonderful gift shop (containing these <a href="http://www.kiranravilious.com/category/cushions" target="_blank">cushions</a> of dreams). The Ravilious Room is really special and contains some of Eric Ravilious's most famous works, all featuring</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> scenes of the beautiful Sussex Downs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But the reason for going along this time was to see the Towner's latest exhibition: <a href="http://www.townereastbourne.org.uk/exhibition/william-gear-1915-1997-the-painter-that-britain-forgot/" target="_blank">'William Gear: The Painter that Britain forgot'</a>. William Gear was an abstract painter working in the 1940s and 50s who produced some radical and highly controversial pieces. Autumn Landscape is perhaps his most well known paintings, deemed an extravagant waste of money when it won a £500 prize and was exhibited at the 1951 Festival of Britain. Although at the time this radical anti-establishment style of painting brought Gear fame and recognition, his work, both as an artist and as a pioneering curator at the Towner, seems to have been largely forgotten.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was so inspiring to see and learn about these paintings, and to discover them anew. It seem such a shame that these incredibly dynamic works of arts have been hidden from view and have largely escaped the pages of art books. They form part of Britain's art canon and were an important part of that wave of artistic creativity that boomed in the 1950s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">William Gear's paintings are bursting with colour. I particularly like the two pieces below with their pale greens and lilac clashing and contrasting with the stark black patterns. Everything about his work seems vibrant and alive. I feel very lucky to have had a little glimpse into his world and learn a bit more about the history of the Towner and a forgotten artist whose paintings are now once again centre stage.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-51572742269898887212015-10-11T09:00:00.000+01:002016-01-29T21:23:19.016+00:00There's something about Audrey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Audrey Hepburn. Two words that conjure up more than simply one person. A ballerina, movie star, model, mother and Unicef ambassador - Audrey played more parts than seems possible to fit into one lifetime. Which is perhaps why the National Portrait Gallery's exhibition <a href="http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/hepburn/home.php" target="_blank">'Portraits of an Icon'</a> is titled so perfectly. Audrey Hepburn is iconic in that she can't be categorised. She lives on in films, in posters on the walls of student digs, on mugs and fridge magnets. She is everything and anything - a dream figure who everyone wants to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Audrey has been so often written about and discussed that she has become her own sort of cliché. The words gamine and elfish have been bandied about so often that they now seem slightly stale, especially when set against the actual photos. Looking at the many faces of Audrey in the NPG, was like discovering her afresh. The display maps out her life through photographs, from childhood days in Belgium, through ballet school and </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">into her more famous and iconic years of the 1950s and 60s. Often set against the most plain of backdrops, Audrey is captured by photographers such as Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson and Irving Penn to show off her personality and grace rather than fashionable outfits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What I loved most about the exhibition was seeing Audrey photographed in more candid and spontaneous moments, in photos I had never seen before. Seeing her on set surrounded by cameras and chatting with cast members was fascinating and really showed a passion and enthusiasm for her work. Photos of holidays, days out with her children and even a shopping trip with her pet deer Pippin show give a small idea of her energetic - and somewhat eccentric - personality. Towards the end of the exhibition there is a collection of photographs showing her at work as a Unicef ambassador, a role she carried out for much of the 80s and 90s. It was lovely to see that there was so much more to Audrey Hepburn than we are often led to believe, and that there was a very real and genuine person behind the iconic beehive and cigarette holder now frozen in time.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/hepburn/home.php" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;" target="_blank">Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of An Icon</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> is on until 18th October.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm now off to watch </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Breakfast At Tiffany's</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">!</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-57390881770285066112015-09-27T21:43:00.000+01:002016-01-29T21:18:23.854+00:00100 years of Fashion Illustration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What is it about fashion illustration that makes my heart leap? There's something about it that I find just captures the essence of fashion, breathing life into clothes so perfectly, perhaps even more than photography. <a href="http://www.laurenceking.com/en/100-years-of-fashion-illustration-2/" target="_blank">100 Years of Fashion Illustration</a> by Cally Blackman documents the changes in fashion illustration, from the thin art deco lines of the 1920s, to the computer-led graphics of the noughties. What I love about these images is their ability to conjure up the entire feeling of the era in which they were published. Take Barbara Hulanicki's Biba girls; their oversized lollipop frames and doll-like eyes just scream the 60s. Whilst Celia Birtwell's drawings (below) have that unbounded sense of freedom and effervescence, like two Chagall figures gliding off into the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The book shows just how central illustration was to the fashion industry. These images were found on magazine covers, on dress patterns, in advertorials and on billboards. Fashion illustration dictated what what women should aspire to, it captured the whole feeling of the new season. Flicking through these pages, it seems that it was not merely the clothing that represented how women should spend their money, but the girl on page. She is often hidden under hats, glancing away, or completely absorbed by the letter or book she's reading. In short, these women, rather than staring out blankly from glossy magazine spreads, are shown to live their lives in these new fashions, whilst we are left to imagine the exciting goings-on in their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My growing obsession for Mad Men has made me appreciate fashion illustration even more. Once considered to be simply adverts for products, many images of fashion illustration are now admired as museum-worthy works of art. Some of my favourites include Rene Grau who is known to have inspired David Downton, as well as Barbara Hulanicki's illustrations for her Biba designs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Will the heyday of fashion illustration return? I really hope so! Instagram seems to be the best place for searching out talented illustrators who hark back to those good old days but are also creating something new and exciting. Some of my favourites working at the moment are: <a href="https://instagram.com/kellymariebeeman/" target="_blank">Kelly Marie Beeman</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/drawingfeever/" target="_blank">Drawing Feever</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/unskilledworker/?hl=en" target="_blank">Unskilled Worker</a>. Let me know any illustrators you are following at the moment, I would love to discover more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Have a great Sunday! Xx</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Illustration credits: (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1) Bill Baker, 1966 (2)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Celia Birtwell, 1970 (3)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Marcel Vertes, 1940 (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4) Rene Gruau, 1967 (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5) Tod Draz, 1950 (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6) Alfredo Bouret, 1957 (</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7) Rene Gruau, 1954.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-81827687133425792562015-08-31T08:49:00.000+01:002016-02-08T17:07:58.957+00:00Beautiful Brighton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think Brighton will always have a little piece of my heart. Although I now live over 100 miles away, I try and stop by as often as I can. There's just something about the city that makes me feel more myself. It's filled with memories of teenage angst, nights out, shopping with friends, vintage fairs, people watching. Earlier this year I was lucky enough to spent a month volunteering in the Brighton Museum, which is a beautiful building sitting just across the road from the Brighton Pavilion. I spent many happy hours cataloging and sifting through acquisitions books, marveling at their extensive collections of costume and decorative arts. The have a great permanent exhibition of ceramics and tea sets as well as chairs and furniture through the ages. It's all well worth a look.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was wonderful to go back this Bank holiday weekend and potter around the same streets. We wandered through the North Lanes, stopping for a massive slice of carrot cake, rooting through the second hand bookshops and visiting my absolute favourite vintage shop '<a href="http://www.hopeandharlequin.com/" target="_blank">Hope & Harlequin</a>'. Perhaps one day I will have saved up enough pennies to treat myself to one of their fabulous dresses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also spotted some new (to me at least) graffiti art on one of the walls near the museum (see photo above). I love that it shows sketches of what looks like two sisters sitting together, as it's been lovely hanging out with my own sister the last couple of days. I hope you're having a relaxing Bank holiday and I will be back very soon with more posts on all good things like fashion, books and museums.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I've never changed. It's like those sticks of rock: bite all the way down, you'll still read Brighton.<b>"</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Graham Greene - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brighton Rock</span></i></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-55365363333332668842015-08-20T10:30:00.000+01:002016-02-24T12:55:01.598+00:00Poetry in motion: Sonia Delaunay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Summer exhibitions at the Tate are always a treat, but I wasn't quite prepared for just how inspiring the Sonia Delaunay exhibition would be. To be quite honest, I hadn't previously heard much about her as an artist, but I decided to go in with an open mind, and I'm so glad I did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On entering the first room, we were welcomed by Delaunay's incredible paintings. Each painting is divided into segments of vivid colours which fit together to create a whole. We learnt that Delaunay was heavily inspired by music and dance and was part of what was known as simultanism: a group of artists inspired by different art forms coming together. One of my favourite paintings was the image below of a young girl lying across a couch. I love Delaunay's focus on women as pensive and introspective, completely absorbed in their own worlds. Look closely and the young girl is made up of a range of hues, from sickly greens and yellows to bright reds, colour combinations that seem so unusual, but create such an otherworldly atmosphere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What I found so wonderful about Sonia Delaunay as an artist was the sheer extent of her creative output. I found it incredibly inspiring that an artist explored so many different mediums so effectively to create her own complete world that was so distinctively hers. For a female artist at that time to have such creative freedom over every aspect of her work is inspiring and motivating, even today.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Aside from her work in abstract art and portraiture, Delaunay was also a successful fashion and textiles designer, creating dresses, shoes and beachwear, as well as working on textile commissions for department stores such as Liberty (see images below). Although part of a set of Parisian bohemians, she was not averse to more commercial enterprises, and fashioned designs for the forward-thinking modern women to wear. Delaunay is also known for her work on the costumes for the 1918 Ballet Russes production of Cleopatra, which were also on display. It was wonderful to see these pieces of ballet history, still intact nearly 100 years later.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Sonia
Delaunay was also fascinated by the relationship between clothing and
literature. Her idea for a 'poem dress' is something I found absolutely
incredible. Delaunay collaborated with some of her poet friends to create
dresses embellished with poetry, created movable figments of art. She also
worked on a short story which she designed to be printed onto a long scarf so
that with each fold, a new chapter could be read in small fragments. I
completely fell in love with this idea of clothing and fiction complimenting
each other and forming part of the same piece of art. I wish more designers
would employ some poetry into their work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">My
experience of Sonia Delaunay at the Tate was such an overwhelming but inspiring
one. Delaunay was such a powerhouse of creativity and I defy anyone to not become
motivated and filled with new ideas when visiting her work. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'd
love to know what you thought of the exhibition if you managed to make it? Have
a lovely weekend! Xx</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-66501837385056200752015-08-13T21:05:00.000+01:002016-02-08T17:09:03.882+00:00Fashion on Film: Iris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bug-eyed spectacles, bright red lips, and a shock of white hair. These are the components that make up the distinctive Iris Apfel. A fashion stylist, interior designer, costume collector and all-round tastemaker, Iris is the subject of a new documentary by Albert Maysles, creator of the fabulous 'Grey Gardens'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the film opens we see Iris, 93, in her natural habitat: the thift store. Her eyes light up as she picks beaded bangles and rhinestone encrusted bracelets, threading them onto her arms as high as her elbows. She talks of her favourite hobby, shopping, as an addiction, admitting she is always after the next fix. And it's the bartering, the thrill of the chase, the joking and the people that make the experience what it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The phrase 'like a kid in a candy store' couldn't be more apt here. Iris is drawn to cherry-coloured beads and bright amber necklaces, layering them up to create a look that is is completely unique. "I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> don't have any rules because I would only be breaking them so it's a waste of time" she tells the camera, and it's true. Iris lives out her style advice in full technicolour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's not about the lavish designer pieces (although she owns more than a few of these), it's the process of seeking out treasures, be it from market stalls, thrift shops, or department stores, and building each piece up to create the full outfit. Colours, textures and shapes come together to allow for maximum visual impact. For Iris, getting dressed is the main event. You can feel her excitement as she examines the printed lining of a jacket or admires a work of embroidery. Her look is carefully layered to present a story to the to the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But it's her personality and pure zest for life that is most enchanting. For Iris, the world is a playground. She seizes opportunities as they present themselves. From interior design work, to collecting costume jewellery, to putting on her own exhibition at the Met, and of course this documentary: nothing is too planned in advance. There are no five year plans, checklists or the endless quest for money or approval. In fact she continues to be endlessly surprised at all the attention she receives. It seems that Iris is most happy bouncing around the house with her husband, who at the grand age of 100 still allows Iris to dress him in a studded snap back. They seem most content </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cracking jokes, messing around and telling fantastic stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As she says herself: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">"It's better to be happy than well dressed." And I couldn't agree more.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-43071266726633439602015-06-20T11:14:00.002+01:002015-06-20T11:14:53.574+01:00Shoes: Pleasure and Pain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've always had a bit of a love-hate relationship shoes. Whilst on the one hand (or should I say foot?!) they can be undoubtedly pretty, stylish and glamorous, and give a much-needed boost to my 5 foot 2 inches, but they can also hurt like hell. Which is why the V&A's new shoe exhibition <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/shoes-pleasure-and-pain/about-the-exhibition/" target="_blank">'Shoes: Pleasure and Pain'</a> is so perfectly named. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On display are hundreds of shoes through the ages, each encapsulating a specific aspect of footwear. There is an area dedicated to shoes inspired by the fairy tale, including the iconic red ballet slippers worn by Moira Shearer in <i>The Red Shoes</i> as well as Lily James's glass heel from the recent <i>Cinderella. </i>Another display showed shoes worn by royalty, from Queen Victoria's pumps to Kate Middleton's nude LK Bennett's. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The exhibition also delved into the more psychological aspect of our relationship with shoes. In a room hidden behind a velvet curtain were a collection of shoes chosen for their connection to desire and fetishism. For hundreds, if not thousands of years, shoes have been worn to reveal and conceal, and like any piece of clothing they say something about the wearer. In the 18th century, a fashion for shoes laced low on the foot was thought scandalous, as it revealed the wearer's coloured stockings beneath. And, of course, who can forget the stiletto, synonymous with femininity, sex, power, and one Carrie Bradshaw.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pleasure and pain go hand in hand when thinking about the 'lotus' shoes worn by Chinese women right up until the early 20th century. These tiny, intricately embroidered shoes showed the extremes women underwent through the tradition of footbinding to gain a shoe size and gait that was deemed attractive. It's incredible to think that this was still in practise just a little over a hundred years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another aspect of the exhibition explored our need to collect and display shoes. Showing various shoe collections, from a society woman of the 1920s who kept her shoes in a specially made vanity case, to a more contemporary Reebok trainer collection, there is definitely something special about shoes that makes us want to cherish and preserve them, and showcase them as pieces of our personal identity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A final showreel of cinematic shoe moments is displayed at the end of this expansive exhibition and if you ever needed a reason to re-watch the likes of Belle du Jour, The Red Shoes or Sex in the City, you'll want to now, if only to observe the beautiful shoes.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-26104884033445109612015-06-04T21:12:00.000+01:002016-02-24T12:53:10.421+00:00The Secret History of Wonderland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alice in Wonderland fever is everywhere at the moment. The much-loved story turns 150 this year, and unless you've been living under a rock you might have noticed a few white rabbits, mad hatters and M</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">arch hares cropping up around the UK. I've always felt a connection to these stories, and now that I'm living in Oxford, I'm not too far from where Lewis Carroll first met Alice Liddell, and where it all began.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a couple of tickets to the <a href="http://www.charleston.org.uk/whats-on/festivals/the-charleston-festival/" target="_blank">Charleston Festival</a>, and of course I chose the talk on Alice. 'The Secret History of Wonderland' took the form of a conversation between two writers. The first, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, recently published a book entitled 'The Story of Alice' which chronicles the life of Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) and his relationship with Alice Liddell. The second author was Vanessa Tait, who is the great-granddaughter of Alice herself, and whose novel 'The Looking Glass House' retells the story of the Liddell family through the perspective of their governess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was fascinating to hear from Vanessa Tait about the experience of having such a famous relative, and one who was a literary heroine. Vanessa spoke about growing up in a house filled with Alice's memorabilia, from gloves and jewellery to treasured first editions of the Alice books. There is a real sense of mythology surrounding the story of Alice, from the photographs of her as a street urchin staring unflinchingly at the camera, to the nature of her relationship with Charles Dodgson, so much is unknown and unexplained, and both authors spoke of this uncertainty openly. Whilst we'll never know many of these unanswered questions, there must be something special about Alice in Wonderland. The book has become such a widely used cultural reference, from Japanese Harajuku costumes to Beatles lyrics. I can't wait to go back and reread the stories and be inspired once again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These photos are of the house and gardens of Charleston, which is just so beautiful in the summer months. See last year's review of the festival <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/the-charleston-festival-2014-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have a great weekend! Xx</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-392363790481483992015-05-30T10:21:00.000+01:002016-02-08T17:10:24.174+00:00Riviera Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the Bank holiday weekend I took the opportunity to visit the new exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey. The FTM is one of my favourite museums, in part due to its very chilled and friendly atmosphere: you really feel that you can get up close and personal with the clothes and I always leave with my head full to the brim with inspiration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The museum's latest offering is <a href="http://ftmlondon.org/ftm-exhibitions/riviera-style-resort-swimwear-since-1900/" target="_blank">'Riviera Style: Resort and Swimwear since 1900'</a>. On display is a wide variety of beachwear throughout history, spanning Edwardian-era knitted bathing costumes, to fifties patterned playsuits and the more revealing cut away bikinis of the 60s and 70s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The swimsuits from the turn of the century were perhaps the most fascinating to see in real life (see below). I was amazed how these little pieces of fashion history have survived all these years. The demure pantaloon-style suits were made of thick cottons or heavy wools that soaked up the water like nobody's business, making for a challenging paddle in the sea. Never have I felt more grateful for the invention of lycra!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was only until the early 60s that truly practical swimwear really took off, until then there was a lot of making do with hand-knitted costumes and shearing elastic which sagged and filled up with water when you attempted to leave the pool! But the lack of synthetic fabrics and swimwear technology was not at the expense of style. The 1920s and 30s, one of my favourite eras on display, was when 'riveria' style was born, and beachwear became chic and glamorous. As you can see in the photo above, Japanese-style kimono jackets and slouchy pyjama bottom in gorgeous prints were all the rage, as were chic rubber swimming caps much like those worn by Keira Knightley in the film Atonement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many of the items on display were of course nautical-inspired. Blue and white stripes, anchor motifs and brass buttons were in abundance throughout almost every decade. Sailor suits were popular as childrenswear at the turn of the century, thanks to Queen Victoria's penchant for dressing her children in them (even as a 90s child was put in an M&S sailor suit aged 2!). There is also a whole room dedicated to Amber Jane Butchart's new book 'Nautical Chic' (I reviewed it earlier on my blog <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/nautical-chic.html" target="_blank">here</a>) </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which goes into more detail about our fascination with sailor style, and it was lovely to see some of the clothing featured in the book out on display.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's definitely something about the seaside that makes us want to dress up and show off. The image below shows outfits a family of four might don when taking in the sea air in the early 1900s. These heavily starched suits and dresses were probably not the most comfortable of outfits on a hot summer's day, but were perfect for to show off for Sunday best. Fast forward through the decades and beachwear still needs to impress. From the sumptuous, oriental-inspired kimonos of the 20s to the barely there monokinos of the 70s and the teeny-weeny Daniel Craig Speedos of more recent times, beachwear seems to have always been an excuse to flaunt our fashion credentials.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although I'm not all too great at dressing for summer (I blame this on typically rubbish British weather), I now feel a lot more prepared after this exhibition and have an army of ideas for summer outfits. If you're in need of some summer style inspiration, or just fancy gazing at some beautiful pieces of vintage clothing, I'd heartily recommend popping along to the FTM for inspiration. I'm particularly coveting a floral playsuit or some wide leg trousers. Now to book that holiday! Xx</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-20423062264555416512015-05-21T21:49:00.000+01:002016-02-24T12:53:31.650+00:00The Georgians at the Fashion Museum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To me, Bath is synonymous with fashion. The city conjures up images of Jane Austen characters buying ribbons, or of well-to-do socialites dressing up to take the waters at the Pump Rooms. So it's very fitting that Bath has its own dedicated <a href="http://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk/walkthroughs/georgians" target="_blank">Fashion Museum</a>. A couple of weeks ago I dragged my sister along to the museum to visit the new exhibition 'The Georgians.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Georgians, as you might have guessed, is a collection of Georgian clothing and accessories from the 18th century, a period which holds close ties with Bath from its heyday as the centre of the social season, a city where Austen stayed and based some of her novels (notably Northanger Abbey and Persuasion), and where wealthy aristocrats would take the opportunity to show off their latest purchases when promenading along the streets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On display were some beautifully embroidered gowns, my favourite being the black dress with red roses (below). Many of the dresses had been altered and re-altered to adapt to the changing fashions of the time, with panels added and taken away or sleeves lengthened according to changes in body shape or style. Much like the <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/fashion-on-ration.html" target="_blank">Fashion on the Ration</a> exhibition at IWM, 18th century women would consider dresses as a investment, to be reused and worn for many years, but this didn't meant they were averse to the whims of fashion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One trend on show that I particularly loved was the light, embroidered jackets which were worn over nightgowns. These were so meticulously detailed that nowadays it would seem a little ridiculous to wear them to bed, and its almost a shame that they never got to see the light of day. I could imagine these being recast as some sort of modern day kimono jacket, I would wear one in a heartbeat!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also loved the style of dress known as the 'sack back' due to its loose sack-like box pleats falling down from the shoulders. There's something very modern about this loose style of clothing, which wasn't what I was expecting from 18th century style. Here is the dress in its full glory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The exhibition also had some examples of Georgian menswear including frock coats with beautifully embroidered sleeves, and of course, the iconic bright red military jacket which features in so many of Jane Austen's novels (often to signal someone an unsavoury character such as Mr. Wickham!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I loved mooching around this beautiful museum in Bath, and learning more about Georgian fashion. If you find yourself in the city then I'd recommend having a nose at all the sartorial gems they have inside, and let me know what you think! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend! Xx </span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-62397733464483612172015-05-17T15:08:00.001+01:002016-02-24T13:03:53.775+00:00Great British Drawings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I write this post, it's one of those typical moody, rainy days in Oxford where all I want to do is hide away and drink many cups of peppermint tea. But days like these are also perfect for whiling away a few hours in a museum or gallery and taking in a little culture!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been attempting to visit more local museums over the last few weeks, and decided to start with the beautiful Ashmolean. The Ashmolean belongs to the University of Oxford and is the world's first university museums. It all started with a cabinet of curiosities and now houses objects and artefacts spanning thousands of years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their main exhibition at the moment is <a href="http://www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/greatbritishdrawings/" target="_blank">Great British Drawings</a>, a display of over 100 drawings by Britain's greatest artists including Turner, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rossetti, Millais, Ruskin, Hockney and Ravilious. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although my knowledge of fine art is <i>very</i> limited, I loved just walking around the gallery and taking it all in. I was most excited to see some of the Pre-Raphelite drawings, especially the image of Proserpine by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (featured on the leaflet above), which shows the gorgeous red headed ideal of Victorian beauty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another favourite of mine was the small drawing of a rabbit by Edward Lear which forms part of his famous Nonsense Book of Poetry, and would lovely framed up on a wall. I also enjoyed seeing some more modern pieces by the likes of David Hockney and the wonderful Eric Ravilious's drawings of the Sussex countryside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Ashmolean is one of those places where you can simply wander around with a pencil and sketchbook and feel incredibly inspired. I'm trying to make more time for sketching and drawing and whilst my attempts will never make it beyond my ratty old notebook, a little bit of calm and creativity woven into daily life never goes amiss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-40670831498346137942015-05-10T09:30:00.000+01:002016-02-24T13:02:50.440+00:00The Extraordinary World of Tim Walker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just over a week ago, I experienced my first ever Vogue Festival. I have long been intrigued by the concept since it was launched a few years ago, but had been a bit put off by the price of tickets, which are a little steep..! But, when I heard that this year Tim Walker would be attending, I knew I had to bite the bullet and be there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have followed Tim Walker's fashion photography ever since I got my hands on British Vogue. At Sixth Form college, the library had an enormous back catalogue of issues, and I spent many a lunch hour pouring over the fashion stories, always admiring Tim's work above any other. The brilliant colours, doll-like models and fairytale-inspired stories completed held my gaze and inspired me no end. In a world of minimalism and bright studio set ups, here was someone eccentric and extraordinary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Tim's talk was, aptly, held at the Royal Geographical society, where he was well placed to talk about travel and locations within his work. Walking to the lecture theatre, we passed walls lined with maps of far off places as well as dark wooden cases containing all sorts of Victorian travel memorabilia, reminding us of an era of travel not unlike those conjured up in Tim's images. Tim was joined in conversation with stylist Kate Phelan, as well the whole team of creatives that accompany him on location, from the hair and make up artists, to the fashion and photographic assistants. It was lovely to see what a close knit group they have formed over years of working together. Kate described Tim as "an adventurer" and talked about needing "to go with the person that's got that adventurous spirit" when shooting fashion in exotic places.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're a committed reader of Vogue, you'll know that Tim's most recent fashion story was shot in Bhutan and features a fiery-haired Karen Elson (see below). Tim described Karen as "a conduit for the fantasy in my head, she becomes the living thing!". It's clear that this really is a team effort with everyone mucking in and coming up with ideas to create the perfect image. Tim emphasised that need for spontaneity and freedom within his images, and although he plans the locations and proportions of images meticulously in his scrapbooks, he made it clear that some of the best photos are those filled with dancing or movement, or when the weather suddenly changes, or a butterfly comes in to shot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I loved most about the talk was hearing how down to Earth Tim was about the fashion industry. He admitted that "clothes can sometimes be boring". It's putting clothes into a fantastical location or embedded within a wild, imaginative story that "makes fashion come alive". Despite his reputation as a fashion photographer, it seems that Tim is not at all precious about clothing. This is a man that is all about the image, he thrives on what he calls a 'seeking out of beauty', to find that moment of magic that can only be captured on film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm so glad I went along to this short talk, if only to be re-inspired by fashion imagery in a time were fast-fashion, selfies and the huge momentum of the industry can make it all seem a bit lacklustre. In his images, Tim Walker takes the slow and traditional approach to creating a photograph, using film cameras and natural lighting, and I'm excited to keep following his work and see what he comes up with next.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-67748484472183415562015-04-26T09:00:00.000+01:002016-02-24T12:59:33.038+00:00Nautical Chic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ahoy there! Say hello to a wonderful new fashion book to add to your collection. <a href="http://www.thamesandhudson.com/Nautical_Chic/9780500517802" target="_blank">Nautical Chic</a> by Amber Jane Butchart charts our love of seaside fashion from its historical and practical origins to its present-day incarnation as a modern day style staple. I have always been a fan of the humble Breton stripe, there's something so eye-catching about those hypnotic horizontal lines than means I find it hard to go shopping without coming home with another stripey top. I feel similarly weak at the knees whenever I spot a sailor-style collar or a set of brass buttons and once owned a pair of wide legged blue sailor pants which I loved but was too scared to leave the house in!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've long been an admirer of fashion historian Amber Jane Butchart, she has a great <a href="http://amberbutchart.com/about-author/" target="_blank">blog </a>and has written another book <a href="http://www.ilex-press.com/books/amber-jane-butcharts-fashion-miscellany/" target="_blank">Fashion Miscellany</a>, a compendium of fashion anecdotes. Reading through Nautical Chic it's clear to see that Amber has a real love of all things nautical, rivera and pirate. I love how she goes into real detail into the origins of our favourite clothing, instead of using the usual tropes and references, she really gets into the hows and whys of the ways we dress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The book is divided into five sections, each detailing a particular aspect or 'character' of nautical style: the officer, the sailor, the fisherman, the sportsman and, of course, the pirate. It's fascinating seeing how each of these individual influences have evolved to form what we now think of as nautical style. Amber incorporates both history and politics into her analysis of maritime fashion. I particular love the mention of the ship-shape hat that became popular in 18th century France at the time of Marie Antoinette, and then, much later became part of the inspiration behind milliner Philip Treacy's hat collection of 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nautical Chic also captures that chicness and sense of je ne sais quoi that is part of the iconic Breton top. Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn and Anna Karina and Edie Sedgwick all feature as stylish women who popularised the Breton top as 'a marker of effortless classic French chic' that is both 'bourgeois and bohemian'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The book itself is gorgeous and scattered with quotes, illustrations and beautiful photographs. If you have even the smallest interest in nautical fashion, I'm sure you'll find something of interest in this book, so much of what we wear today is influenced by these styles and I learnt so many wonderful nuggets of fashion history through reading Amber's text. Now that we're getting into some warmer weather I will definitely be using this as some much needed Spring/ Summer fashion inspiration. As you know, stripes never go out of style.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-5466468257615714312015-04-16T19:53:00.000+01:002016-02-24T12:58:45.519+00:00Savage Beauty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">So it's finally here! Savage Beauty, the major </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">Alexander McQueen retrospective, has hit the V&A in London, and at last the fashion designer's legacy finds itself back home. I don't think I've ever been quite so excited about a museum exhibition (which is saying a lot if you follow this blog) and never have I spent so long anticipating and imagining what it might be like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, last week I was able to find out, sweeping past corridors of white marble statues and the familiar green glass sculpture to take it all in. Submerged into darkness and with the low thump of 90s club music echoing somewhere in the distance, it felt as though we were walking into one of McQueen's catwalk shows of the past. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Inside were a series of interconnecting rooms, each representing a theme or show from McQueen's past. We met the gothic lacey gowns completely with S&M style leather straps, the romantic Victorian inspired pieces (my favourite) and the quintessential McQueen tartan, inspired by stories of the designer's Scottish heritage, as well as his final collection complete with space age shapes and those famous armadillo heels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will try not to give too much away, as I hope that if you're reading this you will get the chance to go and see it for yourself. It really is a fantastic exhibition and both met and exceed my (incredibly high) expectations. The curators and staff at the V&A have done a fantastic job at showing each collection and idea truthfully and allowing McQueen's genius to shine through. I loved the way that some of the outfits were placed within glass cases, as if they were ancient artefacts at a natural history museum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The room of curiosities, which forms the centre of the exhibition, left us all in awe of McQueen's sheer force of imagination. Seeing each headpiece, corset and exquisitely tailored jacket in every nook and cranny of the crowded room, made me have so much respect for Alexander McQueen. How one designer had so many new, eccentric, genius ideas in his head I will never know. The deconstructed suits, the bumsters, the feathered jackets and tribal dresses all came from his imagination. I really appreciate the care and thought that went into every aspect of Savage Beauty, and also how the clothes were left to speak for themselves, with McQueen's personal life left unexamined and a background to his designs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you do get the opportunity to go and visit Savage Beauty then give yourself a good couple of hours to stare and marvel at the sheer genius on display. As you might expect, there are no photos allowed, so I've included a few postcards that I picked up afterwards, all showing pieces that are on view within the exhibition. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hope you're all enjoying the start of Spring, have a lovely weekend and I'll be back soon for some more fashion history goodness! xx</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-8414678561292825882015-04-03T16:16:00.003+01:002016-02-24T13:08:04.975+00:00Fashion on the Ration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">I tend to think of WWII as being a lot more 'ration' than 'fashion'. Utility clothes, hair nets and industrial boots tend do away with any sense of high fashion. And old black and white photos do little to dispel that image of dull and dreary dresses. But Julie Summers', in her new book 'Fashion on the Ration', depicts the Second World War as a moment awash with personal style, inventiveness and the unstoppable force of Vogue magazine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Going along to the book talk for 'Fashion on the Ration', which also lends it name to a new exhibition at the <a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/iwm-london/fashion-on-the-ration" target="_blank">Imperial War Museum</a>, I made my way to<a href="http://oxfordliteraryfestival.org/" target="_blank"> Oxford Literary Festival</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Sitting in a lecture theatre in the middle on Corpus Christi College, (and feeling pretty high brow!) I listened along with a group of other attentive ears to hear Julie explaining the inspiration behind her book and some of the stories of those she met in the process of writing and researching. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">Julie talked us through some of the real life stories found in her book. From women making nighties out of unwanted silk parachutes, to altering coats so that they mimicked the emerging 'New Look' fashions, she demonstrated that sense of creativity and desire for personal style despite the relentlessness of rationing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The idea of 'Beauty as Duty', one of the chapters of the book, was particular interesting in that it showed a woman's duty to appear primped and primed to perfection in order to send a message to the enemy that everything would continue as normal. Although, I found this whole notion more than a little uncomfortable, and from a feminist point of view this leaves a lot to be desired, there is something powerful in our use of 'war paint' as a means of warding off dull days. And it's fascinating to look at the effort that went into dabbing on a dash of red lipstick and perfecting that wave of hair as a powerful way of refusing to give in, especially in a time where clothes scarce and were re-worn year after year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">The book also discards that notion of the 1940s as being a time of drab frocks and tea dresses. As Julie, wearing an original rayon dress in fabulous terracotta, told us, the fabrics, scarves, hats and accessories of the time were often full of colour. As shown in the book, wartime adverts see women with bright greens and yellows, pinks and magentas, which were all available to buy in shops or imitate through dress patterns. I love the uplifting quality that these images produce, evoking a world where street style was perhaps more colourful and individual than it is today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What really comes across in the 'Fashion on the Ration' is that, despite having often been denigrated as frivolous and trivial, fashion meant so much to these women. The efforts that they went through to keep their sense of style and to keep up with fashion, be it through saving up ration cards or creating new dress patterns, is pretty impressive. And it was interesting to learn that the revered pages of Vogue where just as treasured in times of war. Despite a number of setbacks, including having to relocate its London offices due to air raids, Vogue never stopped printing during the years '39-45 and steadfastly provided women with the latest trends from Paris, as well as ways to 'Make Do and Mend', giving women at home a little bit of hope and inspiration during times of such uncertainty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I really enjoyed learning more about fashion from a historian's point of view as well as hearing about what my grandmother might have worn during WWII. If you have any interest in 1940s fashion I would highly recommend picking up this book, or heading over to the <a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/iwm-london/fashion-on-the-ration" target="_blank">IWM</a> in London to see some of the outfits for yourself! Have a lovely Easter! xx</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-78600710292753205412015-03-04T20:00:00.001+00:002015-03-04T20:00:29.448+00:00Love Is Enough<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So this past week has been a busy one as I have relocated to Oxford for a new job! Everything has been very full on but I thought I should do a bit of exploring this weekend. I am very new to the city having only visited perhaps once before, so I have a lot of navigating and discovering to do!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This weekend I went to the <b>Modern Art Oxford</b> gallery. They have an exhibition on called Love is Enough which showcases the work of both William Morris and Andy Warhol. I've always been fascinated by both artists, although I've never thought of putting the two together. Seeing William Morris tapestries alongside Elizabeth Taylor in techni-colour pop art was a bit of a culture clash, but the reading material which accompanied the display explains a little of the reasoning behind them being brought together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Both artists were printmakers with very organic ways of working, with Warhol experimenting with colour, and Morris looking to science, botany and wildlife for his inspiration. Morris and Warhol were also both influenced by a sense of fantasy and mythology. William Morris created several images inspired by Camelot and King Arthur, recreating the glamour and iconography in his stained glass windows and pictures of knights in shining armour. Andy Warhol's obsession with celebrity is also documented. His most famous series of prints, featuring stars such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, started out from correspondence as a child, where he would ask for their picture, and keep them all in a scrapbook.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The display also shows a connection between print making and publication, which both artists shared. Warhol started Interview magazine (still going strong today) which injected a new sense of style and glamour into a fashion mag, with unscripted celebrity interviews as well as his own prints and illustrations. Morris used print as part of his socialist ideals and a means of uniting and gathering together like-minded people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What's certain is that both artists had an idea of democratising art, be it through Morris' desire to allow all households to own something either 'useful or beautiful', or through Warhol's popularisation of art prints as something more mass market. As the exhibition booklet summarises "they wrote, published and, in their embrace of commercial and fine art, had influence far beyond the art world".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I really enjoyed this little venture out into the city but I'm still not sure whether Andy Warhol and William Morris are a match made in heaven or just a complete culture clash - let me know what you think!<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Either way, I hope to continue exploring Oxford and documenting just a little of what the city has to offer.</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-72111128552304652102015-02-09T21:33:00.002+00:002015-02-09T21:33:42.044+00:00The Lady in the Looking Glass<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"People should not leave looking glasses hanging in their rooms any more than they should leave open cheque books or letters confessing some hideous crime."</i> - Virginia Woolf </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been finding it really hard to focus on large amounts of reading at the moment, probably because it's so cold in my house that my brain just turns to mulch! So when I discovered this tiny book, at the princely sum of £3, I thought I'd give it a read.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Virginia Woolf is one of my favourite authors, I just love her writing style and the way her words flow so effortlessly. This little book contains five of her short stories, each one fizzing with thoughts, ideas, ramblings and musings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my favourites in this small collection is <i>The Mark on The Wall</i>, which shows the joys of what I can only describe as 'slow thinking'. The narrator pauses to notice a mark on the wall, a mark she can't take her eyes off. This leads to a chain of interconnected thoughts, as she ponders life and death and everything in between.<i> </i>Woolf's thoughts flit and fly at such a speed as she compares life to being 'blown through the Tube at fifty miles an hour', all whilst sitting and staring at a mark on the wall. I love that Woolf conveys a mind so overflowing with ideas but so contained against a stuffy setting in a single room. Perhaps we should spend more time staring at marks on walls!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The title story of this short book is <i>The Lady in the Looking Glass</i>. I found this the most pertinent of all these stories, as it encompasses something I've been thinking about a lot recently. There are so many think pieces about 'selfie' culture floating around at the moment, and although first published in the late 1920s this story could easily be applied to our obsession with selfies and our online personas today. Does our reflection in the mirror validate ourselves or diminish us completely? Within the story, the image the woman presents to the world vanishes when she steps in front of the mirror. Her selfhood was simply made up of intriguing unopened letters, and exotic jewellery from her travels. Hopefully we are made up of more than our Instagram photos and Facebook likes... I'm sure Virginia Woolf would have something to say on the subject!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't want to get too deep and meaningful on a Monday... but if your after a short read that still has a lot of bite I'd really recommend this little collection of stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have a lovely week! Xx</span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-7272357702983596362015-02-02T21:35:00.002+00:002015-02-02T21:35:30.726+00:00Ladybird by Design<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last weekend I visited the wonderful 'Ladybird by Design' exhibition thanks to a recommendation from <a href="http://www.littlelewes.com/" target="_blank">Little Lewes</a>. The display is being held at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, which is a beautiful example of 1930s art deco architecture and really makes you feel as though you're on a sophisticated ocean liner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The exhibition takes a look back at the many designs created for the iconic Ladybird books. Although focusing on designs from the 1950s to 70s, I'm pretty sure no self-respecting Brit of any generation could escape childhood without reading one of these. Seeing the original illustrations up close was particularly interesting as they showed the amount of detail that went into each individual image. The paintings have lost none of their technicolour glory, with bright lollipop reds, yellows and greens befitting and Enid Blyton adventure. There's something quite modern about the simple and classic way each image and book was presented, and I'm sure many of today's children's book illustrators owe more than a little to the Ladybird artists.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whilst Ladybird books hold a huge amount of nostalgia for many of us (I know my mum learnt to read on a strict diet of 'Peter and Jane'), what's perhaps most striking is just how 'of their time' they were. The books are so gender specific it seems almost comical. We have 'Shopping with Mother' and 'Learning with Mother' as well as 'Helping at Home' (with mother!). All whilst the men are depicted going out to work or showing their sons how to wash a car. Luckily for us we can look at these books as nostalgic artefacts of a very different time, happy in the knowledge that Ladybird no longer define their books by gender stereotypes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When viewed altogether it's overwhelming to see just how many books and series were produced. Ladybird covered seemingly every topic from party games to countries of the world, founded in an honest and almost naive attempt to educate children on every subject imaginable. They printed each book on a single sheet of paper allowing them to produce books cheaply and efficiently at a time of paper rationing, creating beautifully designed books that were available to all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.dlwp.com/event/ladybird-by-design" target="_blank">'Ladybird by Design'</a> is free and continues until 10th May. There is also a <a href="http://www.ladybird.co.uk/books/ladybird-by-design/9780723293927/" target="_blank">book</a> available to coincide with the exhibition.</span><br />
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-78100969185545064722015-01-29T17:44:00.001+00:002015-01-31T20:07:07.336+00:00Silent Partners<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I feel so lucky that I managed to catch the very last day of 'Silent Partners' at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. I'd been dying to see it ever since I first saw posters about it all over the tube and knew it would be right up my street. Entitled 'Artist & Mannequin from Function to Fetish', the exhibition looks at mannequins throughout history, as props used for paintings and later as the main focus of the images themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first mannequins we encountered were ones used for medical study, with the ceramic body cut away to reveal neatly carved internal organs. There were also miniature mannequins used to model clothes on a tiny scale, including a Marie-Antoinette style doll with painted on rosy cheeks and a made-to-measure dress with delicate embroidery. But the majority of the exhibition focused on the use of mannequins by artists, as a means of replacing life models. These were created in France and were skilfully designed to mimic the human body, with moveable limbs and sculpted faces. A short film - a piece of early French cinema by Georges Melieres - was also on display and showed some hilarious battles between artist and mannequin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I loved seeing the Pre-Raphaelite paintings by the likes of Burne-Junes and Ford Madox Brown and was to surprised to learn how often they used mannequins in their work. 'The Black Brunswicker' by Millais shows Kate Dickens (daughter of Charles) in an embrace with a soldier. However, as she was unmarried the artist had to make use of mannequins so that the two where never in the room at the same time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As well as the main exhibit, throughout the museum there were a selection of photographs by Tim Walker, hidden in various rooms. Tim Walker is one of my favourite photographers, so it was lovely to see some of his pictures blown up. I had never really thought about the influence that mannequins have on his photography, but he so often references them in his work (type in 'Tim Walker mannequin' into Google and you'll see what I mean). This is why I love going to museums and exhibitions so much as you get to learn who inspired who and find out how everything is connected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is something eery and unsettling about mannequins, and the exhibition captured this perfectly, with the life-like dolls sitting throughout the exhibition, staring blankly into space. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And, whilst I would not like to be trapped in this exhibition at night, I honestly found it to be one of the most intriguing and inspiring that I've been to in a long time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you missed the exhibition (like I very nearly did) then you'll be able to catch it across the Channel in Paris! For more information see <a href="http://www.silentpartners.org.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030059492560014448.post-422677606439133992015-01-21T10:00:00.000+00:002015-01-30T19:10:19.701+00:00Fashion Academia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Over the past few months I've become more and more interested in fashion writing. Fashion as a study was something altogether new for me. Of course, I knew of costume history and costume design, whole university courses are dedicated to learning the intricacies of the 18th century corset, but this was something different. These books look at how and why clothes are used in literature, how historical clothing is presented in museums or how a fictional character's wardrobe speaks volumes about their place in society, and who they are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've managed to hoard a few these type of books, as well as discovering some in my local library. Here are my 5 favourite 'Academic Fashion' books:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>1. Dressed in Fiction by Clair Hughes.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This book combines two of my loves: fashion and fiction. Looking at specific moments in literature, Hughes examines the important role played by clothing. Her collection of essays focuses on iconic novels such as Wilkie Collin's <i>The Woman in White</i>, George Elliot's <i>Middlemarch</i> and Edith Wharton's <i>The House of Mirth</i>. I found her writing on <i>Northanger Abbey </i>and how Austen's Henry Tilney knows so much about fashion particularly interesting, and, although I have yet to read all of these classic novels, I found reading about clothing and costume in this way completely fascinating and refreshing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>2. Adorned in Dreams by Elizabeth Wilson</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps the best ever title for a book? First published 1985 this is a 'pop culture' style look at fashion. Wilson includes her observations on the fashion industry, fashion and gender, oppositional dress and fashion and feminism. Although it was written 30 years ago this is so on the ball and relevant to discussions we have about fashion today. Wilson talks about consumerism and fast fashion as well as whether a woman can wear lipstick and heels and still call herself a feminist. That we are still having these conversations today shows how much we still have to say about fashion and the role it plays in our everyday lives - and how on it Elizabeth Wilson was back then!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. The Literary Companion to Fashion by Colin McDowell</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I absolutely love that this book exists. As reviewed earlier on my blog <a href="http://freedombooksflowers.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/january-reads.html" target="_blank">here</a>, The Literary Companion to Fashion is a compendium of fashion quotes. From Shakespeare to Joyce, Dickens to Woolf, the book includes every reference to dress you could possible want. All those iconic fashion moments in literature appear, from Meg getting dressed up for the ball in <i>Little Women</i>, to Scarlett O'Hara making dresses out of curtains in <i>Gone with the Wind. </i>This is such a brilliant reference book for the moments when fashion meets literature, although as it was published back in 1995 I'm sure there are many more quotes to be added to this list!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>4. 400 Years of Fashion ed. by Natalie Rothstein</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A friend gave me this as a birthday present a few years ago, and it was a lovely way of introducing me to costume history. The book is filled with some beautiful illustrations and photos (as shown above) and gives a broad overview of fashion history throughout the ages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>5. Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen by Sarah Jane Downing</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, this little book sheds some light on clothing of the regency period and what Jane herself might have worn. When I studied Austen at university I used to love absorbing all the details of dress that are included in her novels, wondering about the part the played in her characters' lives - and this does just that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm also really looking forward to Amber Jan Butchard's <i>Nautical Chic </i>book which is due to come out in March!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>What are your favourite fashion books? I'd love to know in the comments!</b></span></div>
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Jess (freedom, books and flowers)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16238704835305433611noreply@blogger.com2