Museum trip

In The Mood

 

I went to an Art Museum and was inspired by all these pieces. I can't say which Museum because I wasn't supposed to take pictures at all and for other reasons. I wish I could have taken photos of the rest of the fashions from the 1940's exhibit but I was being watched lol. Here is what I gathered...

  I was very inspired by this cover. Even though I am obsessed with animal print. I feel I can make a glamorous ball gown just like this. I need to wait for my funds to come in though. :o)

 

 

Strong-shouldered suits with hats and gloves, and slinky, draped gowns recall the glamour of 1940s fashion. Wartime rationing created restrictions on the amount of material which could be used in a garment, and fostered an atmosphere of patriotic ingenuity and understatement. Women were encouraged to do their part to bolster moral by keeping up their appearances. Dynamic color combinations, thought to lift spirits, were an integral part of the designs and how they were accessorized. With the German occupation of France from 1940-4, many Parisian fashion houses were forced to close fostering a creative flourish in American fashion design and style.

Undertaking new roles and new uniforms in the workforce American women played a significant part in the war winning “arsenal of democracy.” From victory suits to romantic styled dresses, tailored military uniforms affected fashion both in emulation of and in counterbalance to these new roles. Hollywood movies presented a glamorized version of the war and were influential in setting style and morale.

Sumatra Exhibit

20th century Palembang, Central Sumatra, Malay people.

I was rushing through this part of the exhibit because I was running late to a previous engagement.

 I'm in love with this head dress. This is a beautiful picture and the textiles are beautifully decorated.

 

Southeast Asia possesses one of the world’s most dazzling textile traditions that spans over 4,000 years. One of the most prolific areas for textile production is Sumatra, the largest island of Indonesia. It had been the commercial nexus on the trade route that first brought the Chinese, Arabs and Indians together and was later influenced by Portuguese and Dutch traders. The luxury trade in silks, cottons, yarns, beads, mirrored metal and rich dyes inspired a remarkable variety of textiles on the island, which in turn reflected and influenced the textile arts throughout the region.

Design motifs include sumptuous silk sarongs and shoulder wraps in vibrant colors woven with gold and silver yarns; the famous “ship cloths” woven in geometric forms that are remarkable historic documents of social status and ceremonial gift exchange; exquisitely embroidered cylindrical skirts embellished by couching, appliqué, mirrors and sequins; and ornate tie-dyed rainbow shawls of silk.