Historical Draped/Tailored Garments

HISTORICAL DRAPED GARMENTS

1.

African Maasai Tribespeople are among the most well-known ethnic groups in Africa because of their distinctive dress. Shuka is their word for sheets wrapped around the body.

2. Draped dress by Jeremy Scott

Fall 2006 runway collection, “Food Fight”

The draping method allows this dress to be voluminous, and therefore big enough to portray a whole round pizza.

3.

Mary Kate Olsen in a fashion homage to Little Edie Beale of Gray Gardens
Photo shoot for "Harper’s Bazaar" magazine, October 2007
Draped dress by Chloe
Leggings by Blumarine
Headdress by Anne Klein
Pumps by Proenza Schouler

Little Edie set fashion trends in the mid 1970s with her draped skirts worn as head dresses. This draped dress is a combination of Beale's and Olsen's styles.

HISTORICAL TAILORED GARMENTS

1.

Although the cuts and silhouettes have varied over the years, the tailored men's suit has remained a staple of fashion.

Sydney, Australia, 1920s

Men wore business suits much more commonly in their everyday lives in the 1920s than they do today.

Johnny Carson and James Brown on "The Tonight Show," 1967

As most male talk show hosts do today, Carson wore a suit to host his talk show.
Brown was known for wearing suits, which heightened his snazzy image.

From “Details” Magazine, December 2005
Suit and shirt by Thom Browne New York
Vintage tie from What Comes Around Goes Around

This is a representation of the way many young, clothes-conscious men wear their suits in modern times.

2. Shift dress by Yves Saint Laurent, 1965

Inspired by artist Piet Mondrian

The geometric shapes and bold colors of this dress work well on a tight, understated silhouette. This same effect would not be produced on draped fabric with many folds.

3. Audrey Hepburn as character Jo Stockton in “Funny Face,” 1957

She wore this fitted outfit during her unforgettable dance scene with Fred Astaire. The look became so iconic that the top photo was featured in a Gap ad for skinny black pants in Fall 2006.

The Six Functions of Dress

The Six Prominent Social Functions of Dress are:

1. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Sir Edmund Hillary (the New Zealand explorer) and Tenzing Norgay (his Sherpa guide) won worldwide acclaim in 1953 by becoming the first to scale the 29,035-foot summit of Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak.

1953, Unknown clothing brands

These protective hoods, coats, and goggles are essential during dangerous outdoor endeavors - especially the most extreme climbing of Mount Everest. Over fifty years later, Everest climbers wear surprisingly similar gear.

2. DECORATION

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
JC in the Sky with Diamonds, 2009 runway collection

Many of Castelbajac's creations exist only on the runway and would seldom be worn in everyday life, and are therefore intended for decoration. Although these outfits favor form over function, they are still noteworthy because they contribute to the art world and make a statement about the present times.

3. GENDER DIFFERENTIATION

Seoul, South Korea, 2006
Unknown clothing brands

The colors of their shirts show that they chose to follow the modern-day guidelines for gender-specific color selection. The man wears blue (a color associated with masculinity) while the woman wears pink (the color associated with femininity). Their color choices stand out as they sit among people dressed in gender-neutral colors of tan, gray, and black.

4. GROUP MEMBERSHIP

Boy Scouts distribute goods to patients during the influenza epidemic.
1918
Clothing designers unknown

Scouting is a widely popular youth movement based on organizational structure, and therefore their militaristic uniforms hold significance. Much professionalism goes behind uniforms; Oscar de la Renta even redesigned the Cub and Boy Scout uniforms in the 1980s.

5. CEREMONIALISM

"Sex and the City: The Movie", 2008
Carrie's wedding gown by Vivienne Westwood, Fall 2007
Bridesmaids gowns by Zac Posen, Spring 2008

Women place much importance on finding the perfect wedding dress. Since "Sex and the City" is a fashion trend-setting TV series/film, Westwood's bridal gown was a sell-out hit after Carrie wore it in her epic wedding.

6. SEXUAL ENHANCEMENT

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Photographed by Robert Mapplethorpe
1976
Unknown clothing brand

In this photo, it is not clothing that makes Schwarzenegger sexually enhanced - it is the lack of clothing. His small swimsuit shows off his appealing physique.

First Blog

This is the first blog I've ever written.

The Fashion Sourcebook is a place to display my research and catalog my likes and dislikes. I will learn and be inspired, and develop a more solid sense of my design aesthetic and personal style.

It will be interesting to see if/how my style changes over the course of this blog.

As of now, my favorite designers are Jeremy Scott and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

I love lots of bright colors and literal translations. For example, instead of designing a dress inspired by a jukebox, Jeremy Scott created one that literally resembles a jukebox!

Muppets of Castelbajac: