18th Century Hats

The hats in the 18th century, particularly those of 1770-1780, were eye-popping confections. Anything and everything could be used to embellish the hat including appliqued silk and satin, ribbons, feathers, pearls, beads, flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

With the high pouff hairstyle of the 1770s, the hair and the hat became a platform for displays of miniature ships and other models. These 'poufs a la circonstance' served to comment on fashionable crazes and topical events like the rage for ballooning, the popular play the Marriage of Figaro, and the French naval victories.

Rose Bertin created many of these poufs a la circonstance and it was her creativity with hats that led to her popularity among the fashionable Parisian elite and her introduction to Marie Antoinette.

Marie Antoinette wore a pouf a la Belle Poule, an intricate hairdo and headdress that displayed the French frigate that won a key victory against the British in June 1778. To read more about Marie Antoinette and her passion for pouf hairstyles, please see my post from October 2008.

P.S. I've posted a review of "The Art of Dress" on Blog of a Bookworm. This book is a fantastic resource for students/fans/admirers of historical fashion.

Book Review: The Art of Dress

Have you ever been tempted to steal a library book? If my morals would allow me to do such a thing, this is the book I would pinch (don't worry, it is back on the shelves of the Toronto Public Library).

Title: The Art of Dress, Fashion in England and France, 1750-1820
Author: Aileen Ribeiro
Publisher: Yale University Press, 1995
Category: Non-fiction
Number of Pages: 257
Price: Out of print


What it is about:
"Dress is the most fleeting of the arts, subject to the arbitrary dictates of fashion. It is also, however, the art that relates most closely to our lives, both as a reflection of our self-image, and in the words of Louis XIV, as 'the mirror of history'."

This book covers the history of dress from the point of view of the artist. Since so few garments from the 18th century have survived the ravages of time, much of what we know about fashion comes from painted portraits.

Why I chose this book:
This is one of a few books on 18th Century Fashion available at the Toronto Public Library.


My Favourite Passage:
"The ideal portrait, claimed Goethe in his novel Elective Affinities (1809), revealed the history and character of the sitter. Baudelaire echoed this, stating that a portrait should be like a dramatised biography, demanding 'immense intelligence' from the artist, who also had to be an actor 'whose duty is to adopt any character and any costume'. The fusion of character, likeness and costume (often thought of as irreconcilable elements) was the mark of a great artist, and even then not always easy to achieve with originality and imagination at a time when portraiture enjoyed hitherto unheard-of popularity." (page 6)


Rating: A
This is a scholarly book, dense with information, insightful analysis and beautiful images. If you can find it in a secondhand bookstore and are interested in 18th century fashion, it will be a valuable addition to your library. Caution for Marie Antoinette fans, there are only a few references to her in this book but many of her contemporaries are mentioned.

Diverting from Hats for a Blog Award

The lovely Lucy of Enchanted by Josephine nominated me for a blog award yesterday. I wasn't surprised that Lucy won this award herself since she has been ever so supportive and kind. Lucy seems like a real friend, even though we've never met. And almost every blog I visit, I see she's already been there herself. Lucy, when do you sleep?

With this award, I must in turn nominate others to share the prize and they, in turn, are supposed to nominate others in the same spirit of blogging friendship.

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

My nominations are as follows (and in no particular order):

Elisabeth of Au Temple des Modes who took an obscure reference to an "apple-green bodice" belonging to Marie Antoinette and sent me a photo within an hour of my posting.

Tristan Robin Blakeman of Enchanted Revelry who inspired me to host a Mad Tea Party on my blog.

Rachel of The Wandering Bunny who seems to be the only person willing to publicly comment on my Blog of a Bookworm and told me to continue writing even though I wasn't sure anyone was reading it.

Joy Jones of Cupid's Charm who made me promise to take a photo when I wear her Marie Antoinette inspired jewelery during my visit to Versailles. Joy also posted several of my fashion plates on her popular blog which added many new visitors to mine.

Lucyxx of Corset Laced Mannequins who responded so sweetly and promptly to my comments on her beautiful blog. (Is everyone named Lucy so charming?)

Heather Carroll of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire's Gossip Guide who was the first one to discover my fashion plates and post them on her blog.

Catherine Delors of Versailles and More who patiently corrects me when I mess up on French translations (ie., giving Madame Campan the incorrect title).

Jacqueline Loewen of Money Magnet Book Blog who suggested that I blog in the first place.

To all these friends, I say thank you!!! If we could all meet in one place, I would love to have you to a real party (of course, you'd all have to wear hats!).

Don't forget to come back on Saturday, March 7 at 10 am EST for the cyber-version of a Mad Tea Party!

Quotes about Hats

Hats by Alexander McQueen, 2008 Collection


At the opening of the exhibition Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Stephen Jones had some insightful comments about hats:

"Hats are a great antidote to what's going on. It's really their purpose to put a happy face on a sad world."

"That's the thing about hats. They're extravagant and full of humour and allow for a sense of costume, but in a lighthearted way."


Here are some other famous quotations about hats:

"Fashion is a kind of communication. It's a language without words. A great hat speaks for itself." (author unknown)

"Saying you don't look good in a hat is like saying you don't look good in shoes!" (author unknown)

"I myself have 12 hats, and each one represents a different personality." (Margaret Atwood)

"I enjoy hats. And when one has filthy hair, that is a good accessory." (Julia Roberts)

"A hat is a flag, a shield, a bit of armor, and the badge of femininity. A hat is the difference between wearing clothing and wearing a costume; it's the difference between being dressed and being dressed up; it's the difference between looking adequate and looking your best. A hat is to be stylish in, to glow under, to flirt beneath, to make all others seem jealous over, and to make all men feel masculine about. A piece of magic is a hat." (Martha Sliter)

Maybe I will wear that crazy red hat after all!

Please join me on Saturday at 10 am EST for the first Mad Hatter's Tea Party!

March and The Mad Hatter

Before I fell down the rabbit hole and decided to host a Mad Tea Party, I had other plans for my blog. But I think I've fallen in love with hats and will use hats as my theme for the month.

If you are one of my fans who visits for posts about Marie Antoinette, don't despair!!! Hats were eye-popping confections in the 1770s and Rose Bertin, the marchandes des modes of Marie Antoinette, initially made her reputation based on hats. I will have plenty to write about to keep my historical fashion fans happy.

If you want to join the Mad Tea Party, please send me photos of your hat creations (whether made using the origami instructions, crafted, knit, or sewn) or your favourite hat that you are wearing (feel free to pull the brim over your eyes if you are shy or wish to remain incognito). I will post them in groupings of four since four guests attended the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, including Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse, and the March Hare. I will accept photos up to and including March 31st. Please send your submissions to artismylife@mac.com.

As for what else is going on in the world of fashion, here are some March highlights:

March 4: Interchange, Taking Shape Lecture at the Textile Museum of Canada - A discussion with artists and curators about the exhibition The Cutting Edge, which focuses on the shape of a garment and what it signifies

March 6: Dr. Alexandra Palmer will be giving a lecture on Christian Dior: History & Modernity to Friends of the Textile and Costume Members of the Royal Ontario Museum.

March 8: Last day to visit the Fashion No-No show at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. In this show, six female artists present their points of view about the body and its relationship to technology, art and design.

March 8: Green is the New Black at the Costume Museum of Canada in Winnipeg. An evening to showcase Winnipeg talent who focus on up-cycling fashion. (I won't be going; you couldn't pay me enough to go to Winnipeg in the winter!). If you go, check out the Nightwear exhibition which explores the intimacy of bedroom clothing.

March 9: The infamous Barbie will celebrate her 50th Birthday!!!

March 22: Last day to see The Nature of Diamonds at the Royal Ontario Museum. There are some spectacular diamonds on display. (My favourite jewels were the exquisite diamond dog collar necklace and the two matching black lace cuff bracelets speckled with diamonds!!)

March 31: The exhibition Court Pomp and Royal Ceremony opens at the Chateau de Versailles. The gown belonging to Marie Antoinette which is owned by the Royal Ontario Museum will be on display there. If you cannot attend the show which will run until June 28, 2009 and would like to see photos of this dress, please see my postings from October and November 2008.

And lastly, don't forget to pop over to Blog of a Bookworm. I recently posted a review of 18th Century Embroidery Techniques and tomorrow will post a review of The Art of Dress.

An Invitation to a Mad Tea Party

I'd like to invite you to send me photos of hats. Any photo of your favourite hat will do, including a hat that you make using the origami instructions shown in yesterday's post, another hat that you make/knit/sew/craft, or your favourite hat (and hopefully are wearing).

My week seemed to be all about hats, including the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland (which I read for Blog of a Bookworm), the exhibition on Hats at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and my washi hat creations. Tristan Robin Blakeman of Enchanted Revelry said he was going to try the origami hat instructions in his studio today. I'd love to see everyone's fanciful hat creations.

Let's have a tea party! Now the question is will I be the only one there? Please email your photos to artismylife@mac.com as soon as possible, preferably in the next week or so.

Book Review: 18th Century Embroidery Techniques

"I would not be a Designer if I did not maintain (and it would not be difficult for me to prove) that Design is the basis and Foundation of Embroidery."
Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin, Designer for King Louis XV, 1770

In the 18th Century, embroidery was an essential decorative element for both men's and women's fashions. Techniques using silk, metal threads, spangles, quilting, and whitework were often all incorporated into a single garment.


Title: 18th Century Embroidery Techniques
Author: Gail Marsh
Publisher: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd., East Sussex, UK, 2006
Number of Pages: 192
Price: US$24.95, Canada $32.95
Category: Non-fiction, instructional


What it is about:
Gail Marsh compiled ten volumes of research when she did a Master of Arts degree on 18th century embroidery techniques (I wish I could do that!). This book is a culmination of that research.

Laid out like an instruction book, Marsh also provides a history of 18th century embroidery tools and techniques with accompanying photos and illustrations.


Why I Chose this Book:
I'd like to incorporate embroidery into my textile art, but I have yet another of mental block on how to get started (seems like I have a few of those LOL). Last summer, while at the Victoria and Albert Museum's giftshop, I purchased a small embroidery kit. I thought I might try it on the plane ride home, but it ended up in my suitcase since embroidery scissors are not allowed in the cabin. And wouldn't my luck be that the embroidery hoop broke in my suitcase...

After seeing Marie Antoinette's dress at the Royal Ontario Museum in the fall of 2008 (see my fashion blog for photos), I was enchanted by the exquisite embroidery on the train of the dress and my desire to learn embroidery returned. I tried to find an embroidery class in Toronto but that was a dead end!

Guess where I'll be learning embroidery? At a workshop in Paris in May. But in the meantime, I really should practice at least some of the basics and hence, I read this book very carefully.

Rating: A

The book is thoughtfully laid out with clear instructions, colour photos and simple line-drawings. The author adds interest and charm to her instructions with quotes from diaries and writings of the period, such as this:

Felix Hezecques, Souvenir d'un Page de la Cour de Louis XVI, circa 1780
"In the morning the King wore a grey coat until it was time for his toilette. Then he put on a cloth suit, often brown, with a steel or silver sword. But on Sundays and ceremonial occassions his suits were of very beautiful materials, embroidered in silks and paillettes, often, as the fashion was then, the velvet coat was entirely covered with little spangles which made it very dazzling." (page 43)

I am embarrassed to say that I have STILL not tried to embroider anything. I'm almost more intimidated than less after reading this book. The workmanship from the 18th century is so exquisite that I just know I'll never measure up.

Nevertheless, this book is a useful resource for anyone interested in historical fashion, costume design, and of course, embroidery.

Hats and Inspiration

People often ask me how I get inspiration for my artwork. My answer is that I don't really know when or how inspiration will come, but the key is to be open to the world around me.

For example, while researching the newly opened exhibition of hats at the Victoria and Albert Museum curated by Stephen Jones, I noticed this instruction sheet on the V&A website. Artist Nick Robinson lays out visuals on how to make an origami hat.

I gave it a try, first with a regular piece of paper, and then using smaller pieces of paper. After a few attempts, it started to be fun. By that point, I was confident enough in the method that I could modify his instructions to suit my vision. I used pretty Japanese handmade washi paper and applied ribbon trims. In the end, I abandoned the origami method altogether and tried a pillbox style. And this was the result. These paper hats are very tiny (the pink one is maybe an inch tall).

A trio of Party Hats
Mixed media, copyright Ingrid Mida 2009

The Hat

This is the hat that I referred to in my post on hats on Monday. Isn't it fabulous? If only I could actually wear it! But even in the few minutes that I had it on to take my photo, I ended up with hat head.

Apparently the opening night gala for the Victoria and Albert Museum's exhibition Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones was the talk of today's fashion press. Almost everyone wore hats and those that did not, probably regretted it like Vogue's Plum Sykes (maybe she didn't want to get hat head!). To see a slideshow of the gala evening, check out on NY Mag's Fashion Alert.

Marie Antoinette's Dress goes to Versailles

Today I popped into the Royal Ontario Museum to see what's new in the Patricia Harris Costume and Textile Gallery. Sadly, the answer is NOTHING. They have removed Marie Antoinette's dress but left the cabinet empty.

Although there was no information in the gallery what was to come next or what happened to MA's dress, I happen to know for a fact that Marie Antoinette's dress is en-route to Versailles. It will be displayed in their upcoming exhibition called Fastes de la Cour et Ceremonies Royal or "Court Pomp and Royal Ceremony" which opens on March 31 and closes on June 28, 2009.

I will be in Versailles in May and look forward to seeing this lovely gown again. I'm fairly certain that it will look more beautiful at Versailles.

If you would like to read more about this dress, specifically its history and attribution, please see my postings from October and November 2008.




Court Pomp and Royal Ceremony, Chateau Versailles, France
March 31 - June 28, 2009
www.chateauversailles.fr/en

Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones

One of my favourite fashion haunts is the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. Their exhibitions are divinely inspired and innovative. Their latest exhibition Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones opens tomorrow (February 24, 2009 - May 31, 2009). Stephen Jones is a top-notch London milliner who has designed hats for people such as Princess Diana and Isabella Blow. He often works in collaboration with fashion designers like John Galliano and Marc Jacobs.

In this exhibition at the V&A, Jones has curated this exhibition of over 300 hats for their cultural and historical importance. "Historic hats redolent of romance and adventure are a constant source of inspiration for many milliners. Simple folded shapes such as the tricore can be reimagined, evoking the drama of a bygone age."

I won't be able to make it over to see the V&A in person for this show but I was thrilled that I could actually view many of the hats on-line. There is also a mesmerizing video of how a hat is created. Making a hat is a labour of love to be sure! And if you'd like to see Stephen Jones talk about his life and his work, check out the youtube video.

Seeing this exhibition online reminded me of a glorious hat that I bought a few years back and have tucked in the back of my closet. I've never had the nerve to wear it but the quote from French fashion editor Genevieve Dariaux seems appropo: "take the one you fall in love with, which mysteriously does something for you, which magically makes you feel more beautiful." I felt beautiful and mysterious when I tried on this hat in the shop. Maybe it is time to actually wear it!

Marie Antoinette's Apple Green Bodice

Elisabeth at autempledesmodes.blogspot.com kindly provided me with this image of the apple-green bodice that I referred to in my earlier post. It is located at the Musee Galleria musee de la mode de la Ville de Paris.

The bodice does not appear to have any padding. I guess I was wrong. But I will make a point of going to the Museum of Fashion in May when I visit Paris to take a closer look (if it is on display at that time)!