2012 06 Diy Silverware Ties
LIVING SCULPTURES. In the short period of peace between the two world wars designers turned to the classical era of ancient Greece and Rome. To those reeling from the horrors of World War I, classical antiquity stood for a golden time of proportion, pared-back beauty, purity, and a life-affirming appreciation of the human body. French fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet (1876–1975) created her women’s wear shapes of the 1930s from the drapery and perfect body forms of classical statues. Her twin concerns were fabric and the body. Famous for her genius with the bias cut, she draped fluid materials such as silk crêpe to create simple, loosely structured day wear and dramatic evening wear with minimal sewing and embellishment and without corsetry or petticoats. Her garments clung sensuously, shocking her customers. Early 1920s dresses with pointed drapery resemble the Greek peplos, while a dress from 1918–19, which hangs from the shoulders with an uneven hemline and cowl neckline, recalls the chlamys and chiton from ancient Rome.
On the slopes, the tennis court, and the yacht the sartorial rules governing men’s clothing in the city could be stretched or even abandoned. The move toward lighter fabrics continued, increasing the emphasis on the body underneath. In summer gray, white, beige, or striped flannels (trousers made of a light wool fabric) were popular.
In England their cotton or linen equivalent—white ducks— were supposed to be paired with a blue blazer only. The sports jacket had emerged in the late 19th century when it could be seen in rowing clubs. Team blazers could be brightly colored, striped, or have contrasting edging, and often displayed a crest or insignia on the breast pocket. The polo shirt, despite its name, was originally worn for tennis and golf and had been around for at least a decade, but now became ubiquitous.