Never in a million years did any of us think that face masks would become an accessory category of its own. From animal print, rainbow, bedazzled, silk, N95, or your favorite designer, masks can be customized to any shape or size.
All tagged fashion history
Is Harem, History?
You should also know that the term harem means loose fitting trousers that are brought in at the hem without a taper. The harem style originally caught on as a skirt and later transformed into pants. Both harem trousers and skirts are available in today's fashions.
The Tape Measure Story
Chesterman was in the Fashion Industry and designed the wire in crinoline hoop skirts that held the shape of the dress by loops sewn into the hem. After many versions of the tape measure, Fellows added the click to the final version and filed the patent.
The Story of the Romper
The romper was founded in the early 1900s and began as playwear for young children because of it's freedom of movement. Rompers varied in materials and styles but held true as the first modern casual clothing for children (mostly babies).
The Story of "Hot Pants"
Short shorts can be used inter-changeably with the term “hot pants", today many of us refer to this style of shorts as “booty shorts”. In recent trends, we have seen the "hot pants" return with a little less pants and more booty. Even though the term has changed, the style story remains. Designers such as Free People, Joie, BCBG, and French Connection have versions of "hot pants" on the market.
The Story of Seersucker
Seersucker is a thin, puckered, all-cotton fabric, commonly striped or checkered, and used for spring and summer wear. The word was brought into English from Persian, and originates from the words sheer and shakar, literally meaning "milk and sugar". Imagine the variance of smooth, rough stripes to the smooth texture of milk and the bumpiness of sugar. Seersucker is woven in such a way that some threads bunch together, giving the fabric a wrinkled appearance in places.
The Stiletto Story
This popular heel is named after a stiletto dagger, which was first known in the early 1930s. Stiletto heels vary in length from one to ten inches and are close to half an inch in diameter. Stiletto-style heels that are two inches or shorter are known as a kitten heel and not considered a true stiletto heel because of it's height.
The Baseball Uniform Story
In 1882 uniforms were accessorized with colored socks or stirrups that were used to differentiate one club or team from one another. The uniforms at the time showcased different colors and patterns to reflect the players position on the field.
In the late 1880s, the Detroit Wolverines, the Washington Nationals of the National League, and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the American Association were the first to wear striped uniforms.
The Gucci Honeycomb
Gucci makes cereal? Ha! They do not, but I'm sure we would all want Gucci honeycombs if they existed. This logo print is known as the Gucci "honeycomb" and is simply named after its reversed double Gs and dots that take shape as a honeycomb.
Many have tried to copy this honeycomb pattern with their logo, such as Guess and company. The use of the honeycomb earned a nearly 5 million dollar lawsuit with Gucci. In 2013, the courts ruled in favor of Guess and that the interlocking G's were distinct enough to Gucci.
The "Witches Hat"
Happy Halloween my fellow style historians! I thought this would be the perfect time to share the story of the witches hat. Have you wondered where the witches hat originated from?
I think the most intriuging fact is that this hat was born from folklore. There are stories about witches keeping organs inside of their hats and using for magical spells. Old Stories claim witches were only meant for evil and the hat was used to intensify their scary appearance. Good thing it's all fiction.
The Longchamp Travels
You know those lightweight bags with the leather handles that collapse into pocket sized mini amazingness? For those of you visual learners, I am referring to this beauty right here...
Long champ is French and pronounced Long-shamp. People go crazy over Longchamp bags and I would like to take a moment to tell you why they deserve the popularity. The history behind Longchamp is as fascinating as their bags.
Harem, History?
In the fifth grade I wanted a pair of harem pants and imagined myself dancing like MC Hammer. Don't judge, I was only nine years old and real life seemed to be what was playing on MTV during that time. I talked my mom into making a pair of harem pants out of bright purple paisley fabric and accessorized them with a gold chain that hung at the waist. I chose the fabric and thought they were on par with Hammer. I was so proud of those harem pants and wanted nothing more than to have a unique pair that no one else wore. Looking back, it was a moment that I will cherish forever and chuckle to myself, "what was I thinking?" The irony is that I find myself telling that story a lot lately. You know why? Harem pants are back, that's right, they are back! The modern day versions are a little different but very stylish none the less.
History of the Backpack
I was telling a colleague that I was thinking about purchasing a backpack. Mind you, I am very careful about my handbag purchases. It was well thought out and I wasn't drinking. Her response? You a backpack? I can't let you do it. I chuckled and responded yes a backpack, "clearly you missed that Valentino designed one recently". We had a fun debate over whether or not it was okay to jump on the "backpack" bandwagon. I had to remind her that I was in fact correct about my backpack claims. The ironic thing is that the next day I received an e-mail from Saks Fifth Avenue backing up my claims that backpacks were indeed okay to tote around. Thanks Saks!
My Nanny in the New Yorker?
I have always been drawn to fashion and obsessed with it's history. I am not sure where it came from because no one in my family is into it, but my dad says I that I get it from him. I enjoy discovering traces of fashion in my own family history and enjoyed exploring this mysterious photo.My grandfather passed away seven years ago in Ennis, Montana which also happens to be his place of birth. Ennis was his favorite town because it was filled with lots of family, great memories, and beautiful scenery. His parents lived there and he was very close with his mother who was well known in the community. We had fanastic experiences when we vacationed as children. Unfortunately, the last time we were there was to lay him to rest. Over seven years ago I saved this photo when we went through his belongings. I didn't remember a lot about my great grandmother but I loved this picture of her. So, I tucked it away until I was looking for artwork to put in our office.