A Study in Costume

"Clothes are never a frivolity: they always mean something"

James Laver (1889-1975): author, art historian, and museum curator who acted as Keeper of Prints, Drawings and Paintings for the Victoria and Albert Museum between 1938-1959. He was also a pioneering fashion historian, described as “the man in England who made the study of costume acceptable." Laver wrote many books and articles in his lifetime, most famously A Concise History of Costume (World Art) (1968) which was re-titled (in 1995) Costume and Fashion: A Concise History. This book, still in print today, has had many great covers over the years including the ones below.



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Color and Ellsworth Kelly

"getting color off the wall and having it walk around the room"

Ellsworth Kelly referring to a dress he collaborated on with Francisco Costa, Creative Director at Calvin Klein



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Left: 1952 design Kelly created for Christian Dior

Right:  Ellsworth Kelly and Calvin Klein collaboration

Fashion is More Than Clothes

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." - Coco Chanel, 1883-1971

 
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Find Your Own Style

"1) Find your own style and have the courage to stick to it. 2) Choose your clothes for your way of life. 3) Make your wardrobe as versatile as an actress. It should be able to play many roles. 4) Find your happiest colors - the ones that make you feel good. 5) Care for your clothes, like the good friends they are."  Joan Crawford, 1904 - 1977