20 August 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.Sources:
All remixed except for brooch used as button:
- Brown shrug – Target
- Brooch as button – souvenir from San Francisco
- White tuxedo front top - J.Crew
- Brown skirt – ON
- Gray wedges – Report, via Solestruck.com
- Brown beads – thrifted
Endnotes:
The last time we experimented with monochromatic color schemes, I played around with outfits comprised almost entirely of greens, blues, and pinks. This time around, I’m more drawn to grays, whites, and browns. I blame it on the lack of layers in the summer. It’s easier to construct an outfit comprised almost entirely of one color when you can add depth and visual interest with layers and overlaps. Although it is somewhat chilly this morning and I can gleefully pull out my chocolate brown shrug. To keep it closed and snug, I’m using a hand-painted wooden brooch as a make-shift button.
On a fashion side note, I’m currently reading a fascinating work on nineteenth century fashion by Philippe Perrot (Fashioning the Bourgeoisie. A History of Clothing in the Nineteenth Century) and in it, he classifies the ancient world as “humanity sewn” and “humanity draped”. Just picture a starched suit vs. a loose toga or sari. Perrot analyses clothing as semiotic signs and culturally charged symbols and draws fascinating conclusions by studying garments as seemingly unimportant as undergarments and tie slips.
Putting a bit of a playful spin on this, I was wondering which category I’d fall under: sewn or draped? Our profession is filled with ‘humanity sewn’ but I fancy myself as a bit of a ‘draper’. This cardigan is the perfect example of a loose and flowey garment that I still find to be professional and work-appropriate. In my personal life, I chose a very drapey, Grecian-inspired wedding gown. For my fall wish-list, I’d love some more of these draped creations, like the Anthropologie Possibilities sweater or cozy pashminas to wrap around my shoulders. What about you? Sewn or draped? S.
I’m definitely a draper in day to day clothes, which are usually separates, but for dresses I like something with a lot of form and structure.
I just put that book on our library’s request list. Any similar recommendations? I guess I could always try and grab the reading list from our fashion merchandising classes.
Sarah S – “Seeing Through Clothes” by Anne Hollander is another wonderful sociohistorical study of clothing, fashion, and the human body.
I also would recommend Fred Davis’s “Fashion, Culture and Identity”.
Are you looking to read up on this for pleasure or are you pursuing academic work in this area? S.
The brooch idea is very creative- and the drape of that shrug is lovely.
S – just for pleasure – I *wish* I was doing work in this area! I’m in IT at our university’s library. I’ve thought about auditing some of the fashion and design classes, but have yet to come up with a way to convince my boss that they are “career development”.
I think I am a sewn person. I love the way drapey clothes feel, and look on others but for me I need structure. But the way you pinned this sweater makes it a perfect in between kind of piece. It still looks structured but still looks loose and comfortable.
And I think I need those shoes! Every time I look at them I want them :)
What a fascinating dichotomy. I certainly LOOK better in sewn, but my eye is always drawn to draped.
Love this combo! Very elegant.
I need more structure in my clothing. Drapey pieces tend to swamp me.
I like both – I only like draped when there is not too much fabric – sometimes draping can swamp.
What a fun distinction, and that book sounds fascinating!! I think I’m actually more of a sewn person, but with heavily draped accents. And when I find a “draped” piece that suits me, I feel like a million bucks.
[...] looks that S. and A. have sported this week, and today’s outfit falls somewhere in between S.’s soft, sophisticated neutral looks and A.’s bright layers of color. It took a while for me to accept the idea of wearing white [...]