Christian Dior only presented his first haute couture collection at the age of 42 in February 1947. He introduced never-before-seen, sexy silhouettes characterized by the tiny waists, voluptuous busts and voluminous sleeves in a fabulous show. At the end of the fashion show, the editor-in-chief ofHarper's Bazaar, Carmel Snow, exclaimed "It's quite a revolution, dear Christian! Your dresses have such a new look!" And thus, this style became known as the"New Look", which would revolutionize the way women dressed for decades.
I find this silhouette to be the most flattering and feminine for women of all sizes and shapes. Enjoy these images of some of Christian Dior's exquisite women's suits. They could just as easily be worn by a boss lady, or even mother of the bride today!
Norman Parkinson (1913 – 1990) was one of England's most distinguished portrait and fashion photographers. He regarded himself as more of a craftsman than artist. His work helped revolutionize the world of British photography in the 1940s, by removing his models from the stuffy photography studios of the day to the dynamic outdoors. I love the ethereal, painterly quality to his work and the striking poses of the models.
Anne Gunning wearing a red chiffon evening dress in British Vogue, November 1956
Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt (famous for that iconic photo of the sailer kissingthegirl in Times Square) did a street style series of photos for Life magazine in 1944 called "Beautiful Girls". These girls sure are beautiful, but I'm especially swooning over their beautiful outfits which wouldn't look out of place on the streets of South Africa today. It just goes to show how some silhouettes are truly timeless and will always be stylish, evennearly 80 years later!
Simpler utilitarian designs with strong silhouettes and minimal embellishments were a product of WWII, however this didn’t mean that the everyday dresser couldn’t inject some style and personality into her wardrobe. The starlets of the Golden Age of Hollywood were donning ultra-glamorous, form fitting gowns to show off their feminine curves. Enjoy these images showcasing […]
