Six Functions of Dress

1. Environmental Protection

 The first thing one may think of is coats or even fur coats when protecting oneself from the elements. However, these men have developed high tech fabrics to protect themselves from this disaster.

2. Decoration

This fashion designer showed his creativity by decorating his collection with scraps of unused fabric, including bottle tops and plastic to get his point of view across.

3. Gender Differentiation

 This gorgeous dress is in Versace's Spring 2011 collection. I am still trying to get a visual of a man in this beauty.

4. Group Membership

 This coach's jacket and hat lets the viewer know right away which side he is on. Schools are a perfect example of group membership as a function of clothing.

5. Ceremonial

 This religious group is celebrating by their brightly ornate clothing and headdress. Often in religious rituals people dress in ceremonial clothing. 

6. Sex Appeal

This picture proves once again that you don't have to bear skin to have sex appeal. With just the right shoes a simple sun dress can be sexy.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Marchesa - Spring 2011
      This show will take your breath away. The designer's Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig took the paparazzi by storm! The line had an oriental flare that went beyond your expectations. The invincibly glamorous necklines were splattered with sparkling jewels that would brighten up any red carpet affair. The hand painted florals looked as if the brush as dabbed from the hand of Michelangelo. The swirl of twisted fabric was twirled in a way that looked like swirls of ice cream at a spring garden party. The harem painted jumpsuits made Disney's Aladdin look like fantasy came to life.

Michael Kors - Spring 2011

     This amazing designer swathed the models in a sea of fabric tranquility and serenity as if you were sitting on your yacht enjoying your seafood dinner with your friends. The show started out with a white gauzy long sleeve T-shirt with a leg baring sarong. The beautiful swathed silk jersey gowns of pink and yellow looked as if they were to be worn on your yacht more so than the red carpet. The matching linen white suit looked like your cruise ship just pulled into Bali instead of your typical suit you would see on the street. The straight tunic dresses clung to the body and flowed in a sea of fabric down to the floor. His point of view is a loose and relaxed casual cool affair that would sparkle the eye of any traveling jetsetter!

Fashion Source Book

Charles Frederick Worth (Father of Fashion Designers) 

 

This blog is a fashion source book which exists as a place to record the History of 20th Century Fashion. I will discuss a number of perspectives ranging from historical to cultural. It will contain post and images that address fashion pertaining to the Victorian era and how it led up to modern fashion.

The last 20 years of the 19th century set the stage for the 20th Century. Queen Victoria reigned from 1880-1899. This was known as the grand Victorian Era. This was a time when women's fashion came into great shape manipulation. Corsets and bustles ruled the streets of Paris and London. From this the first fashion designer was born. Charles Frederick Worth made one of a kind clothes for Empress Eugenie in the mid 19th century. Later he started making general patterns for each garment he made. These patterns could be used on different people which facilitated the sewing of clothing much easier than ever before. He became the most sought after dressmaker because he had a new marketing tool. The invention of standardized patterns made his output quicker then other designers. He took fashion to new heights when he displayed his collections in a fashion show. This was never done until he came onto the stage. Then a new fashion company was formed. The Chambre Syndicale de la Confection et de la Courture pour Dames et Fillettes's goal was to prevent courture designs from being copied. This company is still around in the 21st Century. It now governs all couture houses in the country and sets rules and regulations on who are the players in fashion. Wow! He is a man worthy to be praised!