Exhibition: Style & Spirit - The Fashion of Chester Weinberg

 As Covid recedes into the past, it becomes possible to visit exhibitions once again.  And as luck would have it, there was a particularly interesting little fashion exhibition at the David Roche Gallery in Adelaide while I was in town.

Left: Dress (Resort 1971).  Right: Evening Dress (Spring/Summer 1968)

Called, "Style & Sprit: the Fashion of Chester Weinberg",  this exhibition followed the career of a once-prominent designer who fell into obscurity after he died of an AIDS related illness in 1985.  However, before his career was cut short he produced glamorous but wearable designs to dress the rich and fashionable of New York.

"Romance Returns to the Mode" (McCalls, March 1934)

 Merry Christmas, everyone!  And as we count down the hours to Christmas 2024, let's take a look at the evening fashions of 1934.  As you can see, sophistication was the last word in evening styles—though younger women sometimes chose to wear girlish frills instead.  

Incidentally, the fashion illustrations of the day were even more exaggeratedly distorted than fashion illustrations usually are.  While tall, slender models are favoured in most eras, the legs of these models are so long that you would have to reduce their length by a third to approximate the proportions of an ordinary woman.

No. 7714.  This Véra Boréa will take you to dinner and the dance with a romantically modern demeanor.  The skirt falls smoothly to the floor, outlining the contour of the figure on its way.  The sleeves are fluted; the back cut out appealingly. 

No. 7700.  The neckline swathes the throat discreetly, the sleeves taper subtly to a slim wrist, leaving your audience totally unprepared for the cowl that drops breathlessly in back, the godets that trail into a train.  It's a fashion for gala occasions!

Elite Styles, May 1925

 Elite Styles (1897-1929) was a pattern magazine for professional dressmakers, though home dressmakers could also buy their patterns if they thought they had the necessary skills to make them up. 

Not surprisingly, Elite patterns made no concessions to beginners or the less skilled, as shown by the evening dress pictured below.  However, the mixture of satin, lace, beading and flying panels which would have made it difficult to cut and sew, would also have made it a delight on the dance floor.  Imagine how it would have looked in motion, as the wearer stepped out doing one of the energetic dances of 1925!

Fashion lends an attentive ear to the call of exquisite laces.  A costume that lends an air of girlish grace and Parisian chic to the wearer combines sheer silk lace of delicate pattern with soft crȇpe satin ; the bodice has pointed outline at hip, the points being defined with ornamental braid or beading ; short, kimono sleeves ; other interesting details are the pointed collar and scarf, the latter being made of crȇpe satin and trimmed with lace.  The straight foundation skirt is made of crȇpe satin ; gathered lace panels with pointed hemline are posed at front and back, while panels of crȇpe satin appear at the sides.  Fastens at shoulder and under the arm.

"For the Lighter Side of Life" (Delineator, December 1916)

 The First World War was raging in Europe, but fashion still went on its merry way.    

You'll note the new wartime silhouette—wide skirts, now well clear of the ankles, and an absence of tightly laced corsets.  Fashion historians often claim that this more relaxed style was a result of the war itself.  Women doing war work needed clothes that didn't hamper them.  However, looking at this picture it becomes clear that the new styles were also perfect for dancing.  Ragtime had already made its mark, and now these young ladies look ready to foxtrot and one-step their way into the Jazz Age.

From left to right:

The Isles of Greece never produced anything quite so smart and fascinating as design 8832— a dress in Grecian style made for a modern goddess.  The one-piece gown can be drawn in, in Empire fashion; or a lower waistline, if more becoming is equally good style and effective... A dress of satin, veiled with tulle is very beautiful for Winter functions.

Keeping step with Fashions's swiftly revolving wheel is easy work when one chooses such a model as design 8824-8820.  The basque effect in the waist is very pretty and becoming for evening wear.  And the standaway, flyaway look of the new collar is extremely smart and striking.  A slightly raised waistline is always becoming, but a regulation one is also offered.  The soft fulness of the handkerchief overskirts contrasts prettily with the bodice lines of the waist.

When is a dress not a dress?  When it is a smart evening frock (design 8813-8820).  Says that leading lady—Fashion—there is a subtle distinction that gives this model its chief charm.  The girdle, which can be cut in two different outlines at the bottom, gives individuality to the waist.  A sleeve made in cape effect is very unusual and striking... One or two handkerchief overskirts make the skirt...

What We Wore in '74: Hostess Gowns (David Jones, Spring-Summer 1974)

 Hostess gowns.  Worn between the 1930s and the 1970s they were full length gowns for entertaining at home.  Not as formal as full evening dress, these versions from 1974 are fashionably loose and made up in vibrant prints.  The counterculture of the late 1960s has influenced their design—for example, though the catalogue doesn't describe it as such, the dress in the centre of the top picture is clearly a kaftan!

A. An exciting new American print on cool Arnel jersey, styled to a floating A-line empire featuring long front zip, self tie and lots of interest at the back.

B. Glamorous American model copy... the new-look float in breezy Arnel jersey.  All-in-one body and sleeve for a slim, easy fit and featuring contrast trim with ric-rac braid.

C. A fabulous border print and winged cape sleeves make a perfect combination in this flowing design.  Fitted to the waist, with high front neckline and slightly lower back.

"Your Easter Outfit" (Home Fashions, May 1933)

Who wouldn't want a little something to cheer themselves up in the midst of the Depression?  For women who weren't quite destitute, but had to watch the pennies, Home Fashions offered an opportunity to create this economical spring wardrobe in 1933.  All the patterns described were offered for free in the May issue of their catalogue (though doubtless they hoped that their readers would buy some new patterns from the catalogue too!)

The newest jacket suit, a gay little blouse, a coat-frock, an afternoon dress, and a tennis dress, all made up for under 55/-.

I do not supose there is one of us who hasn't set her heart on having a brand new outfit for Easter.  So I set out this month to show you how you can defy the "depression," and set yourself up with the  most entrancing and comprehensive new outfit for Easter, spending no more than you would on one mediocre ready-made garment!

(I'm going to leave out the editor's suggestions for specific fabrics (which came complete with prices).  The magazine was having a cross-promotion with Ashley Russell Fabrics, whose main store was located in London.)

ABOUT THE DESIGNS

First let me tell you about the designs.  These include a coat-frock in soft, dove-grey woollen with a detachable shoulder-cape and gauntlets in pale yellow—one of the latest colour schemes.  The frock is quite a simple shape, with a four-piece skirt and plainest of bodices, but the skirt is cut with the new corslet waist-line and this, with the fashionable caped shoulders, makes the dress into a little model...

...Next in our outfit is one of the new collarless jacket suits.  We suggest for it soft brown woollen, worn with a gay blouse in brown and white chevron-striped silk, though another colour scheme could be used if brown isn't your particular fancy.  The blouse has the popular scarf neck-line tying in a bow in the approved way.  A slimming, wrap-over shape is the skirt, cut in three pieces and showing a corslet waist-line effect.  The jacket, being collarless and rever-less, is as simple as can be to make, and the blouse is an easy, sleeveless shape, but the chevron stripes give it real chic...

The afternoon frock is made in rose and white printed artificial crêpe de Chine, and shows the new elbow-length puff sleeves.  It achieves the popular broad-shouldered effect very gracefully by means of an added fichu-cum-cape, crossing over front and back alike.  Apart from this and the sleeves, the frock is the same simple shape as the coat-frock...

The final item, the tennis frock, we suggest you copy in spun silk...

Duffel Coat and Waistcoat (Woman and Beauty, October 1951)

 Get out your drafting pencils and sewing machines! This one is for my readers who enjoy making up vintage patterns.

Both this smart duffel coat and they dandyish waistcoat are ideal for autumn.  Both are easily copied from the diagrams and both are in three main pattern pieces.

The duffel has elastic through the waist and draft-proof sleeves.  It an also be made without the hood and worn with a scarf.  The cross-over waistcoat turns a skirt into a delightful outfit.  It opens flat and straps from the fronts button over to fasten at the back.