A Visit to the Costume Museum

I booked an appointment to see the curator, Rosie who works at the museum who said she would help me with some things regarding the 1960's. I was able to describe a number of items to her and she pulled them out so I could have a proper look at them and see real-life garments from designers back then.

This suit from Courreges, implemented the mini-skirt and I was shocked to see that it was longer than I thought it was going to be, the way the mini-skirt was projected in the media during the time seemed like the skirt was a lot shorter than it was. However, this was by designers which maybe found it hard to adjust to the new statement skirts and many girls did still make things at home, where they probably made the skirt shorter.

This dress is by Emilo Pucci and shows the classic shift dress which was introduced during that time, the colours are noticeably bright just like the skirt and blazer which in the previous outfit. The pattern is very extroverted and could be seen as quite innovative compared to the designs which were seen in the 1950's. I can see why the shift dress was so popular and why people loved the garment so much because it would fit any body type and would flatter all people. I can also see why this would appeal to the youth culture as it makes a statement against the things that were seen before and the design is very loud. I noticed that with Pucci, there are small imprints of their logo in the fabric which I thought was quite unusual but shows how people used brands to show off their wealth and is a sign of status symbol. The label also shows that it would be made for Saks Fifth Avenue which is in the US and proves that elements of the swinging 60's were prominent in the USA. 

I couldn't find where this garment was from as I tried to lookup the labels and nothing came up which is quite disappointing, it reminds me of the YSL dress which he designed for his Mondrain collection which featured block colours and inspired art and fashion to collide. I can understand that other designers and boutiques would copy this look - as the label says 'boutique' which implies it might not have been mass produced in comparison to a designer brand. It could be featured in boutiques on the high street, just like we have today where there are knock off copies. It shows how designers influenced new trends and how people were interested in the fashion world, the fit is also similar to the Pucci dress and the shape is quite basic and non fitting which means it's quite versatile for the average consumer and looks like there can be a lot of movement, the fabric was quite heavy which indicates that people in this era were experimenting with different fabrics. 

Again this is by Courreges and there is a similarity which the bright colours, Rosie told me that this was quite classic in the 1960's and girls wanted to stand out from the crowd, the pockets are quite common for that era as well however in my research I hadn't found anything to back up this point. The fabric was really heavy and I held it over my head and it was quite hard to move in, I couldn't see this doing well with young, youth generation who wanted to go out dancing etc. It's shape was the same I had seen throughout looking at the dresses, I believe it was a really popular design amongst women during that time. It did remind me of something a mod would wear. 

Janice Wainwright worked for Simon Massey and her clothes were described as 'bright, youthful and feminine' which this dress clearly shows. It's different to the other dresses I looked at and the shape/pattern is a lot more feminine compared to the other dresses I looked at, the pleats make it more girly and the way it comes in a little bit at the waists refers back to Dior back in the 1950's. It's interesting to see where the designers have got their references is from, however the pattern is very 60's and looks futuristic and unusual in comparison to the standard floral prints people may be used to. 

This garment is late 60's early 70's and is a dress with a waistcoat and blazer, the material is very very heavy and is by the designer Pucci - as you can see the signature 'pucci' logo is printed into the fabric to show the brand off. I learnt that Marylin Monroe was a fan of this brand and it designed couture and ready to wear in the UK and America. This shows the shift from classic, modern 1960's style including block colours and simple statement colours and then crazy patterns which went well on to the 1970's. The dress is longer and this marks the lengthening of the hemline when people decided that they preferred maxi skirts rather than mini-skirts. Although I do understand that Pucci is famous for their bold prints - which is probably why they stood out so much in a once black and white Western world.

It was interesting to actually get to see the garments from the 1960's and get up close and personal, being able to feel the fabrics and pick them up to see the texture, wearability and design was a great way to understand the 1960's and how it evolved. The rail shows the early 1960's to the late 70's and the two final pieces show a shift in design, starting from the shift dress, then introducing a blazer and skirt, followed by a completely different silhouette and then a maxi dress.

I think the media defiantly played an important role in what people wore and pop culture was growing, people were influenced by celebrity culture, music and art.