Relevant Ready-to-Wear for Fall 2020
Hundreds and hundreds of fashion shows previewed the 2020 international designer collections in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Something for every woman, certainly. As always, an overwhelming variety of looks encompass the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly and the outrageous.
Most interesting was the surprising, long-overdue number of wearable clothes for real women. What a relief to see fashion that is relevant to reality! Ready-to-Wear that really IS ready to be worn by real women. Instead of too many silly masquerade costumes as is so often the case nowadays, there were plenty of styles ready to step off the runways into the real life wardrobes of discerning women everywhere.
There were wearable, comfortable, flattering fashions including easy jackets, warm coats and knitwear, suit separates, low-key eveningwear and new white shirts.
In a season dominated by masses of black everything, it was delightful to see some daring designers challenge the global fashion black-out by offering occasional pops of color diversity. All in all, the forthcoming fashion season is looking promising, indeed. But then came the virus and the world changed, making fashion irrelevant.
Really Ready-to-Wear for real women: Akris, Chanel, Prada.
Really Comfortable Jackets for real women: Balmain, Chanel, Prada.
Real Winter Coats for real women: Stella McCartney, Alberta Ferretti, Balenciaga.
Real Knitwear for real women: Balmain, Lacoste, Christian Dior.
New White Shirts for real women: Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana.
Real Suit Separates for real women: Miu Miu, Akris, Miu Miu.
Real Pantsuits for real women: Akris, Balmain, Altuzarra.
Real Eveningwear for real women: Valentino, Miu Miu, Celine.
Real Color Choices for real women: Akris, Alberta Ferretti, Lacoste.
Hundreds and hundreds of fashion shows previewed the 2020 international designer collections in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Something for every woman, certainly. As always, an overwhelming variety of looks encompass the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly and the outrageous.
Most interesting was the surprising, long-overdue number of wearable clothes for real women. What a relief to see fashion that is relevant to reality! Ready-to-Wear that really IS ready to be worn by real women. Instead of too many silly masquerade costumes as is so often the case nowadays, there were plenty of styles ready to step off the runways into the real life wardrobes of discerning women everywhere.
There were wearable, comfortable, flattering fashions including easy jackets, warm coats and knitwear, suit separates, low-key eveningwear and new white shirts.
In a season dominated by masses of black everything, it was delightful to see some daring designers challenge the global fashion black-out by offering occasional pops of color diversity. All in all, the forthcoming fashion season is looking promising, indeed. But then came the virus and the world changed, making fashion irrelevant.
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| Really Ready-to-Wear for real women: Akris, Chanel, Prada. |
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| Really Comfortable Jackets for real women: Balmain, Chanel, Prada. |
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| Real Winter Coats for real women: Stella McCartney, Alberta Ferretti, Balenciaga. |
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| Real Knitwear for real women: Balmain, Lacoste, Christian Dior. |
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| New White Shirts for real women: Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana. |
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| Real Suit Separates for real women: Miu Miu, Akris, Miu Miu. |
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| Real Pantsuits for real women: Akris, Balmain, Altuzarra. |
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| Real Eveningwear for real women: Valentino, Miu Miu, Celine. |
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| Real Color Choices for real women: Akris, Alberta Ferretti, Lacoste. |
Dressing Liz Taylor as Shakespeare's Shrew
To everyone’s surprise, in 1967 Elizabeth Taylor (her beauty at its prime) turned in a first rate performance in a movie version of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, Taming of the Shrew. Her leading man was Richard Burton, to be expected. The costumes by Danilo Donati won an Oscar, but brilliant designer Irene Sharaff also won a special, singular Academy Award for exclusively dressing Elizabeth in breathtaking jewel-tone costumes that define the Renaissance, a rich expression of color and lavish texture.
Shakespeare is usually a hard sell to the general public, but the star power of the scandalous couple was a smash hit, eliciting this comment from Rotten Tomatoes, "It may not be reverent enough for purists, but this Taming of the Shrew is too funny – and fun – for the rest of us to resist.” I myself created a paper doll of Liz with two costumes for the Renaissance issue of Paper Doll Studio magazine.
Two of Elizabeth Taylor’s Renaissance costumes by Irene Sharaff for “Taming of the Shrew.”
To everyone’s surprise, in 1967 Elizabeth Taylor (her beauty at its prime) turned in a first rate performance in a movie version of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, Taming of the Shrew. Her leading man was Richard Burton, to be expected. The costumes by Danilo Donati won an Oscar, but brilliant designer Irene Sharaff also won a special, singular Academy Award for exclusively dressing Elizabeth in breathtaking jewel-tone costumes that define the Renaissance, a rich expression of color and lavish texture.
Shakespeare is usually a hard sell to the general public, but the star power of the scandalous couple was a smash hit, eliciting this comment from Rotten Tomatoes, "It may not be reverent enough for purists, but this Taming of the Shrew is too funny – and fun – for the rest of us to resist.” I myself created a paper doll of Liz with two costumes for the Renaissance issue of Paper Doll Studio magazine.
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| Two of Elizabeth Taylor’s Renaissance costumes by Irene Sharaff for “Taming of the Shrew.” |
Yesterday's Coloring Book . . . Today
Every month I enjoy coloring a page or two from one of my vintage coloring book collection, but this time there's a twist. This month's page is from a coloring book souvenir I created in 1981 as a fund-raiser for a children’s theatre located in Florida. It is a 26-page history of the theatre from a Greek amphitheatre to Broadway’s My Fair Lady. Jenny thought one of the pages was perfect to illustrate the article on Shakespeare in Paper Doll Studio's Renaissance issue. Rather than get out my crayons, we asked Julie Allen Matthews to color the image digitally. I was bowled over by the results as well as Julie's digital process:
She used a program, Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, that mimics traditional art tools. First, the lines are placed on one layer with lowered opacity. Then, the colors are placed underneath, one color at a time, from background to foreground. Using the dry marker and rough pencil tool, she applies color in its own layer as well as the shadows and highlights. This is the same technique used in the Stripes! book. The result is a lavish, full color illustration demonstrating how the coloring books of tomorrow are here today.
My Shakespeare drawing colored by Julie.
Julie's digital coloring process using Autodesk Sketchbook Pro.
Every month I enjoy coloring a page or two from one of my vintage coloring book collection, but this time there's a twist. This month's page is from a coloring book souvenir I created in 1981 as a fund-raiser for a children’s theatre located in Florida. It is a 26-page history of the theatre from a Greek amphitheatre to Broadway’s My Fair Lady. Jenny thought one of the pages was perfect to illustrate the article on Shakespeare in Paper Doll Studio's Renaissance issue. Rather than get out my crayons, we asked Julie Allen Matthews to color the image digitally. I was bowled over by the results as well as Julie's digital process:
She used a program, Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, that mimics traditional art tools. First, the lines are placed on one layer with lowered opacity. Then, the colors are placed underneath, one color at a time, from background to foreground. Using the dry marker and rough pencil tool, she applies color in its own layer as well as the shadows and highlights. This is the same technique used in the Stripes! book. The result is a lavish, full color illustration demonstrating how the coloring books of tomorrow are here today.
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| My Shakespeare drawing colored by Julie. |
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| Julie's digital coloring process using Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. |
News! My Next Paper Doll Book Stars Anna May Wong
I am very excited about my next paper doll project. I am starting to research the life and impressive career of Anna May Wong, the exotic Chinese beauty of vintage Hollywood films. This means months and months of work –in-progress reports in future Blogs.
Exotic beauty: Anna May Wong.
I am very excited about my next paper doll project. I am starting to research the life and impressive career of Anna May Wong, the exotic Chinese beauty of vintage Hollywood films. This means months and months of work –in-progress reports in future Blogs.
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| Exotic beauty: Anna May Wong. |
