Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear – V&A

Fashioning Masculinities exhibition entrance

At the weekend I attended the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition at the V&A, which I thoroughly enjoyed. At a time when ideas of masculinity are being questioned, the exhibition reminds us that these ideas have always been in flux, and throughout the centuries masculine ideals – reflected in fashion – have always been subject to change.

The show is divided into three parts: “Undressed” looks at the history of the male body ideal and how ancient Greek and Roman perceptions influenced eighteenth-century men on the Grand Tour and led to a concept of masculinity that still endures today. “Overdressed” explores the flamboyant styles of early modern menswear, while “Redressed” looks at more sombre masculine dressing, largely focusing on suits and uniforms. Rather than adopting a chronological approach, it looks at similarities across different epochs. So ancient Greek statues sit alongside modern underwear and Regency shirts, contemporary bright and embroidered suits are shown next to sixteenth-century capes, and suit styles from the last couple of centuries can be seen beside their modern equivalents, including those worn by women and non-binary figures.

Among the artefacts on show to illustrate these points are a video of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures dance company, Calvin Klein underwear posters, Giovanni Battista Moroni’s The Tailor (1565-70), and Sofonisba Anguissola’s Portrait of Prince Alessandro Farnese (about 1560). In terms of actual clothes, we get some gorgeous examples from the V&A’s collection, with suits from the likes of David Bowie and examples of dramatic seventeenth-century dress.

It’s fascinating and freeing to be aware of the notion that masculinity is not fixed, and that our modern ideas and standards aren’t the only ones that can work. The exhibition ends with dresses worn by the likes of Billy Porter and Harry Styles, showing that even traditionally feminine garments can be given a masculine twist.

Noël Coward: Art & Style – Guildhall Art Gallery

entrance to Noel Coward exhibition

On the last day of my leave I decided to head to the Guildhall Art Gallery to see the Noël Coward: Art & Style exhibition. This free exhibition runs until December and focuses on the visual aspects of Coward’s style – his personal appearance, his various homes and also his stage shows. In the exhibition, dresses worn by actresses performing his work, outfits worn by Coward himself, and items from his personal collection are displayed.

black and white check dressing gown
One of Coward’s famous dressing gowns

Coward was born in Teddington and grew up in a middle-class family. He performed on stage as a child and this gave him a taste for the theatre. Starting out as a song and sketch writer, Coward penned many musical revues and began to collaborate with artists, couturiers and designers including Cecil Beaton and Gladys Calthrop to create stylish looks for his shows.

30s dresses
Some of the beautiful dresses worn by female stars of Coward’s shows

Aware of his public image, Coward perfected the art of appearing in promotional pictures in his trademark silk dressing gown. He was an amateur painter, and spent much of his relaxation time in Jamaica developing his style. He decorated his various homes in the UK and abroad with items that became instantly recognisable. In the exhibition, items themselves are displayed alongside photographs of Coward that feature them.

household items
Some of Coward’s favourite pieces of furniture

Even after Coward’s death, his popularity has remained and his works are constantly being reinvented and restyled. The costumes for the 2020 film adaptation of Blithe Spirit, for example, were inspired by Coward and his world.

household and clothing items
Clothing and household items used by Coward in Jamaica

This exhibition is fascinating and hugely detailed. The fact that it is free is fantastic – I would normally expect an exhibition of this calibre to charge an entrance fee. It’s worth seeing for any fans of Coward, or indeed any fans of 20th century style.

Bags: Inside Out – V&A

entrance to the bags exhibition

Recently I visited the Bags: Inside Out exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Along the same lines as the shoes exhibition a few years ago, Bags looks at the history of these accessories and displays examples of bags in all shapes and sizes, serving a variety of purposes.

A dress with pockets and another with a chatelaine

I’m personally a huge fan of bags* – I think it’s because unlike clothes, you can’t grow out of them – and so I was looking forward to this exhibition. The exhibition begins several centuries ago, when women often had pockets built deep into their dresses for storage purposes. Later, many women wore chatelaines – metal contraptions pinned to their waist with keys and other accessories dangling from them.

selection of bags

Both men and women often carried small coin purses.As the world moved on, different kinds of bags evolved: tiny evening bags, practical rucksacks, sturdy travelling trunks, convenient shoulder bags.

wooden trunk
A trunk designed to store clothes while travelling by sea

Vivien Leigh’s writing case and Winston Churchill’s despatch box are two notable examples of bags on display alongside many beautiful examples from less famous owners.

briefcases
Winston Churchill’s attache case and Vivien Leigh’s letter-writing case

I particularly liked the bags with lots of tiny compartments, popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, such as a handbag with a compartment for lipstick, or an ‘opera bag’ containing opera glasses and a fan.

selection of bags

In terms of more modern styles, I liked a bag from the collection of fashion blogger ‘Mr Bags’ which comes with a cute unicorn charm.

small blue and black bag with a unicorn charm
Bag designed by ‘Mr Bags’

My absolute favourite bags, however, are novelty bags in unusual shapes, and this exhibition had several excellent examples.

On the upper level of the exhibition there was a display devoted to the making of bags – it looks like a very complicated and scientific process and I confess it was far beyond me! This part of the exhibition also looked at different materials used to make bags and their properties.

How to make bags

Bags: Inside Out is worth a visit especially if you are a bag lover like me. Even if you aren’t, you will probably appreciate the design and craftsmanship that goes into creating a beautiful bag.

*When I was a child I had a shiny black (fake) leather backpack that I adored. In it I kept my Dear Diary, notebook, lip gloss and whichever book I was reading at the time. I took it everywhere with me and loved it so much that my brother made up stories about it: “The Adventures of the Black Bag”. I can’t remember what any of the stories were about, but the title sounds vaguely Holmesian.

Mary Quant – V&A

Entrance to the exhibition

Mary Quant was the second major fashion exhibition I attended at the V&A within a fairly short space of time. Born in London, Quant revolutionised the British high street in the 1960s, making high fashion available to everyone and popularising the famous miniskirt. I have to admit that on a personal level, the clothes aren’t really my style – I prefer longer skirts and dresses in general, and the Dior-influenced vintage look is much more my scene. In fact, my favourite piece in the exhibition was a maxi dress from the Seventies. However, there’s no doubt that Quant’s clothes had a huge influence on style, and her practical, fun pieces helped to democratise fashion.

Quant sailor dress
Quant sailor dress
Mini dresses
Mini dresses

The exhibition takes us through Quant’s career and showcases the pieces that made her famous, including monochrome daisies, coloured opaques, practical underwear, and even modern makeup (I could tell from the style of the marketing that Lush was influenced by Quant’s makeup range). I really liked that the museum got the public involved, requesting people to send in their own Quant clothes. I went to the exhibition with my auntie and I enjoyed hearing about her own experience of the brand – wearing a minidress to meet her future in-laws and worrying that the skirt was too short!

Makeup range
Makeup range, decorated with the trademark daisy
Red maxi dress
My favourite piece from the exhibition

I thought it was cute, too, to showcase the mini, Barbie-style Quant dolls, dressed in miniature versions of popular fashions. A way to get younger girls interested in the clothes so that they could covet them for themselves when they were older.

Daisy doll
Daisy doll

Overall, the exhibition is definitely worth a visit – for the social history as much as the fashion.

Dior: Designer of Dreams – V&A

Introduction to the exhibition

I was very excited when the Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition was announced at the V&A. The styles are exactly my kind of thing: I’m a vintage lover, and for me Dior epitomises the ‘vintage look’ of nipped-in waist and full skirt. This is one of the most popular exhibitions in the V&A’s history, and most tickets sold out way in advance.

Dior ball dress
Beautiful ballgown

Dior became famous with the ‘New Look’ of 1947, when the privations and rationing of the war years made the full skirts and luxurious fabrics of this style seem particularly exciting. The exhibition begins with a single suit on display, epitomising this look with its nipped-in waist and generous skirt.

Early Dior 'New Look' suit
Early example of the ‘New Look’

The House of Dior began in 1946, set up by Christian Dior, born in Normandy in 1905, up until then a fashion illustrator. It has continued up until the present day, with a number of designers helming the company since Dior’s death (one of whom was Yves Saint Laurent). One room of the exhibition was devoted to these designers, including Marc Bohan and John Galliano, although for me nothing compares to the classic Dior designs.

Row of Dior dresses

The exhibition is beautifully laid out, with different rooms devoted to different themes: I particularly liked the floral room.

My favourite dress in my favourite room - the floral dress
My favourite dress of the whole exhibition

The exhibition runs until 2 September and has a high recommendation from me.

End of the exhibition

Jewellery brand of the month: Oh So Flamingo

My jewellery brand for October is the UK-based

OH SO FLAMINGO

So far, my only purchase from this brand has been the special poppy brooch made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. All profits are donated to the Royal British Legion. I purchased the small brooch, the picture below shows the large.

Lone Soldier Poppy Appeal Brooch
Lone Soldier Poppy Appeal Brooch

What first drew me to the brand was a cute cupcake brooch I spied.

Cupcake O'Clock Brooch
Cupcake O’Clock Brooch

I also love the range of Hollywood-inspired brooches: this one was inspired by Elizabeth Taylor.

Lizzy Brooch
Lizzy Brooch

This squirrel brooch is super cute.

Squeaks the Squirrel Brooch
Squeaks the Squirrel Brooch

The brand doesn’t only produce brooches: I adore this rose necklace.

A Rose By Any Other Name Necklace
A Rose By Any Other Name Necklace

Oh So Flamingo can be found at:

Website: ohsoflamingoshop.co.uk

Etsy: etsy.com/uk/shop/OhSoFlamingo

Facebook: facebook.com/ohsoflamingo

Instagram: instagram.com/oh_so_flamingo

Carnation Collectables (UK-based stockist): carnationcollectables.com/oh-so-flamingo

Jewellery brand of the month: You Make Me Design

I can’t believe I haven’t chosen this brand as my brand of the month yet, as they’ve been around for a while and I own several of their pieces. The brand is:

YOU MAKE ME DESIGN

You Make Me Design is run by Emily, who is inspired by all things cute, vintage and kitsch. She makes all her pieces in her North East coastal studio (another reason to love this brand, as I am also from the North East!).

My absolute favourite item from this brand is my Scared Pumpkin Brooch, now available once again for a limited time for Halloween.

Scared Pumpkin Brooch

These Medusa Statement Earrings are new this year, and they’re on my wishlist.

Medusa Earrings

I love this super fun Monster Crunch Crisp Necklace, too.

Monster Crunch Necklace

This Party Tiger Statement Brooch comes with a detachable magnetic mask. (His friend the Party Cheetah comes with a detachable party hat!)

Party Tiger

The Pasta Statement Necklace is colourful and cheerful.

Pasta Statement Necklace

You Make Me Design can be found at:

Website: youmakemedesign.co.uk

Etsy: etsy.com/shop/YouMakeMeDesign

Not on the High Street: notonthehighstreet.com/youmakemedesign

Instagram: instagram.com/youmakeme_design

Jewellery brand of the month: MukkaChunks

This month I’m celebrating a relatively new British brand:

MUKKACHUNKS

MukkaChunks is run by Rachael, a designer and maker based in Yorkshire (but soon to relocate to the Midlands!). I’m yet to purchase any of her beautiful pieces but I’m sure I will get my hands on at least one by the end of the year.

Top of my list is the beautiful Sweet Patricia Forget me Not Brooch. £5 from each sale also goes to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Sweet Patricia Forget me Not Brooch

The Peeping Penny Fieldmouse Brooch is super adorable.

Peeping Penny Fieldmouse Brooch

I love this incredibly detailed dragon brooch.

Dragon Brooch

The Misty Mountain Brooch is part of the Going on an Adventure collection, inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Misty Mountain Brooch

I love the shade of acrylic in these Green Moonshine Earrings, part of the Sorcery and Illusion collection.

Green Moonshine Earrings

Check out MukkaChunks at:

Website: mukkachunks.com

Instagram: instagram.com/mukkachunks

Facebook: facebook.com/mukkachunks

Jewellery brand of the month: Iris De La Torre

My brand of the month for July is:

IRIS DE LA TORRE

Iris was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and moved to the UK to study. Her jewellery is inspired by traditional Mexican crafts as well as colourful 1960s design.

I’ve chosen to showcase her work this month chiefly because of the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A: Iris has been commissioned to produce a number of designs specifically for the exhibition, which are available in the museum shop in person and online.

Antonio the Golden Sun (Antonio el Sol Dorado) is a favourite brooch of mine, gleaming brightly and cheerfully.

Antonio the Golden Sun brooch

He can be paired with the Moon (La Luna), who shines with a silvery shimmer.

La Luna brooch

The Cat (Gato) brooch is adorable.

Cat Brooch

So is this deer brooch, representing Frida Kahlo’s pet deer.

Deer brooch

Speaking of Frida: this beautiful Frida Flower Crown brooch is unique to the V&A.

Flower Crown brooch

There is a whole range of exclusive jewellery available, but this parrot brooch is top of my list for when I visit the exhibition.

Parrot brooch

Check out Iris De La Torre’s work via the following links:

Website: irisdelatorre.com

Instagram: instagram.com/byirisdelatorre

Facebook: facebook.com/IrisDeLaTorreJewelleryandAccessories

Twitter: twitter.com/byirisdelatorre

Jewellery brand of the month: Curious Carousel

This month’s jewellery brand is the lovely

CURIOUS CAROUSEL

This brand is the creation of Lisa Bell Reid, who is originally from Edinburgh and was inspired to create her beautiful carousel brooches by the Christmas carousels on Princes Street. Now based in Australia, she designs beautiful brooches and earrings suitable for both the collector and the wearer. I’m yet to buy any of her designs, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

Cassie is the original carousel horse brooch, available in a few different colours. I’ve chosen this one to show here because I love the hearts in her mane and tail.

Cassie the Carousel Horse

Arabella is a beautiful unicorn, also available in several different colourways. I love the fairydust acrylic used for her mane.

Arabella the carousel unicorn

Arabella is also available as a bust-style brooch as an alternative to the carousel style.

Arabella bust brooch

This gorgeous robin brooch, named Noelle, was released at Christmas 2017.

Noelle robin brooch

There are also seasonal carousel-style designs: Amelia is a bunny rabbit, released specially for Easter.

Amelia the rabbit carousel brooch

I’m also fond of the fabulously flamboyant Florence, a flamingo brooch.

Florence the flamingo carousel brooch

In addition to these amazing brooches, Lisa has created some amazing earrings: my favourites are these gorgeous Alice in Wonderland dangles.

Alice in Wonderland dangles

Check out Curious Carousel via the following links:

Website: curiouscarousel.bigcartel.com

Etsy: etsy.com/uk/shop/curiouscarouseldes

Instagram: instagram.com/curiouscarousel

Curious Carousel products are also available from various online stockists including Lottie & Lu (UK) and Broochaholic (AUS).