The Importance of Wearing One’s Chin High

Last December, I saw MTC’s production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. It has always been one of my favourite plays, ever since I saw the 1952 version of the film as a child. This time I was much struck by one of Lady Bracknell’s lines – I found it exquisitely humorous.

She instructs Cecily Cardew to raise her chin, for chins are being worn high nowadays, and her daughter Gwendolyn Fairfax obligingly demonstrates the correct angle.

Here, in the inimitable Oscar Wilde’s words:

Lady Bracknell: [Glares at Jack for a few moments. Then bends, with a practised smile, to Cecily.] Kindly turn round, sweet child. [Cecily turns completely round.] No, the side view is what I want. [Cecily presents her profile.] Yes, quite as I expected. There are distinct social possibilities in your profile. The two weak points in our age are its want of principle and its want of profile. The chin a little higher, dear. Style largely depends on the way the chin is worn. They are worn very high, just at present.

Further research discovered another amusing influence on the height of chins. Earnest was written in August 1894, but just 25 or so years later, chins were once more being worn high – brought back into fashion along with the cloche hat:

[The cloche], fashionable from 1908 to 1933, was one of the most extreme forms of millinery ever, with an appearance that resembled a helmet. It was the iconic hat of the twenties decade and will ever be associated with the flappers of the era. It was responsible for the period stance we associate with the era. To wear one correctly the hat had to be all but pulled over the eyes, making the wearer have to lift up the head, whilst peering snootily down the nose. (From Fashion Era.)

How wonderful! I have a couple of cloches among my repertoire and hereby resolve to practice the stance.

Some examples of cloche hats – and appropriate chin inclination

Making the Picture

I had a lot of fun dressing up for this picture. To evoke the look of the era, I pulled out my oldest hat, from 1910, navy wool felt trimmed with a baby blue ostrich feather; a vintage bandeau/collar/sleep mask (the Etsy seller from whom I bought it was undecided as to its original purpose); a newish royal purple blouse by Cue that would set off the collar to admiration; a pair of 70s lace gloves with frilled cuffs; and finally a pair of amazonite oblong earrings. A low camera angle helps to achieve the correct degree of snootiness.

The background image is an amazing Art Nouveau door I photographed in Barcelona, situated on the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes. It’s carved from beautiful golden wood and inset with stained glass. 

Fascinator Begone!

Model Charlotte Pallister wearing a dress by Antonio Berardi and a hat by Stephen Jones. Ph: Simon ProctorFor some strange reason, I imagined that the fashions on the fields of Royal Ascot would be somewhat classier than those of Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival. I don’t know what I was thinking. It seems that the English know how to destroy a hat even better than the Australians.

But this year something has been done about it. The fashion police have done their level best to stamp out (to use a horsey analogy) race day trashiness.

It’s about time the fashion police made use of their power and trampled those nasty little things [fascinators] underfoot.

Model Charlotte Pallister wearing a dress by Dior and a hat by Stephen Jones. Ph: Simon ProctorRoyal Ascot has passed a new decree on dress for those wishing to enter the Royal Enclosure, and it’s all about demure elegance: modest skirt lengths, and no naked shoulders or midriffs. Really? No naked midriffs? Quelle surprise! I was more interested to read that fascinators have been forbidden (well, except for very substantial ones). Hallelujah! It’s about time the fashion police made use of their power and trampled those nasty little things underfoot.

Some of the new Ascot dress codes (for more, click here):

• Dresses and skirts should be of modest length defined as falling just above the knee or longer
• Midriffs must be covered
• Fascinators are no longer permitted in the Royal Enclosure; neither are headpieces which do not have a base covering a sufficient area of the head (4 inches/10cm)

For their official campaign, the Racecourse has produced a series of photographs of an English rose sporting hats by Stephen Jones (a refreshing change from the ubiquitous Philip Treacy). The images were inspired by Richard Avedon’s famous image of Dovima with the Elephants (below), published in Harper’s Bazaar in 1955.

Dovima and the Elephants, by Richard Avedon for Harper’s Bazaar, 1955Hurrah, a return to elegance! But I wonder how successful they were in enforcing it? Surely there were flouters, or loopholers? Indeedy yes, one only has to do a quick Google search to discover that a lamentably large number of woman had not the slightest interest in entering the Royal Enclosure, alas …

Widow’s Weeds

Really a Portuguese widow, stalking the treacherous cobbled streets of the Alfama district in LisbonBlack is, and has been for a long time, the colour of mourning in much of the western world, so it is interesting that the picture of a black-garbed, mourning widow is popularly associated with the Italians. Perhaps this is because in some parts of Italy it is customary for a grieving widow to never put off her blacks. In fact, this is also common in areas of Russia, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Mexico.

The original ‘Italian widow’ is of course Queen Victoria, famous for her long grief over the death of her beloved Albert. However, strict social rules regarding mourning dress had been established long before Victoria ascended the throne.

Mourning ensemble, 1870

The Rules

Victorian jet mourning broochA widow was expected to mourn her husband for up to four years, which required her to lead a quiet, sober life as well as don the black apparel that showed respect for the decedent. To put off her blacks earlier was to court scandal and, if she was still young and attractive, risk a tarnished reputation as a loose woman.

During the first year of ‘full mourning’ her costume was black and constructed from matt fabric such as crêpe. Decorative trim too was simple, but especially non-reflective – hence the popularity of jet (gemstones cut from fossilised carbon) in the Victorian age*. Even her accessories were black, from shoes and parasols to fans and handkerchiefs. Frivolous hats were strictly forbidden; in their place simple black bonnets and heavy veils were worn.

Mourning bonnet, 1870s (usually worn with veil attached)

Mourning fan, 1887–89

Mourning dress, 1850s

Mourning coat, 1907Mourning dress, 1880

Mourning cape, 1895–1900

Mourning parasol, 1895–1900After a year had passed, a widow entered ‘half mourning’, and grey and lavender could be introduced into her wardrobe, and the widow could now sedately re-enter society, which had been proscribed to her during full mourning.

Unsurprisingly, a complete wardrobe makeover was costly, particularly for the lower classes, and overdying existing garments was a practical way to reduce the expense.

The rather picturesque term ‘widow’s weeds’ comes from the Old English word ‘waed’, which means ‘garment’ …

The rather picturesque term ‘widow’s weeds’ comes from the Old English word ‘waed’, which means ‘garment’, and it is easy to imagine what a somber vision these ladies must have presented on the streets of London, enveloped as they were in acres of fabric. The weight alone must have bowed their shoulders if grief did not!

Fashion Notes

I have often remarked that I rarely wear all black, and one of the main reasons is that I feel far too somber and funereal in it. The last time I wore this ensemble (many years ago now, with different skirt and shoes and sans veil – basically only the crocheted lace top and silhouette is the same!) a co-worker exclaimed that I looked like an Italian widow. I rather like this little outfit however – perhaps because it is so thematic, rather than everyday wear that happens to be black.

~

Gwyneth Paltrow in Possession (2002) *There is an interesting scene in the film Possession, (adapted from A.S. Byatt’s book of the same name), starring Gwyneth Paltrow, in which her character visits an antiques store in Whitby, England, to trace the origins of a jet brooch. (Incidentally, I really like Paltrow’s costumes in this film.)

Historical costume images from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, except for jet brooch. Click on images for further details on individual pieces. 

Stand Like a Lady!

All that’s missing is a lollypopWe’ve all heard the humorous stories about women who are unaccustomed to walking in heels, who fall over their own feet. We’ve seen the models on the catwalk tipping off ridiculously high platform shoes and we feel for them in their utter humiliation as they faceplant on the runway. We cheer when fellow models lift up their fallen comrades and help them hobble away from the scene of their disgrace with as much dignity as possible. It was the designer’s fault, after all.

That’s walking. Walking can be difficult at times, and accidents happen, so they’re forgivable. But what about standing still, huh? Do you need talent for that? Again, celebrities have mastered the art of presenting their best angle when they pose for the paparazzi.
Observe:

Eeeek! Unfortunately, celebs have been standing like this for years – click and jump to a story filed in 2009!Some girls just cannot seem to resist standing pigeon-toed. This looks nauseatingly cute on an adult woman, on a par with twirling one’s hair and coyly batting one’s eyelashes. Is she trying to look all demure and dolly-like because this is what catches a man? Ugh! It makes me want to barf. When I see this in fashion editorials I want to slap the photographer (probably a man) directing the shoot. It’s offensive and insulting to the grown women reading the magazine.

Perhaps they are shy, you say. Perhaps they are not used to the spotlight and don’t know what to do with their enormous feet and hands. If that’s the case they need a coach. It is an utterly inelegant look. In fact, severe cases of actual pigeon toe are considered a form of clubfoot. Lord Byron had a clubfoot and he never had any luck with the ladies, did he? was considered the sex god of the Regency period. Hmm, ok, we’ll leave that example alone. You’ll still have to agree, it’s not a very attractive disfigurement. 

The effortlessly elegant AudreyJust ask yourself this: how would Audrey stand?*

*Audrey had a ballerina’s grace (she did study ballet after all), and ballet is in some cases actually recommended for children as a remedy for mild cases of pigeon-toe.

To Bra or Not To Bra

(A Pictorial Guide)

Lately I have been seeing a hideous sight on the streets of Melbourne. Women who, from the front, look perfectly presentable in their high-necked frocks. They pass you, and you glance back to check out the rear view of the dress you have just admired.

Shock! Horror! The dress is backless/low cut/features a keyhole cut-out/is criss-crossed with straps … and the woman is wearing a bra! What is worse is when the bra in question is grey with age. Even more heinous in evening dress than daywear.

Why? Why, why, why why? Why would anyone do this? It’s ghastly!

I am flummoxed, bewildered and most of all bothered.

There is nothing more elegant when a well-cut garment that is demure in the front is cut away in the rear, revealing a woman’s beautiful bare back. A woman who wears such a gown should be bold enough to dispense with the bra. If she is truly chic it will not even cross her mind to wear one. On the other hand, if she is that timid to go braless, then perhaps she should rethink her decision to purchase the gown. Period. Observe:

Yet another crime against chic is the clear plastic bra straps that attach to strapless bras. They are ugly. Do away with them. Even more frightening, it has come to my attention that one can purchase clear plastic straps which have been bedazzled! (Do I need to state: stay away from those tacky accessories unless you want to be mistaken for a grid girl?)

If my sage words are not enough to convice you, Ines de la Fressange, in her book Parisian Chic has this to say of them (under the heading of ‘Fashion Faux Pas’):

No-one ever gets used to them. A stylish visible bra is far sexier, and if you really want to wear a strapless dress or top, how about a strapless bra too?

So, wear the strapless bra as it is meant to be worn: strapless, under a strapless, or spaghetti-strapped garment. If it is a good quality piece of lingerie, and fitted correctly, it will hold you up. (Just remember not to jump up and down too much or something inadvertent and horrible may happen to you: scroll down to see.)