Monday, December 01, 2008

Vintage Clothing for Vintage Interiors




Do you ever see an outfit or an item of clothing that reminds you of a particular interior? Or am I the only one who does this? (I suspect not!) So, while I was browsing through the online catalogue of Leslie Hindman's upcoming Vintage Couture and Accessories auction (Dec. 3), I started to play a game with myself where I would try to find interiors that were reminiscent of or appropriate venues for these couture gems. Do I have too much time on my hands? Perhaps. But it is kind of fun to figure out where one might wear a particular Scaasi or Pucci if one had the opportunity to do so. Here's what I came up with:




If a date ever shows up at my home wearing an Hermès silk shirt like this, I might not let him get past the door. But I suppose that back in the early 1970s, I might have approved of his choice of attire. And the man who wore this shirt would have looked right at home in this room designed by Brown and Morrow.



Had I had the chance to visit Ava Gardner in her Madrid apartment (seen above and decorated by George Stacey), I would have worn this cream satin toreador cape. Certainly it would have been a bit incongruous in a rather staid apartment like this, but I would have worn it as a tribute to Gardner's well-known weakness for bullfighters.



I'm a closet maximalist, so had Diana Vreeland invited me to her Garden in Hell, I think that this Yves Saint Laurent Leopard Print Wool Dress might have been my choice. It might have clashed like crazy with DV's red floral print fabric, but I think she would have approved of this dress. Oh, and I probably would have accessorized with some Kenny Jay Lane.



In the spirit of a "Hunt Breakfast on a Kentucky Plantation", I think this Hermès sweater would have been a nice touch. Sure it's a bit themey, but how often are you invited to a hunt breakfast in Kentucky, especially one designed by Valerian Rybar?



These Chanel cameo earrings scream Dorothy Draper circa 1930s. I can't decide if they're evocative of the Hotel Carlyle or Hampshire House (seen above)- or both!

Image at top: I'd wear this Scaasi ensemble (c.1950s) anywhere and everywhere. It would be me and my Scaasi!

18 comments:

  1. I'm not letting you go out with the guy in that shirt no matter where he takes you, but each and every combination is perfection. Great fun post - and I know you had a ball putting it together.

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  2. Thanks Patricia! Glad to know you've got my back! ;)

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  3. I have always loved the Ava Gardner apartment ... staid but elegant ... and rather lively, I'm sure, with all those matador lovers.

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  4. Aesthete- If those walls could talk, I'm sure they'd tell some interesting if not salacious stories!

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  5. Jennifer -- I caught a bad bug over the weekend so I'm in too much of a fog to say something smart, but I had to pause and say hats off for creativity! This is brilliant.

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  6. I felt like I was on a game show when I saw the leopard dress and yelled "Diane Vreeland" outloud.

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  7. Oh no Courtney! Hope you feel better very soon!

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  8. Mary- Ha! Great minds think alike. That dress screams DV! :)

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  9. Great idea for a post. (Given my penchant for changing clothing, I'm afraid that I'd have a breakdown in a couple of those rooms, though. What colour does a chameleon turn when he goes feet up?) The blue and white shirt needs a whitewashed room on Capri...

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  10. Anonymous2:13 PM

    The YSL dress is amazing - leoaprd just never goes out of style
    I'm also really into cameos

    love this blog

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  11. E&E- Perhaps that shirt should have been worn at Valentino's blue and white retreat in Capri!

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  12. Susan- I adore that YSL dress. What I would give to have it!

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  13. Anonymous11:01 AM

    Ooooo... you are good!!!
    Christy

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  14. Anonymous9:29 PM

    I've never actually thought of associating a particular item of clothing with a particular room, but it's a fun idea!

    I have certainly taken inspiration for a project myself from fashion (or art), as do many other designers. This is a great post illustrating how that kind of cross-disciplinary influence can work.

    Wendy

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  15. This is a bit off topic, but do you -- or perhaps another reader -- know if the Vreeland interior image is true color? I've seen photos of that room that range from nearly burgundy to bright tomato red. I've always wondered which shade it was.

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  16. Anonymous3:27 AM

    Brilliant idea. Don't stop here; keep going...

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  17. Anonymous1:29 PM

    Wonderful post! So much fun.
    KDM

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  18. I am totally in love with the fabric on the 1st picture

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