Kate Strasdin

A short sleeved shift style dress with a deep V neck. The fabric is textured and has a pattern of black flowers against a red background. There is a wide sash like belt that wraps the waist

Textured and glamorous with its deep V neck, #Balenciaga was a master at fabric selection to complement his construction. The splendour of this black and red floral dares to 1960 #RISDMuseum #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Museum Purchase, 1939

Trousers
https://botfrens.com/collections/223/contents/99348

Th V&A published a facsimile of this book a few years ago so you might find an affordable copy!

Bodice detail of a layered pale blue chiffon short sleeved dress with lace triumphant. The pointed bodice is ruched and gathered

Full length view of the front of the pale blue c1905 Lucile gown with a pointed bodice and a skirt that includes lace trimmed gauze panels

Back view of the c1905 pale blue chiffon dress showing the arrangement of the skirt and bodice from a different angle

A page from Lucile’s look book showing the same pale blue dress illustrated by hand and around the edges various pieces of cloth and trim for the client to decide upon

Lucile was a canny businesswoman. One of her fascinating legacies is the survival of her ‘look books’, hand coloured fashion drawings with swatches of fabric that she sent to favoured clients to choose from. Here, the Carresault gown 1905 #V&A #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

BBC Radio 4 - Thinking Allowed, Extreme Sports Laurie Taylor hears about research into ultra running and women mountaineers.

Today I'm speaking with the legendary Laurie Taylor on BBC Radio 4 Thinking Allowed, about the magnificent Dorothy Pilley, and how she faced down contempt and ridicule in her pursuit of high altitude mountaineering. With brilliant author Carl Morris on distance running.
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American socialite and interior decorator Caroline Lee Radziwill was born #OnThisDay in 1933. She was photographed wearing a version of Yves Saint Laurent's A/W 1966 Rive Gauche collection cocktail dress. The metallic silk-brocade dress was sold by Timeless Vixen. #fashionhistory

This week will be a somewhat controversial color- orange. People are often scared that they can't pull off orange, but this week, I'll feature dresses that show the beauty of this color. Let's start with this 1890 Worth satin and velvet afternoon gown. #Fashionhistory #ootd

Yes they had metallic sequins and spangles throughout the nineteenth century and by the end of the century even some early celluloids

Front view of a pale orange ruched velvet dress with long sleeves and a long skirt. It has ruching around the neck and a matching cap

Back view of the pale orange 1930s velvet dress that shows the wide sleeves and drape of the skirt

A partial view of the 1930s pale orange velvet dress that highlights the ruching at the neckline and shows the matching cap with silk bow at the back

This looks as if it were a fun wedding dress worn by Arline Nelson in 1935. The dress itself is all kinds of crinkled velvet loveliness but that little matching cap! #NewfieldsToday #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

#Ootd is this 1967 George Halley evening dress. The full navy taffeta skirt is lovely, but the true highlight is the ivory floral bodice, which features 3D appliques of various flowers. A year later, Halley received a Coty award for his romantic, standout gowns #fashionhistory

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Lillian E. Glenn Peirce and Mabel Glenn Cooper, 1929

Dressing gown
https://botfrens.com/collections/223/contents/95696

Thank you, that is really kind of you! 🤗

Oh but you can! Open leg drawers and away you go!

The bodice detail showing the back of a blue 1860s crinoline dress. The fabric has a black and white stripe. There is a silk bow centre back of the waist and the edges are trimmed with a fine blue silk fringe

A full length view of the back of the early 1860s blue crinoline dress that shows the various details of the bodice and then the broad expanse of the skirt

When the bigger picture is a little too much to take in, then a focus on some details can offer some welcome distraction. There is much to distract here from striped silk to bows and a shivery fringe. Early #1860s #V&A #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Emma Crampton Trainer, 1968

Fixed fan
https://botfrens.com/collections/223/contents/98516

Gift of Miss Irene Lewisohn, 1940

Mitts
https://botfrens.com/collections/223/contents/99250

Side view of Balmain’s black evening dress consisting of a vest style strappy bodice and a full, layered, pleated tulle skirt

Front view of the late 1950s black Balmain evening dress showing how the different layers of the skirt fall in different positions and shapes around the legs

A detail of one of the gathered and pleated tulle rosettes that was used to create the fullness in the layered skirt of Balmain’s late 1950s evening dress

No need to embellish the bodice when there is so much to see in the fullness of the skirt. Pierre Balmain created the layers of the skirt with huge rosettes of pleated tulle between stiff layers of crin. The black swan on cocktail night, 1957, #V&A #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Gift of Mr. Louis G. Smith, 1940

Stockings
https://botfrens.com/collections/223/contents/97616

I’m not sure in this instance

The bodice of a pale yellow silk late 1880s dress embroidered either side of the centre with flowers and stem of daffodils

Full length view of the late 1880s pale yellow dress which cuts away to reveal a petticoat beneath. It has embroidered daffodils running the length of the gown and around to the train as well

A detail of one of the embroidered yellow daffodils worked in long and short silk shading stitch for a painterly effect

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day to my Welsh friends, family and of course Mr S himself. Thus beautiful daffodil strewn late #1880s gown is a perfect tribute #AmericanMuseum #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

#Ootd is actually a two-for-one- both dark blue sequined 1930s Chanel evening gowns. The first is from 1932, and its silk tulle is covered head to toe in blue sequins. The second was made in 1939, from the same materials, but the sequins cascade like fireworks from the bodice, down

It’s March, so it has to be the daffodil dress 🌼

A side by side image of a sleeveless 1920s flapper style evening dress consisting of a sage green sequin background with black and gold sequinned floral motifs

The slick, wet look sequins used in the creation of this mid #1920s evening dress are made from cellophane. For over 30 years, sisters Anna & Laura Tirocchi brought European style over America in their Providence RI shop. This is one of their choices #RISDMuseum #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Ceremonial Kazakh dress worn #onthisday in 2018 by girls waiting to welcome NASA astronauts Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin (depicted as matryoshka dolls) back from 168 days onboard the International Space Station at Zhezkazgan Airport in Kazakhstan. #OTD 📷 NASA

Gift of Mrs. Van S. Merle-Smith, 1953

Shawl
https://botfrens.com/collections/223/contents/102540

A pale lavender coloured long dress with long sleeves and two rows of matching covered buttons centre front. It has a matching silk tassel belt hanging from the wait and white collar and cuffs

Back view of the lavender coloured dress showing the shape of the bodice and skirt

A close up of the bodice of the lavender coloured dress showing the rows of buttons and double silk cord around the waist. It also focuses on the neat whitework collar

An alternative detail of the lavender coloured c1911 dress, this time a partial view of the skirt with its two rows of buttons and the off centre knot of the silk cord which drops to the tassel. The whitework cuffs are also visible

I always feel as if I can discern something of the personality of Heather Firbank through the extensive wardrobe she left behind. Muted matching shades and a careful neatness makes me wonder at the woman behind the garments. Dress by Mascotte c1911 #V&A #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

British-Ghanaian fashion designer Ozwald Boateng was born #OnThisDay in 1967. He designed this purple man's suit, consisting of a high closing jacket with angled pockets and tapered trousers made from wool, polyester and mohair, in 1996. V&A collection. #fashionhistory

A strapless ballgown consisting of a long white many layered net skirt topped with a pale blue tightly ruched strapless bodice. The top of the décolletage has an asymmetrical spray of pink silk flowers drifting to one side

A close up of the pale blue ruched bodice of the 1950s strapless ballgown by Ceil Chapman that shows the arrangement of the pink silk flowers along the neckline

All the colours of tentative spring time, pale and with a wash of blue, the hyper glam of Ceil Chapman deployed in a strapless ballgown. The skirt is a fluff of layers and the bodice wraps the torso tight with a spray of flowers peeping. Sold via #1stdibs, 1950s #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Front view of printed cotton caraco (jacket) with elbow length sleeves, MET

Side view of printed cotton caraco (jacket), MET

Back view of printed cotton caraco (jacket) with pleats, MET

Close up view of C18th printed cotton with small red flowers of caraco (jacket), MET

18th century cotton caraco, Belgian. Via The Met.

The bodice section of a late 1890s green wool gown showing how the embellished appliqué decorates the surface, particularly around the wait with floral stems. Flowers decorate the top of the bodice. It has a high collar

An alternative detail of the bodice decoration on the late 1890s mint green wool dress showing the ivory coloured floral appliqués

A side by side view that shows two different angles of the late 1890s green wool dress with long skirt and cutaway hem treatment revealing the underskirt beneath

This is a favourite for a Friday, a minty green wool blend gown by Coguenhem & Cie lavishly embellished with art nouveau florals, tendrils climbing the bodice and blooming across the shoulders. Late #1890s #madparisfr #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡