J.B. Taylor

American Wool-Man.

While browsing the Metropolitan Museum's newly acquired fashion collection, inherited from the Brooklyn Museum, I discovered this stunning French wool sweater made in 1895 (on left), which was featured in the Met's recent American Woman exhibit . . . shortly thereafter, I stumbled across the exact same pullover in Vogue, knocked-off stitch-by-stitch courtesy of Ralph Lauren (with the exception of the horn buttons and cashmere yarn) for $1,498. Have you ever seen a more perfect Winter jumper, just waiting for a romatic ice-skating date in Central Park? Le sigh . . .

FIDM-mmm-mmm.

I recently discovered the wonderful FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) blog, where they post about special acquisitions for the museum and galleries located on their Los Angeles campus. Here are a few inspiring items i'd love to one day meet, face to fabric . . .

(L to R): Marlene Dietrich's gown from A Foreign Affair designed by Irene & Edith Head c.1949, Dietrich wearing the gown during a USO tour in 1944 or 1945.

Suit of Lights jacket worn by Rudolph Valentino in Blood and Sand designed by his wife Natacha Rambova c.1922, Vivienne Westwood ensemb' c.Autumn/Winter-1993.

Detail of a silk faille dress designed by Madame Olympe Boisse of New Orleans, c.1866

All photos: FIDM Museum

Vintager Boo-tique.

October has arrived, so for all my vintage vamps and sinister Sadies, i've listed two especially spooky frocks in my Vintager Boutique, perfect for both Hallow's Eve galas and Siouxsie Sioux concerts.

The first frock (SOLD) is an elegantly macabre number, designed in a hypnotically curvy wiggle-style that would have Elvira, Vampira and Morticia all a'drool . . .

The second dress (SOLD) is a wickedly scorching go-go length mini with super-long fringed sleeves, calling to mind Ozzy Osbourne's covetable 1970s stage costumes . . .

These naughty dresses are much too intense for my current country closet, so i'd love for them to go to some brilliantly bad girls before the season of spooks has taken leave ; )

Caftan Call.

Lord knows I love a good muumuu. And in my hunt for the most inspiring tent-frocks throughout history, i've discovered that Thea Porter is responsible for the creme de la creme of caftans. here are some jems i've uncovered, perfect for the comfee cosmic Earth mama in us all . . .

Photos: Kerry Taylor Auctions, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Augusta Auctions, Decades Inc., VAM (U.K.)

The Turbanator.

Spring has arrived, and i've begun dreaming of a wardrobe filled with rayon '40s frocks in floral & ethnic patterns, platform espadrilles, and a rainbow of eclectic turbans. I'd recently remembered a fun interview with Erykah Badu, from back in the '90s, where the journalist inquired as to what her huge yellow turban meant to her, and Badu hazily replied that it was basically a symbol of her inner-royalty and wrapping her mind "in knowledge". I'm all for that trippy theory, but am also jazzed at the prospect of wrapping my head in dazzling rajah regalia. Here are some divine looks to inspire you into becoming a fellow turban cowgirl this season . . .

(Above, L to R): '70s British Vogue, '70s Paris Vogue featuring Dayle Haddon, '70s Harpers & Queen magazine.

Carmen Miranda (aka; The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat), flanked by head vases designed in her likeness c.1940s.

My (sneaky) photos from the 2007 Paul Poiret: King of Fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum, showing examples of the magical designer's Orientalist inspirations. C'est manifique!

Socialites at an exotic-themed 1925 fun-raising soireé held in Manhattan's Plaza Hotel (photo by Edward Steichen).

Favorite Biba-model Ingrid Boulting (as the genie of all my fashion dreams) from  British Vogue c.1970s, and a romantic 1920s rajah illustration.

 

Rudolph Valentino (ambassador of the turban as seductive style statement), seen on the left with Vilma Banky in the 1926 silent film, Son of the Sheik, (middle) on the cover of a posthumous fan magazine with his  turban-obsessed costume designing wife, muse and manager, Natacha Rambova, and again in 1926 with Banky.

 

Faye Dunaway playing diva extraordinaire Joan Crawford in the 1981 cult film, Mommie Dearest (which i'm not ashamed to admit I can recite word for word), and the inimitable Greta Garbo, who's face was simply made for said chapeau.

 

Vintage pastel rainbow taffeta Don Anderson–New York turban c.1960s (currently $49.99 on eBay), chic fashion-weeker donning a cashmere coat, Jackie O's and vintage silk scarf turban (photo: Tommy Ton of Style), and vintage  graphic psychedelic silk  Lazarus turban hat c.late-1960s ($169.99 on eBay).

 

Yours truly in a favorite leopard fringed cashmere scarf (wrapping pretty things around my head sometimes cures writer's block), and a fringed John Frederics number c.1941 from the archives of the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute

 

Model Helen Bennett wearing a turban and dress by Balenciaga c.1938 (photo: Horst P. Horst), Elsa Schiaparelli in one of her own creations, and Loretta Young in a cashmere turban with silk flowers c.1940 (photo: John Rawlings, who is one of my all-time faves)

 

Gorgeous Murad Turkish cigarette advertisements c.1920s, inspired by Orientalist art (which there was a craze for, during the jazz age)

Sterling and bakelite fur clip c.1940s by Sandor, Baronne van Zuylen at the Egyptian Pyramid of Khafre in a gold lamé turban c.1965, sterling, amethyst and opal brooch by Tono (Antonio Paneda)  c.1945 ($3,900 here)

Amazing blues songstress Ethel Waters c.early-1930s, Lana Turner in the classic 1946 Film Noir The Postman Always Rings Twice, Rudolph Valentino wearing a turban designed by his wife Natacha, and Joan Crawford in an embroidered sweater/turban set, at a Hollywood malt shop c.1939

 

Striped silk faille turban topper from Saks Fifth Ave.'s Debutante Shop c.1930s (sold by nancybcat on eBay), model in a colorful and surreal parrot turban (how Prada is this?) c.1939 (photo: Toni Frissell), 1970s Yves Saint Laurent silk scarf chapeau ($225 on Etsy)

 

Purple velvet knotted turban c.1940s, Pola Negri vamping on the cover of Photoplay c.1920s, and a Dior–Paris for Saks velvet turban c.1960s (sold by 1860-1960 on eBay)

A still of exotic actor Sabu in the absolutely gorgeous 1947 Powell and Pressburger film, Black Narcissus (a must see based on the colors alone, not to mention the spooky story, stunning art direction and unforgettable performances).

Om shanti shanti shanti.