La Boheme: An Original Egyptian Revival Flapper Photo

If you type in Egyptian Revival and flapper photo, let's just say you get a fair amount of results.  What interests me about this photo are a few things: one it is mine, an original photograph and number two- look at her so moody, so deco, and so so Egyptian revival and bohemian..... The hits don't stop there, I found her at an estate sale on a bedroom dresser... sort of falling out of an old original little wooden frame.  No she is not a postcard, but a snapshot.  Maybe she was an actress? 

Antique Photograph, circa 1920s. Woman in bohemian Egyptian revival attire. Sarara Vintage, rights reserved.

Alas, until now nothing has surfaced about her identity. Possibly she was just a family member, with an attitude!  Whoever she is, I think you will enjoy her dark deco charm.  This comes directly from my archive and maybe the only one surviving image. If anyone knows who she is, let me know- actress or not.  For now here is a found and salvaged historical 1920s image.

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Flapper Wedding: Ruby's Dress, Circa 1927

Sarara Vintage Styling of Ruby Becker's Wedding Dress, 1927. Shary Connella photography.

My quest for great art deco era clothing and jewelry has yielded up a find.  Whenever interesting or well preserved I try to share these acquisitions here with you. 

Sarara Vintage Styling of Ruby Becker's Wedding Dress, 1927. Shary Connella photography.
This is an especially sentimental little treasure in my eyes, a 1920s wedding dress, prepared and archived by it's original owner complete with graduation announcement, ostrich feathers, lace hankie, and silk floral pin. 

Archival images by Sarara Vintage

When I opened the box for the first time I found all the items neatly arranged, probably labeled sometime more recently due to the permanent marker inscriptions-done by Ruby herself in her later years.
                                             

Images by Sarara Vintage, Corsage, open box...

Inscribed: "My Wedding Dress and Corsage. Grad announcements and Class Colors" with her name to the side.  On the top of the box we see a label pertaining to the original box seems to have been reused. It has the name Warren P. Fulton and Frannie Wyoming on it, possibly the date of 35... The note inside states the wedding date as 3-17-1927. The same year of her graduation per the card inside. 

Graduation Card image, Sarara Vintage.

The style of this dress and accessories is truly flapper in character. Many people describe 20s dresses as "flapper" when they technically are not "flapper" in design.  This dress has the shorter length, drop waist and long sash as well as the original ostrich feathers. The two feathers used in our photographs were bent in a circle at their ends most likely pinned in the hair or on a band which was not preserved.  We placed the ostrich feathers to the side sort of angled and pinned in the hair.From the style of the dress is seems that Ruby Becker had a flapper wedding in 1927! Not much is known about her life, indeed all I can find so far is just that is was from Wyoming probably Frannie and graduated from high school in 1927.  Frannie Wyoming today has a population of about 200. I would love to find a pic of our Ruby but for now let's enjoy her wonderful wedding dress.

Sarara Vintage Styling of Ruby Becker's Wedding Dress, 1927. Shary Connella photography.

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1920s Velvet: Fashion Service Magazine

I have been working on gathering up my magazine archives and adding to them.  I am focusing on the 1920s and 30s right now. I have just added two Vogue magazines from the 1920s to the collection.  I will be sharing some of those images here on the blog. They are great sources for fashion inspiration and vintage collectors. The Fashion Service Magazine was published under the Women's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences.  This little 16 page publication contained new millinery styles being discussed, women's financial security and business opportunities, daytime frocks, the mode for autumn, winter outfits and Halloween ideas.

Fashion Service Magazine Illustration. Alice Seipp.  Image archive by Sarara Vintage.

The issue I own is the October 1928 edition. The illustration I chose to bring you is that of the cover, by Alice Seipp. Alice illustrated and wrote articles on the current fashions.  Alice was born in 1889 and a known illustrator based in New York City.  This particular cover image seen above, pertained to the inside article on page 11- How to Handle Velvet.  It is described as: "an afternoon frock of sheer velvet, the acme of chic among fabrics, in wine red, as suggestive of the season as the color of ripening fruits"(Fashion Service).  Firstly, why doesn't anyone write about fashion like this anymore! Wow, so delicious.  The article discusses how to sew and handle velvet.

The Fashion Service was a publication by the Women's Institute as mentioned, which was meant to school women and young seamstresses in the current techniques, patterns and styles.

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Why I am in love with late 1920s gowns!

Louisiana State Museum Archive: Paul Poiret Evening Gown, circa 1929, far left. Image property of LSM.

I have to admit, as you may know if you have read the blog before, I love Paul Poiret and his designs.  Yet, I never really stopped to think about the way the gown evolved in the 20s, especially the mid to late part of the era.  Poiret has many such examples, as the dress above: "This gown was worn to the donor's wedding by her mother-in-law and is an example of the lower hemlines worn by the end of the 1920s. Although the innovative designer Paul Poiret was struggling to keep his Paris couture house open by this time, one of his great contributions to women's fashions-the elimination of the corset-is in full view in this lightweight and almost shapeless gown" (Louisana State Museum online).  See the gown here at the, Museum archive. However, it was not until I came across this dress at an estate of a lady who had many family pieces ranging from the 1800s-1940s, that I was hit with their beauty.  This dress because it was long could be accidently lumped into the 30s however, upon further inspection you see the drop waist, the deco triangular cuts and ruffles of the drop waist and the construction such as side snaps dating it the later 20s. Late 1920s Paste Stone and Chiffon Gown. Images by Sarara Vintage.                   Closer look at Rhinestones and Dress. Images Sarara Vintage. Available Here. From the mid to late 20s there is a definite emphasis on patterns and length beginning.  As the FIDM museum states about 20s design in general:

"Vibrant patterns and bold colors are common characteristics of textiles dating from the 1920s. Rejecting the Belle Epoque palette of off-white and cream accented with pale pink or soft blue, textile designers drew from a variety of eclectic sources to create patterns showcasing a rainbow of saturated colors. Design inspiration came from near and far, with elements of European folk art, modern art movements, non-western cultures and classical civilizations all influencing 1920s textile designs. Though noteworthy in their own right, these textiles were also part of a larger design movement called Art Deco. Originating in France around 1910, Art Deco was based on a luxurious interpretation of modern life. The movement influenced all areas of design, including architecture, fashion, graphic design and decorative arts. Disseminated via the well-attended Paris Exposition of 1925, Art Deco became a universal style that influenced both mass-produced and elite design throughout the world" (http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/1920s/).  

Bridgeman Art Library in NYC has a great assortment of Poiret images/designs, many include long 1920s looks.  You can see them here:

Bridgeman Image.  See http://www.bridgemanart.com

                                     Here's a Hommage to this longer 20s dress style. Enjoy!

The Way We Wore, 1920s Velvet Dress.

Vintage Textile Dress, 1929.

Jessie Franklin Turner Evening Dress, late 1920s. Met Museum Archive and image.

1928 McCall Magazine. From projectwedding.com

My other mid to late 20s dress is a longer style, not quite a gown but a dress up piece with golden metallic thread and chiffon. It is excellent which is rare in these delicate pieces.  It is listed now in the shop at this link: Sarara Vintage along with other items 1920s or before.

Image property of Sarara Vintage. 1920s Metallic Dress photographs.

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