All posts tagged: charles james

Rate the Dress: Sculpture and Swoops by Charles James

Published by The Dreamstress

Oh boy was last week’s Rate the Dress ever exciting!  For a bit I thought that Mariana Victoria might actually be able to join Amelie Auguste as a 10/10, but then some people didn’t love it quite so much, and then we got into the whole issue of historical children’s clothes and all academia broke loose on my blog.  It was awesome. By the time it was over, it hardly seemed important that Mariana Victoria’s dress, while not as awesome as Amelie’s, was also awesome, and rated a 9.5 out of 10. This week’s ‘Rate the Dress’ selection is inspired by last week’s debate, but I can’t tell you why, because that would 1) sway your vote and 2) ruin the fun. Charles James has appeared on Rate the Dress previously.  He is noted for his challenging sculptural garments that reference Victorian silhouettes while retaining a distinctly fashion-forward silhouette.  This ball gown is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What do you think?  Too challenging and fashion forward?  Or only pretending to …

Rate the Dress: 1936 feathers by Charles James

Published by The Dreamstress

Last week you liked Maria Alexandra much better in the conventional fashions of the 1860s than in Russian attire – she scored a 8.5 for her frothy lace confection, much better than the 6.5 of her first rating.  Perhaps it is the genius of Winterhalter compared to the mere skill of Makarov; you certainly comment more positively on Winterhalter’s version of the outfit! Let’s look at another recognised genius this week, and see if brilliance conquers all, or if even geniuses have bad moments. Noted fashion designer Charles James began his career in the 1930s, and while his genius didn’t peak until the 1940s and 50s, this 1936 evening gown already demonstrates the masterful draping and sculptural aesthetic that James would become known for. Masterful or not, some of James’ more experimental dresses were more challenging than beautiful, and did a better job of showing off James’ ability to manipulate fabric than the charms of the wearer beneath. What do you think of this evening dress, with its boldly patterned feather fabric, muted colours, and …