#1980s fashions

[professorpski]

Calvin or Claire? Vogue 1793 from 1996

The question comes from my recent spotting of a very similar draped neckline in an image of Claire McCardell from the 1950s; she was an American designer who died far too young. I like this neckline because it has the crossing of the fronts above the bust which means it neither catches the bust nor droops down too low at the neckline as many surplice or wrapped bodices can do.

True, from what I can tell McCardell’s neckline seems to have been a raised neck in the back which is easier to sew, while Klein’s acts like a shawl collar, that is, the front bodice has an slender piece which extends around the neck to meet in the back. Which is an improvement to my eye because I find it fits the neck better.

And McCardell’s dress had set-in sleeves while Klein’s are dolman. Which is not an improvement to me, as it takes up LOTS of fabric, especially when you use a fabric with nap which I did with this velour. This pattern would take up much less fabric done in a fabric without nap as you could place the pieces far more closely together. McCardell did use dolman sleeves often, especially when she was placing a cotton plaid on the bias which she liked to do. You can see how dolman sleeves would make life much easier as the matching of the plaid was then limited.

And another difference was Klein used giant shoulder pads as this dress does. Women’s wear sported giant shoulder pads starting in the late 1980s and it continued into the 1990s. It was an era when women were moving into corporate leadership and apparently we all thought we would look more formidable if we dressed like linebackers. ;-)

In any case, it makes for a very nice dress and I have made it multiple times without the shoulder pads, and without the center back zipper by always using knits which makes it easy to pull on. I added a godet to long slit at the back hem.

And then I decided to make it as a top as you can see. This palomino velour had been stuck in a box for far too long which explains the creases which should come out with the first garment washing. If you have never worked with cotton-blend velour, it is medium weight fabric, has a nap, and is soft. The nap makes you want to stroke it and also means it catches the light in subtle ways.

[susoriginals]

Vintage 1980s Blue Polo Golf Shirt w 3 Button Front & Pocket Men's Medium Only $10

[leviathanhomecooking]

Movie Costumes | Sarah's ballgown, Labyrinth (1986)

[neon-wonderlands]

Tokyo 1980s

[melomancy]

Kate Bush photoshoot for the single art of ‘Babooshka’ (1980) — photographed by John Carder Bush

[yeye23]

Now, I know this is not my usual content of action sequences.... But this was in my heart. I love me some 1980s and Donnie. It just works. Inspiration comes from the amazing Vee aka @risestarkissomega! Thank you for the wonderful fashion consultant! I had a lot of fun with this! Hope you do too! The Fashion Advice! Master Post

[kitsunetsuki]

Barry McKinley - Vogue Italia (Oct. 1982)

[dewinter]

Jennifer Connelly as Sarah in Labyrinth (1986)

[wh0-is-lily]

Mia Goth in ‘MaXXXine’ (2024) ♡

[dozydawn]

[53v3nfrn5]

‘Heart and Dagger’ by Robert Mapplethorne for Helmut Lang (1982)

[twixnmix]

George Michael during Wham!'s farewell concert at Wembley Stadium in London on June 28, 1986.

Photos by Duncan Raban

[neon-wonderlands]

[melomancy]

Kate Bush in the ‘Hounds of Love’ music video (1986)

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Annie Lennox (1983)

[kitsunetsuki]

Peter Lindbergh - Le Touquet, 1988, from Alaïa by François Baudot (1996)