Simply..stylish....

11/10/2017

I've been on this theme for well over a week but it has led me to such interesting places - sociology, psychology, history, nostalgia.... There are some great books and blogs to explore.

I reminisced in yesterday's post about my family's interest in making things, clothes included. The things they made were more homely than fashionable but in my father's family (coal miners) Great Aunt Jen, Aunt Nan who worked in the fashion department of a big store, and Aunt Margaret who was very pretty had style.

Aunt Jen was housekeeper to a wealthy family, and when she visited home, a two roomed house (that's not two bed-roomed, that's two-roomed with outside toilet shared with another family) I remember her furs, hats, discreet make up, jewellery and perfume - all in the best of taste, and understated, never flamboyant. The lovely thing was she was perfectly at ease about these things and shared her pleasure in them with us all. I think ease with whatever you are wearing is a hallmark of real style. She was quite a character, with a great sense of humour, and I wish I knew more about her. She holidayed in Switzerland. Switzerland!! It might as well have been the moon.

We were thrifty and frugal but knew quality when we saw it. I remember my Mum showing me how some cloth was full of dressings which would wash out and leave the fabric limp. She would also examine the weave for closeness (thread count though we didn't call it that).

Studying Printed Textiles at Glasgow School of Art further refined my eye for good quality, design, and style and when I see someone or something with style I always do a quick analysis - it's fascinating to me, and fun.

What were your influences?

My Mum knitted me this beautiful jacket to a Kaffe Fassett design.

10 Comments

Mary

12/10/2017 01:42:50 am

The Kaffe Fassett sweater knit by your Mum is a treasure. So utterly gorgeous. Wish I had more of the things my mother made me.

Would say my mother was my strongest influence. Born in London in 1909, she didn't marry until she was 36. She was in the St Johns Ambulance Service during WWII, driving an ambulance during the Blitz. It was required that women wear trousers, but my mother strongly objected and only rarely acquiesced. Though working class, during the late 1920-40s she took her clothes to a tailor to have them fitted to her taste. I only ever saw her wear trousers once--on a family ski trip-where she fell and broke her wrist on the first day--never wore trousers again.

Her consistent style in later years was to wear A-line dresses with pockets, elbow-length sleeves, a buttoned placket in front worn with a thin belt at the waist and a Cameo broach at the neckline (only wore the broach when she went out). She made most of these dresses herself. In winter, these dresses were worn with a cardigan. Makeup was minimal and only worn when she went out--nothing more than quick dab of powder on her nose and a swipe of lipstick. Not a fussy woman. Neither am I.

Gail

12/10/2017 02:20:21 am

Your lovely sweater is a treasure

Swissrose link

12/10/2017 03:17:50 am

That knit is fabulous - I have never had the patience to do a Kaffe Fassett pattern! Respect :)

I think earlier generations didn't highlight their skills, considering them more or less "normal" in the days when little was even available off the peg and most women simply couldn't afford them, plus the fit wouldn't be as good as if you fitted a dress, skirt or blouse yourself. I imagine those clothes didn't have a very good reputation! Then the wars... My grandmother's family all seemed to sew, knit, embroider etc. as the necessity arose and with 9 children in the family, I dare say it was a constant round. Granny always sewed her own clothes, helped with her siblings' and of course my mother's throughout WWII and was very artistic in how she changed garments to follow fashion! My mother now complains she "messed them about" lol but she did so until she was 95... Granny's youngest sister was actually a professional seamstress and her sister-in-law and a very good friend were wonderful knitters so if there was any skill lacking, there was always someone to turn to. My mother therefore also learnt how to sew her own things (though she says she could never manage to knit - she crochets!) and a certain amount filtered down to me. That is, I will follow a pattern and get on with it but am not really perfectionist enough, at least for sewing! It was my great aunt Mary who taught me to knit when I was 4, though I really only took it up properly at about 17. The influences have certainly left me fairly unafraid to attempt most things if necessary, I even sewed myself a dirndl once and Granny and my mom made my wedding dress (as Granny had made her own - we still have the belt because the rest got used up in the war for petticoats...). Now I am proud that of my three daughters, the eldest sews and knits wonderful things for her brood of four, the second knits beautifully and the youngest is a trained seamstress/couturière!! Family influence, anyone?!

Lucille link

12/10/2017 09:07:04 am

That jumper is of heirloom quality and will never date. How beautiful.
I still use my mother's Husqvarna sewing machine to make clothes for granddaughter and yesterday, felt vegetables on demand and a small bag.
She used to make a great many of our clothes, especially shift dresses and tent dresses in needlecord and brightly flowered prints and I followed suit. We spent hours poring over those heavy pattern books and heaving fabric rolls off the shelves. When funds were tight I tie- dyed sheets and made long dresses out of those. She also used to sit with her sewing box and mend and darn. I still have her darning mushroom but don't think I ever mastered the art.
I probably knit more than she did, especially small garments but find it gives me neck ache! It was my mother-in-law who knitted for us and the children. She was very skilled but had to be subtly guided on her pattern and colour choices! My aunty Mary was wonderfully stylish and a fantastic seamstress and knitter. Sadly I didn't see much of her. I inherited a wide flat silver cuff from her. It was her trade mark. Unfortunately we were burgled and that was taken. My only cousin is also a brilliant dress maker and professional upholsterer.
My style became pretty fixed from the age of 18 when I went to art college. Jeans. Headscarf. Duffel coat. Grandad shirt. Desert boots or clogs. I do remember having a few cheesecloth shirts. I couldn't be persuaded to wear dresses and still find them problematical.

Lotta link

12/10/2017 02:02:14 pm

Am with you on dresses Lucille - would much rather be in jeans and a duffel coat!

Lotta link

12/10/2017 01:57:16 pm

Growing up in a very cold house on a farm meant that our clothes tended to be geared towards warmth, comfort and practicality. Mostly casual, they were colourful and fun thanks to my mother's taste, and good quality fabrics that lasted. My grandmother who knitted and sewed often made things for us when we were little. I liked what I wore and had some say in the matter, but had absolutely no concept of fashion or style until I went to boarding school at 12, and suddenly it mattered what you wore. (We were allowed to wear our own clothes in the evenings and on weekends.) It was a crash course on fitting in, which I simultaneously embraced and rebelled against, the latter winning out eventually after years of discomfort. I'm still trying to find my own sense of style all these years later.

Freda

12/10/2017 03:06:28 pm

I have LOVED reading all your influence stories (I feel I know you better). The skills and the sharing and making things together, the inventiveness, the creativity - what a lot we have in common and yet each of our stories is unique, as is each of our styles. I really appreciate you sharing them here.

Viv link

13/10/2017 01:42:39 am

Hi Freda - just having to do a lot of catching up at the moment - your posts sound very interesting about clothes.
I did fashion and printed textiles at Art College inspired by a student taking Fashion Design who just happened to visit our school with her sketchbook. I had been sewing since the age of six as my grandma was a tailoress. My mum never sewed but knitted all the time. The beautiful jacket from your mum is a treasure. All the time at school I would have a piece of sewing on my knee under the desk and often got told off for it but it never stopped my passion. I made my own clothes, my sister's clothes, my mum's clothes and even for neighbours. I used to go down to the 'rag and tag' market in Sheffield for a bag of material scraps and then the Monday market in Huddersfield where you could find very cheap Liberty and Sanderson fabrics amongst the Crimplene! I opened a boutique after my training in the seventies and designed and manufactured most of the clothes we sold until I went to work for New Look patterns. They were good days.

Grace

14/10/2017 12:56:48 am

Simply stunning!

Julia

14/10/2017 04:03:38 am

The jacket is smashing Freda! A real treasure to hand down. How old were you when she made it? And do you still wear it? My clothes were all made by my mother and grandmother, (who also made my doll clothes). My other gradnmother knitted clothes for the dolls..:-) here is a cute story...my sewing grandmother was always short of money...but she had wanted to make some pajamas for my doll for christmas...christmas day, we noted that the doll pajamas were the same fabric as grandmother's pajamas...and that grandmother now had a patch of older fabric on the back of her pajama top!

Simply..stylish....

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