Tuesday, February 28, 2017

History of the Zipper

This post is written in response to this article on the history of the zipper.

As any reader may know, I love history. However I never stopped to consider the history of the zipper. It's an invention I had always taken for granted, never imagining a world without zippers!
Well the zipper had a long run before becoming a common clothing notion. It was actually the man who invented the sewing machine who first invented the modern zipper, called the "Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure."
from http://www.andreaschewedesign.com/
Even though he received a patent, Howe never really pursued the creation of the zipper. The actual introduction of the zipper can be owed to Whitcomb Judson and, most importantly, Gideon Sundback. Judson has been credited as the "father of the zipper," however his actual design, called the "Clasp Locker" received little commercial success. Sundback was head designer at Judson's company, Universal Fastener Company, where he recreated and improved the design of the zipper. He also invented the machine to create zippers. It was his design that first started being used on boots and tobacco pouches, which then later spread to clothing.
 

Monday, February 27, 2017

Academy Awards Fashion!

The Academy Awards, often referred to as the Oscars, are one of fashion's favorite events, and it's not hard to see why. Gowns this year were sophisticated and elegant, waving goodbye to the minimalism that has dominated in years past. Menswear shined too, proving that fashion is not just just for women! Color this year, however, was a safe zone, with the exception of a couple bright reds and yellows. For the most part, gowns stuck with black, white, silver and gold. The most striking gowns, in my opinion, were black and bold, with the structure of the dress as the feature. Here are a few of my favorite womensear looks:
Brie Larson in Oscar de la Renta
Janelle Monae in Elie Saab

Taraji P. Henson in Alberta Ferretti
Looking at all of the looks as a whole, it's clear that anything with shine was the way to go. Many dresses were metallic or bedazzled, or with shiny fabric. 
Another thing I noticed was that dresses tended to fall to two extremes, with the skirts being either very narrow or fantastically full. 

Even among tuxes, which often look pretty much identical, there was a lot of room for style and individuality. Here are a few of my favorite menswear looks: 

Mahershala Ali in Ermenegildo Zegna
Viggo Mortenson in Dior
Dev Patel in Burberry
And on a final note, is 2007 relly back already??? Please tell me this isn't true. While not as appalling as the Golden Globes, there were still a couple mid 2000's looks that made me want to cringe. (Looking at you Teresa Palmer and Halle Berry!) Maybe I'm just not ready for this era of fashion to be back? What do you think? Are these looks ahead, or behind? Let me know!

All images from http://www.eonline.com/