Summer Fashions of 1913

Here in Australia we officially have one more month of Summer, so today some summer fashions of 1913. Following on from yesterdays paintings, first some art. I love this simple look - an unlike me today, she wouldn't get sunburnt. Mind you, I don't how how practical it would be for mowing the lawn!

Summer on the dunes. Signed and dated N.F.SCHIOTTZ=JENSEN.1913 source

The light coloured fabric is also seen here in a shot from Downton abbey. Sybil's dress on the left is an original from the period.

The girls of Downton Abbey, source

Here are some summer suits for 1913, from New York. You can download the complete e-catalogue here.

These lovely pink dresses, with matching parasols, are for the American summer of 1913.

Dresses from the Deliniator, May 1913, source

And another pink day dress from England, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Day dress, 1913, source

And dresses for visiting, or the seaside 

source

The sheer dress in the middle may be something like this one of sheer lawn.

1913 lawn "crochet" dress, on Etsy

During the early years of the 1910s the fashionable silhouette became much more lithe, fluid and soft than in the 1900s. When the Ballets Russes performed Scheherazade, based on the Arabian Nights, in Paris in 1910, a craze for all things oriental began. The couturier and artist Paul Poiret was one of the first designers to translate this vogue into the fashion world, with flowing genie like pantaloons, turbans, and vivid colors and geisha style kimonos. Styles became looser and more fluid, and many caused quite a stir..

magazine print from 1913, illustrated by Abby Underwood

Poiret dress from 1912, in natural & blue striped
woven linen, blue silk, and faux abalone buttons, source

Lovely Lady Sybil shocked all in Downton Abbey with her avant-garde harem pants, based perhaps on Poiret's harem pant collection of 1911.

Lady Sybil, source

Looks quite comfortable, don't you think?  I would probably have worn somehting like these, though - 

Summer costumes for the Middle-aged Woman, from the April 1913 Good Housekeeping magazine.

source

They are very elegant, aren't they?  Can you imagine wearing clothes like these everyday?

Deb xx

Summer at the Beach

Having some technical difficulties today, so instead of my prepared post, just some Summer images.

I have been walking the dogs on the beach each morning and afternoon, as I build up my strength before returning to work.  The afternoons are busy, for here anyway, but in the mornings I am the only human on the beach. Despite the grey clouds, it is very hot, and humid - perfect swimming weather if it weren't for the jelly fish, and possible sharks and crocodiles.

Our busy local beach, Lambert's Beach, Mackay

I love to remember my time in Sydney at the popular Bondi or Manly beaches, or even Melbourne's St Kilda Beach, and compare the amount of people!  Even one hundred years ago Sydney's beaches were crowded - but isn't it a lovely painting.

Manly Beach — Summer Is Here, 1913, by Ethel Carrick Fox. Manly Art Gallery, Sydney.

Here is another Sydney beach scene by Fox.

On Balmoral Beach, 1913, by Ethel Carrick Fox. source

Born in, Sussex in 1872, Ethel Carrick was the daughter of an English draper. She was trained at the Slade School of Art, London, under Henry Tonks (1862-1937) and Frederick Brown (1851-1941) between 1899-1903. Carrick first exhibited her work in London in 1903, and in 1904 commenced exhibiting in Paris, which she continued to do for many years. She married my other favourite artist  Emanuel Phillips Fox, in London in 1905. They travelled extensively, visiting Europe, Africa and Australia.

Mr Fox painted my all time favourite painting in 1909, Bathing hour (L'Heure de Bain), which is thought to depict a beach on France's Channel Coast. Luckily it's owned by the Queensland art gallery, and I am able to visit it every time I go to Brisbane (I do own a small print of it to).

E. Phillips Fox | Australia/France 1865-1915 | Bathing hour (L'Heure de Bain) c.1909 Queensland Art Gallery

So even if it's cold where you are, I hope I brought you some summer cheer!

Deb xxx

Twelve Vintage Christmas Trees & ours

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year –  lazy sun filled days, reading by the pool, walks on the beach, watching movies in air-conditioned comfort during the heat of the day  and cooking and crafts with the kids. And of course decorating the tree.  This year our Christmas decorations have disappeared – hopefully they are somewhere in a box awaiting rescue when we finally move one day.  So this year our tree is simple (and cheap, I spent about $10) – red, blue and gold balls and wooden decorations from the thrift shop, icicle lights that usually go on the front deck, and a bit of silver tinsel.  Our  special touch this year is the star, made by seven year old Olivia, seen here with her siblings this morning, still in their PJs before opening their presents. They really love having their photos taken, especially before they have brushed their hair!.

  

In Australia, and especially where I am in north Queensland, real Christmas trees are rare – if they can be found they are either scraggly radiata pine trees of native pines in pots.  So most people here have artificial trees.  They are easy, have the nice traditional shape and can be used year after year.  We don’t have to worry about what to do with our Christmas trees come January 13.

Artificial trees have been around for at least fifty years, and when you look at this selection of  vintage Christmas pictures from the 1960s back to 1900 you will see some pop up now and again.

Merry Christmas, and thank you for visiting, whether you are a regular or have just popped in!

As usual there are more photos on tumblr.

Girl with large walking doll, 1960s source

I always wanted one of these dolls.  When I went with my grandmother to get one for my 5th birthday in the mid 70s however, I changed my mind and got the smallest doll I could find. Hmmm

Sarah Hall and her daughter Barbara at home in Miami Shores, Christmas 1954 source

The above photo is so stylish, with an artificial white tree, but I love this next photo - how cute are they?

A cowboy Christmas, 1953 source

Christmas tree decorating 1950 

Christmas tree by the TV 1950 source

Decorating the tree . 1939 source

A 1930s tree with train at the base, source

The Dickey family in the 1920s source

If you look carefully around the net you can find photos of this family from around 1900 to 1930.  I might do that next year, although there is one of them below in 1913.

Christmas 1920s style source

The Dickey Family in 1913 source

Happy German children with their Christmas tree c. 1905 source

Frontier Christmas c. 1900 source

Deb xxx