First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

filed in Fashion Forward

What the Well-Dressed American Woman Wears

May 17, 2010 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

I’ve been vicariously enjoying the gorgeous clothes on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition, American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity. Check out the gowns, shoes, headpieces and ready-to-wear (love the Tweed Toga!!) from the 1890’s to the mid-twentieth century. This 1955 black evening dress, above, was designed by Norman Norell, credited as the the “father of American high fashion,” who paved the way for Halston, Bill Blass and James Galanos. Here are more of my favorites:

Evening Dress, 1945, Balenciaga

Cocktail dress, 1965, Coco ChanelBootlets, 1947, Salvatore Ferragamo

19th century headdress

Evening ensemble, 1958, Arnold Scaasi

The “Tweed Toga”, 1943, Bonnie Cashin

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