(P)interesting

A short while ago, I mentioned joining Pinterest. As I announced, I 've been adding images and creating new boards gradually and I'm not even close to half-way through my magazine collection yet.

And yet, certain patterns start to emerge... Of course, some things, like the amount of images in each issue of a vintage magazine have nothing to do with my preferences but other things are pretty telling.

I knew I liked skirts with flounces. That's why I made one. And they were among my reasons for liking the years 1949 to 1951, and starting with adding those. But really, there is some seriously lovely stuff there. I know I already made a flounce dress, but I may need another. Or a suit...

And then pockets. Like many seamstresses, I like my clothes to have pockets. I also like pockets to be a design feature. And I'm not afraid of wearing a garment with eye-catching hip pockets. But there's such a selection, even just in those few years I've looked at now. And I love so many of them.

And after that, there are other things I didn't even particularly know I liked. The lovely fitted suits with blouse-y backs which Dior made in 1950 for example. And styles for which I haven't even come up with a category yet. 

I guess I'm just a sucker for the minor trends of the years after the introduction of the New Look. Which almost makes me accuse myself of fashion history snobbery but I swear it isn't. These are things I picked because I love them. Of course, when I get on to the later 1950's, there should be more full-skirted dresses (when fabric restrictions disappear) which I also love. However, as a pattern maker, I'll always be drawn to both clear lines and clever inventions and in the years around 1950, there were so many of those. Even if the 'general public' might not recognize any of these as "typical" for their time, I know they are that and more and I can enjoy them (this was a reason for me to be disappointed with the "Fabulous Fifties" exhibit at the The Hague Gemeentemuseum two years ago. Too much of a broad sweep of an era which has so many fascinating smaller and shorter-lived trends).

I know many people complain about Pinterest being a terrible time-suck (and of course, I'm not a very active user) but for now, I'm happy I put it the effort. It has helped me to go from vaguely knowing what I like to a clearer picture. A picture which may get more complete as I upload more images, from more years. Or it may get diffused, of course. Either way, I think I'll like playing the game for a bit longer.

Oh, and obviously, you can follow me on Pinterest to explore all those vintage trends yourself.