Throwback Thursday: Hello, Dolly!

Today's Throwback Thursday comes to us from Beverley.  It is a picture of her great aunt Dolly in the 1930s.  Wow, what an outfit this is! Particularly because this picture was taken in  the pre-war post depression era, not a time where people felt inclined to slip into their glad rags.

It's true that this frock is not exactly modern.  However, if it looks familiar it is because this dropped waist style of dress was re-popularized in the 1980s (Prom, anyone?!). As were smocked dresses. The small details are what I love most about this vintage outfit. Most notably, the scalloped edge of the smock on upper half of the dress, and the embroidery.  Doesn't it make you wonder what colour the smock is?!

A huge thank you to Beverley for sharing this vintage fashion moment with us! We'll see you back here for next week's edition 

of Throwback Thursday.

I'm All Knotted Up

 Shawl ca. 1885-1910 The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The piano shawl is an elaborate and beautifully embroidered decorative piece of fabric, usually with long fringe trim, used to drape over the flat surface of a grand piano. Serving to protect the piano from nicks and scratches, they are not generally meant to be worn as they are quite large. 

The heavy embroidery and fringe create significant weight to hold the shawl in place and prevent sliding around. They reached their height of popularity during the Victorian Era when a parlor piano was often seen in affluent homes.

Piano shawls are very much sought after pieces, particularly from the late 1800s to early 1900s. Smaller versions were adapted for women to wear - less heavy but just as beautiful. I had a stunning hand knotted one recently which was intricately knotted throughout.

 

My recent acquisition...

Look at the beautiful knot work...all hand done.

A Natural History of the Piano: The Instrument, the Music, the Musicians--from Mozart to Modern Jazz and Everything in Between