Saturday, February 14, 2009

"A Certain Element of Dress"


The world has changed. How we now despise the little things which once added grace and charm to the natural order. I wonder~ is it because we have grown too sophisticated to worry about the details? Or perhaps we are not sophisticated enough....Under the Gables quotes from My Year 1955, reminiscing about some of the cultural transformations of the last half century:
One can see little bits here and there of the changing times. I am constantly amazed by the growing and changing things occurring here in 1955. Amongst the happy plastic people we always picture for this decade, we see the ruffling of the feathers of the great bird of change getting ready to take wing. I think, as many of you must feel, that with that flight was lost many honest and simple things which we, as humans, find ourselves longing for. Courtesy, trust, love of the fellow man, love of home and family even fashion and formality. I see that we, none of us, want to return to a time of segregation and distrust, but there is a certain element of dress which leads to courtesy and kindness that seems to be lacking from our modern world. Maybe I am just, as so many before me have, romanticizing the past, but I KNOW that when I make sure I look 'done' before leaving the house I get a different response from people (mostly positive) and that I, in turn, am more positive. With my increasing interest in my home as a place of comfort and style and my skills in the kitchen, I find myself wanting to know my neighbors and get involved in my community. To share these things. This is really something new to me. It somehow seems to be magically linked with these other things which can seem superficial: your wardrobe, your homes decor, your cooking skills.....
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6 comments:

Anabel said...

Hello! I'm Anabel from Trianon de la Reina. I'm writing to you to ask a little favor: would you like to write a special salutation/article about you and your work about Marie Antoinette to all her spanish speakers all around the world? Of course, you can write it in English and I'll translate it.

It is only a special petition. No obligation, but I admit I would be very delighted.

Send me an e-mail: marisa_anabel@hotmail.com

Love,
Anabel

Unknown said...

Fascinating topic.
The picture is gorgeous.

elena maria vidal said...

Thank you, Anne, I found it on the Under the gables blog.

Yes, Anabel, I would be pleased to write something for you. Thank you for asking.

Lucy said...

Great post, Elena. Funny how every period in history has it's views of a world of good fading away. that was 1955, what should we be thinking in 2009? Thanks!

tubbs said...

Contrast the photo image of this haute couture'ish shopper with a Duane Hansen 60's sculpture I saw at the Yale art gallery many years ago. http://englishinguillon.over-blog.com/pages/The_Supermarket_Lady__D_Hanson-825210.html

Yep, times have changed. And it ain't pretty! (oh yes, correct English went out the window about the same time)

Anonymous said...

Interesting thoughts. Sometimes I worry I will never find the right balance between attempting to look "becoming" and avoiding vanity. There is a social element in dressing which I would love to study more. I wish there were a science of "Aesthetics of Wardrobe." I would take that course.