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Tag Archives: eccentric
Book Review: The Art of Dressing by Tziporah Salamon
Of all the eccentric older women currently having a fashion moment, I like Tziporah Salamon the best. Perhaps it is because I once saw her once on a New York street, as brilliant as a bird of paradise amidst her … Continue reading
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Philosophy of Dress
Feminist philosopher Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935), suffragist, novelist, and economist, spent a lot of her life thinking about clothes. She considered herself a dress reformer, but was not interested in the extremes of bloomers or pants. Instead, she followed her … Continue reading
Peggy Guggenheim, Fashion Eccentric
I offer this 1950 portrait of Peggy Guggenheim as part of my ongoing effort to trace the history of older fashion eccentrics. Guggenheim was 52 here, just barely meeting my arbitrary cut off for an older woman. The sunglasses are … Continue reading
Louise Nevelson’s Chinchilla Lined Coat
Once described as “a cross between Catherine the Great and a bag lady,” the artist Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) was an eccentric dresser. Born in the Russian Empire and raised in Maine, she left for New York as soon as she … Continue reading
Fifteen Ways to Emphasize Shortness and Stoutness, 1939
Although this two page spread is ostensibly about height and weight, I think the real message is to warn against eccentric dress. The woman on the right has clothes and accessories that coordinate and follow current fashion guidelines. The woman … Continue reading
Country Mouse, City Mice
Although I come from the vast suburban expanse of Southern California, I felt very much like a country mouse when I met the idiosyncratic fashionistas on the streets of New York. Well known in certain circles for their own blog … Continue reading