Category Archives: 2010s

Donna Karan in the Black

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Lynn

I’ve never bought anything by American designer Donna Karan—her clothes are far above my price range.  But after reading her new autobiography, My Journey, I think I might have been influenced by her approach to clothing. In the late eighties, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 1990, 2000s, 2010s | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Gloria Steinem–Feminist Icon, Style Icon

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Lynn

I may be one of the only people who read Gloria Steinem’s new memoir, My Life on the Road, for the clothes. But unlike many early second wave feminists, Steinem is clearly a woman who takes great pleasure in what … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010s, Older Icon | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Koko Beall—A Life in Fashion Design

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Lynn

When I wrote about a favorite Vogue Pattern designer Koko Beall in 2014, I didn’t know whether or not she was still alive. Through the magic of the internet, her daughter Victoria Beall found my post. She sent the happy … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990, 2000s, 2010s | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Call Me Seamstress

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Lynn

People who love to sew seem to have trouble deciding what to call themselves. Many home-based craftspeople use “sewer,” but that sounds better than it looks. The written version conjures up images of subterranean piping systems. Creators of art-to-wear and … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010s, General | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Kimono Scarves

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Lynn

My passionate love of kimono began maybe twenty years ago at a booth selling old textiles on my college campus. While the students were buying t shirts and jewelry at other stalls, I stood dumbstruck in front of a small … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010s | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

The Fashion Lag on the Small Screen

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Lynn

Have you discovered the new Masterpiece series Indian Summers, broadcast on PBS? Set in India in the early 1930s, the show examines the rise of the Indian independence movement set against a backdrop of British privilege. If you like Indian … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 2010s | Tagged | 8 Comments

Claire Shaeffer: Collector, Teacher, Writer

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Lynn

Claire Shaeffer and her husband Charlie are collectors. When you enter their spacious Palm Springs home, their many passions are everywhere on display. The walls are filled bits and pieces they have collected through the years. When you look more … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s, 1980s, 1990, 2000s, 2010s, General | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Grace and Frankie

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Lynn

I binge watched this Netflix series featuring two older women—my research made me do it. Here is the plot in a nutshell. Two male law partners, one stuffy (Martin Sheen as Robert Hanson) and one laid back (Sam Waterston as … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010s | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Caftan and the Older Woman

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Lynn

These days, older women who have a little flesh on their bones are advised to steer clear of roomy dresses like caftans. Wear clothes that skim the body, the critics say, not ones that take up a lot of space. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 2010s | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Marion Higa—A Life of Sewing

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Lynn

When some people say that they have been sewing forever, it’s an exaggeration. Not so for Marion Higa, now in her early seventies. She started sewing as a young girl, part of Japanese language and culture classes many Japanese Americans … Continue reading →

Posted in 2000s, 2010s | Tagged , , | 4 Comments