A fuchsia pink strapless layered evening gown with a separate matching hood that fastens around the neck with a rhinestone collar

It is an unexpected addition but I quite like the rhinestone encrusted matching hood that goes with this strapless column of fuchsia. The disjointedness lends it a kind of fantastical style. Lanvin by Jules Crahay mid #1960s #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Full length view of the front of a long strappy nightgown in pale pink each silk georgette with a gathered lace bust, appliqué detail and gripped silk straps

A view of the bust section of Ty 1930s nightgown that highlights the lace, the dove grey appliqué and the frilled shoulder straps

A black and white photograph of a model seated and wearing a similar style of strappy silk nightgown

Nightwear in the #1930s could seem indistinguishable from a glamorous evening gown. This is a silk georgette nightgown, embellished and appliquéd for a cosy night in #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A red satin one shoulder dress with cinched waist and a full calf length circle skirt. It has black detailing with a black bel, a black stripe at the shoulder and a black underskirt

A photograph of a model wearing the late 1940s red satin dance dress, worn with black gloves and black heels

French magazine L’Officiel described this 1949 gown by Robert Piguet as a ‘dance dress’. It certainly has potential movement with its scalloped hem, perfect for swaying to a tune at some Parisian party #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A view of the bodice of a purple and red striped gown with a high crossover treatment at the neck, sleeves above the elbow and a line of ball style buttons that fasten at the side of the waist

Full length view of the purple and red striped 1950s dinner dress by Claire McCardell showing how the fitted crossover bodice radiates out onto a long, full skirt

Amongst the many reasons that I love the garments designed by Claire McCardell is her fastenings. They are always unexpected, rejecting the convenience of a zip for a neat row of buttons. This is a mid #1950s dinner dress with the most chic of bodices #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

An almost side view of a bright red satin dress with full circle skirt and long sleeves. It has a narrow black belt. The bodice consists of a high collar with a cut out above the bust, a black bow at the neck and black buttons

The skirt is a conventionally voluminous #1950s style but the bodice of Jacques Fath’s 1952 red satin is a triumph. The collar, the buttons, the cut out, the bow. Delicious #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Two mannequins showing the complete ensemble that consists of a sleeveless shift dress with decorative buttons centre back and a matching jacket with three quarter sleeves and buttons centre front

An image of a mannequin wearing the matching pink wool dress and jacket ensemble by Norman Norell together

My wardrobe nor my purse could accommodate a matching dress and jacket combo which is probably why I find them so fascinating. This is a mid #1960s Norman Norell set, some hot pink wool and oversized buttons, yes please #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Partial view of a deep green silk taffeta dress with long sleeves and a matching tie belt at the waist. It has a high ruched collar and matching ruching at the cuffs

When I am in extra gothic teacher mode, I shall wear this 1972 deepest green taffeta by Yves Saint Laurent. With a cape. And a bicycle. And some cute button boots. #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

For #ootd's #ValentinesDay theme, we have this 1920 Bonwit Teller pink chiffon tea gown with metallic flowers on its dropped waist. Bonwit Teller was a retailer that sold original designs and copies of Parisian fashions, which #museumatFIT speculates this was. #Fashionhistory

The front of a strappy beige nylon evening dress pleated from neck to hem with a tie style sash that ties just below the empire line

Partial view of the back of the beige pleated nylon dress that shows how the tie criss crosses at the back and fastens centre back of the waist

Always modern, Claire McCardell wanted to be inventive with her garments. Here she has chosen a beige nylon, crystal pleated in shimmering ripples with an adjustable empire line tie sash, 1950, #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

The back of a pink roe printed sun dress that offers a partial view of the open construction with two bows fastening the bodice above the full skirt

The front of the 1950s Norell dress printed with pink roses with a ruched sleeveless bodice and a full circle skirt

As another storm whistles around the house, dreams of warmer days with this #1950s Norman Norell sundress. It is a pink blush of warp printed roses covering a full skirt and playfully placed bows centre back #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

The pale blue silk strapless bodice of an early 1950s evening dress by Balmain. It has a structured pleated décolletage around each side of the bust and a brown velvet overskirt

Full length view of the pale blue strapless silk evening dress, sculpted at the bodice into a corset like structure with a pleated brown overskirt

Every so often I share this early #1950s Balmain knowing that it will likely split opinions right down the middle. I, for one, love the distinctive bodice which I am sure looked amazing on an actual body, and the unusual colour palette is a hit #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A partial view of a red and gold floral skirt suit, this image taken from above looking at the top of the jacket with smooth lines, a small collar and covered buttons centre front

Part of the back of the red and gold Charles James pagoda suit focusing on the seam placement at the back of the jacket

A closer detail of the red and gold jacket which shows how carefully the floral pattern has been matched along smooth seams

A full length view of the red and gold skirt suit highlighting the sculptural flare of the peplum below the waist and the straight skirt

No matter which angle you choose to view Charles James’s 1955 pagoda suit, you can appreciate the smooth planes of its surface. It appears seamless but seams there are in more unexpected places. The pattern matching of the red and gold brocade is quite magical #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A full skirted strapless ballgown with dark rose pink overdress that ruches up to reveal a pale pink underskirt in structured shape

A joyful burst of a ballgown, ruched in rosy silk & the perfect party dress if New Year’s Eve is your thing. It isn’t mine, I am wrapped up in a cosy knit on the sofa but I would like to say a big thank you for your connections this year. Charles James dress, 1953 #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A partial view of a rich green satin 1830a dress showing the upper part of the ballooning sleeve, the ruched bust and the top of the long skirt

A full length view of the green satin dress with leg of mutton sleeves, ruching at the bust and a long skirt gathered into the waist and cinched with a matching belt

Certain images just stick on the mind and this is one of those for me. Partly it is the strangeness of #1830s silhouettes and partly the depth of colour but it is one of those memorable garments whose age makes me smile #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Full length view of a shaded orange yellow flapper style dress with a tab shaped hem. The tab shape is repeated up the skirt in beaded motifs, the heads matching the colour of the silk

A detail of the hem of the 1920s evening dress with tab shaped hem which is beaded and trimmed with black

A portion of the skirt of the 1920s shaded orange dress showing the extent of the beading that loops in tiered motifs

A closer detail of the cream glass bugle beads that run around the motifs of the 1920s evening dress in a tiered pattern

This has been a favourite #1920s dress for a long time but I had never before seen the more detailed images of the arrangement of the beaded shapest. I have a whole new appreciation for Poiret’s design choices and the hands sewing the beads #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Fashion and Psychoanalysis Symposium
“Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis” Exhibition
#MuseumAtFIT #DressDreamsDesire @fitnyc

photos by süsan spark

Back view of a rich purple silk gown with gold floral motifs. It has deep purple leg of mutton sleeves and a fitted bodice. The skirt has a long train at the back

Oh just some old frock I flung on, understated and demure. The house of Worth believed in a statement, both in fabric and construction and this mid #1890s gown is no exception, rich purple with a smattering of gold #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A yellow chiffon dress of many layers with jagged petal like hems. It is sleeveless with a wrapped bodice and has a matching scarf

A wearable marigold of bright chiffon petals. A matching scarf. A layered bodice. It is Traina Norell and dates to the late #1940s which is somehow surprising, I would have guessed later, but gorgeous nonetheless #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A detail of the bodice of a strapless evening dress covered all over with shaded purple sequins. It has a narrow purple silk belt

Full length view of the strapless purple Dior gown covered in purple sequins with a narrow purple belt

Dior’s 1950 Debussy dress might have grown from the ocean floor, a crustacean of a dress covered in shell like embellishments and water droplet sequins. The gown for a mermaid stepping foot ashore to cast her spell on mere mortals #museumatFIT #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A sleeveless red pleated silk jersey cocktail dress. It has a red velvet collar that creates a V neck and sweeps over the shoulders with a matching red velvet belt

Mmmm red velvet and silk jersey make for a happy combination here. Late #1940s Mme Grès with a twist, in addition to her customary pleats, a chic sweep of velvet collar to frame some fabulous necklace #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Top half of a black V neck cocktail dress with long sleeves and full skirt. The dress is covered all over with rhinestone sparkles and star sequins

A black and white photo to graph of a model wearing the same dress featured in a 1953 issue of Harper’s Bazaar

In the October 1953 issue of of Harper’s Bazaar, this sparkling Sophie Gimbel cocktail gown was described as the Dress of a Thousand Lights. It does resemble the clearest of night skies with every constellation glittering #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A side by side poll photograph of a sleeveless low décolletage dress in pale blue silk jersey alongside a photograph of me walking across Dartmoor

Here I am, six weeks post op and walking on the moors with no walking aid for the fist time in two years! Sunshine and blue skies came with me so a suitably sky blue early #1970s party dress by Halston to celebrate #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A burgundy silk off the shoulder Dior dress with ruched fitted bodice and fairly full mid length skirt

A silk burgundy coat photographed from the back to show the voluminous swathe of fabric and dramatic three quarter sleeves

If burgundy is the colour of the new season then how about this? Continuing my theme of matchy matchy, here some #1950s vintage Dior comprising an off the shoulder gown with a voluminous matching coat #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A long iridescent taffeta evening dress that shifts between brown and green. It has an unusual pointed collar and is ruched centre front around small self coloured buttons and a narrow matching belt

This feels as if it ought to feature in a sci-fi or fantasy show, an organic, iridescent, horned gown sculpted from some rare mineral and sewn with a dragon’s tooth needle. It is in fact a #1930s evening dress by Nettie Rosenstein in ruched taffeta #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Back view of the top half of a 1750s cream silk floral brocade robe a la francaise with the broad pleat running from the back of the neck to the floor. The floral pattern is surrounded by swirls of ribbon motifs

A detail of the fabric of the 1750s gown showing the multi coloured floral bouquets and the leopard print ribbon motifs

At first glance this appears to be a very conventional robe à la française, a #1750s riot of florals and rococo swirls. Peep closer and you can see that the ribbon motifs are actually leopard print, a trend that never wanes #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

Partial view of the top half of an emerald green satin evening ensemble. It consists of a sheath dress with a matching cape. The cape is short and boxy with a deep orange satin lining and small covered buttons along the shoulder

This is a favourite that I haven’t shared in a while. Pauline Trigère was a construction genius, all clean sleek lines. Her late #1960s emerald evening gown is double faced with a deep orange silk just visible on the matching cape #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A bright white mannequin posed in a seated position on a white block wearing a long halter neck dress covered entirely with white sequins

She might almost be carved from marble were it not for the glisten of the sequins that cover every inch of Halston’s #1970s halter neck gown. Strictly no red wine or ketchup please and thank you #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A seated mannequin wearing a long orange semi transparent cotton dress with short floaty sleeves. The long skirt pools around the ankles

A close up of the floaty sleeve of the orange Vionnet dress showing the triangular cutouts worked with Tony hand stitches

Another long standing favourite of mine comes from Madeleine Vionnet and this early #1930s cotton dress. The cut work pattern is masterfully hand worked, the borders of each hole bound in tiny stitches to make this mesh-like gown #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A long sleeved camel overcoat open to reveal a sequinned dress of the same colour

Lauren Bacall’s late #1950s evening ensemble by Norman Norell always makes me think of a super hero reveal. All camel cashmere on the outside but fling back the coat front to bring sequins to the fore #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

A mannequin wearing a short sleeved short skirted sundress consisting of yellow and white stripes pieced together with a mitring technique so that the stripes form a geometric shape. There is a circular pocket at the hip and it fastens centre front with small white buttons

The sunniest of sun dresses geometrically fashioned in stripes that meet and corner into a mitred pattern of great skill. It was designed by Emmanuelle Khanh whose early career as a model shaped her desire for smart designs for women. Mid #1960s #museumatfit #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡