A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style (22 page)

The Blind Spot:
Never assume. Going to Sorrento in April? Thinking that you won’t need a light jacket? Hah! Before you leave home you
must
avail yourself of all the technology available today and check those temperatures! Although you cannot anticipate every meteorological exigency, a small amount of research will go a tremendous distance toward ensuring a happy trip.

Likewise, make that call to the host or hostess to inquire about the preferred dress. Just don’t make it the day of the party. This should always be done if the invitation is communicated to you by a man. Not all men are guilty of this, but we’ve known a few who tell their date it’s just a little get-together and it turns out to be his boss’s cocktail-attire wedding reception. The poor things can’t help themselves. Forewarned is forearmed.

*
The king who reigned over Denmark and Norway from 1746 to 1766 employed this phrase as his motto. It means “By caution and consistency.” This seems like an excellent idea in matters political as well as sartorial.

Style, as we may have mentioned, is about who you are. Since who we are shifts over time, our style stories are a never-ending bildungsroman. The secret to keeping your style story hop, hop, hopping along is to be forever expanding your cultural horizons. Since style is ineluctably related to the culture in which you live, the more you see, read, sniff, hear, or eat, the richer your engagement with the world around you becomes.

So perhaps the real secret to style is filling yourself to the absolute brim with engagement. Loving not wisely, but too well and all that. We thank you for sharing this time with us. We hope you find yourself returning to the book again, if only for a mere booster shot of the edicts of quality, taste, and style.

Our appendices offer a quick fix, as it were, to those edicts. We suggest that you use the following material and suggestions for investigation and research. These references have made us more fashion savvy, so why shouldn’t they work for you? Here are some very brief suggestions to get you started.

We are not recommending these films solely for their wardrobes—even though many of them are exemplary. These are films that will give your eyes a workout, either because of their breathtaking cinematography or because there is nothing like watching Cary Grant and Myrna Loy for two hours. Get that Netflix queue ready!

Blow-Up
Doctor Zhivago
The Women
Auntie Mame
Dark Victory
Persona
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
The Palm Beach Story
The Fountainhead
Funny Face
Dinner at Eight
The Philadelphia Story
All About Eve
Austin Powers
Sleeper
L’Avventura
Valley of the Dolls
The Devil Wears Prada
Infamous
Metropolitan
The Draughtsman’s Contract
The Go-Between
Prospero’s Books
Grey Gardens
Mildred Pierce
Last Year at Marienbad
Masculin Feminin
Funny Girl
Shampoo
Desk Set
A Place in the Sun
Cleopatra

This is a category of such immensity that we are loath to offer titles. Here is why: In the hours that we discussed which should be included, the list grew to more than 100 titles. If Tolstoy is on there, which he must be, than Dostoyevsky should be, too, because
Notes from Underground
has that whole overcoat thing and the narrator’s grimy dressing gown, and what about Thomas Mann and Balzac and Rebecca West and . . . you see the problem. There is only one rule when it comes to books of style: If it makes you think about who you are and the world you live in, it will add to the reservoir of ideas and experiences that make you who you are and may influence the style choices you make. We therefore urge you to never, ever pass a bookstore without going in and doing as thorough a browse as time allows.

How one wants to smell is an extremely personal choice. In fact, you may have already decided that you want to smell like Jean Patou’s 1000 for the rest of your life. Be that as it may, do not rob yourself of the opportunity to further educate your nose. It will only deepen your enjoyment of food, wine, chocolate, your partner, and anything you really love. In reference to the section above, have you ever noticed the distinctive smell of the pages of a brand-new hardcover book? Or the rapturous perfume of fresh lilacs? So, even if you are not interested in perfume for your person, do not ignore the olfactory!

If you are interested in perfuming your person, may we recommend a store to visit next time you find
yourself in New York City? Aedes de Venustas at number 9 Christopher Street. The store itself is a visual feast and the range of perfumes contained within will provide an incredible education for the nose.

Few activities are as delightful as learning new vocabulary. With each newly acquired word comes the ability to articulate an idea with more elegance and precision. Learning the correct names and definitions for styles and textiles will not only allow you to articulate what you like, it will provide new insight into history, geography, and sociology. You may not personally need a rear furbelow—otherwise known as a false rump—but how can you not be intrigued by the cultural forces that gave rise to it? For a truly comprehensive guide, we recommend
The Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion
. Not only will it settle any arguments about what can or cannot be called a dolman sleeve, it provides hours of interesting browsing.

Here are a few terms we’ve used throughout the book along with some others, just for fun:

alpaca

Cousin of the camel, alpaca fleece is spun into a soft shiny yarn. Often combined with other fibers, alpaca is commonly used in sweaters, coats, and wraps. Similar to mohair. Alpacas themselves are social creatures with charming little faces, if one likes ungulates.

astrakhan

A pile fabric woven to mimic Persian lamb. Originally, the curly fleece of astrakhan sheep was used.

babushka

A square scarf folded to form a triangle. Worn over the head and tied underneath the chin. Best left to our elders who miss the Old Country.

bateau

From the French for “boat,” this neckline is also referred to as a boat-neck. It is slit all the way to the shoulders while remaining high on the neck, both front and back. Quite graceful and feminine.

batik

A wax-resist dying method from Indonesia. The desired pattern is traced on fabric with wax and then dyed. The wax is removed to reveal the pattern, which has remained the original color of the fabric.

batiste

Soft, lightweight, and delicate cotton with a lovely hand. See
hand
.

batwing

An extremely close cousin of the dolman sleeve, this sleeve is also tight at the wrist with deepset armholes.

blouson

A look that involves a flowing top cinched below the waist. Currently enjoying a revival as a top worn with jeans.

box pleat

A one-way ticket to Frumpsville if not handled with discretion. A box pleat is an inverted pleat with a large “box” on either side of it. If confused, keep an eye peeled for schoolchildren in uniform; the girls’ skirts will probably be box pleated.

braid

Used as a trim, often on coats.

burnt-out

This is a technique that employs chemicals to dissolve part of a textile, leaving behind a pattern. Often used on velvet.

calico

A favorite of the
Little House on the Prairie
set, this is a cotton fabric printed on one side.

camel hair

As you no doubt guessed, a warm and soft yarn from the hair of the camel. Makes a wonderful coat.

capri pants

Fitted pants that end between knee and ankle. Not to be confused with their looser sibling, the pedal pusher.

cashmere

Those poor ungulates, never a moment’s peace! Yet another luxurious yarn that comes from a four-legged creature, in this case a goat. Soft and warm, cashmere is king of the knits.

challis

Sheer wool fabric often printed with floral designs.

charmeuse

A silky fabric with a crepe back, charmeuse can be made with a variety of fabrics, i.e., silk charmeuse. It is very difficult to work with, as every mistake shows, much to the chagrin of many beginning sewers.

chiffon

An almost transparent fabric known for its lightness and ability to drape.

cloche

From the French for “bell,” this hat fits close to the head and has a tiny brim. Closely associated with the looks of the ’20s.

corduroy

A heavier fabric distinguished by its wales, which vary in size from quite subtle and close together (pinwhale) to far apart and very noticeable (wide wale).

cotton duck

A heavy cotton fabric that, depending on weight, can be used for clothing, sails, or upholstery.

cowl neck

A draped, soft neckline that hangs in folds. Can be shallow or deep.

dart

A V-shaped tuck that allows fabric to form itself to the body. Well-placed darts are an essential part of a well-constructed garment. When trying a garment on, check to make sure that the dart placement works for your figure. In other words, if the dart that is supposed to give shape to the bustline hits somewhere around your collarbone, it doesn’t fit.

deshabille

Literally, this refers to being only partially dressed. In fashion terms, it refers to a peignor or negligee, something one might wear while swanning around the boudoir.

dirndl

A style of dress associated with parts of Germany and Austria. The dirndl has a tight bodice and full skirt. A blouse is worn underneath the bodice.

dolman sleeve

Fitted at the wrist with extremely deep armholes. In a dolman sweater, it might almost appear that you were wearing a poncho—that’s how wide the sleeves are.

doupioni

A silk fabric made from an uneven yarn that produces slubs in the fabric. Slubs are little bumps that give the fabric a textured appearance. Not the most attractive word, but a great look.

empire

A neckline or sillouette in which the waistline is directly under the bust, falling straight from there.

epaulet

An ornamental piece of fabric on the shoulder, most often on coats, but popping up on all manner of tops occasionally. Think of those shoulder items on a military trenchcoat and you’ll know what an epaulet is.