The Better Late Than Never Philly Report

A few months ago, my older sister invited me to visit her in New Jersey sometime this summer. Well, a few weeks ago I decided to take her up on that offer. Over the 20+ years that she's lived there visits mostly revolved around my nieces and nephew so traveling into oh-so-close Philadelphia just didn't happen. The last time I went into Philly with her was over 20 years ago when she first moved up there. I took a week-long jewelry class at the Moore College of Art and stayed with her in a townhouse on South Street. Sweet, right? Well, on this trip, I vowed to get back into the city...and I did.

I took Amtrak and of course finally read last year's big book (and this year's awaited movie) The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins. I had wanted to read this on my last train trip to Florida but the paperback version wasn't available yet and it didn't feel right to have it on my Nook. When I arrived, I had about 1/4 of the book left to finish on the return trip home.

Hard Rock Cafe on Market Street

1st Day:

The only plans that I made was to meet up with Kyle from Vacuuming the Lawn on the first day of my four-day trip. Kyle was one of the first blogs I read and in 2010 (!) she even sent me this fabric when I expressed that I loved it on her blog. That fabric became two of my favorite well-worn garments even though I think it's really for swimsuits or active wear. She suggested meeting at Reading Terminal Market (12th and Arch Street) for lunch.

As soon as we walked in I saw the most delicious little cakes by the Termini Brothers. They stayed in the back of mind for the rest of the day. I bought one of their limoncello ones on the way out of the city that day and again two days later when I came back in. Sooooo goooood! Melts in your mouth and so creamy. So good, in fact, that I checked to see if they were one of the preferred vendors for my nieces wedding venue...and they are! Hmmm...wonder if the wedding couple likes lemon?

Kyle and THAT amazing bag!

After a great grilled cheese sandwich lunch at Meltkraft (I got the Brielle: cranberry chutney, Brie, carmelized onions, and pine nuts!), the Fabric Workshop and Museum (1214 Arch Street) was to be our first stop; however, they didn't have an exhibit going on at the time. Kyle suggested that we instead catch the Vlisco exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art instead and I said yes, please!

Philadelphia Museum of Art

 

Hero collection, season 1, 2014

Gala Dress from Congo, 2016

Frozen Dreams Collection, 2009

The Vlisco: African Fashion on a Global Stage exhibition was at the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (2525 Pennsylvania Avenue) This exhibit was amazing. the clothes were amazing and I wish my camera had been better to capture all the little details. I loved how these seemingly elaborate textiles used the simplest of subjects or images and manipulated them by placement or repetition into intricate patterns and then how the use of the color combinations and layering of hues elevated them even more.

Mine!

I had a great time with Kyle, she is exactly as she seems on her blog, funny, kind, laid-back, extremely talented, and above all generous. Don't get jealous but look what she gave me at lunch! Yes, it matches that amazing leather bag that she had just finished. A bag that if I didn't read her blog I would have assumed she bought, and yes it does feel like "but-tah". I am chuffed and honored to receive this gift and it should motivate me to make myself a bag that deserves this tassel. Thank you, Kyle! Hopefully, I will see you again at PR Weekend 2017!

On my way out of the city that day, after picking up my 1st limoncello cake, I stopped by their beautiful old school Macy's and then took a few pictures of the Philadelphia City Hall (1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.) and it's lovely architecture.

2nd Day:

My sister and my BIL told me that the new Philadelphia Pennsylvania LDS (Mormon) Temple (1739 Vine Street) was recently constructed and because it had not yet been dedicated and blessed it was available for non-members to tour until September 9. They had toured the one in Salt Lake City and wanted to see what could be seen in a temple pre-dedication. So two days later, I went back into the city for our two-hour tour.

There was a short video presentation we were shown before the tour but surprisingly besides that, there was  no religious pressure as could be expected. The building was gorgeous and loving interior details as I do, there was always something to notice from the huge and varied floral arrangements in the halls to the fact that the cornices, millwork, and even the door hardware and handles became more elaborate while the finishes seemed more expensive as we ascended floor by floor. No interior pictures were allowed during the visit but pictures can be seen online, in particular for the baptistry and celestial room.
 

Because of the newness of everything, we were required to place white protective casings over our shoes to protect the new carpet from dirt. I really wanted to get a picture of us with these on, but there just wasn't time. So, just imagine a group of twenty adults people shuffling along the staircases of this structure with basically chef hats on our feet.

The temple as seen from the adjacent roof garden.

After our tour as we walked from the Temple downtown we passed this unique sculpture honoring Benjamin Franklin on the highway overpass at 17th Street and Vine.

Big Ben at Franklin Town

We also passed through Comcast Center in order to view the Comcast Experience video wall.

Comcast Experience video wall, at the Comcast Center.

After a delicious lunch at at Parc Brasserie in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, we took a long walk back through the city and stopped by Reading Terminal Market so I could pick up my second Termini Bros. limoncello cake before we took the Broad Street Line back to AT&T Center and then home to New Jersey.

Canyon!

As it turned out, that was the extent of my visits to the city because I decided to hang in Jersey for the rest of the visit. I had a friendly puppy to play with, good food, and excellent Wi-Fi. To be honest even though the weather was fabulous the entire time, the constant walking really took a beating on me and my out of shape legs!

Yes, there were other sewing-related places I had planned on visiting; however, after talking to Kyle about our current and future projects I couldn't stop thinking about all the fabric and patterns I had left at home and how I shouldn't buy anything new, so these stops will wait for another trip: Jomar* (22 Jackson St and 2590 Grant Ave); Butcher's Sew Shop (800 S 8th Street); Fabric Row on South Street; or MADE Studio (305 Cherry Street).

*So which Jomar is the best one to go to?

VMFA "Hollywood Costume" Exhibit

   

On December 14, 2013, I attended the Hollywood Costume exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. I had been looking forward to this show for almost a year only to move out of town a week before it opened. Then, when the scheduled day finally came, I ended up feeling ill and almost canceling (if I had not had people expecting me to be there.) I'm glad I went after all (we had our tickets changed from 10am to 11am after I was over 20 minutes late!*

Funny Girl

The exhibit, on loan from the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum in London, England, explored the important role that costume design plays in character and story development. This particular show differed from the private collection I saw at the James L. Michener museum in Pennsylvania a few years ago, in the fact, that the majority of costumes were more modern. The most represented decades were the 80-90s. However, I was not disappointed.

The exhibit was arranged into small themed sections, complete with movie soundtracks, still shots of the costumes on actors, and film clips. Also present were video interviews with directors, actors, and costume designers, such as Tim Burton, Meryl Streep, and designer Sandy Powell.

A few costumes that caught my eye because of their details:

• Marilyn Monroe's The Seven Year Itch dress, though copied many times, I was still surprised to see the crossed straps and tied bow detail on the midriff waistband. I had not seen many of the replicas include that detail.
• Johnny Depp's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ensemble with a worn waxed cloth jacket with wide, strangely high breastbone pockets (I suppose made for his razors)
• Sandy Powell's costume for Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York a perfect example of distressed clothing, no lining, and with no finishing except a zigzag stitch.

Camelot**

Vertigo

There were three costumes I was pleasantly surprised to see, from three of my favorite movies, a cozy green secretary ensemble from Vertigo (1957), a purple sequin and silk flower covered 1930s-inspired frock from Funny Girl (1968) and an exquisite hippy-chic wedding gown from Camelot**(1967).

*Sorry, Audrey!

** Expect to read more about the costumes from this movie soon.

Coming Attractions: Hollywood Is Coming!

Guess what is coming?

Woo Hoo! I am happy to announce that this fall/winter season (November to February 2014) my city’s museum, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will be the temporary home for the Hollywood Costume exhibition via the Victoria & Albert Museum. Yes, the V & A, baby!  On display will be more than 100 iconic movie costumes from movies such as Gladiator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Titantic, My Fair Lady, Moulin Rouge, The Birds, including one of my favorite costumes, the lush green silk dress* from Atonement. 

In addition to hosting Hollywood Costume, the VMFA will be the ONLY east coast location! Can you believe it, it is not stopping in New York!

Bonus: At the same time the VMFA will be hosting an exhibition of 90 vintage Hollywood portraits from 1920-1960. Also coming from across the pond, they were selected from the collection of the John Kobal Foundation in England.

Hollywood Costume 
November 2, 2013 - February 17, 2014. $20 per person, $15 each for groups of 10 or more.

Made in Hollywood: Photographs from the John Kobal Foundation
November 23, 2013 - March 10, 2014.

One of the reasons I love movie costumes is expressed perfectly in this excerpt from the V&A website:

"The costume designer must know 'who' a character is before they can design their costume. No matter the era that the story takes place, the audience is asked to believe that the people in the movie are real and that they had a life prior to the start of the movie. We join our cast of characters at one moment in their life. Everything about them must resonate true, including their clothes."

So, it is not just about fashion, y'all

*See my earlier posts on this amazing dress here.

Update: I forgot to mention the VMFA is just a block from where I work!

"Icons of Costume" Exhibit Review

On September 4, 2010, I attended the “Icons Of Costume: Hollywood’s Golden Era” exhibit at the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA. I had never been there before. Luckily, when I decided I wanted to see this exhibit, I noticed that Doylestown was very near the childhood home of my freshman college roommate and still close friend, SKB. She (and her mop-topped 3-year old son) drove 5 hours South to see me and I drove the same distance North to see her.

Entrance to the exhibition

This was the blurb for the show:
"This exhibit features the fashions and accessories worn by luminous film stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Errol Flynn, Audrey Hepburn, Warren Beatty, Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Kelly, Loretta Young, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others. More than 50 costumes and objects present the still-influential designs of celebrated fashion designers, from the 1940s through the 1990s, including Edith Head, Adrian, Walter Plunkett, Orry-Kelly, Bob Mackie and others of legendary renown. Drawn, in part, from numerous films that were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume, six of them took the Oscar home"

The show was composed of items from the private collection of John Lebold.

Unfortunately, that blurb was the only information we received on the show. Besides the gallery cards on the exhibit bases there was no detailed brochure or catalog for the show. I had to rely on written notes and sketches that I made on the back of various fliers from the museum. Therefore, many outfits pictured here, I no longer remember who wore them or in what movie. So very disappointing. By the way, photographs were not allowed and many of these were from the local papers.**

Julie Andrews in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jean Louis) and Samantha Eggar in Doctor Doolittle (Ray Aghayan)

Below are costumes for Elizabeth Taylor in A Place In the Sun (Edith Head), Audrey Meadows in an episode of The Honeymooners - yes, a black & white TV show! (Peggy Morrison) and Ginger Rogers in Black Widow (Travilla) in the back

Though blurry, I had to show you a picture of the color blocking on the Travilla suit for Black Widow, which is hidden in the previous picture. This was one of my favorite pieces. In multiple shades of blue, grey, and beige, the dress design seemed to spiral around the body as well as the matching coat. Note how the diagonal neckline of the one-shoulder dress underneath matches the diagonal lines of the ensemble. Travilla was also represented in the show by a replica of this dress.

James Dean in Giant (Marjorie Best), Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Travilla)

Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express (Travis Banton) at far left and Bette Davis in All This and Heaven Too (Orry-Kelly) at far right

The Bette Davis costume seen above by Orry Kelly revealed that the actress had a 21-inch waist! We could swear it looked even smaller! Another Orry Kelly ensemble with an enviable waist was Betty Grable's lovely hobble skirt worn in Mother Wore Tights. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of this outfit from the film.

Esther Williams in Duchess of Idaho (Helen Rose)

It was surprising how small some of the actress' were compared to their screen images. The Helen Rose-designed dress above from Duchess of Idaho showed that Esther Williams, although broad-shouldered and athletic, still fit into this crowd of tiny dresses just fine. Arnold Schwarzenegger's costume from Terminator 2: Judgement Day wasn't as tall or massive as I had expected. The most impressive costume in terms of size and presence was the one worn by Samantha Eggar in Doctor Dolittle (Ray Aghayan). I can just imagine how much that buttercup yellow velvet ensemble with massive, puffed sleeves must weigh.

Rita Hayworth's Gilda dress by Jean Louis was such a tiny, tiny thing! When we saw it up close we realized that Rita didn't have the typical hour-glass thing going on, but the dress deceptively gave that impression because of the draping at the bust and the side hip flounce.

Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Don Juan (Marjorie Best), Joan Fontaine in The Emperor Waltz (Edith Head)

Below:  Ann Miller in Easter Parade (Irene)

I regret that I didn't get a picture of one dress, a Travis Banton gown worn by Tallulah Bankhead in Devil and the Deep (1932) It caught my eye because of its intricate embellishments of bugle beads and sequins, its delicate matching wrap, and its pale apricot color. Banton was also represented in the show by a stunning gown worn by Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express. You would be amazed to see that the black feathers that adorn the gown reflect hints of blue, purple and green. Gorgeous to behold in real life, a pity that the film was released in black and white.

SKB was impressed by a Carol Burnett gown by Bob Mackie. The cream dress was simple in silhouette, a column dress littered with bugle beads in a slightly different shade. The remarkable bit was how the beads were arranged. On the dress; divided into horizontal quadrants, the beads would be lightly scattered in one section, in stiff diagonal rows on another, and massed in a third, giving the dress texture and interest, along with a fluid, shimmering presence.

The one male costume I couldn't photograph nor find an image of online was the most striking costume in the exhibit in terms of its vibrant and highly saturated color combination. It was made by Olga Lehmann and worn by Richard Chamberlain in the 1977 version of Man in the Iron Mask. In style, the frock coat was in a cranberry brocade with the long vest and breeches in a purple shantung that flashed red at certain angles.

We both thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit and loved the museum; however, the exhibit should have prepared some additional background on these gems of cinematic history, besides just who made them. There were some amazing techniques in that room that I would have loved to research and most of the beading patterns were amazing to view. Despite this, I will always remember this trip, not only for the clothes but also for the time I was able to spend with an old and very dear friend. Thanks SKB and little B!

Articles about the exhibit:

CentralJersey.com - Lights, Camera, Costumes!

Bucks Local News - Michener Art Museum unveils stunning "Icons of Costume" exhibit

NJ.com - Hollywood Costumes on Display in Doylestown, PAThe Los Angeles Times - Send in the Gowns!

 
Proof that I was there!

*However, we had taken quite a few before we knew that! ; ) Pictures that we took are marked with an asterisk (*).

**Images: Bucks Local News (#), Belle Vie Photography (%)