Love-cuffs, 1955
Chatelaine Pin 1955 Gold-plated metal Gift of Jimmie Romero in memory of Christie Romero 2012.943.28AB This Love-Cuffs chatelaine pin was but one item in a line of “solid gold look” hand-cuff themed jewelry manufactured by Alice Jewelry of... Read Article ››

Fashion Birthday: Walter Plunkett
  Costume designer Walter Plunkett was born on this day in 1902. To celebrate the occasion, we offer you a French hood designed by Plunkett for Young Bess (1953), a fictionalized biography of Queen Elizabeth I. It was first published in 2010. If... Read Article ››

Jacques Fath, Spring/Summer 1953
  "St. Charles" afternoon dress Jacques Fath Spring/Summer 1953 Museum Purchase 2010.5.26 Jacques Fath (1912-1954) was an impish designer who imbued his clothes with a sense of fun and glamour. Vogue praised his "unexpected mix of casual... Read Article ››

Catalina swimsuit, mid-1950s
With its beaches, pools, and nearly year-round sunshine, Southern California was the birthplace of active sportswear. Hollywood's "Dream Factories" showcased silver-screen stars with golden tans wearing dazzling swimwear. This mid-1950s suit... Read Article ››

Claire McCardell day dress, c. 1950
Day dressClaire McCardellc. 1950FIDM Museum Purchase2003.5.28AB Claire McCardell had a way with stripes. She played with them, spinning and twisting their orientation to create dazzling visual effects. Here, lavender, aqua, purple, and blue stripes are... Read Article ››

L’Aimant by Coty, 1950s
According to this article, downtown Los Angeles (home of the FIDM Museum) has experienced snow only 6 times since a January 1949 snowstorm sprinkled downtown with less than 1 inch of snow. The last recorded snow downtown occurred in 1962, so it's unlikely... Read Article ››

Gothe evening gown, early 1950s
How do you pin a corsage on a strapless gown? This question was posed by florists in the early 1950s, when strapless evening and ball gowns were all the rage. In lieu of pinning the corsage on a shoulder strap, florists suggested creative alternatives. Create... Read Article ››

Surrealist circle skirt, c. 1955
There's so much to say about this skirt! It's a classic 1950s circle skirt, but the embroidered, bejeweled hands decorating the skirt can be interpreted through a variety of lenses. More than just a decorative motif, these hands reach toward artistic... Read Article ››

From the Archives: Tina Leser skirt
Today's post highlights the value of primary source research. Because of its label, we knew that this was a Tina Leser skirt. Using one of the FIDM Library databases, we found a brief mention of this exact skirt in a New York Times article. Finding... Read Article ››
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