Endless Summer days??? That line just evokes the most pleasurable of feelings doesn’t it? I wish every day could feel like that but then if every day could feel like that then we wouldn’t need to believe in heaven then would we! and we’d probably take those special moment for granted!… Just as well we had QAG & GOMA to present us with a summer series in Brisbane that can just transport you back to a cool, breezy, simpler period in history, a time of the evolution of many things including great use of colour, art design, architecture, fashion, textures and music….. that is “California Design 1935-1965: Living in A Modern Way”. An exhibition that introduced or for some re-introduced, Australian audiences to the industrial, architectural, commercial, fashion and craft design of mid century California, through works that defined the era and are still admired today.
What’s was my Involvement? Other than being an enthusiast of the period and wanting to visit such an exhibition, I was fortunate enough to be contacted by The Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art and asked if I could present 3 x 1 hour presentations on the fashion/glamour/visual aesthethic side of the period.. Yes… they wanted some period transformations! With a spatterings of history (You know I like to talk about that!) and a blind makeover (Meaning I don’t know who I am getting other than size for clothes), covering 1940’s first then the 1950’s and then the final 1960’s Go Go Dancing look.
I was called up for a media call and I had such a fabulous time of it… From starting out the night before thinking of what to wear to fit the exhibition, what would work for media, what I felt comfortable in and again… back to what would fit in with this particular exhibition of colour and design!! well…., after exhausting myself and my husband with changes and causing nothing but a mess on the bedroom floor, I went to bed on Thursday night still not knowing what I was wearing…. But, one thing I have learnt, when you don’t know what to do, don’t do anything, sleep on it and the right option will reveal itself with fresh eyes and mind when you wake.. and that it did!! A House Coat No Less!! I put it on when I got out of bed and Hubby said, wow.. that looks great! hmmmm …. he had no idea it was just my house coat!! so.. with that… I went forth and did my hair and makeup, added a few choice accessories and the right colour mega high wedge shoes ( I needed the height!) and there you go… I had a smashing great outfit to hit that media call with confidence… I was off, feeling fab, looking fab and most importantly, I felt like I could laze about on an endless summer sunday’s sipping cocktails in my ever so comfy late 1940’s original House Coat.
I really enjoyed this day and although the papers were taking all the pics, the lovely staff took some behind the scenes shots for me showing off my favorite part of the exhibition, the Airstream ‘Clipper’ (1936) Caravan which I desperately wanted to steal – I just couldn’t get it to budge!
And this little baby.. Those closest I was ever to get to Dick Van Dyke!! Swooning over his car!! Well.. Not his personally but he did own one!!
Studebaker commissioned international design star Raymond Loewy to create a stylish new sportscar, the Avanti (1961) manufactured (1963–64). The car won praise for its slender waist & airplane-inspired interior.
Mattel, Inc. Barbie’s Dream House interior detail c.1962 Designed in Hawthorne Offset lithography on cardboard Collection Queensland Art Gallery © Mattel, Inc
The exhibition revealed some of the iconic designs that emerged in mid-20th century California, from the original Barbie Doll to the first ‘sportswear’ – Levi’s 501 jeans and the swimsuit.
OK, so here’s some interesting events that have taken place in that period.. 1935-1965 – 30 years of amazing…(not art or architectural but still history):
1935 – Tattoo Lipstick advertises a staining lipstick that is paste free and indelible.
1940 – The Nylon stockings invented the previous year is all the rage with women around the world
1945 – The Fashion Icons of 1945 were: Gene Tierney, Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall, Lana Turner, Betty Grable – WWII ended..
1950 – Post WWII, butter rationing in Australia only officially ended in 1950.
1951 – Color TV Introduced
1952 – Princess Elizabeth Becomes Queen at Age 25
1953 – DNA Discovered & Max Factor Introduces the Creme Puff, the first all in one make-up
1954 – Report Says Cigarettes Cause Cancer
1955 – Disneyland Opens
1956 – Elvis Presley tops the US charts for the first time with Heartbreak Hotel
1957 – Average car sold for $2,749 and popular toys were Slinkys and Hula Hoops
1958 – Spandex and Lycra were invented!! Was that a good or bad thing?
1959 – Barbie Makes her entrance…
1960 – The sexual revolution of the 60’s had begun with the use of birth control pills and Hugh Hefner opening the first of his Playboy clubs in Chicago
1961 – Popular TV shows – Bonanza and Gunsmoke.., I have to say that as the last show my Dad ever watched before he passed away was a re-run of Gunsmoke.. Still his favourite show which I had the pleasure of sharing with him days before.
1962 – Aboriginal women won the right to vote
1963 – 17 October 1963, Valentia Tereshkova became the first woman in space.
1964 – The Beatles take the world by storm & Permanent Press Fabric was invented!!
1965 – Mary Quant raises hemline of her skirts several inches above the knee, the iconic miniskirt was born. Named after her favourite car, the Mini,
Til next time,
Kisses from the Mistress,
Dare to be Glamorously Different!
