Vivian Maier, Photographer

[Greger]

Self-portrait Vivian Maier

Thought this is a good photo.
Shoulders fit nice as does the whole body of the whole garment.
Sleeves fall nicely.
No extra cloth and no shortage of cloth.
A good example.
Didn't know where to put this.
https://mono-krom.tumblr.com/post/660439991554572288/self-portrait-vivian-maier

[Schneiderfrei]

That's a great shot greger, great look.

[Greger]

When looking at garments, things I look for, cloth falling gracefully down the body? No tugs or pulls? Where warp threads need to be falling vertically, are they? No stress on the cloth. The cloth looks relaxed.
Some older tailors shaped the cloth itself like men who made armor. Meaning, when the armor was taken off it didn't spring back flat. So to with cloth the weave can be set curved, and stay that way.

[Schneiderfrei]

How about this image of a tailor holding a sleeve in his hand?

[Steelmillal]

I've such a limited supply of vintage cloth to practice shrinking and stretching, I just leave it lay as I'd do unrecoverable bad things to it. Vintage Oxxford/Chipp/Aquascutum suits/jackets are examples I own of what I think of as a 'shaped' or at least shapeable product, but everything that is really nice amounts to vintage thrift store cast-offs. The end of the end as one learned fellow said recently. I can spot a Harris tweed from 50 feet, but don't see them much anymore, either. Athletic fits aren't seen at all. Same can be said about men's dress shoes: Alden and Allen Edmonds is all that the USA makes, now, and the leather just isn't the same as it used to be. It's 'flinty' v. not supple. The variety of 'lasts' aren't wide either: one-size-fits-all. Spring Line Ltd in the UK makes wooden lasts still, for example, and they are the 'end of the end' too, but still plugging along.

My focus has been trying to learn 'shape and form' that leads to accurate pattern development. Sadly, my irons amount to the things one sees in hotel rooms. I understand the principle and can do magic with metal with heat and cooling, but suiting that can stand being beaten up is just not available around here as a 'shelf item'. I do read about some of the weavers in the UK pushing heavier stuff again. Lovat Mills comes to mind, and anyone running the old Draper or Dobcross shuttle looms seem to make what DZ once called carpet weight.

Value for money that fits, can be modified, and lasts a few decades is all I want. That's not asking too much, is it? Or maybe I should follow the herd...Oh look, a chicken!!

[spookietoo]

Steelmillal- I agree with you wholeheartedly. Watching everything around us fall into the abyss of Chinese manufacturing is depressing - and scary! Clothing that lasts for "a few" decades??? I'd find it an enormous improvement for clothing that lasted half a decade!

I also believe a large part of the problem of demand is thanks to the U.S. obsession with "air conditioning". Whether cooling or heating, most places are kept at a comfortable 72° to 74°F year 'round - homes, office buildings, theaters, autos, retail stores - everywhere. It's been years since I could have handled wearing a Harris Tweed jacket all day. Whether one believes in global warming or not - here in the southern U.S., we haven't had a cold winter in almost 30 years! 1 to 2 weeks of a cold snap isn't enough to justify much investment in heavier woolens. Tropical weight will suffice almost year round.

The 80's, when I was at uni, were actually rather brutal winters here. I even owned 3 sets of long underwear as single digit temps were quite normal week after week. We even held the record for coldest temp in the continental U.S.once, -22°F. So I do have a point of reference. Fortunately for me personally,  there is  an upside to current woolens. It seems the new processes remove more lanolin from the fibers. As I have a lanolin allergy, this is a good thing. Sliced bread, microwave popcorn, and less lanolin in wool fabric....progress does get something right occasionally.

[Schneiderfrei]

Spookietoo,

I asked an architect, several years ago,"What is the biggest influence on architecture in modern times?" He said airconditioning.

All attempts to build houses that naturally remained temperature stable were abandond in the 1950's. Other than a recent panic attempt to cope with the effects of this policy on the environment.

G

[Steelmillal]

I read that same/similar thing about central heat/AC in something from the 80s related to Harris decline. It all has a place depending on season. High temps/humidity anywhere is difficult, same for cold. Duration matters as much as degree. My heavy stuff gets put up around Easter and pulled down around mid-Oct. Wait 'til the recent climate bills pass and costs skyrocket on energy. Maybe then...


The jacket material in the photo looks just like something I have, which is why it struck a chord. Nice hard twist worsted dbl. herringbone.


Spookietoo, just treat yourself to linens, alpaca, and silks. I had a friend with lanolin issues and that's what she did.

[spookietoo]

Gregor- I do avoid wools in warmer weather, but I like them during the cooler months. If I remember correctly, you're in Seattle - or close by. Drove out there in the early 90's to stay with a friend for six months Just before I left TN, I packed all of my sweaters and sweats into one box and put it in storage. This was the first week of May. Six days later I'm in Seattle and I call my Mom and ask her to go to my storage unit, get the box marked "sweats", slap an address label on it and give it to UPS. I lived in that box of clothes for almost the entire 6 months!

Here in TN,its usually mid-November before woolens make sense, and Jan/Feb is really the only time heavier items make sense. I haven't worn a long winter coat in decades. My last one, bought the Winter after returning from Seattle for a trip to Chicago in February, was made in Russia. Heavy weight wool with a bit of nylon. Interlined and lined. Gorgeous purple and my favorite coat of my life. I think I wore it 6 times over 20 years. While it was perfect for Chicago, I only wore it once here and was comfortable. The other times were for special events in 45° weather and I roasted in that thing. I don't tend to be warmer than those around me either.

What I did find odd in Seattle at the time I was there, was that my friends owned a 2400 sq ft home that was only 5 years old. Absolutely no consideration had been put into the house design as far as cross ventilation was concerned. Every room occupied on a regular basis had no possibility of cross ventilation. Even a whole house fan would have easily done the job, but it didn't have one of those either. The two weeks of summer that did show up in August never got above 85° - yet we roasted due to such a  silly oversight.

I can't even begin to fathom how everyone managed during that horrid heat wave. We've probably had the mildest summer here in East TN since 1972. The upside for us is that we've had enough rain so that we should see a  beautiful fall for the first time in 20 years.

As far as clothing  is concerned, the fall shows for women are offering actual real clothing for the first time in 20 years. Lots of suits and structured dresses - very little stretchy polygoo involved.There's no way that the RTW manufacturers of today will be able to meet that demand if it trickles down to the masses. It will be interesting to see how that turns out. Even most well-to-do middle American women will not have access to a similar quality of clothing that the über wealthy may be wearing. It will be interesting to see if class-consciousness of a wardrobe once again becomes important. Will clothing stop taking a back seat to technology and vehicles?

[Greger]

Spookietoo, Western Washington weather is rather mild. Lots of clouds and rain. Drizzle. Creates moist air, which can be bone chilling in 40 F. I hate hot temperatures, unless I'm around cold water to swim in. When cold can always add clothes. Can't take my birthday suit off when the temperature gets hot. Next auto will have air conditioning. Maybe living near a glacier feed stream would be good. Also, having a place to hang up wet clothes helps. Some houses around here have no place to hang wet clothes. Scenery is really nice around here when the clouds and smog are gone. The cloudy weather can be depressing. To much grey. Why do people buy colorless autos? Grey is not a color. Great green color here. Eastern Washington the greens are a bit gray. Smashed the thimble finger. Might have to buy or make a larger thimble.
Is Tennessee mostly rolling hills?

[spookietoo]

Gregor, I gave myself quite a giggle trying to answer what Tennessee is like.

Western TN is flat. Middle TN is rolling hills and East TN, where I am, is/are "The Foothills of the Smoky Mountains". The Smokies are older and therefore not as steep as the Cascades. I bought my house because it has a "level" lot, but it actually drops about 8' over its 150 yd depth. Which makes it level by East TN standards.

I wanted to tell you how to experience what East TN is like - right there in King County. I remembered there was a road from Renton to Issaquah that began near the QFC in Renton, but of course I had no idea what the name of it was. Thankfully, 30 years later, the QFC is still in the same location, because I located the road very quickly. It's called the Renton Issaquah Rd SE. I just have to laugh at what will just fly over my head from time to time.

Anyway, that route will definitely give you the flavor of East TN. Gently rolling hills and valleys surrounded by low mountains with a wide variety of deciduous trees. (Deciduous was a word I never used prior to being in Seattle. People would ask me what I missed from home and my answer was always, "Good tomatoes and deciduous trees!) There was even one house with the washing machine and an old sofa on the front porch and a car up on blocks in the front yard - just like the back roads of Tennessee & Kentucky & Georgia & Alabama & well all of the Southern states!

I loved Seattle. The summer I was there was the coldest and wetest on record at the time. Like you, I don't like the heat and much prefer to layer on extra sweaters. So I was happy there. Not sure how I'd handle the 6 hours of daylight in the winter though. However, even 30 years ago, I couldn't understand not having AC in an auto. Once the sun comes out - they get hot!

Often I really wish I'd never left there to come back here. On the evening I drove into Seattle for the first time - bright blue sky and green, green grass, my soul felt like it had finally found it's way home. I miss it.

[Schneiderfrei]

We were in Nanaimo for 2 years and Coquitlam for one more.  The water was amazing, where I come from we get - got 25 inches a year. Vancouver gets 3 metres.  There is even a hospital ward where people are addicted to water intoxication.  No one in my part of the world does that.

I missed it every day for about 5 years after we came back to Adelaide.

6 Hours of daylight was a real culture shock, but not as much as 6 hours of night! 

That's when I realised the truth of "Make hay while the sun shines!"

When are you supposed to sleep?! Folks have aluminium foil on their windows to keep the light out.

South Australia is an antique, dried up land, really ancient.

G

[spookietoo]

Schneiderfrei - After watching Dr. Blake, I figured out if I had to move to Australia, it would have to be Adelaide, as I don't like the heat, and you guys have some wicked spiders, snakes and other creature I'd prefer to not deal with that are hopefully in the south.

I didn't have a problem with the 6 hour nights, as waking up is difficult for me. I'm a huge snooze alarm user, so early sunshine fits into that process perfectly.

What was wonderful back then was the selection of fabric locations. Most of those are probably gone now, too. And the area of Issaquah where they moved several small homes and cabins together to form an actual crafters/artist mall. Handmade furniture and childrens' clothing, and wonderful local artists. I even enjoyed the bus system.

And the 99 cents/lb asparagus was simply an extra treat.

[Schneiderfrei]

Who is Dr Blake?

We do have snakes, eastern brown snakes, second or third most toxic on the planet.

Ive never been bitten, naturally.  On the other hand, I wouldn't  want to be mauled by a brown bear.

I love it here in Adelaide, not many people, helps a lot.

G

[spookietoo]

You'll typically see/hear a bear in time to avoid it. They don't tend to immediately charge and attack - nor hide and jump out. Only recently have they begun breaking into homes - in very limited areas. And if you're in a bear area - it's best to lock your car doors, as they've developed the habit of standing on their back feet, walking over to a vehicle and just reaching out and opening the door using the handle! That blew my mind! There are YouTube videos.

In comparison,  your brown snake is super sneaky indeed! Wrapping itself under the toilet rim, not to be seen! No, thank you!

Dr Blake Mysteries, I think. ABC I thought - maybe it was BBC? TV series set in Adelaide in the 50's.. Not sure how old the series is- sometime in the last 20 years I think. Definitely a nice vehicle for advertising Adelaide as a tourist destination.