DVD Review: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
(DVD Mrs)

This 2022 film is the third time Paul Gallico’s 1958 novel has been adapted for the screen. In 1958, a shortened version was filmed for the American television series Studio One, featuring British comic actress Gracie Fields. In 1992, Angela Lansbury, Omar Sharif and Diana Rigg headlined a TV-movie version. And now, Lesley Manville stars in the titular role in this absolutely charming little film.

 

Mrs. Harris is a British cleaning women, who scrapes by on meager means. When she sees a Christian Dior gown in the wardrobe of one of her clients, she is enthralled, and becomes enamored of the idea of own such an elegant and beautiful item of clothing herself. She scrimps and saves, and some fortuitous changes of fate result in her having the money needed to make a trip to Paris. The bulk of this film is her adventures in Paris, where she basically forces her way into the exclusive Dior facility, and the interactions she has with the people she encounters, including everyone from Dior’s executive assistant to the clothing cutters and sewing staff.

 

Manville is marvelous in the role, and the supporting cast is terrific. The set design feels very authentic, and the gorgeous dresses are either Dior originals, or based off of his designs. This story is about a woman who is out of place but makes the best of it, and the people who aid her along the way, becoming friends while they do so.

 

It is a quiet little film with a big heart. I strongly recommend this, especially for anyone who’s a fan of couture.

(Also available in traditional print format.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film ) | ( official Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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DVD Review: Calendar Girl

Calendar Girl
(DVD Biography Finley)

Normally I am not interested in films that are biographical in nature, but this one caught my eye. Calendar Girl tells the story of Ruth Finley, founder of the Fashion Calendar of New York City, one of the most influential and important newsletters of the century in the fashion world centered in New York. From office assistant to business owner, Ruth’s story shows how she saw a need and produced a calendar to meet the needs of all the top designers wanting to show their fashions in New York City. Ruth continued working through age 95 and is considered to be one of the most influential women in the fashion industry. Although I am not interested in fashion, I was fascinated by the story of Ruth and the empire she helped to create and run for over 70 years. The documentary includes interviews with some of the best-known designers in the business as well as the people who worked with Ruth and her family over the years.

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: How to Read a Dress by Lydia Edwards

How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion From the 16th to the 20th Century

by Lydia Edwards (391.2 Edw)

 

In How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion From the 16th to the 20th Century, Lydia Edwards provides some amazing fodder for the imagination for sewists, costume designers and others fascinated by clothing and clothing construction. You will find centuries of style represented in sumptuous annotated photographs that reveal subtle distinctions in style and workmanship, and explanations of how different design elements fit into the history of costuming. Edwards honors the skills, talents and visions of the craftspeople who produced clothing artifacts as she elaborates on the clothing items themselves as interesting touchstones for different sartorial and social experiences.

 

Each artifact is presented with general description including museum collection information, as well as some fascinating facts. For example, the “Silk robe a l’anglaise with skirt draped a la polonaise, c. 1775, Los Angeles County Museum of Art” has a skirt which is “looped up into sections in the back using special buttons and ties” In the notes, however, we learn that to make their manual work easier, working class women would achieve a similar effect by drawing sections of the skirt up through pocket slits. Did the style originate with the working class, to be copied by the wealthy, or did the lower classes admire the style and devise their own imitation? Annotations also describe the history of materials used, the design of the petticoats, choice of shoes, style of bodice and which accessories were selected.

 

In today’s world where cloth and clothing is cheap and ubiquitous, it is fascinating to ponder cloth, how it was made and what was done with it, as a reflection of the era that produced it and how it is emblematic of the progression of “civilization.” Not only are the items beautiful to look at, but they each tell a story of their times.

I’m really really really excited about this book. If you are interested in fashion design, women’s issues, world history, or are just interested in how and why things are made, this book is for you.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Icons of Fashion of the 20th Century by Gerda Buxbaum, Worn: A People’s History of Clothing by Sofi Thanhauser, or Only the Clothes on Her Back: Clothing and the Hidden History of Power in the Nineteenth-Century United States by Laura Edwards.)

 

( publisher’s official How to Read a Dress web page ) | ( official Lydia Edwards web site )

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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Book Review: A Pictorial History of Costume by Wolfgang Bruen

A Pictorial History of Costume: A Survey of Costume of All Periods and Peoples From Antiquity to Modern Time Include National Costume in Europe and Non-European Countries

by Wolfgang Bruen (391 qBru)

 

A Pictorial History of Costume: A Survey of Costume of All Periods and Peoples From Antiquity to Modern Time Include National Costume in Europe and Non-European Countries by Wolfgang Bruhn, a German art historian and Max Tilke, a German costume designer, ethnographer, historian of fashion design, illustrator, and Kabarett artist.

 

This is definitely a book for one who likes to “read pictures’ about fashion. Included are 500 drawn illustrations mostly in color that include approximately 1900 distinct costumes that demonstrate clothing and dress styles from two thousand years of clothing, up until and including the 19th century. The artist, Max Tilke, was both an artist and a scientist, interested in ethnography as well as costume design. He uses the illustrations to show both the details of costume and accessories, and their relationship to the humans wearing them.

 

Interestingly, this is a book of very few words. There’s a paragraph of introduction, in several languages, a table of contents, and at the back, a description of the plate appearing on each page.

 

It’s an oversized volume with many illustrations large enough to fill a page. For costuming, there’s plenty of inspiration, but it is sorely lacking in labeling and defining. The way it is set up, with the descriptions at the back of the book rather than accompanying the illustrations, makes it difficult to ascertain dates and regions for the costumes. The information that is there seems rather vague and unimpressive. On the other hand, the illustrations themselves are fascinating. The illustrator has gone to much detail work to describe with his drawing tools, the finer points of each outfit, showing both the front and the backside of costumes from similar time periods. A student of fashion design, with experience in drawing patterns, might enjoy the challenge of discerning how these items are made.

 

Being a visual person who enjoys “reading pictures”, I did enjoy reading this book and I can see using it as a resource if I were brainstorming ideas for my next sewing project, but without text, I don’t see sitting down with it to gather information and to learn about different periods or styles. It feels rather like watching TV with the sound muted and no subtitles. Interesting, but without the words to guide you, it’s not as engaging as it could be.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try What people wore : a visual history of dress from ancient times to twentieth-century America by Douglas Gorsline, The complete history of costume & fashion : from ancient Egypt to the present day by Bronwyn Cosgrave, or Costume by L. Rowland-Warne.)

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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Book Review: Icons of Fashion of the 20th Century by Gerda Buxbaum

Icons of Fashion of the 20th Century

by Gerda Buxbaum (391 Bux)

 

Focusing on fashion developments of the 20th century, the editor Gerda Buxbaum invites a crew of fashion experts to write essays on variety of intriguing topics. Set up in a scrapbook style, each essay is surrounded by illustrating photographs and drawings. The pictures are excellent, the information fascinating. Warning, you might need a magnifying glass because the type is that small, but it’s worth it. Flipping open the book opens portals on topics such as: “Radical Chic” (a discussion on how “the poor dress up but only the rich dress down” and features photos of “vintage find” clothes which were fashionable in the late 60’s) or “Disco” (Illustrated with photos of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and other dancers, this essay discusses the reflection and shimmer of 1970s dance fashion) or “Wedge and Triangle” (Elaborating on deep V back décolletage, wedge heels, and bias-cut dresses, amongst other things, this essay shares characteristic elements of 1930’s fashion.) or “Coco Chanel” (In six paragraphs of brief but meaty prose, the writer shares a compelling description of the designer’s influence that began in the 1910’s and extending to today.) there’s approximately 75 of these essay/photo/scrapbook combinations on a wide range of topics and designers; they’re easily browsed through and fascinating.

 

The only thing I would change about this book is I’d like to make it about twice as big. It would be easier to read the text and easier to enjoy the illustrations.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try How to Read a Dress: A Guide to changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century by Lydia Edwards, A Pictorial History of Costume: A Survey of Costume of All Periods and Peoples From Antiquity to Modern Time Include National Costume in Europe and Non-European Countries by Wolfgang Bruhn, or Worn: A people’s history of clothing by Sofi Thanhauser, or Only the Clothes on Her Back: Clothing and the Hidden History of Power in the Nineteenth-Century United States by Laura Edwards.)

 

See Scott C.’s review of 50 Women’s Fashion Icons That Changed the World from the August 2018 Staff Recommendations here on BookGuide!

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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Book Review: Say Yes to What's Next by Lori Allen

Say Yes to What’s Next

by Lori Allen (646.72 All)

 

This caught my eye because I enjoy watching the TV series “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta”, which features Allen’s bridal boutique, which she formed from the ground up. She is the epitome of a successful and sassy modern Southern Belle. The subtitle is “How to age with elegance and class while never losing your beauty and sass”. Combining biographical information with advice and advocacy for middle- and older-aged women, this is a fairly quick and frequently humorous read. It is not ‘lightweight’ as much as to-the-point. For me, personally, a lot of the information was moot, as she centers most of the topics around women with children and grandchildren, which I do not have. However, one very nice thing about the book is that online and organizational resources, such as mentoring programs and a budgeting website, are referenced in a number of instances. Regarding her personal life, I was surprised to find out about a critical injury Allen had after she had come through breast cancer successfully and it was nice to learn how despite a deep depression she suffered, she persevered and overcame that as well.

[ publisher’s official Say Yes to What’s Next web site ] | [ official Lori Allen web site ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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50 Women's Fashion Icons That Changed the World by Laura Cochrane

50 Women’s Fashion Icons That Changed the World
by Laura Cochrane [746.92 Coc] 

I’ll have to admit — I’m certainly not a devotee of women’s fashion. But the snarling and iconic visage of Grace Jones on the cover of this slender little volume caught my attention and made me curious. And I’m glad I snagged this book…it turned out to be fascinating reading!
Author Lauren Cochrane is a London-based fashion journalist, who compiled this volume on behalf of the Design Museum. In it, Cochrane profiles 50 different women who have had significant roles in shaping the clothing preferences of women from the 1920s to the 2010s (with one earlier example, in the form of Queen Victoria in 1847). Each woman gets two pages — one of straight-forward text, describing that woman’s impact on fashion, and what were her “signature” fashion elements, and the other a full-page photo of that woman in her “look”. Some of these women were designers, some were fashion models, some were performers (actresses, singers, etc.) and some were important for other historical reasons. But they all had an impact on what was the “in” look for women in their era.
Examples of some of the fashion icons include: Josephine Baker, Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Twiggy, Patti Smith, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Pam Grier, Debbie Harry, Diana Vreeland, Grace Jones, Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Tilda Swinton and Anna Wintour, to name just a few.

This isn’t a heavy, comprehensive volume — it’s a light, quick read. But if you’ve ever been even in the slightly bit curious about women’s fashion and design culture, and the movers and shakers in that field, this is a fun little read!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to seek out additional volumes in this series, including the Men’s Fashion Icons volume.]

[ official The Design Museum web site ] | [ publisher’s official “Fifty ___ That Changed the World” web pages ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Fashion: The Evolution of Style by Lucinda Gosling

Fashion: The Evolution of Style
by Lucinda Gosling [391 Gos]

This is a charming and compact “coffee-table book”, making use of hundreds of photographs and advertisements from the Mary Evans Picture Library in London, England. From bathing suits to bridal gowns, the author walks us quickly through several categories of British and American clothing styles and fads, touching on iconic designers and celebrity clotheshorses along the way. The title is overly encompassing, however, because what is actually presented from the worlds of fashion and work-a-day people spans only the late 1800s to the early 1980s. Nonetheless, this is a fun and fascinating look at who and what determines our wardrobe choices and how, recurringly, “everything old is new again.”

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Icons of Fashion: The 20th Century, by Gerda Buxbaum (391 qBux), 100 Unforgettable Dresses, by Hal Rubenstein (746.922 qRub), Vintage Style, by Tiffany Dubin (646.34 Dub), Vogue Women, by Georgina Howell (391.2 qHow) or What Shall I Wear: The What, Where, When, and How Much of Fashion, by Claire McCardell (646.34 McC)]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

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100 Unforgettable Dresses

100 Unforgettable Dresses
by Hal Rubenstein [746.922 Rub]

Take a trip through the last 50+ years via signature dresses and some eminent women who wore them. A wide variety of examples is included, from Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe to Grace Jones and Stevie Nicks and Phyllis Diller (whose outrageous couture has a tie to Nebraska). Rubenstein, a fashion editor, highlights such things as the cultural significance, artistic vision, and dressmaking details of the gowns, costumes, and ready-to-wear dresses that are chronicled. Photographic images abound to accompany the examples but not all are as crisp as they might be. All in all, this is a fun and somewhat fascinating read, even if the world of 'red carpet glamour' and 'high fashion' seems to be a far cry from everyday life. Two of my favorite inclusions are the "Went with the Wind" receiving gown from the Carol Burnett Show, and an optically intriguing cocktail dress by Azzedine Alaia worn by supermodel Stephanie Seymour. -- recommended by Becky W.C. - Walt Branch Library
 
[ publisher's official 100 Unforgettable Dresses web site ] | [ official Hal Rubenstein web site ]
 
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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

How to Have Style

How to Have Style
by Isaac Mizrahi [746.92 Miz]

Pubished in the fall of 2008, How to Have Style is somewhat of an oldie in terms of the fashion world. However, designer Isaac Mizrahi cleverly wrote this book to be timeless, for a while at least. It's hard to pick up a book about how to dress and not feel some pretentious millionaire house wives vibe, but Mizrahi's voice is tender on the subject. How to have style is simply about personal wardrobe problem solving geared towards getting out of common fashion ruts. Even in sections that do not seem specifically applicable, (i.e. ideas for petites - but you're not a petite etc.), there are useful tips for all. It's a quick read and worth reading cover to cover, not just skimming (of course that's up to you). Instead of focusing on what the problems are, this book focuses on how to fix them. How to develop, create, find, tune and hone in on your own stylish wardrobe. Get out of your jeans, shop on a budget, and find your style icon. A fun and quick read on your way to the mall for wannabe fashionistas. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The September Issue : Anna Wintour & The Making of Vogue. DVD 746.92 Sep, Jackie : The Clothes of Camelot. 746.92 Mul, What Not to Wear 646.34 Woo, or The Bombshell Manual of Style 646.34 Sto.] -- recommended by Glory B. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Isaac Mizrahi video blog ]

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The September Issue

The September Issue: Anna Wintour and the Making of Vogue
a film by R.J. Cutler [DVD 746.92 Sep]

If you are of the belief that Vogue Magazine is the fashion bible, this is a must see Documentary. Every year, the September issue sets the tone for the following seasons' clothing styles and designs. Cameras follow Editor-and-Chief of Vogue Magazine, Anna Wintour, as well as other key Vogue team members as they design and prepare for not only the years' largest issue of 2009, but for their largest issue in Vogue Magazine history. You may recall Anna Wintour, who was immortalized as the nightmare boss in the 2003 novel The Devil Wears Prada, written by Lauren Weisberger. This DVD allows entrance into Vogue's offices, fashion photo shoots and even a rare glimpse into Ms. Wintour's office, home and private life. The cameras also take the viewer to photo shoots in Paris and Italy as well as to several fashion shows and Haute Couture Houses such as Karl Lagerfeld. There are also interviews with several famous designers. This a two disk set with special bonus material and deleted scenes. [If you're looking for something light and fun with New York's high fashion scene, Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes is a good choice. Ms. Sykes is a Vogue staff member and is often a feature writer for Vogue articles. I would also recommend Front Row: The Cool Life and Hot Times of Vogues Editor-and-Chief by Jerry Oppenheimer.] -- recommended by Jessica H. - Walt Branch Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official The September Issue web site ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

The Way We Wore

The Way We Wore: Styles of the 1930s and 1940s and Our World Since Then
by Marsha Hunt [746.92 qHun]

Marsha Hunt was signed by Paramount Pictures when she was just 17; later she signed with MGM. In this book she showcases some of the costumes she wore in her pictures. One section is devoted to the hats she wore. She includes some casual wear from the period and mentions a costume that she designed herself. In fact, she was a teenage model for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Anyone who likes films from the 30s and 40s will enjoy this book. [If you enjoy this one, and are looking for more, search our catalog under the subject heading "Motion Pictures -- Costumes".] -- recommended by Rianne S. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ official Marsha Hunt page on the Internet Movie Database ] | [ Wikipedia page for Marsha Hunt ]

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Influence

Influence

by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson [YA j746.92 Ols]

This is a gorgeous coffee-table book about fashion, seasoned fashion designers, respected authors and others who have influenced Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen with hope that they, in turn, will inspire others. Although this book is presented as a Young Adult item, due to its level of sophistication, in the artists interviewed as well as the discussions on fashion and writing, I feel this book is geared toward adults who are interested in the world of art and expression. In this book, Mary-Kate and Ashley reflect on what has paved the way for their generation and has helped shape them into who they are today. The girls interviewed twenty respected artists and seasoned designers who have impacted the twins throughout the past decade. Interviews include fashion designers Karl Lagerfield, Diane VonFurstenburg, John Galliano and Christian Louboutin, as well as model-actress Lauren Hutton. During each interview, the girls explore what inspired the interviewee as well. Influence has 4 major sections: Fashion, Environment, Art and Giving Back. The book's artwork includes photographs and drawings provided by the interviewed artists, exclusive photographs of Ashley and Mary-Kate from world renowned photographer Rankin, and a wide variety of other never-before-seen materials and interviews from the 22-year-old twins' private collections. This unique book is edited by fashion and arts writer Derek Blasberg and designed by prominent book designer, Rodrigo Corral. --recommended by Jessica H. - Walt Branch Library

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