Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Finding feminine inspiration in the art of eras past

Today's clothes and fashions for women are often very un-feminine. It's a trend that appears to have started in the 1920s, when androgynous clothing was all the rage, and then things got even worse in the 1960s...

Anyway, the point is, we've almost forgotten what it means to be female - to be a lady. True femininity starts inside - it's a heart issue, really. BUT, I guarantee you'll find it easier to think and act like a lady, like a daughter of the King, if you dress in beautiful, feminine clothes! Clothes do make a difference in the way we behave and in the way others treat us.

So, I've decided to start a new series of posts. Because it's become so difficult to find truly lovely clothes in the world of fashion today, we need to look to the past for inspiration. In each post I'm going look at a classic painting, and scribble down some of the things that I particularly admired in the design of the outfits worn by the lady/ladies in each picture. Most of what I write probably won't be very remarkable - but the idea is for you to look at each painting and make a mental note of the things that most struck you about it.

Two of my favourite things combined - art and beautiful clothes! Today's post is about one of Titian's masterpieces. . .

Portrait of a Noblewoman (or La Bella) by Titian

I love the golden embroidery on the rich blue fabric - it’s a wonderful effect; very luxurious, but at the same time not over the top. That particular shade of blue interspersed with darker stripes... and it’s complemented beautifully by the ruddy brown colour of the sleeves.

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To read more articles on this subject, click here then click on the link 'Feminine Dress' in the sidebar on the left.

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