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American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity

Missing from the Costume Institute’s impeccable new exhibit on the history of American women’s fashion are the working-class female archetypes who shaped our styles today, says Daily Beast style columnist Kate Betts.

Published Apr. 28 2010 2:31PM EDT

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---12_fcy9g3 — Courtesy Archives of American Illustrators Gallery NYC and National Museum of American Illustration, Newport RI ,

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---12_ddrfd5 — Vacation, (Cover for Collier’s magazine), 1907 Oil on canvas
Courtesy Archives of American Illustrators Gallery NYC and National Museum of American Illustration, Newport RI

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---13_pdlpma — Liberty 1900, Worth 1907

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---7_qbqbhh — “Soldierettes,” (Cover of Life Magazine), 1919 Oil on canvas
Collection of the Society of Illustrators Museum of American Illustration, Gift of Lowell M. Schulman, 1984

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---9_gfxswu — Lanvin 1923, Anon. French 1925

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---8_hgvfja — Consuelo Vanderbilt (1876–1964), Duchess of Marlborough, and Her Son, Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill (1898–1956), 1906 Oil on canvas 87 1/4 x 67 in. (221.6 x 170.2 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan, 1946

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---10_pngfnu — Jessie Franklin Turner 1933 Chanel 1934 Travis Banton 1934

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---11_omhqgt — Evening Dress, 1934 Black silk, sequins
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Anna May Wong, 1956 (2009.300.1507)

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---1_yrjjxt — Lucile Brokaw Piping Rock Beach, Long Island, 1933
© Martin Munkacsi Estate/Courtesy Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---2_rqrwuk — John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925) Portrait of Nancy Astor, 1908–1909
Courtesy of National Trust / Art Resource, NY

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---3_hb87m6 — Blue silk satin, sequins, rhinestones, beads, metallic
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art,Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Paul Pennoyer, 1965

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---4_op5zd5 — Anna May Wong in Limehouse Blues (directed by Alexander Hall), 1934 Costume by Travis Banton (American, 1894–1958)
Courtesy of John Kobal Foundation / Getty Images

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---5_sptv5e — Evening Dress, ca. 1933 Gold lamé
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of the Estate of Mary Boocock Leavitt

galleries/2010/04/28/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity/american-woman-fashioning-a-national-identity---6_wqkfgx — Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight (directed by George Cukor), 1933 Costume by Adrian (American, 1903-1959)
MGM/The Kobal Collection

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