In Episode 18, Teddi and Melissa welcome Professor Linda Przybyszewski (pronounced "Pruh-buh-SHEF-skee") , author of "The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Made America Stylish" and Associate Professor of History at Notre Dame. The conversation explores the fascinating world of the "Dress Doctors," professional women in the early 20th century who applied Western art principles to fashion, creating democratic guidelines for beautiful, economical dress through five key principles: harmony, emphasis, balance, rhythm, and proportion.
The discussion delves into the "six occasions for dress" that guided women's fashion choices: school, business, housework, spectator sports, social afternoons, and evenings, revealing how each occasion had specific principles about appropriate styles and colors. Professor Przybyszewski explains how the 1960s youth movement, alongside the dismantling of home economics departments, led to the rejection of dress principles and the rise of casual fashion, resulting in the loss of sophisticated styling for women over 30.
The episode concludes with a thoughtful examination of our current fashion landscape and a hopeful discussion about pockets of resistance through vintage clothing and appreciation for elegant dressing, suggesting a potential future rebellion against ultra-casual fashion in favor of more intentional, occasion-specific attire.
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The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish by Linda Przybyszewski
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