You may be nouveau riche, but if you are a senator's wife, you wouldn't dress in the latest fashions. Wide hats were still worn in the summer and by women of a certain age. For yourself, you would want to show off that beautiful long hair in one of the complicated styles all braids and buns for those that didn't believe in cutting their hair.
You wouldn't be too conservative--maybe a candy cigarette(if you don't smoke)in a showy, diamante-studded holder might be in order. Pearls would be a must. The Dover book : Fashions of the 1920's from B. Altman's might prove helpful. Women of a "certain age" and not thin, were openly designated as stout in the fashion mags and catalogs of the day and mostly limited to black, grey, and navy blue for color choices. But shoes were often ornate and with access to your own modiste, and also the funds for Chanel, Paquin, Worth, Jenny, and even Poiret, you could have something made that would really make a splash, to heck with being a Washington wife. Sources would be 1926 films. Also many libraries have Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, or McCalls on microfilm if you can't find the gold mine of actual issues. See Harper House at longago.com (I think) for 1920's patterns. I'm not a '20's-holic but these sources would be where I would start. Good luck Cindy Abel -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ruth Anne Baumgartner Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 3:29 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] Nouveau riche in 1926 Hello the list. A request for some assistance in finding a pattern or a good image. I've been cast in a murder-mystery evening, to take place the night of October 26. The venue is a fabulous mansion on the Connecticut shore, recently restored and elegantly decorated. The mansion was in its heyday 1910-1940. The mystery is set in 1926. I play the nouveau-riche wife of a corrupt U.S. senator. I am active in the charitable groups Friends of Small Rodents, American Wives for Access to Mixed Drinks, and Citizens for a Wealthier America. I'm known for my large, garish hats. Beyond that the script does not specify. As for me the actual person in the role, I'm 61, middle height, considerably more than middle girth, long white-and-blonde hair that can be put up in almost any style. My huge collection of feathers and costume jewelry is meant to serve Shakespearean productions, but I'm sure I've got some things in there that would flash in an appropriately roaring style to embellish whatever I wind up wearing. We're responsible for our own costumes. One of the community theaters will be contributing some things, but there isn't anything in their collection that seems to me to be "right" for Eunice Carver. I won't have time to sew, but a friend who often works with me on costuming shows I direct has offered to make me whatever I want! The 'Twenties is DEFINITELY NOT my period as a costumer, director, or aficionado, so I turn to the ever-resourceful List for suggestions. Pattern suggestions would be most helpful, since my friend works best with patterns; failing that, some good pictures (online if possible) we could look at. Thanks in advance! --Ruth Anne Baumgartner scholar gypsy, amateur costumer, and Friend of Small Rodents _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
