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amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating memoir of an American custom women's clothing designer in the 1930's - especially so given a that the author has a kind of progressive political bent that would at first seem to be at odds with the industry (and actually is, TBH, she just thinks that women with less money should be able to find clothes that fit and wear well and that men should be able to be comfortable in their clothing). I particularly enjoyed her musings on the clothing of the future and how the finances of the industry dictate the clothing that results.
mauxbs's review against another edition
3.0
This is mostly an interesting historical account of the fashion industry in the 20's and 30's, but there are a lot of observations that still hold true. It's interesting to see the directions things were moving in a world that did not yet have the cheap global manufacturing that we're so used to today.
It's a slightly tough read in places where I lacked the context a contemporary reader would've had, but that doesn't happen often. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in fashion/20th century history.
It's a slightly tough read in places where I lacked the context a contemporary reader would've had, but that doesn't happen often. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in fashion/20th century history.
meghan_is_reading's review
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Amazing break down of the fashion industry. Written in 1938!!!
msjenne's review against another edition
4.0
So enjoyable! I loved her breezy writing style and the glimpse into the fashion business of the 20s and 30s. If you want to basically die of envy, please immediately google image search ELIZABETH HAWES DESIGNER, oh my god those dresses were amazing and would be completely in style today.
LOVE HER.
Here's a taste of how this book is so charming:
"I got Miss Dodge, my old classmate and the warden of Vassar, to collect a group of what she considered the best sweater girls on the campus to consider the matter of something new in sweaters with me. I traveled to Poughkeepsie to consult with them. They were a very attractive set of girls. As I looked them over, I perceived that they had all gotten themselves up in honor of the occasion.
One had on a white turtle-necked sweater. Another wore a red sweater with a small round neck. A third had on a crew-necked Brooks model. And the fourth and the fifth and the sixth had on different colors of the same models.
How do you like your sweaters?" I asked.
"We love them," they responded all at once.
"Can you think of any improvements that could be made?" I inquired.
'No" they asserted firmly.
I tried for an hour and a half to make them tell me something they would like to have in the way of a sweater, something new, something different. There wasn't a thing they wanted. They wore sweaters nine-tenths of the time and they were perfectly satisfied.
They would only concede that possibly there might be other and more exciting colors from time to time. I left them. I had discovered exactly what I feared. Sweaters were quite satisfactory."
PS you can download this as a free ebook! http://archive.org/details/fashionisspinach00hawerich
LOVE HER.
Here's a taste of how this book is so charming:
"I got Miss Dodge, my old classmate and the warden of Vassar, to collect a group of what she considered the best sweater girls on the campus to consider the matter of something new in sweaters with me. I traveled to Poughkeepsie to consult with them. They were a very attractive set of girls. As I looked them over, I perceived that they had all gotten themselves up in honor of the occasion.
One had on a white turtle-necked sweater. Another wore a red sweater with a small round neck. A third had on a crew-necked Brooks model. And the fourth and the fifth and the sixth had on different colors of the same models.
How do you like your sweaters?" I asked.
"We love them," they responded all at once.
"Can you think of any improvements that could be made?" I inquired.
'No" they asserted firmly.
I tried for an hour and a half to make them tell me something they would like to have in the way of a sweater, something new, something different. There wasn't a thing they wanted. They wore sweaters nine-tenths of the time and they were perfectly satisfied.
They would only concede that possibly there might be other and more exciting colors from time to time. I left them. I had discovered exactly what I feared. Sweaters were quite satisfactory."
PS you can download this as a free ebook! http://archive.org/details/fashionisspinach00hawerich
turae's review against another edition
5.0
The book may be 70 years old but her views on fashion are up to date and still topical. Hawes writes about her experiences as a fashion writer, a copier of French fashion and as a designer herself. She explains how it all works and why it's ultimately all spinach. You only need to look at the fashion industry today to see it is still the same.
A real insiders view.
A real insiders view.
jenne's review against another edition
4.0
So enjoyable! I loved her breezy writing style and the glimpse into the fashion business of the 20s and 30s. If you want to basically die of envy, please immediately google image search ELIZABETH HAWES DESIGNER, oh my god those dresses were amazing and would be completely in style today.
LOVE HER.
Here's a taste of how this book is so charming:
"I got Miss Dodge, my old classmate and the warden of Vassar, to collect a group of what she considered the best sweater girls on the campus to consider the matter of something new in sweaters with me. I traveled to Poughkeepsie to consult with them. They were a very attractive set of girls. As I looked them over, I perceived that they had all gotten themselves up in honor of the occasion.
One had on a white turtle-necked sweater. Another wore a red sweater with a small round neck. A third had on a crew-necked Brooks model. And the fourth and the fifth and the sixth had on different colors of the same models.
How do you like your sweaters?" I asked.
"We love them," they responded all at once.
"Can you think of any improvements that could be made?" I inquired.
'No" they asserted firmly.
I tried for an hour and a half to make them tell me something they would like to have in the way of a sweater, something new, something different. There wasn't a thing they wanted. They wore sweaters nine-tenths of the time and they were perfectly satisfied.
They would only concede that possibly there might be other and more exciting colors from time to time. I left them. I had discovered exactly what I feared. Sweaters were quite satisfactory."
PS you can download this as a free ebook! http://archive.org/details/fashionisspinach00hawerich
LOVE HER.
Here's a taste of how this book is so charming:
"I got Miss Dodge, my old classmate and the warden of Vassar, to collect a group of what she considered the best sweater girls on the campus to consider the matter of something new in sweaters with me. I traveled to Poughkeepsie to consult with them. They were a very attractive set of girls. As I looked them over, I perceived that they had all gotten themselves up in honor of the occasion.
One had on a white turtle-necked sweater. Another wore a red sweater with a small round neck. A third had on a crew-necked Brooks model. And the fourth and the fifth and the sixth had on different colors of the same models.
How do you like your sweaters?" I asked.
"We love them," they responded all at once.
"Can you think of any improvements that could be made?" I inquired.
'No" they asserted firmly.
I tried for an hour and a half to make them tell me something they would like to have in the way of a sweater, something new, something different. There wasn't a thing they wanted. They wore sweaters nine-tenths of the time and they were perfectly satisfied.
They would only concede that possibly there might be other and more exciting colors from time to time. I left them. I had discovered exactly what I feared. Sweaters were quite satisfactory."
PS you can download this as a free ebook! http://archive.org/details/fashionisspinach00hawerich
aliibera's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating memoir of an American custom women's clothing designer in the 1930's - especially so given a that the author has a kind of progressive political bent that would at first seem to be at odds with the industry (and actually is, TBH, she just thinks that women with less money should be able to find clothes that fit and wear well and that men should be able to be comfortable in their clothing). I particularly enjoyed her musings on the clothing of the future and how the finances of the industry dictate the clothing that results.
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