This Week is all About Frocks, Frocks and more Frocks.

I'm knackered man and I don't mind admitting it. The last couple of weeks have been non-stop and I see no end in sight.
This is what happens when you make a new year's resolution to accept more invitations!

Monday night I had my first 'Learn how to use your sewing machine' class. It went well, (my new machine that has been un-opened in it's box for most of the year worked) I learnt how to clean it and use it while not abusing it, I sewed backwards, and forwards, slightly lopsidedly it must be said, but I did make a kick-ass button hole!

So Frocks, firstly you win some, you lose some.

As I suspected that red floral dress looked seriously, seriously HIDEOUS on me, dear god. Every now and then I do have these aberrations in taste! 
Anyway I have already sold it on via the bay of E.
The lovely green brocade 50's style one didn't quite fit, *but* as I am on the health kick I have held on to it for the time being in the hopes that it will.....
I bought 2 new dresses on Ebay but I haven't tried them on yet so pics laters. They are both 50's style and one might just be another hideous, hideous mistake....

Oh and I also still need to share a picture with you of my gifted (and very gorgeous) 80's does 50's dress. It is currently waiting to be ironed as it does fit and has already been worn to work, hence the need for ironing!      

Wednesday I had a welcome day away from all the madness that is work at the moment. Soo and I went to Londinium to the V&A (which as I may have said just once or twice before is one of my favourite places in the world to go) for the 'Hollywood Costumes' exhibition. We were going to do the 'British Ballgowns' too but we completely ran out of time and stamina so we ended up just browsing the exhibition book in the shop instead!  

Anyway we kicked off in the newly reopened Costume Gallery and ended off getting completely engrossed to the point where we only had half an hour to grab a quick drink and cake before our timed tickets for the Hollywood exhibition.
 Here's a wee taster.....

Utter Bliss!

So on to the Hollywood Costumes exhibition, as expected no photos allowed inside but

*OH*

 how good it was!

 I love that even though you are on timed entry you can take as long as you like to go round. We ended up taking two and a half hours. There was a bad bottleneck at the beginning but after we got past that we were able to take our time, and if you waited a moment or two you were usually able to  see things. I don't know if that was the same for Soo who is a wee bit smaller than me, being tall I usually just look over people!

So where do I start? I loved the fact that eras where mixed in together, so a gorgeous beaded 1920's cobweb dream was next to a sharp outfit from a film that came out this year. They did group together film genres like Sci Fi, Costume Drama, Action etc but otherwise it was a delicious cinematic smorgasbord.
I have to say, and I am actually almost ashamed of this fact, I was taken aback that huge movie and clothing fan that I am, I have never really considered the fact that an outfit can affect the way you feel about a character, and not least how a character fits into a scene. It was fascinating to read and hear, via video clips, how carefully thought out even the most basic outfits could be.

We were both particularly taken with how much detail went into early costumes. In a silent movie the clothes have to speak where the actor doesn't or how a red dress looks different to a black dress even though in theory it is all black and white. Proving as with life, it is the all important many varying  shades of grey that are important..

Hand on heart I'm not boasting, (more demonstrating a misspent youth!) but there weren't many films represented there that I hadn't seen.
It does make me lament the fact they never seem to show old films on T.V any more!


 I developed my love of 1930's/40's cinema via BBC2 showing black and white films pretty much every afternoon. Over the years I watched them avidly when I got in from school, when I should have been at college and when I was unemployed.
 When my Nan came to stay we would drink oceans of tea and often weep buckets glued to the screen. I discovered the fact that my Dad had pretty much LIVED in the cinema when he was a boy, he knew all the actors including the lesser known supporting cast such was his passion for films, a fact I would never have thought of of my Pa. I clearly inherited my passion for film from that side of the family.  

So yes, this exhibition touched me on many levels, not least the 'My god how tiny was Judy Garland/Carole Lombard?' or 'well I never knew Errol Flynn was that tall!' level.

Anyway all I can say is if you get the chance GO!!!!!! you won't regret it.

Oh and we both refuse to believe Bruce Willis wore olive brown corduroy high waisted, as in Simon Cowell high waisted, trousers with his white vest in 'Die Hard'. No, nah, don't accept that.