Fur Warmth, Fur Fun

They say the time to buy an antique is when you see it. The same goes for a beautiful fur piece, but actually, the best time to buy is at the end of the winter season.

Storing furs in the off-season requires cold storage, which is a bit of a problem in the Gulf Coast region To alleviate the storage problem, dealers often offer steep discounts to move furs. It's not a problem for the consumer either, if the closet is available in the coolest room in the house.

The buyer should consider having the fur cleaned and glazed though. Most vintage furs probably have't been recently 'conditioned.' The marginal cost for these processes is reasonable and will add years to a fur piece. Since vintage furs are more affordable than new, at discounted at the end of the season, it would be money well spent. Fur storage is offered as a value-added service.

Why is cleaning and glazing essential? It rids the fur piece of grime, perfume, etc., but most importantly, it conditions the back of the pelts, keeping them supple and from becoming brittle. When selecting a fur, think contrast. The fur shouldn't blend in with the color of your hair. A contrasting color allows the fur to frame and enhance the face.

Some dos and don'ts to preserve your fur...

- Never store your fur in plastic! Use a mesh sip-up bag so the fur can breathe.

- Never store the fur near heat as it will dry the pelts out making them brittle.

- Getting caught in wet weather is no reason to panic. Shake off the excess moisture, towel dry, then hang in a cool, airy space. Keep in mind that fur-bearing creatures get wet all the time and dry out.

Purpose is the most important consideration. If the fur being purchased is for warmth, then consider a coat which covers the majority of the body. If it's designed to be a fashion accessory, then a wrap or stole will do; more recently referred to as a wrap or a 'fling.' A wrap is an excellent choice as it can be used year round. Truthfully, restaurants keep the temperature low so patrons won't linger. Throw the stole over your arm when going in and around your shoulders if the restaurant tries to freeze you out. The demand for these smaller fashion furs has soared with the popularity of "Downton Abbey," the period drama that air on the PBS station. See related article "The Fasions of Downton Abbey" http://bit.ly/2eccYqJ

For whatever reason, long-lasting wear makes a fur a best buy. The only thing that hasn't been discussed is the social attitude. Keep in mind that fur has been worn since the cave man era. It doesn't do any good for vintage furs to be discarded in a landfill. Recycle them and enjoy!

The Fashions of Downton Abbey

The latest fashion craze is not on the runways of Milan, Italy, nor on the streets of Paris, France. In fact, one would have to get in the wayback machine and travel back to Yorkshire, England, to the beginning of the last century, to see the fashions that are being worn by today’s fashionistas.

Made popular by the British period drama, “Downton Abbey,” created by Julian Fellowes, the program which airs Sunday evenings spans the decade from 1912 thru 1921. The fashions recreated by Susannah Buxton and Caroline MCCal, are now all the rage. Long, ankle-length skirts are back in vogue, worn with old-fashioned lace blouses. The costumes are so true to the period that the program has received the Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Mini-series, Movie or a Special. 

Due to their age, the fashions are hard to find in antique shops, especially in good condition. Also try checking the trunks in the attic or the back of grandma's closet. Although home-sewing has become somewhat of a lost art, if one can locate vintage patterns, a good seamstress can bring the look of the early 1900's back to life. The patterns might be located in antique stores, but to be truly authentic the garments would have to be made of fabrics of the period...natural fibers like cotton, silk, and wool. 

The program is comprised of three series: Pre-WWI , with the next two panning the years 1916 thru 1921. The clothing evolution depicts the Post-Edwardian fashions when women wore long bell-shaped skirts, with emphasis on the waist which was still being cinched with corsets. The lace blouses had long, fitted sleeves with high, stand-up collars, reminiscent of the modest women. Shoes were laced up, and hats were picturesque with wide brims and embellished with plumage, flowers, or large satin bows. Throughout the series the view can detect the hemlines rising to mid-calf, and the waistlines dropping to the hip.

Accessories during this period consisted of parasols, feathered fans, small handbags with long straps, and fur muffs which served a dual purpose for both keeping hands warm and as a fashion statement. 

Menswear consisted of either a cut-away coat or straight-lined jacket, with a wide pant width. High collared shirts were worn with bow ties, and the outfit was topped off with either a top hat or a bowler (derby).  

They say 'what goes around, comes around.' It's unlikely that these fashion trends will return in their entirety, but Downton Abbey has made its mark on the fashion scene. Women are combing the antique shops in search of antique jewelry like cameos, and a vintage fur muff was spotted at a recent gala. 

See related article "Fur Warmth, Fur Fun" at http://bit.ly/2ekPNuU  

Linked In

Prior to the use of cufflinks, men’s ruffled wristbands were fastened with cuff ribbons or ‘cuff strings’ as they were called. The inconvenience of trying to tie the ribbons gave way to buttons, and at the high end…jeweled studs or gold links appropriately called “cuff links.” Cufflinks were designed for use with shirts that had buttonholes on both sides of the cuff, but no buttons. Referred to as “French" cuffs as popularized by the 16th century French court, they can be worn pinched together (‘kissing’), or with one cuff overlapping the other, ‘barrel’ style.

The practice of wearing cufflinks became widespread during the 19th century. Imitation gems, and gold and silver-plate with base metal alloys, were employed by jewelers to make cufflinks affordable to the masses. By the late Victorian period, cufflinks and shirt studs were essential to every gentleman’s wardrobe. Manufacturers like Swank, Anson, and Hickok, mass-produced inexpensive cufflinks from the 1930s through the 1960s. The industry diminished in the 1960s and 1970s, as a result of the counter-culture movement and the popularity of the casual button-down shirt. But everything is cyclical and the return of the ‘French-cuffed’ shirt is now, not just delimited to men. Women are buying flamboyant cufflinks for the ‘French-cuffed’ blouses in their wardrobes, and their jewelry wardrobes as well.

Cufflink designs vary widely in style. "Dumbbell" style cufflinks are the simplest design, popular during the early-20th century, but evolved to short connecting posts with the visible side enlarged and more decorative; often suitable for monogramming. The next evolutionary design was a swivel mechanism, referred to as the ‘T-post’ or ‘flip hinge,’ which became one of the most popular concepts. A post with a swivel mechanism held the cuffs together by ‘swiveling’ perpendicular to the post after being threaded through the button holes. Often the swivel style includes a decorative mesh wrap that embellishes the cuff.

There are numerous styles which include traditional, novelty, and humorous cufflinks, and those designed as wearable art, as in the 1950s, when contemporary, enameled designs were applied to copper. Pictured at right are examples of ‘bling’ cuff links that would be classified as ‘unisex.’ local minister purchases these bling things. He explained, “I want my congregation’s attention when I’m giving my sermon. When I wear flamboyant cufflinks, they’re riveted on my message.” Likewise, magicians typically wear dazzling cufflinks as the audience is less likely to detect the trick behind the ‘slight of hand.’

With both college graduations and Father’s Day approaching, a smart pair of cufflinks with a monogram or reflecting a career path (pictured to the left), would make a very appropriate and welcomed gift.

A Tip of the Hat

When you don a hat you are accepting of the rules of etiquette that go with it, if not, then it would be better not to wear one. The following rules are not my rules, the are 'The Rules' of wearing a hat. The Rules according to Amy Vanderbilt, Emily Post, Miss Manners, and other Internet sources...

Women need not remove their hat in the following instances:

• In someone's home
• At luncheons, weddings, and garden parties
• At religious services
• At a movie or any indoor performance
• When the national anthem is played
• When the flag of the United States passes by when on parade

A woman is required to remove her hat if it blocks someone’s view in a theatre or at a formal ceremony like a wedding. She should also remove it when she arrives at her place of employment.

Unlike men, a woman is not required to remove her hat during the playing of The National Anthem. This rule was implemented when it was cumbersome for women to do so, when hats were fastened with ribbons or hatpins. However, if a woman is wearing a hat or cap considered unisex like a baseball cap, she ‘cannot claim the ladies exemption’ per Miss Manners. She should follow the same guidelines as the men. She should not hold it across her heart like the men (as ball players do) but instead, hold it in her left hand down by her side, freeing up her right hand to be placed over her heart.

The exception to The Rules are chemotherapy patients covering their heads. They may keep their hats or caps on at all times if they prefer. The etiquette rules for men are entirely different and will be detailed in a subsequent article. In the meantime, one may reference the Emily Post website article “Hats Off! The Who-What-When-Where of the Hat” at http://bit.ly/hUASe5


Photo by Collage

There's Nothing Like A Hat

For centuries women have adorn themselves starting at the top of their head. Egyptian queens wore magnificent gold headpieces, and the French court saw the most elaborate display of brims, birds, and plumage in the mid to late 1700’s. It is estimated that in the late 1800’s five million birds were being killed annually for the millinery and fashion industry. The elimination of the bird population was so devastating it spawned the Audubon Society in 1905.

Millinery styles adapted to the times…wide brimmed western hats and bonnets were worn by the settlers to shield themselves from the scorching sun, the brims on ladies hats shrunk when they took to riding in automobiles, and the sheared beaver fedora was largely adopted by men in the early half of the 1900’s as an all-weather hat.

The great milliners say that millinery reached its pinnacle in the 1930’s through the 1940’s. This was when hats became an art form and no longer worn for practical purposes or as just a fashion accessory. They were sculpted, twisted, molded and formed. They became the focal point for which a whole ensemble was created. The styles were as versatile as the designers themselves. Milliners like Elsa Schiaparelli were credited with millinery innovation as she was largely inspired by surreal artist, Salvador Dali. Some of the other noteworthy milliners of the period were Hattie Carnegie and Lilly Dache.’ The partnership of John Piocelle and Frederic Hirst under the John-Frederics label created hats for many epic movies including Gone With the Wind and My Fair Lady.

Two significant events were responsible for the demise of the millinery industry…the bouffant hairdo, and the Catholic Church’s decision to let women attend church without wearing a hat. Hats in the 1960’s & 70’s were reduced to nothing more than a flowers propped atop a mound of hair with a small amount of veiling. At that point milliners pretty much put a lid on their hat boxes. But hats are back in vogue due to changes in time. Chemotherapy is largely responsible due to the hair loss. Greater awareness of the dangers of the sun’s ultraviolet rays has also increased hat sales. Although tea parties and Kentucky Derby parties have brought back the large picture hat, the number one selling hat of all time? ….the ball cap. Whatever your reason for wearing a hat, an Easter bonnet for Easter Sunday is another good reason. To quote George Sanders upon seeing Bette Davis in an elaborate chapeau in the movie All About Eve, “There’s nothing like a hat.”

To see a wide variety of beautiful vintage hats, please visit the Spring Antique Mall located on the southwest corner of I-45 North and FM 2920 (Exit 70A). Hours are Mon-Fri 10-5; Sat 10-6 & Sun 1-6. Visit the Spring Antique Mall’s Facebook page and send a picture of your favorite hat. Also visit their website at www.springantiquemall.com


Janet Werner is a featured columnist for Antique & Collectors Guide of Texas, a monthly statewide publication on antiques and collectibles.