Christian Dior (1905–1957)

I absolutely adored this little book!

This book was written by Christian Dior in 1954 so naturally a lot of it is outdated. For example, there is a lot of discussion on frocks and how to wear them.

That being said, there is still relevant advice. The overall theme of the book is elegance and accentuating what makes you look good, which is still useful in today’s world. One of my favorite lines comes from the Lingerie definition, “Real elegance is everywhere, especially in things that don’t show…Even if you had on the most beautiful frock, you could never feel your best if you knew that your lingerie was not equally beautiful ” (pg. 73). I 100% agree!

I also enjoyed learning new fashion terminology like Princess Line (I never knew that style was called that) and Persian Lamb (a fur I have never heard about).

The whole book has a vintage vibe that I loved. From the cover to the wording to the black and white photos, this book was such a throwback.

Overall, if you love vintage fashion, the history of fashion, or Dior, you have to get this book! Plus, it’s a cute book to display around the house.… (mehr)

This little tome was charming, but it is severely dated and obviously a product of its time. I can't remember the last time that I heard someone refer to a dress as a "frock," but this book used the word so many times that I've seen it enough for a lifetime. Language and era-specifics aside, I thought that many of the little passages contained quite good advice. Dior may be a bit of a conservative (who doesn't like colourful shoes - seriously), but he is absolutely correct in his advice regarding quality over quantity, practicality, and timeless elegance.… (mehr)

Best for:
Anyone who might enjoy a 1950s time capsule of fashion terms and ideals.

In a nutshell:
Christian Dior provides definitions and opinions on everything from collars to tweed in this 65-year-old gift book.

Worth quoting:
“However much you admire a certain frock or coat on somebody else before you wear a similar one yourself you must think to yourself ‘What will this do for me?’”

Why I chose it:
In April of this year I was fortunate enough to attend the Dior exhibition at the Victoria & Albert museum in London. (https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/dior-designer-of-dreams) It was amazing. I wanted some memento and so purchased this little book, started it, and then promptly buried it in my nightstand pile, resurrected this week as I attempt to start 2020 with no half-read books.

Review:
I think my title for this review says it all: one can definitely tell it was written in the 1950s. Fur features prominently in here (fox, sable, mink - all are discussed, and the various virtues compared), the styles mentioned revolve heavily around skirts and skirt suits (I’m not sure trousers were mentioned at all), and every picture is of very tiny white woman. Additionally, Dior makes many mentions of what is appropriate for ‘plump’ women in terms of prints and color which, frankly, I have no interest in. Wear what you like!

That said, it was a bit of an interesting time capsule, to read Dior’s thoughts on different aspects of fashion. Unfortunately, many of the definitions are less, well, definitions, and more paragraphs about how said item fits into Dior’s view of fashion. Which is fine, but it’s hard for me to assess Dior’s thoughts on pique when I’m still not entirely sure what that is. Additionally, many sections (such as hemlines) would have benefited from drawings showing the various types and their names.

Still, it’s a fun little read, and I’ll put it on my bookshelf along with my other fashion and etiquette books.

Keep it / Pass to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Keep it.… (mehr)