Why Don't You?

Ever get a suggestion and wonder whether it's meant constructively? Perhaps it wears a white hat, so to speak, but is it really an insult in disguise, or a slight of some kind? The statement "Why don't you..." conjures up many connotations, and depending on its implied meaning could be helpful or vexing. In the context of a fashion magazine, suggestions are everywhere, and in the history of fashion magazines, one suggestion list stands out as the queen of condescending suggestions.

Diana Vreeland wrote a regular column for Harper's Bazaar on this very idea, literally titled "Why Don't You...?". Most of the statements were fashion-oriented, such as "Why don't you hide your hips under an accordion-pleated jacket?". From Vreeland's perspective, the suggestions were "all very tried and true ideas", but from today's perspective, its suggestions parallel only Marie Antoinette in its misplaced statement-making.

Vreeland didn't try to claim that the peasants should eat cake, but she very nearly did. Her first column of "Why Don't You...?" appeared in 1936, and over the years, the suggestions ranged from outlandish to nigh-impossible.

I can't remember when or why I picked up this book that chronicles Vreeland's "Why Don't You...?" columns, but it's rather contagious to read. Here are a few of the most outlandish.

Why Don't You...

• turn your old ermine coat into a bathrobe?
• wear three enormous diamond starts arranged in your hair in front?
• order Schiaparelli's cellophane belt with your name and telephone number on it?
• wear violet velvet mittens with everything?
• tie black tulle bows on your wrists?
• have an elk-hide trunk for the back of your car? Hermes of Paris will make this.
  

As you can see, depending on the status of the reader, the column was either a bit of whimsy, or outrageously silly, or simply misunderstood. It's an odd and fascinating bit of fashion history, and a rarified picture of the fashionable woman of the 1930s.

Resources:

Esten, John, and Diana Vreeland. Diana Vreeland Bazaar Years: including 100 Audacious Why Don't Yous--? New York, NY: Universe Pub., 2001.

We Wear Short Shorts!

In the Victorian era, showing one's ankle was rather risque. By the 1920s, exposing one's knees was racy. So when did we all get casual and don sportswear? Shorts? How about short shorts?!

Surprisingly enough, shorts have been around for casual wear much longer than people realize. Chances are, your grandmother wore them at some point, at least as a teen. The first regular use of shorts was in the 1930s, when athletic types like dancers wore shorts with fitted waists & loose, almost fluttery flared legs during exercise. These were similar in style to tap panties but not lingerie, though their fabrics were often thin and silky, otherwise all-cotton. While it's fairly common to see tap panties in vintage clothing today, their outer-worn counterparts are rarely found but can be seen in vintage movies, such as the exercise segments of "The Women" from 1939.

During the 1940s, short shorts were seen on pin-up girls and teens during relaxed times of day. Majorette were sometimes outfitted in short shorts at this time, as well as all-girl drum corps. World War II cheesecake art highlighted leggy silhouettes in these cute brief separates, usually made of cotton. They were nearly always in muted, feminine hues like these authentic examples:
By the mid-1940s, teens and young ladies wore made-to-match ensembles that included crop tops, cabana jackets and button-closed skirts with shorts underneath to match. These summer sets were meant to go from street wear to poolside sunning with the removal of jacket & skirt.

In the 1950s, the girl next door was wearing shorts on weekends and around the house in summer. The shortest of shorts were still meant for sex symbols like Marilyn Monroe, and movie versions of girls-next-door like Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina. Here's a sampling:

Other shorts and variations of such burst onto the scene during the 1950s - there were capris, clam diggers, Bermudas, pedal pushers, cigarette pants, etc. The popularity of these various styles shows how accepted shorts (and short pants) had become by this period.

By the 1960s short shorts arrived in street wear due in large part to the youth-focused culture at the time. Short shorts during this decade showed up in the form of hot pants, either worn alone or under a slit-front skirt for dramatic legs that appeared in a flash! Here's some seriously 60s styles in suede, barkcloth & fake fur:

In the 1970s, short shorts were sexy again on Farrah Fawcett as well as other Charlie's Angels (and Angel wanna-bes!). And Dukes of Hazzard made a Southern sex symbol famous in her daisy dukes. You might remember Nair's famous slogan "Who wears short shorts?" from this era, which went hand-in-hand with skin-baring briefs. Check 'em out:

For more shorts, check our available selections on VintageVixen.com; lengths range from mini to modest!

Ask The Vixen: Shoe History

We get a lot of inquiries that help people date the vintage clothing they collect. Here's a recent question about determining the age of vintage shoes:

Q: Could you tell me when soles became primarily rubber instead of leather?
Thanks in advance for your answer.

A: Thanks for your note. Shoe soles are either rubber, leather or a plastic-like synthetic depending on its intended use and quality, though synthetic soles did become more common in the 1960s. Rubber soles have been in existence for about 150 years, and were often used for waterproof or athletic shoes. Rubber soles were most commonly seen in this century in athletic wear like 1950s & 60s sneakers, though we also see vintage sport shoes with rubber soles from the 1920s & 30s (think Converse high tops). Leather-soled shoes are still made in couture and designer collections (as well as custom orders of handmade shoes) today.

Also be sure to check our vintage shoes buying guide for in-depth info about how to pick the cream of the footwear crop!