In the exhibition of The Body: Fashion and Physique, there are lots of beautiful dresses and suits that are designed from 1870s to 1940s. Among them, what catch my eye is a black wool suit which is designed by Los Angeles based designer Gilbert Adrian in 1945.
This suit is composed with a long sleeve blazer and a H line skirt. The waist part of a long sleeve blazer is slender, means that waistline is emphasized. And bottom lines of blazer is little pleated by tighten waist part. The neckline of a long sleeve blazer is little low and it is designed into the shape of a flower. Also there is a ribbon on the middle of the blazer as a decoration and curved lines that is princess dress pattern on both sides of the blazer. Narrow waist, the convolution of the bottom part of blazer, wave shape of neckline, a small ribbon on the center, and princess dress pattern lines on both side represent femininity. However, the overall feeling of this black suit is not just feminine, this is because of the shoulder part. This suit has prominent angulated shoulder pads, these pads make it masculine. Not only shoulder pads makes suit masculine but also wide H line skirt does. This skirt is middle long and wide unlike mini skirt that reveals lig lines. This black suit has both characters: feminine and masculine. It is saying that body and fashion have deep relationship. Especially, prominent angulated shoulder pads show relationship between body and fashion. These angulated shoulder pads make this suit look masculine, means that there are different shapes for different gender. I also think design components make outfits look masculine, feminine, or gender neutral.
