Arts & Culture / Fashion

A Refreshing Take on Fashion Television: A Q&A with L.A. Frock Stars’ Star Doris Raymond

A new series brings high-end style to vintage wear

March 22, 2013

The Perils of Wearing Clothes

From toxins in textile dyes to torturous corsets, beauty has a long history of coming at a high cost

March 18, 2013

The Aughts: When People Wore Their Causes on Their Sleeves, Literally

It was a decade of Uggs and excess but also styles meant to further the greater good

March 6, 2013

Winged Migration: The 77-Carat Butterfly Brooch That “Glows” in the Dark

The piece by Taiwanese artist Cindy Chao has a surprise revealed only under ultraviolet light

March 5, 2013

The History of the Flapper, Part 4: Emboldened by the Bob

New short haircuts announced the wearers’ break from tradition and boosted the hairdressing industry

February 26, 2013

The History of the Flapper, Part 3: The Rectangular Silhouette

Finally, women could breathe deeply when the waist-nipping corset went out of style

February 19, 2013

The Origins of Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve

Valentine’s Day can be an occasion for quirky expressions of love

February 14, 2013

The Masked Merriment of Mardi Gras

For centuries, the day’s revelry has featured the liberated feeling of hiding in plain view

February 12, 2013

The History of the Flapper, Part 2: Makeup Makes a Bold Entrance

It’s the birth of the modern cosmetics business as young women look for beauty enhancers in a tube or jar

February 7, 2013

The History of the Flapper, Part 1: A Call for Freedom

The young, fashionable women of the 1920s define the dress and style of their peers in their own words

February 5, 2013

A Nike Shoe, Now a Part of the Smithsonian

The Flyknit racer is currently in the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

February 2013

Why Hypercolor T-Shirts Were Just a One-Hit Wonder

Heat-sensitive color made this sportswear a hot item—but it didn’t last

January 22, 2013

Jicky, the First Modern Perfume

Tfirst fragrance to incorporate synthetic ingredients and natural extracts, making it one of the most significant perfumes in the history of scent design

January 17, 2013

A History of Sequins from King Tut to the King of Pop

As you don your sparkly holiday fashions, think of the trend’s start in an Egyptian tomb

December 28, 2012

The Legend of the Christmas Stocking

What’s behind the holiday tradition of hanging hosiery on the fireplace?

December 14, 2012

Your Guide to Selecting the Best (or Is It Worst?) Ugly Christmas Sweater

Holiday cheer with a touch of nostalgia celebrates garish knitwear from the 1940s to ‘80s

December 11, 2012

The Best in Fashion History: Penny Loafers, Forgotten Suitcases and Hermès Scarves

Three good reads to accessorize your daily routine

December 6, 2012

Dress Codes and Etiquette, Part 3: The Death of the Dinner Jacket on Open Water

Are the days of wearing just a tuxedo t-shirt just over the horizon?

December 3, 2012

A Holiday Shopping Reminder: Do We Really Need That Extra Pair of Jeans?

Meaningful purchases trump frenetic shopping and closets bulging with new clothes

November 29, 2012

Giving Thanks to Clothes That Stretch

Seeking comfort, holiday diners will don elastic to indulge their expanding waistlines. They should thank Thomas Hancock and his “masticator”

November 19, 2012