I’ve been meaning to post on my modelling gigs for Ivan Sayers’ historical fashion lectures but keep putting it off. I thought I’d start posting this week, starting with today’s Wet-Coast Rainwear fashion show at Hycroft Manor (the home of the University Women’s Club of Vancouver).
The University Women’s Club of Vancouver
Who could have predicted that it would be so sunny and warm this April weekend? Not that we were complaining but the theme would have worked perfectly for a rainy day. (‘Good’ news is that it will rain later this week so attendees will now have some historical fashion inspirations to draw from).
The Wet-Coast Rainwear fashion show started at 2PM at the Hycroft Manor and was presented by fashion historian and curator, Mr Ivan Sayers. This was a SMOC (Society for the Museum of Original Costume) event that takes place almost every month.
Lovely magnolias and daffodils outside Hycroft
My first outfit: I wore a black dress from 1917 (if I heard it correctly), embroidered with yellow and red designs, that was supposedly rain-repellant because of the silky fabric. Over the dress, I wore a silk coat with large buttons. I also wore a plain large brimmed hat (if that doesn’t keep the rain out, then an umbrella would have to do but it was not part of the ensemble). I carried an embroidered purse which happened to match the embroidery of the dress.
Outfit #1
My second outfit: I wore a blue-and-brown knee-length dress with a matching bolero (different pattern except for the pocket borders) from the 1940’s. Over the dress and bolero, I wore a trench coat which was also from the same decade. The outfit was accessorised with a floppy brown ‘Ingrid Bergman hat’, vintage brown shoes from Vancouver, and (not visible in photo) King George VI earrings (they looked like Canadian dimes) and a C.W.A.C. pin that belonged to Ivan Sayers’ mother.
Outfit #2
This fashion show covered men’s and women’s clothing from the late 19th Century to the 1970’s-80’s (I did not get to see the exact dates of all the outfits). Unfortunately, I did not take a photo of everyone’s outfits so what you see below is only half of what was modelled today.
If you are interested in attending a SMOC fashion show lecture, tickets are $22 for non-members, $10 for students, or $20 for members (membership costs $20/year – check website for different categories). You can follow SMOC on Facebook to find out when the next event is.
The Lady and the Rose 