Diana Vreeland makes the interesting remark in the above video that one is born with style, or “of course you could put your shoulder to the wheel to acquire it … but you wouldn’t.”
Do you agree?
I thoroughly enjoyed Diana Vreeland, by Eleanor Dwight. The photographs alone are worth the modest price of a used hardcover copy. I mention this because the biography itself offers only tantalizing glimpses of Mrs. Vreeland the person. Like Chanel, Mrs. Vreeland is an elusive character.
Here’s an excellent summary of the book featuring my favorite photograph of Diana strutting down a Manhattan street just after she started working at Harper’s Bazaar in 1936. This blog post shows the same photo in a larger format.
The New York Times review claims Dwight underrepresents Vreeland’s years as editor of Harper’s Baazar and Vogue, focusing mainly on Vreeland’s 1970s – 1980s direction of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, but I didn’t think so. Diana’s stint at the Met doesn’t start until pg. 190 of 287 pages — so there’s plenty to read about her childhood and the years at both magazines.
I do agree with the NY Times piece that Diana comes alive in the early section of the book chronicling her youth, and after that, once she decides to reinvent herself as a character, less so. As the reviewer William Morrow writes:
There’s a fourth reason Vreeland is such a difficult subject for biography: she practiced on herself the aesthetic that she advocated in her magazine work and her books — that is, the idea that art is about artifice. Vreeland created a highly artificial public persona, with her blue-black lacquered hair, heavy jewelry, brightly rouged cheeks and forehead, her penchant for hyperbole (”You must polish the soles of your shoes,” she once declared), her slouchy ”ballet” walk and distinctive way of speaking (”a cross between Madame de Sévigné and Falstaff,” according to one of her favorite photographers, Cecil Beaton). Her made-up face repels inspection and invites reaction.
This blog post features many of the fantastic photographs in the book, plus more, and this 1982 New York article, The Empress of Clothes by Jesse Kornbluth is worth scrolling down a couple screen fulls to click on the article and blow up the text, if for no other reason than to read about Diana regainig her sight after five years of blindness, then insisting on seeing the film Deep Throat, apparently one of her favorites!
Like my father, Diana freely stretched the truth, so it’s difficult to say which of her pronouncements are true or false, but does it matter? She invented herself as a character and it’s her character that we remember and admire.
I’m more interested in her thoughts on style. Is it something we’re born with or can it be acquired? After her first throw-away comment in the above video, she speaks more thoughtfully about women needing inspiration and imagination, paying attention to “their skin, their posture, their walk, their interest interest in things … in education – education has a great deal to do with everything – that of course you can do for yourself.”
Having just recovered from a pinched nerve caused by poor posture, I had to chuckle.
You have to love Diana, she’s really one of a kind.
I’ll post soon re: other news. See you soon!
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Fascinating interview with Vreeland. She smiled a lot more than I was used to seeing her. Even had a sort of lovable quality.
I agree that you’re born with style — though it’s honed with experience, observation and education.
Who knew about those weights in Queen Elizabeth’s dresses? Helps to explain their rigid quality.
Good to hear your pinched nerve is behaving.
savvysavingbytes recently posted..Salade Niçoise – Thrifty Jewel of a Summer Meal
I am glad you enjoyed the interview. If you search “Vreeland” in YouTube there’s a few other gems you might enjoy.
I do think one can learn to have style. But if you don’t have an eye for color and proportion, it’s going to be harder, and may require finding more of a uniform that you wear over and over again.
Lisa recently posted..A Review of The Lodge at The Golden Gate, Cavallo Point
That’s makes sense! I think I’ve got an eye for color and proportion in our home and garden — hopefully this skill translates to clothes. But I love the uniform idea anyway because I prefer to keep life simple as much as possible.
As much as I enjoy her, I think it’s ridiculous that you have to be born with style. But she said a lot of wonderfully ridiculous things.
Yes, wonderfully ridiculous is a perfect way to describe most of her “pronouncements.”
What a fascinating woman–wouldn’t it have been fun to sit around a dinner table with her and to share conversation. I wonder if anything has been written about the possibility of her influence on Anna Wintour.
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Hi Terri, I don’t think one ever actually “shared” a conservation with Diana! That’s an interesting question about her possible influence on Diana Wintour. Have you seen the documentary September Issue about her? We saw it last week and she seems like a really cool customer, very reserved, very different than Diana. But she may have a similar editing flair — I don’t know.
What a trip Diana is! She is from another era–where people were born into society and followed where hemlines were to be in the fall. I think style comes easier to some than others–but all can choose to have it with a little determination!
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Hi Paula, thank you for the vote of confidence! I am determined and patient, so I think it will come with time.
Wonderful stuff here, Susan.
I do think everyone is born with some tastes and styles and quirks, but that we refine and redefine them through life (I don’t think it’s true that some are born with style and some are born without). It’s nice that we can experiment with these whenever we wish.
Hope your pinched nerve is healing, Susan….
Hi Hannah, thank you, yes the pinched nerve is on the mend — life is nearly back to normal.
I like your thoughts on being born with quirks and tastes, not style itself. And I love experimenting!
Yes, I think style is a talent with which one is born, much like singing or dancing or writing. It can be taught (by a stylist, for instance) but the one who’s taught style will never be as good as the one who is born with it because they will only be following rules while the ones with inherent style know it intuitively.
I’ve always wondered about this — you mentioned writing and it does seem true that it’s very, very difficult to teach writing. But I have seen people struggle to learn things that don’t come naturally and then eventually “get it” and fully blossom. It doesn’t always work though. For example, I used to tutor writing and it was humbling to realize that some people will only ever learn the basic rules.
I don’t believe anyone is born with style. I believe some people are more creative than others, yes, but style is something we can all acquire.
Angie Muresan recently posted..summer days
Hi Angie, I would like to think so! You make a good point about creativity — some people seem to “see” more possibilities.
She’s interesting. I think Ann Wintour’s style suffers from that same fashion industry lacquer. Not a hair out of place.
Over 50 feeling 40 had some discussion of class and it interested me to hear DV speak of class and style. In a physical sense I think they’re all bound together by fit.
Years ago Robert Kennedy gave a speech at the university in our town. My Dad got off of work and went to see him. The thing I remember my Dad saying about him was that his suit fit perfectly.
My Dad worked in a lab and mostly wore khaki pants that my mother bought at Pennys; Kennedy turning up in clothing that conformed to his body was notable.
To me style and class means you have the means or inclination to have someone make things conform to your shape — most of us blunder along with whatever we’re offered. Inasmuch as you’re craft is devoted to personal fit I think you’ve got the basis of style well underway.
I just checked out that post at Over 50 feeling 40 and left a new comment. Your idea of it being all about fit and having the resources to make it happen is an interesting one!
It was once common in American families of modest means for women to sew and knit clothing and other items for the family. The increasing availability of inexpensive ready-to-wear items has lessened the need for home sewing arts, but sewing is making a come back:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06305/734712-51.stm
Love her! Most definitely one-of-a-kind!
Hi Stacy, I’m glad you like her too :-)
I don’t know much about DV other than the bare bones basics (bazaar and vogue editor), but watching the video she seems like quite the interesting fabulous character. I think it is possible to learn style, though it does come more naturally to some people more than others. Definitely NOT something that can just be bought. Perfect example, is look at how horrible celebrities look when they fire their stylists. I’m more in the Iris Apfel camp, that to find one’s own personal style takes a lot of work that people just don’t want to do it. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzf_WPqsmTM) As long as I can remember I’ve been interested in fashion. It’s easy to dress a mannequin or model, but those aren’t necessarily the clothes I’d wear myself. When I embarked on my own style journey it took me a good 1-2 years.And this is was before the age of The Satorialist, all the street style sites, and the explosion of blogs. I think it’s much easier for people these days to find their own way, with the accessibility of personal blogs, plethora of style guides, makeover shows (I know What Not to Wear gets a lot of flack but if people actually paid attention the show is actually quite informative), and for better or for worse the variety of clothing available.
Hi Prêt à Porter P, thank you for your thoughtful comment. It warms my heart to hear that it took you 1-2 years to find your own style. Iris Apfel is correct in observing that it takes a lot of work and understanding of yourself to claim your style. I think for certain people, for example left-brain introverts like me, it’s especially difficult, but not impossible. I’m enjoying the process!