Do you love vintage fashion and currently find yourself looking for some diversions at home? Here are few:
Visit a Museum—Virtually
See beautifully photographed items from the Kyoto Costume Institute.
Over 400 items from the Chicago History Museum Costume Collection can be viewed online.
The Fashion Museum Bath Dress of the Year has been selected by a respected expert ever since 1963.
Great for upping your wear-at-home game! Woman's Jumpsuit (Hostess Pajamas)
Addie Masters (United States, active California, Los Angeles, 1901-1983)
LACMA has 160 costume items pictured online.
I doubt you could see all 1,424 costume items from the Cooper-Hewitt in one afternoon.
Then there’s the Museum of FIT (“The Most Fashionable Museum in New York City”) online collection.
454 costume and accessory objects from the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s collection of over 227,000 pieces are available for viewing online.
The V&A has quite a few wonderful articles which the museum has the luxury of illustrating from items in their vast collection. You can download a free pattern for a Mary Quant “Georgie” dress, listen to a Christian Dior mannequin discuss her work for the legendary designer, and so much more. Just like the V&A in real life, you could spend days going through their website.
The MET offers 36 publications at least some of which are sure to pique your interest (Haute Couture, Poiret, American Ingenuity: Sportswear… ), absolutely free.
Watch a Few Videos
Examine the Christian Dior Bar Suit with a dressmaking expert.
And more Dior: Watch a Christian Dior evening gown get prepared for its trip to Paris from The de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Doris Raymond of The Way We Wore lets us look over her shoulder as she previews an auction of iconic costumes created by Erté, and pieces worn by Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, and Olivia Newton-John. See if you’re as surprised as I am at what receives the highest bids.
How about looking at the future of fashion, as envisioned in 1939.
Actually, all of British Pathé’s Vintage Fashion shorts are worthwhile.
Consider Upcoming Auction Catalogues
Items from the estate of Doris Day are coming up at Julien’s Auctions.
Have fun window-shopping, or sign up for online bidding at the Augusta Auctions Spring 2020 auction. Stay tuned to see if there will be a live auction, given the current health restrictions.
Learn About a Designer You Might Not Know
Emilie Flöge, the life companion of Gustav Klimt. He did not conjure up those fantastic dresses in his paintings out of thin air.
Anne Lowe, who designed the wedding dress for Jacqueline Bouvier’s marriage to John F. Kennedy.
Clare Potter ensemble from 1944, shared from Vintage Everyday via The Vintage Inn
Clare Potter, considered one of the founders of American Sportswear.
Movies to see
Check off your list all 37 of these movies with fashion show scenes, dating from 1929 through 2016, although that IMDb list is missing a great one: How to Marry a Millionaire (1953). P.S. If you haven’t seen the 1939 movie The Women, you are in for a HUGE treat! Also see its remake, The Opposite Sex (1956). Here’s a great article comparing these movies, from the Museum of FIT.
Check out what Paper Magazine called the best fashion documentaries. When I saw Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, I immediately watched it a second time—it’s that inspiring!
Another list you might not be able to get through in a year: Films costumed by Edith Head.
Catch up on television shows
If you have Prime, check out In Vogue, the Editor’s Eye, celebrating the 120th anniversary of the magazine.
L.A. Frock Stars lets you in on some of the high level goings-on from the vintage world in Los Angeles.
See how people are living vintage lifestyles in Vintage America with Ginger.
Visit vintage shops in New York with The Vintage Voyageur.
Is it time to revisit The House of Eliott?
…or to rebinge The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?
Have a little fun
Check out the matchy-match outfits in these 1970s ads.
See if this What Retro Style Looks Best on You quiz gives you the answer you want—it didn’t work for me!
My Pinterest boards that might help right now:
Closet Inspirations
Vintage Distancing
Then start your own boards. If you’re like me, this is a great way to dream up all kinds of things.
Watch Steve Martin win the Dating Game in 1968 (I like the store he wants to be stuck in all night!)
See the greatest dance sequence ever filmed.
Did you know you can work jigsaw puzzles online? Here are a couple that use images from the Fashion History Museum.
Design an 18th century wig courtesy of the V&A. I clearly had too much fun with this.
Please tell me what you’ve found to occupy yourself with vintage fashion online!