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What do the Atom Bomb, the displacement of an entire race of indigenous people, a nude dancer, the sexual revolution of the 1960’s, and Sponge Bob Square Pants have in common?   I’ll give you a minute to think about it….   It’s the Bikini.    It’s a tiny little thing, but there’s nothing small about the dark and scandalous history of this swimsuit.    Let’s dive in, shall we?     Two pieces were only widely accepted because of fabric rationing during WWII.   Before the second World War, women were expected to be covered completely from head to...

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fashion history, freaky fashion friday, Invention, vintage fashion -

They say that the key to invention is the need for function.  The same goes for fashion.  Most of what is modern day fashion is derived from functional design.  More specifically, it is amazing how much of our modern day essentials come from military need.  From tampons to duffle bags, sunglasses to outerwear, so much of our current every day life has evolved from war based design.  Below are three of my favorite every day wardrobe essentials that were originally designed for wartime.

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World War II is thought of as one of the most violent and deadly times in human history, and rightly so.  It was a time of genocide, mass murder, and complete devastation.  War time changed every element of everyday life around the world.  In America, it drove women into the work place, limited industry production across the board, and forced rationing of goods for everyone.  This rationing led to many changes in women’s fashion, and though a seemingly trivial detail of the time, these adjustments created a domino effect that is felt even up today.  Hems were shortened, fabrics changed,...

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 After a New Years vacation in the resort islands of Los Roques, the fashion mogul, his wife Maurizia, and their friends Guido Foresti and Elda Scalvenzi boarded a small private jet that was headed for Venezuela.  Less than 30 minutes into the flight, the plane disappeared.   The event has been shrouded in mystery since the beginning, leaving the Missoni family, as well as the label’s fans, with more questions than can be answered, even now ten years later. 

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She was scandalous.  She was shameless.  She was drop dead gorgeous, and she knew how to work that to her advantage in every aspect of her life.  She was a Countess, a mistress, and the ultimate influencer.  She was an artist before her time, accidentally pioneering an entire movement, and she is believed to be the world’s first supermodel.  Introducing the Countess of Castiglione, Virginia Oldoni. 

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