Washington Winter Show 2017

50 Thoughts on the Style of Fashion This page is sponsored by Nita Blundon, Nancy Sidamon-Eristoff and Anne S. Hansen in honor of The Founders Board of St. John’s Community Services by Nina McLemore A t the recent Première Vision international textile show in Paris, as I was looking at swatches of fabric and envisioning them in a garment, I wondered what elements combine to make it possible for some people to see potential style from a small swatch. Even within the field of design, we all have different approaches and a different sense of style. We envision different lifestyles for our creations. While the ability to design is still a mystery to me, I believe that many factors come into play: ability, life experiences, skill, imagination, and passion. “Style” is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as a “special quality that makes a person or thing seem different or attractive: high quality in appearance or design.” For me, the central elements of style are timeless and cross cultural boundaries. They include balance, proportion, simplicity, harmony of color, and use of fine materials. Good style can generate pleasure and admiration. We always have a sense of excitement when we see something of great style for the first time. The major influences on my personal sense of style stem from a combination of early training in the importance of the image we present—always dress with a subtle and a lady- like image—with the need for women to demonstrate that, in addition to being attractive, they are also smart, competent, and successful in their own right. As a child in Mississippi, I started sewing and helping my mother create the clothes that I wore. I now realize what a great opportunity it was to be encouraged to have my own style and not be overly influenced by the fashion of the moment. I was able to have anything I wanted—just choose the fabric, the pattern, and make it! All of the women in my mother’s family sewed, and their Nina McLemore, junior prom dress. The floor-length dress of cream silk, with handmade roses and short cape jacket (not shown), was designed and made by Nina and her mother. All images courtesy Nina McLemore unless otherwise noted.