Spooks in the Collection: The Owl and the Pussycat

The weather is changing, the days are getting shorter, and October has almost reached its end. One last thing needs to happen before we hit November…Halloween! When someone in the US thinks of Halloween, many ideas and images are bound to come up in their mind: Glowing jack-o-lanterns, witches, skeletons, children in costume, and candy abound.

This Halloween, let’s talk about the furry and feathery friends we associate with the holiday. Specifically for this blog post, I looked at two pieces related to two animals you might see perched on a witch’s shoulder as she flies through the night sky – a cat and an owl.

This French feline-adorned coin purse is from 1935. The angular ears and flicked tail are perfect for a repeat pattern, and also give just the right vibe for Halloween.

Accession 3163, French Coin Purse c.1935 Donor: Mrs. Malcolm Baber

Accession 3163, French Coin Purse c.1935 Donor: Mrs. Malcolm Baber

So how did cats get associated with Halloween in the first place? It comes down to superstition. During the times where Christian societies seemed to have a witch craze, cats were one of the animals thought to be companions to those who practiced dark magic. The spooky nature of modern Halloween has latched onto this and made a black cat one of the major icons of the holiday.

The garment you see in the next photo is a beautiful, downy capelet made of owl feathers, c. 1897. The softness and elegance of the capelet hardly seems to relate to the big, spooky owls of old Halloween movies, which is so interesting.

Accession 65.10.1 Owl Feather Capelet c. 1895 Donor: Mrs. Russell

Accession 65.10.1 Owl Feather Capelet c. 1895 Donor: Mrs. Russell

Owls, similarly to cats, became associated with Halloween due to their nature as predators of the nocturnal type. Their evolution in Halloween iconography mimics the evolution of Halloween itself – once a serious pagan holiday to the night of tricks and treats we see today. What once was considered an evil, dark-dwelling creature is now simply another character on the Halloween roster.

Hannah Donnelly

Volunteer Intern

The Ballet Russes and Clothes for Dance

Unfortunately, I have not been able to volunteer any of my time to the collection this quarter because I am currently on Co-op. However, my position as a design and pattern room assistant at A Wish Come True has renewed my interest in dance and its influence on clothing throughout history.

Dance has had a huge affect on fashion throughout the decades, but most notably on the clothing of the 1920s. The Russian Ballet, or the Ballet Russes introduced influential designers to a whole new approach to clothing. The Paris based ballet company performed around the world between 1910 and 1929. The shows they performed represented modern ballet at its best, and the innovative costumes left a lasting impression on the designers, like Paul Poiret, who were defining the styles at the time.

Ballet Russes performers practicing Image courtesy of the Berg Fashion Library

The costumes that the dancers wore to perform in fit loosely and allowed them to move properly and reach their full range of motion. The designs also incorporated elements of Russian costume that, to the majority of the world, was exciting and exotic. Compared to traditional corseted outfits that ballerinas had been wearing, this was a huge shift.

Costume for Shah Zeman c. 1910 Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia

Costume for Pierrot Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia

During the transitional phase before the 1920s, the styles we have come to associate with the decade was beginning to develop. Poiret lead the way with his revolutionary designs that were loose fitting and allowed women more freedom of movement. However, after taking a close look, his ideas were not as original as he claimed they were. He used silhouettes, motifs, and colors that were similar to the costumes worn on stage.

Evening Dress, 1913, Paul Poiret Image courtesy of The Museum at FIT

Fancy dress costume, 1911, Paul Poiret Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Many of the styles that inspired Poiret were introduced early on in the 20^th century and were carried over into the 1920s. It’s interesting to think that a major player in women abandoning their corsets and wearing less restricting clothing was ballet.

A silver crown from the FHCC inspired by Russian styles and intended for evening wear. Silver Russian crown c. 1921 Accession 5551 Donor: Mr. Alexander J. Cassatt

A silver crown from the FHCC inspired by Russian styles and intended for evening wear. Silver Russian crown c. 1921 Accession 5551 Donor: Mr. Alexander J. Cassatt

If you’d like to see footage of the Ballet Russes, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNcC_BeXBCQ

Devan Juraniec

Volunteer Intern