With
leaves falling, the smell of cinnamon in the air and the taste of pumpkin on
your tongue, you know that Thanksgiving is here. With this holiday comes images
of Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving dinner in the new world.
If you’re like me, I always imagined the Pilgrims in
black and white with buckles on their hats and shoes. Turns out that black and
white were only worn on Sundays and formal occasions. Women wore shades of red, green, brown, blue, violet and gray. And buckles were not actually in fashion until later in the 17th century.
Nevertheless, I can’t help but continue to picture them across the landscape of New England in 1621 dressed in the classic black, white and buckles. This type of imagery has definitely persisted in the imaginations of designers as well.
Pilgrim's Landing
Sarah Burton presented Pilgrim-esque designs in her Pre-Fall 2013 collection. Wide collars, belted waists and buckles are all reminiscent of the Pilgrim look.
Her
runway designs could just have easily been donned on the shores of the New
World, though the heels and over-the-knee boots would have been a bit
cumbersome.
The pleats of Lady Hawkins ruff are mirrored by the neckline and hemline
details on the McQueen dress, as are the delicate cut out designs.
Other designers, including Chloe and Jean Paul Gaultier,
have also found inspiration in America’s first settlers. The inspiration was reinterpreted on a scale of sexy to sweet.
Gaultier’s hat and collared ruff are a feminized version of menswear from the period, ramped up with a touch of sex appeal thanks to the skirt's short hemline.
The
Chloe Spring 2007 collection featured classic Pilgrim elements like the collars, but
with a dash of 1960s flair with mod baby doll dresses. The designs were a bit sweeter and more demure than the flash of Gaultier.
Regardless
of what the Pilgrims truly wore on that first Thanksgiving, we can embrace the
true spirit of that first autumn harvest feast and say a prayer of thanks as we
celebrate all that we have been given.
Runway Photos: Vogue.com
