Well, the lying has begun and it’s only October 29. I’m talking about the weatherman who promised overnight snow, and so far, there’s been not a single flake. I’m not a big fan of cold weather, but I do love sitting in the sunroom, watching snow fall. Unfortunately, I’ve got the cold temperatures, but not the snow. I need a lesson from the 1920s women above on bundling up.
And now for the news…
- The really sad news came out last week that Cone Mills’ White Oak denim plant will be closing in December. The factory is 112 years old, and is the only remaining selvage denim maker in the US. This leaves high-end jeans makers like Raleigh Denim without a supplier of denim. The hope is that some enterprising person will purchase the 1950s era looms and start a new mill.
- And up north in New Jersey, Deerbrook Fabrics continues to exist due to loyalty.
- The Met has published another blog post on the fascinating Charles James archive.
- The Lord & Taylor building in New York has been sold. The department store will continue to operate at the location, but in a smaller capacity.
- If the Putting Your Best Foot Forward Act is passed in Ontario, then employers will not be able to mandate high heels as part of a dress code. I’m curious. Have any readers ever been required to wear high heels for a job?
- This is refreshing – a major fashion museum admits they got it wrong, and proceed to make public the corrected history.
- I watched The Collection on Amazon because so many commentors here have mentioned it. It was too little fashion, and too much soap opera. I may do a proper review of it, but in the meantime you can also watch it on PBS.
- Similarly, there is a film coming in December, Phantom Thread, starring Daniel Day Lewis. It too is about a designer, post WWII, but this one is in London.
- “Photographer Spends Eternity Waiting For Museum Visitors To Match Artworks And The Result Is Worth The Wait.”
The Vintage Traveler 
As always, I enjoy your list. You always round up interesting pieces.
I had to laugh at the couple of comments to the article about the Daniel Day Lewis movie. I take their point (they’re not excited, as this does not look like a swashbuckling role), but I’m excited! I think we might know a few people who will be excited! My partner lives in Florence and often mentions the year that Daniel Day Lewis spent learning shoe-making in Florence. I’ve even been to the workshop, although I think it may have closed recently. DDL always applies himself thoroughly to roles. I wonder what he learned about dressmaking?
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I’m not sure how much he learned, but he does *look* like he knows what he’s doing in the trailer.
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THANK YOU LIZZIE for email. The denim plant is sad and yet not surprising. I went on a “fabric research” trip for Key West Fabrics in about 1970 and visited a denim manufacturer for Lilly jeans fabric. I thought it was Dan River? Can’t wait to read the rest of this.
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Dan River was located in Danville, VA, but they had factories all over the area. It is likely they wove denim.
I’m surprised they have stayed open this long, but I can’t help but think that the factory is making money. There is a real demand for selvage denim and it is not cheap.
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Hi Lizzie,
I always love reading your blog. Thanks so much for sharing your finds and your travels with us.
I had to respond to your question whether any of us had been required to wear heels at a job.
I was required to wear heels when I worked for an oriental rug company that leased sales space from the Dayton Hudson Department Store Company at the Rosedale Home Store. I worked there from 1987-1988, not that long ago. Yes, I climbed piles of oriental rugs and flipped the rugs as well as the guys could. All three of the gals in my department could – ‘Backwards and in heels’ as the saying goes, for real! ; ^)
Jill
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Thanks for the nice words, and thinks for living up to Ginger Rogers’s standard!
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You’re welcome, and I’ll do my best. Ginger left us all a high bar to meet!
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About being required to wear heels – nope – BUT I was required to wear pink! This was at a mini mart/gas station in New Hampshire in the early 70’s. The only pink thing I owned was a floor-length Laura Ashley dress … so I would fill gas in that thing!
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Now I’d love to have a photo of that!
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