checkout lines, celebrity obsession is everywhere. Even the most casual moviegoer might be found flipping through a slideshow of Academy Award fashion after the big event. So, yes, we do see updated versions of these two styles.
Ceres: Contrary to the Victorian Era that follows the Romantic Era, and which goes back to more rigid morals and values--where the body is completely covered among other things--the romantic ladies had a way to show their bodies in a very sensual way. Why do you think?
Rosalind: Well, I guess that they just wanted a chance to show off some of their assets. [Laughter]
Ceres: How does fashion affect our lives today?
Rosalind: Changes in technology, leisure, work, cultural and moral values, home life and politics, all have contributed to lifestyle trends, which, in turn, influence the clothes we wear. These are the changes that make any era or society special. In today’s society, we often like to wear more revealing and sexier clothing that accentuate our bodies. I, on the other hand, enjoy wearing clothing that is formfitting, so I can express “the true me,” feel beautiful and still be comfortable within my own body.
Ceres: What about the headdresses and bonnets of the time? At least we don’t have the wigs anymore. It starts simple in 1800, but the hair gets a bit extravagant with all the curls and ribbons by the turn of 1840. Do you think that we could see something like that come back?
Rosalind: I like to portray different types of headdress on my head, and yes I see it is already coming back in the fashion world. I remembered during Easter time, as a younger child, my mother would make us the bell-shaped dress with the bonnets. Having something on your head is a fashion statement, and it can make an outfit look totally different. Bonnets remained one of the most common types of headgear worn by women throughout most of the 19th century. With the way the fashion world is, now, we will start seeing several of those headdresses coming back in style.
Ceres: Well, I love wearing baseball caps, but I’m not too sure I would go for a bonnet.
[Laughter]
Ceres: Would you have liked to live in between 1800 and 1850?
Rosalind: I think it would have been hard for me because, at that time, I believed that the woman’s place was in the home, and they were treated more like servants than wives.
Photo by Lands of Void
"From the Oscar's Red Carpet to the tabloids lining supermarket checkout lines, celebrity obsession is everywhere."
23 | Ceres Magazine | Spring 2016