Photographic Fabrics (1947)

Well, I know how much blog readers love to hear excuses as to why such-and-such post didn't get posted in such-and-such of a time, but for continuity's sake, I DID run around my house photographing all kinds of crazy stuff I'd picked up over the last two weekends, taking a care to light them and display them in a manner you would find pleasing...I even brought the camera on which they were digitally stored, only to find that the connecting cord belongs to my OLD camera (come ON!). So I have a camera full of photos but no way to show them to you. Ain't it sad? Couldn't you just cry?

I have a consolation prize for your vintage viewing pleasure, though! And it has to do with photos! I saw this in the Life archive the other day and about fell over:

OH. MY. GOODNESS. LOOK. AT. HER. DRESS. People. What is even happening.

Though we'd more than take it for granted these days, the art of photographic screen printing in a domestic, non-commercial setting was relatively new in 1947. Even in 2057, I think I'd still be losing my mind over a black satin dress with MY FACE ALL OVER IT. "Photone" and "Foto Fav", the delightfully named processes that bring us these twentieth century pioneer pieces in pop art clothing, were developed Leize, Inc and Ross-Smith corporation, respectively. The text says that the limitations of the new medium includes the processes' inability to print in multi-tones, but are working on full color illustration capability at time of press... can you imagine showing a person in 1947 one of those crazy photo polyester shirts that were so popular in the late 90's? Wigs would be flipped.

Here are some other uses for photo-print textiles:

Goodness! Gracious! The Skyline tie and rose dress look SO NINETIES' to me. But think of how futuristic they must have looked in 1947! I'm nuts about the Hedy Lamarr and Frank Sinatra pillows (see above and below). I looked high and low for an extant version online, but to no avail. Ah well. To sleep on a dreamboat's face! I can't decide if it's weird or neat. But I'm leaning towards neat.

I used to LOVE to make photo transfers for little boys' black t-shirts I would get at Walmart for something like $3. The transfers were $10 for a package, but it really beat the Hot Topic band t-shirt prices at the time (remember when they used to have T-Rex and Velvet Underground shirts? I do because I have them! When they were on clearance, that is.). My favorite was a Patrick McGoohan The Prisoner t-shirt I made with ROVER and McGoohan in silhouette walking across the front (it looked like this except in black and white). I photocopied the VHS insert from the library (and at the library, for that matter), then scanned it in on our old computer, then printed it on the transfers, then CAREFULLY cut it out (whole page transfers looks so lame) so that it was just an outline, THEN ironed it onto the appointed shirt. Not as time consuming as renting a factory in Queens in the 40's, but labor intensive nonetheless!

What do you think? Which photo-textile would you like to most own? Imagine the dress with say lobsters or Lou Reed's head? And a YES. YES. YES. to that. Do you have any photo favorites in your closet?

GOD WILLING, I will have some photos of my own for you tomorrow. Til then!