THE CAPSHAW COLLECTION--EDITION VI
A collection of Santa Fe Fiesta dresses, squaw dresses and other festive Mexican and Spanish attire.....
It was a cold winter day when we got together for this cover photo....(it was supposed to be a romantic shot throwing roses off the balcony, but we didn't have a quick enough camera to catch the shot.)
The models gather on the second story of Santa Fe's Sena Plaza for the cover shot....
Later, Diana models this dark olive cotton lace two piece dress with copper color sequins at the hem and collar ruffle. The entire outfit is layers and layers of lace, teamed with a tortoise shell pineta and antique copper jewelry. This shot is in the rotunda of the NM State Capitol......
Also a'shimmer, Sisi models this brown velvet gold sequined skirt (a gift to the collection from friend Judy Goldbogen) teamed with a gold shimmered ruffled lace blouse also in brown. Gold jewelry and hair accents, complete the look. This shot is in La Fonda.............
In the rotunda, Bianca models a hand made sheer cotton blouse with a cotton raincloth squaw skirt with silver and white ric-rac and added silver ruffles. There is probably a matching top somewhere with the tag of the maker, because I feel this is a professionally made skirt. Binks accents the outfit with a white squash blossom necklace and a pink flower. Even though it is not a complete outfit, I am rating this outfit: ***. Only the true Fiesta Squaw dresses are rated in my collection.....
La Bella Francesca!! Frannie does not enjoy all these fancy clothes, but she was a good sport to join us on our photoshoot (probably because the shoot included a breakfast at Tia Sophias) She is modeling a hand created felt jacket with sequin edging and a magnificent Mexican Sombrero......
The beauty is in the elaborate embellishments on the back side. (Including the name ZoZo in black on the bottom that is not very visible in the photo.) I understand that this jacket was made as a Silent Auction item for a local charity.
Our Frannie is a real trooper, we tried putting her in many weird positions trying to get both some of the back as well as her face in the shots. And as the shoot went forward her poor little nose kept getting redder and redder from the cold. HAIL TO THEE OH FRANNIE!!!
Her sister Chiara is a cool sophisticate in this gorgeous pleated cotton squaw skirt with a fantastic swirling pattern of gold braid and ric-rac. Again, I feel it originally was part of a dress set and the label is probably on the missing blouse. I rate it a full five:*****, because it is just outstanding in craftsmanship (intricate pin-tucking on the pleats) and in originality. Keekers is wearing it with a velvet top and bolero, gold jewelry and a gaucho hat.
Come springtime, I am modeling a sheer cotton dotted Swiss one-piece dress with purple ric-rac and white lace. Most one-piece dresses are difficult to fit because the waistlines fall on such different places on the wearers, but this one is just fine on me. This dress has an especially generous sweep of the skirt and is very comfortable, however, because of the the rather skimpy embellishment, I am rating it :****
Another rather skimpily embellished hand made cotton dress with cap sleeves and brown ric-rac. Binks had some problems with the waistline on this one. Rated: **
However, our model gets top rating--in this close-up she could be a calendar girl on the fabulous Mexican Calendars that you used to see in auto-garages and shops in the 1950s, She is wearing silver jewelry and a lovely gold velvet sombrero that I purchased from Santa Fe's own Sombrero Man..............
Now, THIS is an excellent five star: ***** squaw dress! This two-piece, Jeanette of Albuquerque bi-tone cotton dress has all the bells and whistles. The intricately pleated skirt is completely embellished with silver, blue and white ric-rac and braid and it is a completely full sweep skirt....
The blouse is rather washed out in the first photo, here you can see the embellishments on the collar and sleeves--a real gem!! *****
Again, I am surprised not to find a maker's tag on this dress--a gift to me from my Chiara. Because of the intricate pleating, I expected it to be professionally created. This turquoise cotton two-piece dress has silver and turquoise ric-rac and braid. There is often a slight difference in color between a top and matching skirt because the tops are laundered so much more often. I also suspect that the previous owners were reluctant to meddle with those fantastic pleats.. Because of lack of tiering and embellishments on the skirt, my rating is: ***
This three tiered, two-piece navy blue and silver bi-tone cotton raincloth squaw dress sort of represents the more traditional squaw dress pattern. The use of shimmery silver fabric on the lowest tier makes it somewhat unique. This skirt and top are both generously tailored and it is very comfortable to wear. (Some of the old blouses are very tight in the sleeves and bust areas) ****
This cute coral cotton raincloth homemade two-piece squaw dress is high on color impact, but low on imagination with the slight embellishments (silver and white ric-rac and braid and a less than full circle on the sweep of the skirt.) Rated ***
However, if the skirt doesn't inspire you, squaw dress tops can be paired with pants, but beware that more wear means more fading of the top due to extra laundering.....
In comparison, here is a pale pink cotton homemade, two-piece dress with lots of embellishments (silver ric-rac and braid) on the skirt. Since the skirt is not quite a full circle, it gets a rating of ****
Sisi models a Spanish dancing skirt with sequins and gold banding at the hemline. She teamed it with a red peasant blouse and a fringed gaucho hat....
A Mexican tucked cotton formal dress in ecru with brown cotton lace and ecru ribbon. teamed with a pineta and mantilla. This style was popular tourist wear in the 1980s..............
A very comfortable brown two-piece cotton raincloth highly embellished squaw dress with gold and white ric-rac and braiding by Faye Creations, Tuscon. This is a quintessential fiesta dress of the 1950s-60s. Full rating: *****
Inspired by the colors of the China Poblana, Sisi models a gored cotton Silverstream skirt with bandanna print and sequins paired with a green fringed piano scarf shawl and a satin red peasant blouse....
Another gift to the collection,from Sandra DiPolito, this is a tiered cotton Laura Ashley calico broomstick skirt by Pins & Needles Custom Made Clothes, Santa Fe. I later found a Navajo-style shirt by Martha of Taos made with the same material, but since I was plenty pleased with the pairing with my own peasant blouse embroidered with the same colors as those of the skirt, I didn't buy the over-priced Martha of Taos shirt.
A new acquisition from the "Owners-Off-Season-Trading Session" with Sylvia, this is a one-piece cotton raincloth Kane Originals bi-tone dress with black, silver and turquoise ric-rac and braid and a fill-circle skirt.. Although the waistline is okay on me, as with all one-piece dresses, it is not necessarily compatible with all wearers, so it gets just slightly less than a full rating: ****
I don't usually include men's clothing in the collection, but this 100% wool handwoven vest from Ortega's, Chimayo, NM with leather buttons was especially noteworthy....
The back view shows more of the traditional design as well as Dwight's HUGE woven straw sombrero that is so big that only a really tall person can wear it.....
A more contemporary way of dressing for Fiesta, This is a multi-tiered mixed print full length cotton gauze skirt by Ana embellished with multicolored ribbon. It is teamed with a pale yellow peasant blouse, a big hat, and a toy poodle named DiCaprio.....
The pride of this years addendum: Chiapas dancing costumes in black and white.......
Sisi models the white with it's multi layers of embroidered roses in an array of colors. with a garland of flowers (sort of Frieda-style) in her hair.......
Diana models the same outfit in black accessorized by a tri-color cat named Winston.....
A bit of a late addition: I am wearing a turquoise and creme bi-tone two piece cotton raincloth squaw dress This homemade full sweep dress features silver and white ric-rac and braid, Dwight is wearing an Indian applique shirt from Cochiti Pueblo ((and a really big band-aid). Dress rating: ***
The final selection from this year's acquisitions: a Mexican tucked cotton full length dress in yellow with cotton lace trim and embellished with tucked designs throughout. Modeled with a Mexican sash at the waist and an ivory celluloid pineta. Links to the rest of the collection will follow the Rancho de las Golondrinas selection.........
This section is included to show how many of the mis-matched pieces of the collection, as well as some of the original entries, can be repurposed to replicate Spanish Colonial garb for my volunteer gig at Santa Fe's Living Museum--El Rancho de las Golondrinas. (Here I am in the kitchen of the Baca House--Josephina's Kitchen.)
Full length mantilla and pineta with a long gown in the Mora House....
This look was modeled on illustrations done by visitors to Santa Fe in the 1800s. At the waist is a hand crafted Native American woven belt from Santa Domingo. In the Shepard's Kitchen.....
On the porch of the Schoolhouse....
A lace tapalo, silver trimmed jacket and Abiqu soil-dyed skirt in the Schoolhouse.....
A long totally embellished skirt in the General Store....
A compiled shot in front of the Baca House with the Chapel in the background. The day this was taken, I was in the procession of San Isidro during Spring Festival....
Interior of the Madrid House....
Kitchen of the Madrid House--apron a gift to the collection from Ted Sirosinski.....
In the General Store, holding an adorable old bottle whose label reads: "Malt and hops LIQUID FOOD". I'd like to sell you one, but El Rancho de las Golondrinas does not have a "Liquid Food License".....
A gift to the collection by Kim Mellor--this adorable cotton set by Hopeless Romantic is based on 19th century underclothing attire. But, I wear it on the outside because like Anita in WEST SIDE STORY: "I'm an AMERICAN GIRL, now".............
Brass beds in the Madrid House....
Chiapas attire for VIVA MEXICO! In this gorgeous and somewhat uncomfortable outfit, I got "down and dirty" yelling for the Lucha Libre wrestlers......
The Hopeless Romantic clothes ride again!! This time sort of Frieda Kahlo style (I even gave up my usual Z-coils for some juraches).....
Buckeroo Ball style in my Penelope Cruz skirt in one of the weaving rooms.....
Chipas goes Mexican Charra style--all very uncongruently while portraying the school teacher. (Got my assignments mixed up)
19th century Dona of the ranch on a rainy day.....thus ending the Golondrinas segment of this post....
So now the models have walked away....
After defiling some beloved state monuments.....
Even catching a few winks on the Great Seal of the Great State of New Mexico.....
And getting a few modeling tips from other professional models.......
So you'all come back next year to see what we find in the year ahead.....
All together now, "QUE VIVA LA FIESTA DE SANTA FE"!!!!!
To see the newest edition of Capshaw Collection of fine Fiesta Attire, follow this link to THE CAPSHAW COLLECTION 7:
http://cieloazulhappenings.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-capshaw-collection-of-fiesta.html or just re-open this blog.
