223:
passions, possibly in reaction against his upbringing. In 1938 he succeeded Martin Hardie as Keeper of the department, a post he held until his retirement in 1958. Despite his significant contributions to object-centred dress history, he was never Keeper of
Textiles for the Museum, or part of the Textiles section.
222:
and was shown as part of his department. It showcased work by all the leading
European designers of the time, and the Museum purchased several designs and models, which became the basis of the Museum's Theatre Collection. Laver was put in charge of this collection. Stage design became one of his
527:-supping, enviable but slightly disreputable character, hobnobbing with chorus girls and hanging round stage doors. To Gertrude Lawrence and her friends I was something 'in a museum', engaged in mysterious and apparently useless activities quite outside their comprehension; a character out of
1187:
537:
Laver continued to write fiction and work for the theatre and film on a less ambitious scale, but did not attempt becoming a full-time writer. His work on films included acting as historical advisor for
1142:
926:
1117:
316:
was an attempt to compress the complex cycle of fashion change and the general attitude towards any certain style or period into a simple timeline. It first appeared in
253:, a six-part series, was so successful that in 1938, Laver and Binder reunited to present a revised re-tread (in three parts) of the programme, this time called
235:, which emerged through a desire to date images accurately through the clothing depicted within. Laver defined the relationships between dress design and other
33:
115:
between 1938 and 1959. He was also an important and pioneering fashion historian described as "the man in
England who made the study of costume respectable".
1182:
934:
463:
set in modern times, successfully captured public attention, and led to Laver's popularity as a fashionable party guest. A sequel in 1929 followed,
1177:
540:
1152:
1107:
809:
1132:
969:
Profile of James Laver by Doris
Langley Moore, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2007
1172:
1054:
1019:
996:
546:
239:, and discussed the influence of economic and social factors upon the development of fashionable taste. In 1962, Laver received a
1167:
1147:
1127:
852:
1112:
1137:
603:(1903–1971), a Roman Catholic in 1928. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter. They first lived in a flat in
1192:
1162:
240:
96:
112:
294:
1157:
1122:
232:
305:'s views trivialised women's behaviour, role within the family, and their contributions to society and culture.
576:
428:
To supplement his pay whilst at the
Victoria & Albert Museum, Laver dedicated his free time to writing
529:
211:
32:
302:
1102:
1097:
460:
429:
1078:
1082:
894:
859:
190:
167:
159:
144:
1068:
620:
604:
584:
552:
490:
136:
72:
1050:
1043:
1015:
992:
848:
838:
805:
600:
504:
152:
83:
1072:
557:
520:
479:
263:
608:
185:
148:
565:
483:
456:
298:
267:
108:
174:. His college fees and travel expenses were subsidised by a wealthy shipping magnate,
1091:
180:
175:
104:
127:, England, on 14 March 1899, the second child and only son of Arthur James Laver, a
797:
508:
495:
255:
249:
244:
236:
207:
670:"Macrocosmos" Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York (1930) Limited edition of 500
667:"Macrocosmos" Published by William Heinemann, London (1929) Limited edition of 775
247:, co-presented the first television programme to be dedicated to fashion history.
588:
580:
569:
524:
512:
500:
433:
243:
in recognition of his work in the field of fashion history. In 1937 Laver, with
210:, Design and Painting at the Victoria & Albert Museum where he worked under
171:
140:
568:. As a result, he became an expert in the field, writing a book on the prophet
968:
561:
219:
203:
163:
132:
124:
55:
607:, which proved convenient for their theatrical friends, and later moved to
575:
Between 1926 and 1938, James Laver was the
Director of Art Classes at the
452:
437:
166:
degree second class in modern history 1921. The next year, he earned a
486:
128:
100:
111:
who acted as Keeper of Prints, Drawings and
Paintings for the
103:(14 March 1899 – 3 June 1975) was an English author, critic,
293:
In the 1980s and 1990s, feminist fashion historians such as
270:, using them to develop his favourite theories. These were:
1188:
People educated at
Liverpool Institute High School for Boys
619:
Laver died on 3 June 1975 following a fire at his home in
432:, book reviews, play translations, dramatic criticism and
761:
Taste and
Fashion; from the French Revolution until today
16:
English author, critic, art historian, and museum curator
875:"Edwardian Promenade" (1958) (pub Edward Hulton, London)
1143:
People associated with the
Victoria and Albert Museum
730:"Vulgar Society": The Romantic Career of James Tissot
178:. At Oxford, he contributed to the student magazine
135:, and his wife, Florence Mary (née Barker), strict
79:
62:
42:
23:
931:, 4 June 1975 (reproduced on the V&A website)"
822:Museum Piece; or, The Education of an Iconographer
482:, who went astray along the way and ended up in a
587:and also re-organised the art class, introducing
301:found these problematic, arguing that Laver and
277:– dressing to indicate one's position in society
1049:(1854–1954) p.166, Routledge Kegan Paul, 1954;
147:. His academic progress was put on hold by the
858:The First Decadent: Being the Strange Life of
1118:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
489:. It was an instant best-seller and in 1933,
8:
467:, the two poems being published together as
550:(1936), and he co-wrote the screenplay for
736:French Painting and the Nineteenth Century
31:
20:
1006:
1004:
718:A History of British and American Etching
560:, he determined to read all the books on
202:In 1922, Laver entered the Department of
198:Laver at the Victoria & Albert Museum
983:
981:
979:
977:
322:
964:
962:
960:
958:
956:
954:
952:
921:
919:
917:
915:
913:
911:
909:
907:
905:
884:
800:' series) (1968), revised and retitled
541:The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders
289:– dressing to attract the opposite sex.
1047:A History of the Working Men's College
802:Costume and Fashion: A Concise History
436:. One of the plays he translated was
86:(m. 1928–1971; her death); 2 children
7:
644:The Young Man Dances and Other Poems
511:. Laver felt as if he was leading a
218:was transferred to the V&A from
158:In 1919 he resumed his residency at
845:Nostradamus, or the Future Foretold
139:who brought up their children in a
891:Gibbs-Smith, Charles, Obituary in
776:Clothes (Pleasures of Life Series)
766:Fashions and Fashion Plates (1943)
533:, hardly fit to be let out alone."
14:
1183:20th-century English male writers
283:– dressing for warmth and comfort
750:Ward Lock Limited, London, 1970)
599:Laver married the Irish actress
478:, about a girl returning to her
216:International Theatre Exhibition
214:. He arrived shortly before the
262:Laver followed the theories of
1178:20th-century English novelists
1075:film of men's fashions in 1952
523:I had become a cigar-smoking,
474:In 1932 he published a novel,
1:
1153:Alumni of New College, Oxford
1012:Understanding Fashion History
687:Winter Wedding – A Decoration
256:Clothes Through The Centuries
1108:Accidental deaths in England
1034:, chapter 18, (London, 1937)
971:; accessed 10 February 2009.
794:A Concise History of Costume
782:Dandies (Pageant of History)
712:Portraits in Oil and Vinegar
170:in theology for a thesis on
1133:English non-fiction writers
241:Neiman Marcus Fashion Award
1209:
1173:20th-century English poets
989:Establishing Dress History
493:turned it into a musical,
444:from the original German.
151:, in which he served as a
113:Victoria and Albert Museum
1071:– James Laver in a short
748:English Sporting Prints (
417:150 years after its time
409:100 years after its time
329:10 years before its time
231:Laver had an interest in
37:James Laver (around 1950)
30:
872:"Victorian Vista" (1954)
798:The World of Art Library
742:Adventures in Monochrome
401:70 years after its time
393:50 years after its time
385:30 years after its time
377:20 years after its time
369:10 years after its time
337:5 years before its time
143:manner. He attended the
123:James Laver was born in
345:1 year before its time
1168:English male novelists
1148:Writers from Liverpool
1128:English art historians
1079:James Laver Collection
535:
530:The Old Curiosity Shop
361:1 year after its time
275:Hierarchical Principle
991:, (Manchester, 2004)
835:Design in the Theatre
583:. He ran a course on
577:Working Men's College
547:The Amateur Gentleman
519:"To my colleagues at
517:
499:, featuring songs by
424:Non-curatorial career
303:C. Willett Cunnington
1113:British art curators
893:Costume (Journal of
699:Panic Among Puritans
693:Background for Venus
461:The Rape of the Lock
162:, where he earned a
1138:English art critics
1083:Harry Ransom Center
895:The Costume Society
627:Select bibliography
595:Marriage and family
556:(1948). During the
442:The Circle of Chalk
308:
287:Seduction Principle
160:New College, Oxford
145:Liverpool Institute
1193:Fashion historians
1163:British male poets
1010:Cumming, Valerie,
621:Blackheath, London
605:Piccadilly, London
585:English literature
553:Warning to Wantons
491:Charles B. Cochran
137:Congregationalists
73:Blackheath, London
1044:J. F. C. Harrison
1032:Taste and Fashion
839:George Sheringham
810:978-0-500-20348-4
601:Veronica Turleigh
515:. He once stated:
505:Gertrude Lawrence
430:magazine articles
421:
420:
318:Taste and Fashion
281:Utility Principle
227:Laver and fashion
184:and won the 1921
153:second lieutenant
90:
89:
84:Veronica Turleigh
1200:
1158:Deaths from fire
1123:English curators
1069:"Men About Town"
1057:
1041:
1035:
1028:
1022:
1014:(London, 2004);
1008:
999:
985:
972:
966:
947:
946:
944:
942:
933:. Archived from
923:
900:
889:
788:Modesty in Dress
770:Style in Costume
662:Ladies' Mistakes
650:A Stitch in Time
558:Second World War
521:South Kensington
480:finishing school
469:Ladies' Mistakes
449:A Stitch in Time
353:Current fashion
323:
295:Elizabeth Wilson
264:Thorstein Veblen
188:for his poem on
69:
52:
50:
35:
21:
1208:
1207:
1203:
1202:
1201:
1199:
1198:
1197:
1088:
1087:
1065:
1060:
1042:
1038:
1029:
1025:
1009:
1002:
986:
975:
967:
950:
940:
938:
925:
924:
903:
890:
886:
882:
831:
818:
757:
708:
677:
656:Love's Progress
634:
629:
617:
597:
465:Love's Progress
447:His 1927 poem,
426:
342:Outré (Daring)
311:
233:fashion history
229:
200:
186:Newdigate Prize
149:First World War
121:
71:
67:
54:
48:
46:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1206:
1204:
1196:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1090:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1076:
1064:
1063:External links
1061:
1059:
1058:
1036:
1030:Laver, James,
1023:
1000:
973:
948:
937:on 25 May 2009
901:
883:
881:
878:
877:
876:
873:
870:
864:
860:J. K. Huysmans
855:
842:
830:
827:
826:
825:
817:
814:
813:
812:
791:
785:
779:
773:
767:
764:
756:
753:
752:
751:
745:
739:
733:
727:
721:
715:
707:
704:
703:
702:
696:
690:
684:
676:
673:
672:
671:
668:
665:
659:
653:
647:
641:
633:
630:
628:
625:
616:
613:
596:
593:
566:London Library
457:Alexander Pope
425:
422:
419:
418:
415:
411:
410:
407:
403:
402:
399:
395:
394:
391:
387:
386:
383:
379:
378:
375:
371:
370:
367:
363:
362:
359:
355:
354:
351:
347:
346:
343:
339:
338:
335:
331:
330:
327:
310:
307:
299:Amanda Vickery
291:
290:
284:
278:
228:
225:
199:
196:
120:
117:
109:museum curator
88:
87:
81:
77:
76:
70:(aged 76)
64:
60:
59:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1205:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1084:
1080:
1077:
1074:
1073:British Pathé
1070:
1067:
1066:
1062:
1056:
1055:0-415-43221-9
1052:
1048:
1045:
1040:
1037:
1033:
1027:
1024:
1021:
1020:0-7134-8875-1
1017:
1013:
1007:
1005:
1001:
998:
997:0-7190-6639-5
994:
990:
987:Taylor, Lou,
984:
982:
980:
978:
974:
970:
965:
963:
961:
959:
957:
955:
953:
949:
936:
932:
930:
927:"Obituary in
922:
920:
918:
916:
914:
912:
910:
908:
906:
902:
898:
896:
888:
885:
879:
874:
871:
868:
865:
862:
861:
856:
854:
850:
846:
843:
840:
836:
833:
832:
828:
823:
820:
819:
816:Autobiography
815:
811:
807:
804:(1995, 2003)
803:
799:
795:
792:
789:
786:
783:
780:
777:
774:
771:
768:
765:
762:
759:
758:
754:
749:
746:
743:
740:
737:
734:
731:
728:
725:
722:
719:
716:
713:
710:
709:
705:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
679:
678:
674:
669:
666:
663:
660:
657:
654:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
636:
635:
631:
626:
624:
622:
614:
612:
610:
606:
602:
594:
592:
590:
589:living models
586:
582:
578:
573:
571:
567:
563:
559:
555:
554:
549:
548:
543:
542:
534:
532:
531:
526:
522:
516:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
497:
492:
488:
485:
481:
477:
472:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
445:
443:
439:
435:
431:
423:
416:
413:
412:
408:
405:
404:
400:
397:
396:
392:
389:
388:
384:
381:
380:
376:
373:
372:
368:
365:
364:
360:
357:
356:
352:
349:
348:
344:
341:
340:
336:
333:
332:
328:
325:
324:
321:
319:
315:
306:
304:
300:
296:
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
273:
272:
271:
269:
265:
260:
258:
257:
252:
251:
246:
242:
238:
234:
226:
224:
221:
217:
213:
212:Martin Hardie
209:
205:
197:
195:
193:
192:
187:
183:
182:
177:
176:Lawrence Holt
173:
169:
165:
161:
156:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
118:
116:
114:
110:
106:
105:art historian
102:
98:
94:
85:
82:
78:
74:
65:
61:
57:
53:14 March 1899
45:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1046:
1039:
1031:
1026:
1011:
988:
939:. Retrieved
935:the original
928:
899:no 10 (1976)
892:
887:
866:
857:
844:
834:
821:
801:
793:
787:
781:
775:
769:
760:
747:
741:
735:
729:
723:
717:
711:
698:
692:
686:
681:Nymph Errant
680:
661:
655:
649:
643:
637:
618:
598:
574:
551:
545:
539:
536:
528:
518:
509:leading lady
496:Nymph Errant
494:
476:Nymph Errant
475:
473:
468:
464:
448:
446:
441:
427:
317:
313:
312:
292:
286:
280:
274:
261:
254:
250:Clothes-Line
248:
245:Pearl Binder
237:applied arts
230:
215:
208:Illustration
201:
189:
179:
157:
131:printer and
122:
92:
91:
68:(1975-06-03)
18:
1103:1975 deaths
1098:1899 births
867:Oscar Wilde
706:Art history
581:Camden Town
570:Nostradamus
544:(1965) and
513:double life
501:Cole Porter
434:light verse
374:Ridiculous
314:Laver's Law
309:Laver's Law
268:John Flügel
172:John Wesley
141:puritanical
93:James Laver
66:3 June 1975
25:James Laver
1092:Categories
880:References
853:0704102021
414:Beautiful
334:Shameless
119:Early life
49:1899-03-14
929:The Times
638:Cervantes
562:occultism
471:in 1933.
406:Romantic
398:Charming
326:Indecent
220:Amsterdam
204:Engraving
191:Cervantes
133:stationer
125:Liverpool
75:, England
58:, England
56:Liverpool
941:18 March
841:) (1927)
724:Whistler
453:pastiche
382:Amusing
366:Hideous
320:(1937):
129:maritime
1081:at the
847:(1942)
755:Fashion
675:Fiction
609:Chelsea
564:in the
507:as the
484:Turkish
438:Klabund
390:Quaint
1053:
1018:
995:
869:(1968)
863:(1954)
851:
837:(with
824:(1964)
808:
790:(1969)
784:(1968)
778:(1953)
772:(1949)
763:(1937)
744:(1941)
738:(1937)
732:(1936)
726:(1930)
720:(1928)
714:(1925)
701:(1936)
695:(1935)
689:(1935)
683:(1933)
664:(1933)
658:(1929)
652:(1927)
646:(1925)
640:(1921)
632:Poetry
358:Dowdy
350:Smart
168:B.Litt
107:, and
80:Spouse
829:Other
615:Death
525:Savoy
487:harem
1051:ISBN
1016:ISBN
993:ISBN
943:2009
849:ISBN
806:ISBN
503:and
451:, a
297:and
266:and
181:Isis
101:FRSA
63:Died
43:Born
459:'s
455:of
440:'s
97:CBE
1094::
1003:^
976:^
951:^
904:^
796:('
623:.
611:.
591:.
579:,
572:.
259:.
206:,
194:.
164:BA
155:.
99:,
95:,
945:.
897:)
51:)
47:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
