Gordon Parks: Fashion, 1948-65 Archive Critique

Describe 

In these pictures, I see women posing with clothes. Some of the pictures have men in them too. Some pictures are in black and white while other pictures are in colors. The pictures that are in color are very bright. They demonstrate the evolution of the fashion and the evolution of the camera technology because some are in black in white and then there are ones that are in color and look more modern.

Analyze

The picture vary from rule of thirds and then breaking the rule of thirds. Some of the pictures are low angles and high angles. Some of the pictures are in black in white. All the pictures have good lighting. Some of these pictures look like they are environmental portraits. And on one of them it looks like they are using wind to make the clothes look like it floating. The scenery is different in each picture. Some of them are portraits while other have like a story going on in the back ground.

Interpret

I believe the story that Gordon Parks is trying to tell is the story of women and their fashion. I feel like he is trying to show the evolution of fashion throughout the years of 1945-1965. My first impression was wow because I love the clothes from the 1950s. The color pictures got most of my attention because the colors are bold and pop in the picture. It was pleasure to my eyes because all the color are colors I like to see and wear. What was a surprise to me that the colors of the women’s clothes were actually so bright because I thought that women had to dress formal with formal colors such as black and white and other soft colors.

Judge/Evaluate 

I believe the pictures overall are amazing. I really loved that he captures what women wore and how he made them in color. Most people believe that history was all about men and almost never about what women did. What I thought that was unique was that he staged and used props to make the women stand out with their clothes. I think that it is important to look at the history of fashion because how fashion now a days get to where people wear less and less clothes and people are okay with it. I think Parks demonstrate how respectful the fashion was in these years. I feel like Parks was successful because I could see what women wore and how the evolution of fashion was in these years. Not just the dresses but other the accessories, hair styles and makeup.