About Me

My photo
Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada
I am a lawyer in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada who enjoys reading, especially mysteries. Since 2000 I have been writing personal book reviews. This blog includes my reviews, information on and interviews with authors and descriptions of mystery bookstores I have visited. I strive to review all Saskatchewan mysteries. Other Canadian mysteries are listed under the Rest of Canada. As a lawyer I am always interested in legal mysteries. I have a separate page for legal mysteries. Occasionally my reviews of legal mysteries comment on the legal reality of the mystery. You can follow the progression of my favourite authors with up to 15 reviews. Each year I select my favourites in "Bill's Best of ----". As well as current reviews I am posting reviews from 2000 to 2011. Below my most recent couple of posts are the posts of Saskatchewan mysteries I have reviewed alphabetically by author. If you only want a sentence or two description of the book and my recommendation when deciding whether to read the book look at the bold portion of the review. If you would like to email me the link to my email is on the profile page.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

I Have Been Wondering Moira?

Dear Moira:

After reading Friends and Traitors I was looking around and found your review of the book and the amazing photo of a bright red dress to accompany the quote from the book about the spectacular dress. (Here is a link to your post - http://clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2017/10/friends-and-traitors-by-john-lawton.html

While I liked the dress it did not fit my image of a gown that was clasped by a single button that created an erotic scene when released.

 After searching for photos of red dresses I found the image that is at the top of this post. It appears it could be held together by a single button.

Continuing my quest I found another striking red gown to the right which has the possibility of a solo button.

The dress image you chose is of a 1955 dress. I did wonder whether the dresses I chose are unlikely to have been like dresses created in the late 1950’s. If they are not 1950's style dresses I expect Lawton’s description of the red dress of his book was equally improbable.

 Whether historically accurate I believe the red dresses of this post are fictionally accurate.

 Reflecting on red dresses further set me to thinking of red Mandarin dresses. Xiu Xiaolong wrote an Inspector Chen book, Red Mandarin Dress. The iconic Chinese dress played an important role in the book.
I thought how striking it would have been for Venetia to have worn a red Mandarin dress in her London mansion though in looking at the form fitting dress for which I have an image it would have been difficult to walk down, let alone make a sensual descent of her staircase in this red Mandarin dress. (There I go again letting practical thoughts interfere with fashion and romance.)

 Still with wealth at her command I expect she could have purchased such a dress. It would have been a dramatic addition to the book.

 In a reply to a comment on your post you spoke of wanting to wear the red Balenciaga gown featured in you post.

 Thus I have been wondering would you want to wear the dresses shown in this post?

You continue to be an inspiration on the importance of clothes in books.

All the best.

 Bill
****
Friends and Traitors by John Lawton
Posted by at

9 comments:

  1. Margot KinbergMay 31, 2019 at 5:11 AM

    What an interesting post and set of questions, Bill. And they are tailor-made for Moira to answer. I'll look forward to what she has to say about it all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill SelnesJune 1, 2019 at 4:47 PM

      Margot: Thanks for the comment. Moira's comments are as direct and lively as I would expect from her.

      Delete
  2. Clothes in BooksMay 31, 2019 at 1:29 PM

    Oh Bill I love this post! It is a good thing for me that you didn't have the idea for a Clothes in Books blog before I did, as I couldn't have competed with you! I am luck you just confine yourself to the occasional post, and those stern comments on the practicality of clothes.
    Now I loved your red dresses here: I think the top one is the one for me. Though have always had a secret yearning for a Chinese/cheongsam dress. I did love the one I chose for my blogpost, though I agree with you, it wasn't the one from the book. Just a work of art.
    Thank you - I am greatly complimented by this blogpost of yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KateJune 1, 2019 at 7:29 AM

      Well that's your conference outfit sorted lol

      Delete
    2. Clothes in BooksJune 1, 2019 at 4:39 PM

      Oh great idea Kate!

      Delete
    3. Bill SelnesJune 1, 2019 at 4:51 PM

      Moira: Thanks for the comment. I did think the top one would be the one for you. You would make quite an impression at any conference in that dress. Or a red Mandarin dress would be so striking. I appreciate your kind words. You are a generous person

      Delete
    4. Bill SelnesJune 1, 2019 at 4:52 PM

      Kate: Thanks for dropping by and adding to the post with your comment.

      Delete
  3. TracyKJuly 7, 2019 at 11:01 PM

    Those are lovely read dresses, Bill. I have only read one of Xiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen series but I have several more books in that series to read.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bill SelnesJuly 8, 2019 at 10:10 AM

    TracyK: Thanks for the comment. Inspector Chen is a wonderful character. You have good reading ahead of you.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)