Style Imitating Art…
Welcome back for my interpretation of a beautiful piece of art. Salazar, Shelbee, and I are the curators. You can think of this series as fashion meets art museum! SIA challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Salazar selected this amazing magazine cover for us. I hope you enjoy this post, the information, and my interpretation.
How it works…
Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. We then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, we share our outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Salazar chose this week’s art work for this round of Style Imitating Art. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. Please send your photo to Salazar by Tuesday, July 28th, 2026 by 10 pm EST. Style Imitating Art is an interesting way to inspire your outfits. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here.
The artist…
In a time when women were rarely employed outside the home, one woman stands out. That woman is Helen Dryden. Dryden was born in Baltimore on either November 5th or 26th in 1882. Her family was wealthy and lived near the Washington Monument. An economic downfall, however, forced the family to move to Pittsburgh where she attended Eden Hall when she was seven. At an early age, she exhibited unusual artistic abilities as she designed and sold clothing for paper dolls. “As part of a school project, she made a collection of paper dolls and dresses, which became a feature in a newspaper’s fashion section.” This led to a position as an illustrator for Anne Rittenhouse’s fashion articles in the Philadelphia Public Ledger and Philadelphia Press. Dryden was essentially self-taught. I love how she describes her art: “a combination of things I like, in the way I want to do them.” She did have four years of training in landscapes by Hugh Breckinridge as well as one summer school session at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Early on, she realized she didn’t want to paint landscapes. She focused “entirely on fashion design and illustration.”
A little more…
When Dryden was 27 years old, she moved to New York City as one does! She wanted to be a fashion illustrator and tried to sell her illustrations to fashion magazines. It would take a year, but after Vogue was put under the art direction of Condé Nast, Dryden was offered a contract. Once the decision makers of Condé Nast saw Dryden’s drawings, they ordered the fashion editor to get hold of her immediately. During the next 13 years (1909-1922), Dryden would produce many fashion illustrations and magazine covers. Her “essentially romantic style produced some of the most appealing, yet fantastical images on Vogue covers, frequently depicting imagined rather than realistic representations of dress.” In addition, she illustrated Vanity Fair and House and Garden. Dryden was closely associated with the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements with their “graceful, feminine forms” showing “whimsical, imaginative, and notably decorative illustrations of full figures.” Dryden was notable for being a woman in a man’s world of illustration. This world was dominated by European men such as Erté, Léon Bakst, and Umberto Brunelleschi.
Still more…
Along with illustrating magazines, Dryden was also a costume designer for Broadway productions. In 1916, she designed the costumes for Watch Your Step and Claire de Lune. She became known as the “Witch of Color” in a review for Watch Your Step. “The costumes she designed were ‘spellbinding’ and ‘bewitched’ the audience. She also designed costumes for a Broadway production Claire de Lune starring Ethel and Lionel Barrymore.” Many people mentioned Dryden’s name at the same time they spoke of the excellence of the Barrymores! She then took her skills to school where she became one of the first professors of costume design at the Grand Central School of Art. In addition to all this, Dryden also designed wallpapers, textiles, decorative art panels, and murals. But, that’s not all, my friends!
First Lady of Design…
In 1923, Dryden left Vogue and designed covers for the fashion and dressmaking magazine, The Delineator. These covers were more streamlined and featured less of the woman. Her Vogue covers usually featured a full length female while The Delineator covers were more minimalistic. These covers were also more Art Deco than Art Nouveau (squared vs curvy). In 1925, Dryden switched gears once again. She had attended the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Dryden turned to industrial design, producing designs for tableware, lamps and other housewares for the Revere Corporation. Also in 1925, Dryden “designed a silk textile that had elements of modern life on the garment such as high heels, taxicabs, and cocktail shakers. The design was for the Americana Collection of Stehli Silks. Then in 1927, the garment titled “accessories” was displayed in the Macy’s Exposition of Art in Trade in New York City. The exposition’s purpose was to make a connection between industrial systems and art to bring greater monetary value to their commercial products.” In the latter years of the 1920s, Dryden worked for the Dura Company (designing faucets), receiving a quite nice salary. At the time, she was living at 9 East 10th Street with a cook and butler. It was at this point, Dryden was the highest-paid woman artist in the US, reportedly making $100,000/year ($2,287,234 in 2025 dollars). She was known as America’s First Lady of Design. Following the stock market crash of 1929, she lost her job at Dura to a man.
Studebaker…
At some point in the 1930s, Dryden began working with the Studebaker company, most notably Raymond Loewy who had convinced her to help him design the interiors of their cars. She became very well known for working on the interiors of the 1936 Studebaker Dictator and President cars. In fact, ads for the cars boldly stated, “It’s styled by Helen Dryden.” The interiors were described as “refreshingly ventilated and generously roomy, …tastefully and distinctively styled by famous Helen Dryden, America’s “first lady” of design.” Other ads mentioned Dryden by name and appeared in popular magazines and many newspapers. She was considered “one of the top industrial designers and one of the few women in the automotive field.” She would work with Loewy through 1940.
Finally…
After 1940, Dryden virtually (not as in social media) disappeared from the public eye. In fact, by 1956, she was living on welfare in the East Village and renting a $10-a-week hotel room. This was paid for by New York’s Welfare Department. You can find much more about that downfall near the end of this article. I found two different years for the dates Dryden was institutionalized at Pilgrim State Hospital, a psychiatric center on Long Island. One said 1955 while another said 1966. The 1955 date indicated this was an involuntary admission. So, perhaps, she voluntarily committed herself in 1966. Helen Dryden died in October, 1972. Try as I might, I couldn’t find a definitive date. The article I referenced above, it even uses the words, “reported to have died.” I even tried Findagrave.com.
The artwork…
The original Vogue magazine cover illustration appeared on the July 1st, 19191 issue. The illustration was on Whatman’s watercolour sketching board, using watercolor, gouache, and pencil. It measured 13.25 x 17.5 in (33.5 x 44.5 cm). The piece is signed in the lower right and is accompanied by the published cover of that issue. Apparently, this is owned by the Old Florida Bookshop and is for sale with a price of $63,000! I wonder what Helen Dryden would think of that!
Sources…
My interpretation…
I absolutely love this illustration and thought I had the perfect dress. Alas and alack! I apparently consigned it a couple of years ago. But, this Gudrun Sjödén dress has striking graphic elements to it, much like our art inspiration. I then added a beautiful lavender scarf similar to that of our lovely lady! I didn’t have a parasol (though I seriously thought about buying one) so I added an orange slip to add that element to my outfit. There are even bits of orange in the scarf so all is good!
The Lewk!
These are the Freya flats from Miz Mooz! I don’t have any shoes that lace up my legs, but I thought these were the closest I had to it! I added J Crew earrings and necklace as a way of adding in more lightness.
Wrap it up, Marsha!
As I continued to read and research Helen Dryden, I was just so shocked to find she ended up solitary, broke, and in a psychiatric center. You have to wonder what happened to all that money as she earned it after the Great Depression. So, can we talk? What do you think of the Vogue cover? Do you prefer Art Deco or Art Nouveau? What do you think happened to Helen Dryden? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
Don’t forget…
If you want to be included in the Style Imitating Art round up, send Salazar your photo by 10:00 pm EST, Tuesday, July 28th, 2026. Photos of everyone participating will appear on her blog on Wednesday, July 29th! If you’re interested in joining us, consider all of your options…the colors, the textures, the feelings they evoke! Come on, give it a try! I think you’ll love it!
Thank you!
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Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World . I also link up with I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month as well as the Global Writing Challenge on the second Thursday. I now co-host Fashion Files with Amy at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa every Tuesday. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, Cat, and Rena. I also host 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
I love both Art Deco and Art Nouveau and I absolutely love this cover. Thinking about it, I always preferred fashion illustrations to actual fashion!
That’s a lovely interpretation of the cover, Marsha.
It always makes me sad to read that someone who used to successful ended up broke and lonely. It always makes me wonder what went wrong and it’s something I seem to read a lot, too. That probably has to do with my mostly reading biographies of “artistic types”.
Thanks, Cat! I can see you liking the illustrations more as they’re more cerebral. I’m glad you liked my interpretation, too. I was just left feeling so sad about this poor woman. I really think someone had to have mishandled her money, but I didn’t find anything like that. I mean…how do you spend that much money in that short amount of time? I can spend money pretty easily, but I don’t know that I could spend that much!
You did a great job bringing that work of art to life!
Thanks so much, Joanne! It was a challenge, but I got there!
Oh my gosh, the print on your dress is so perfect for this challenge! I love the way you layered it over a red slip and added a pink scarf to the mix. Your shoes are adorable with this outfit, too. As much fun as I had styling my outfit for this challenge, I enjoyed learning about the artist even more. I bet she was living quite the high life when she was one of the world’s top earning women, but I do wonder what happened to all the money she earned. In the few years she worked for Studebaker, she would have earned the equivalent of around 7 million dollars. And then just a few years after that, she was broke and on welfare. Where did the money go? I suspect something nefarious happened, but I think we’ll probably never know!
Shelbee
Thanks, my friend! I really, really wanted a parasol, but I couldn’t see buying one. So, the slip had to do that job. I think you are 100% right that something happened, and she lost the money to someone who was quite shady. And, to be admitted to a sanitorium involuntarily makes me think that even more.
What a very sad end to her life. Thanks for the post.
It really was a sad thing, wasn’t it? I hate when I research and discover those things.
You wouldn’t expect an end like hers for a woman of her status. Really sad. I love those Vogue covers and I absolutely love Art Deco. And what you did with the scarf!
Thanks, Nancy! I knew I had the perfect scarf as soon as I saw the art. I just wished I’d kept the other dress. It really is sad about her ending. It almost makes you wonder what was going on that someone involuntarily admitted her to a sanitorium. I love Art Deco and Art Nouveau. I’d love to have about four or five of those covers for a gallery wall!
What a great inspo especially with the scarf. You see a photo like this and reading your posts brings all the info to life. It’s like a documentary.
OXOX
Jodie
Thank you, Jodie! Now, that’s the ultimate compliment! I just wasn’t sure how to work that bit of whatever he was wearing into the look without doing that with my scarf. I really kinda liked it in the end.
I really like your outfit you created! Yes, makes you wonder what did happen to the money. Or was she paid less than males in the industry?
Thanks so much, Debra! Well, she may have been paid less, but $100,000 at that time was a lot of money for anyone. I just have a sneaky suspicion someone duped her out of it. I mean…could you spend that much money (about $7,000,000 in today’s dollars) that fast? I spend a lot, but I’m not sure I could do it unless I bought a mansion or something.
Your interpretation is spot on for this gorgeous Vogue cover! I love the colors of pink and red mixed with the black and white print.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you, Kathrine! It makes me want to find a bunch of her covers to create a gallery wall in the room I’m going to someday turn into a library! I’m so glad you liked my interpretation!
Hi, Marsha – Your research caused many to wonder what happened to all of Helen’s money. My train of thought went on to compare her with a story I heard about a rich elderly woman’s money being taken by her bookkeeper and then (or beforehand) he committed her to a psychiatric center. Perhaps Helen started getting dementia or maybe not and then someone had her committed and took her money. I think those psychiatric centers drive a person crazy rather than healing them. Well, now, I might sound crazy. Maybe I should just write a book. Haha! Interesting… – Angie, http://www.yourtrueselfblog.com
You may very well be right, Angie! She made so much money (about $7,000,000 in today’s dollars) so something big had to have happened to it. I think you should definitely research this and write the book! I’d buy it!
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You nailed this look!
Thanks, Erin! Now, I want to get four or five of those illustrations and create a gallery wall in my library that I’m dreaming up! Hahaha!
I had read about the artist on Shelbee’s post, so I knew about this artist for about a week, lol! Love the interesting combo you put together today. Print mixing and a variety of colors!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thank you, Mireille! The artist had such an amazing life and then to end broke and in a sanitorium…just plain sad.
I very much enjoyed learning about Helen Dryden from your writing. She did so many brilliant jobs, it’s a shame she ended up in a mental institution.
Your dress is fantastic and works so well for the inspirationa, plus the brilliant scarf!
Thank you, Kezzie! I didn’t know of Helen Dryden before this styling challenge. It was so sad to read of her end. She really had the world by the tail, didn’t she! And, thank you for the compliments on the dress and scarf!