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Comment doit-on s'habiller? : Traduit de l’allemand (Autriche) par Anatole Tomczak - INEDIT (Les Cahiers Rouges)
Adolf Loos (1870-1933) ne fut pas seulement l’architecte révolutionnaire que l’on sait. Il fut aussi un brillant chroniqueur qui entendait réveiller l’Autriche du xx e siècle en lui inculquant les principes de la modernité. On trouvera rassemblés dans ce volume l’ensemble des textes qu’il a écrits sur le thème du vêtement et de la mode. Les chapeaux, les chaussures, les sous-vêtements, la terrible apparition de la femme-enfant, rien n’échappe à cet analyste aussi fin que spirituel. Selon quels critères choisir son manteau de fourrure ? Comment avoir l’air d’un gentleman quand on fait du vélo ? Les femmes doivent-elles porter les cheveux courts ? Une leçon de style.
Inédit Traduit de l’allemand (Autriche) par Anatole Tomczak
Inédit Traduit de l’allemand (Autriche) par Anatole Tomczak
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
20 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Adolf Loos
35 books37 followersAdolf Franz Karl Viktor Maria Loos was an Austrian architect. He was influential in European Modern architecture, and in his essay Ornament and Crime he abandoned the aesthetic principles of the Vienna Secession. In this and many other essays he contributed to the elaboration of a body of theory and criticism of Modernism in architecture.
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Loos authored several polemical works. In Spoken into the Void, published in 1900, Loos attacked the Vienna Secession, at a time when the movement was at its height.
In his essays, Loos used provocative catchphrases and has become noted for one particular essay/manifesto entitled Ornament and Crime, spoken first in 1910.In this essay, he explored the idea that the progress of culture is associated with the deletion of ornament from everyday objects, and that it was therefore a crime to force craftsmen or builders to waste their time on ornamentation that served to hasten the time when an object would become obsolete. Loos' stripped-down buildings influenced the minimal massing of modern architecture, and stirred controversy. Perhaps surprisingly, some of Loos's own architectural work was elaborately decorated, although more often inside than outside, and the ornamented interiors frequently featured abstract planes and shapes composed of richly figured materials, such as marble and exotic woods. The visual distinction is not between complicated and simple, but between "organic" and superfluous decoration.
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Loos authored several polemical works. In Spoken into the Void, published in 1900, Loos attacked the Vienna Secession, at a time when the movement was at its height.
In his essays, Loos used provocative catchphrases and has become noted for one particular essay/manifesto entitled Ornament and Crime, spoken first in 1910.In this essay, he explored the idea that the progress of culture is associated with the deletion of ornament from everyday objects, and that it was therefore a crime to force craftsmen or builders to waste their time on ornamentation that served to hasten the time when an object would become obsolete. Loos' stripped-down buildings influenced the minimal massing of modern architecture, and stirred controversy. Perhaps surprisingly, some of Loos's own architectural work was elaborately decorated, although more often inside than outside, and the ornamented interiors frequently featured abstract planes and shapes composed of richly figured materials, such as marble and exotic woods. The visual distinction is not between complicated and simple, but between "organic" and superfluous decoration.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 15, 2024
This book is not only about men's attire, but also the Vienna mindset from the author and great visionary architect Adolf Loos. The structure of Austria's class system has a lot to do with how people dressed during the turn of the 19th into the 20th Century. What's charming (and this book is nothing but charming) is Loos' writing style which seems to be geared for the fashion magazine of its time. One thing that comes through is that Loos knows his landscape, and he knows how that landscape should look - so its natural for an architect to be also interested in clothing, because clothing is another form of architecture. So what's fascinating about this book is not the subject matter itself, but how such an interesting man, a great designer, looks at the world of fashion and fabric. And yes, a must for the dandy's book collection, without a doubt!
Read it for the second time. I’m going through an Adolf Loos mini-obsession at the moment.
Read it for the second time. I’m going through an Adolf Loos mini-obsession at the moment.
April 25, 2013
very amusing. laughed out loud more than five to seven times. contradictory as many a modernist work. sensible judgements. the translation is terrible. i am pretty sure the translation was not proofread. at least one mistake per page. makes reading a bit annoying.
April 11, 2023
Regalo de C. tras su viaje a Viena.
Este librito es un compendio de escritos de Loos publicados originalmente en periódicos, en los que a través de su crítica de temas superficiales se pueden extraer importantes nociones acerca de: 1) la atemporalidad de su/el buen gusto en el vestir, el diseño y la vida y 2) las coordenadas mentales en las que se ubicaban los autopercibidos como “modernos” en la Viena Fin de Siècle, entre otras muchas.
Lectura a veces curiosa, otras tediosa y en ocasiones brillante, su mayor valor reside en lo universal de los temas tratados y en el enfoque de Loos, que resume muy bien el traductor en el prólogo:
“Loos was a man intent on looking at change not as an absolute necessity, but rather as developments that require careful attention - and they still do.”
Este librito es un compendio de escritos de Loos publicados originalmente en periódicos, en los que a través de su crítica de temas superficiales se pueden extraer importantes nociones acerca de: 1) la atemporalidad de su/el buen gusto en el vestir, el diseño y la vida y 2) las coordenadas mentales en las que se ubicaban los autopercibidos como “modernos” en la Viena Fin de Siècle, entre otras muchas.
Lectura a veces curiosa, otras tediosa y en ocasiones brillante, su mayor valor reside en lo universal de los temas tratados y en el enfoque de Loos, que resume muy bien el traductor en el prólogo:
“Loos was a man intent on looking at change not as an absolute necessity, but rather as developments that require careful attention - and they still do.”
January 19, 2018
A very solid title belies the lack of unity in the book.
This collection of articles written by Adolf Loos about one hundred years ago is surprisingly fresh in the themes but the examples require either a rather detailed knowledge of Austro-Viennese and late-Victorian British fashion or the ability to interrupt your reading pleasure to research what exactly is meant by a cul de Paris, a frock coat, (and how this differs from a norfolk jacket) and a Sam Brown belt. This interruption is regrettable because the reading is so pleasant and light, just as one would expect from newspaper or magazine articles articulating common sense which remains timeless.
The Chapters include:
1. Praise for the Present
2. Underwear/Undergarments
3. Men's Fashion
4. (Gentle) Men's Hats
5. Footwear/Shoes
6. Shoemakers
7. Ladies Fashion
8. Short Hair (or not)
9. The English Uniform
10. Answers from Adolf Loos
11. Dress Principles
12. The Woman and the Home
13. About Thriftiness
14. (Thoughs) About Adding Salt
The general themes are timeless and unfortunately un-common. This is, I suppose an anti-Dandy or anti-Hipster book despite the title. "They still express their individuality through odd styles and unusual waredrobe creations and through rather adventurous neckties. Inwardly they are all the same" (p. 16)
Loos prefers sensible English practical clothing to anything ostentatious, much like his preferences in architecture. But that is not to say one should dress shabbily. "in order to be well-dressed one should not be conspicuous within the center of one's own culture." (p.30) and "a dandy is a person for whom clothes serve only one purpose: to stand out from the crowd" (p. 31)
Loos uses a generous amount of humour to illustrate his generally conservative principles, but this is not to imply that he was a misogynist in the least, especially when discussing women, a topic today fraught with danger. His celebration of strong independant women reads very modern but there remains an aesthetic principle of masculinity and feminity and their respective domains:
But Loos is at his strongest when comparing clothing to architesture and the companion book (Creating Your Home With Style) was a better book because of his stronger knowledge of architecture and the permanence of architecture and the transitive nature of clothing (even if the themes remain largely the same). Creating Your Home With Style had the advantage of being both more relevant to today and the audience is without a doubt more familiar with the examples used to illustrate his points. The exception to this is perhaps in the final few chapters of Why a Man Should be Well-Dressed (Dress Principles, The Woman and the Home, and About Thriftiness) where Loos uses architectural rules to illustrate and demonstrate aspects of clothing. This is where Loos is at his best and most engaging:
In the end, an annotated version with demonstatory images would be welcome and would contribute greatly to the layman being able to read this book in a more fluid and natural manner.
This collection of articles written by Adolf Loos about one hundred years ago is surprisingly fresh in the themes but the examples require either a rather detailed knowledge of Austro-Viennese and late-Victorian British fashion or the ability to interrupt your reading pleasure to research what exactly is meant by a cul de Paris, a frock coat, (and how this differs from a norfolk jacket) and a Sam Brown belt. This interruption is regrettable because the reading is so pleasant and light, just as one would expect from newspaper or magazine articles articulating common sense which remains timeless.
The Chapters include:
1. Praise for the Present
2. Underwear/Undergarments
3. Men's Fashion
4. (Gentle) Men's Hats
5. Footwear/Shoes
6. Shoemakers
7. Ladies Fashion
8. Short Hair (or not)
9. The English Uniform
10. Answers from Adolf Loos
11. Dress Principles
12. The Woman and the Home
13. About Thriftiness
14. (Thoughs) About Adding Salt
The general themes are timeless and unfortunately un-common. This is, I suppose an anti-Dandy or anti-Hipster book despite the title. "They still express their individuality through odd styles and unusual waredrobe creations and through rather adventurous neckties. Inwardly they are all the same" (p. 16)
Loos prefers sensible English practical clothing to anything ostentatious, much like his preferences in architecture. But that is not to say one should dress shabbily. "in order to be well-dressed one should not be conspicuous within the center of one's own culture." (p.30) and "a dandy is a person for whom clothes serve only one purpose: to stand out from the crowd" (p. 31)
Loos uses a generous amount of humour to illustrate his generally conservative principles, but this is not to imply that he was a misogynist in the least, especially when discussing women, a topic today fraught with danger. His celebration of strong independant women reads very modern but there remains an aesthetic principle of masculinity and feminity and their respective domains:
It is apparent that changes in men's attire are brought about by the striving of the great majority to (at least) appear distinguished. Through this imitation they devalue the original distinguished styles and force the true arbiters of elegance- or those considered such by the people- to look for another style. The changes in women's clothing styles, however, are simply dictated by fluctuations in sensuality. (p. 64)
But Loos is at his strongest when comparing clothing to architesture and the companion book (Creating Your Home With Style) was a better book because of his stronger knowledge of architecture and the permanence of architecture and the transitive nature of clothing (even if the themes remain largely the same). Creating Your Home With Style had the advantage of being both more relevant to today and the audience is without a doubt more familiar with the examples used to illustrate his points. The exception to this is perhaps in the final few chapters of Why a Man Should be Well-Dressed (Dress Principles, The Woman and the Home, and About Thriftiness) where Loos uses architectural rules to illustrate and demonstrate aspects of clothing. This is where Loos is at his best and most engaging:
The prayer of the poor peasant girl in the church built with real material will rise more quickly to the heavens than is she would, with the same fervency, pray in a church surrounded by painted marble plaster walls. (p. 95)
To change a form when it doesn't make any particular sense, or be improved on, is absolute nonsense...Individual clothing is only for people with limited intellectual capacity. (p. 106-107)
In the end, an annotated version with demonstatory images would be welcome and would contribute greatly to the layman being able to read this book in a more fluid and natural manner.
May 3, 2021
Долго думал каким прилагательным описать эту книгу, нашел. Очень занятная книга.
Через неё можно очень хорошо окунуться в конец 19, начало 20 века, посмотреть на повседневные для нас вещи и привычки, на одежду, на предметы интерьера, и сравнить с сегодня.
В некоторых местах автору хочется поаплодировать. А еще можно убедиться в том, что умный и интеллигентный человек является таковым, несмотря на век, в котором он живет. С одной стороны, нас не так много времени разделяет, всего 100 лет, с другой стороны это самые динамичные 100 лет за всё существования человечества.
В общем, книга совсем не является "энциклопедией джентельмена", так что смело можно прочитать, к тому же она очень коротенькая.
Через неё можно очень хорошо окунуться в конец 19, начало 20 века, посмотреть на повседневные для нас вещи и привычки, на одежду, на предметы интерьера, и сравнить с сегодня.
В некоторых местах автору хочется поаплодировать. А еще можно убедиться в том, что умный и интеллигентный человек является таковым, несмотря на век, в котором он живет. С одной стороны, нас не так много времени разделяет, всего 100 лет, с другой стороны это самые динамичные 100 лет за всё существования человечества.
В общем, книга совсем не является "энциклопедией джентельмена", так что смело можно прочитать, к тому же она очень коротенькая.
March 27, 2019
I suspected that this book was a rehash of old material, a publisher's cash cow, and I think I was right. The essays contain only a glimpse of interest, the majority of the material is a little amusing for the prejudices and attitudes of the author, nothing more.
The poor spelling and grammar of the translation is quite distracting and in places leaves the meaning of the text unclear. Even the better essays are rather scattergun in their approach, not well structured and it is occasionally difficult to ascertain the author's position on the subject of his own essay.
I read this book hoping to learn from a renowned essay writer but I find that Loos was not much of an essayist.
The poor spelling and grammar of the translation is quite distracting and in places leaves the meaning of the text unclear. Even the better essays are rather scattergun in their approach, not well structured and it is occasionally difficult to ascertain the author's position on the subject of his own essay.
I read this book hoping to learn from a renowned essay writer but I find that Loos was not much of an essayist.
February 18, 2019
This is something both dated and relatively timeless. If anything, it's a book on living for architects by an architect.
Not emotionally provoking in any romantic sense; a rather passionate exploration in what others would consider “mundane” details. Extrapolation on aesthetic garment styles, their function, preferences for certain manufacturers, and the social factors of the era are all topics touched upon. Loos tackles the Viennese fascination with the English (and New York), the socio-economic woes of Austrian hat and shoe design, and his love for a salt shaker.
Not emotionally provoking in any romantic sense; a rather passionate exploration in what others would consider “mundane” details. Extrapolation on aesthetic garment styles, their function, preferences for certain manufacturers, and the social factors of the era are all topics touched upon. Loos tackles the Viennese fascination with the English (and New York), the socio-economic woes of Austrian hat and shoe design, and his love for a salt shaker.
November 3, 2024
I read this book every few years and I always find some new fascinating meaning in it, find my own life reflected back at me again with a new perspective. I tend to enjoy reading the voice of someone who has very strong, quite righteous, and entirely self-important opinions about the seemingly meaningless. If you find yourself in that category as well, I’d highly recommend this book of translated essays.
December 7, 2018
This short edited collection of thoughts is, above all else, surprising: Loos seamlessly streams together thoughts on fashion and aesthetics, architecture and design, as well as mores and social progress. An entertaining read.
April 15, 2022
"Unintentional humor is always amusing, but this is not a comic magazine."
It should be no surprise that ideas written >120 years ago often do not align with society's views today. Loos takes himself very seriously in this collection of essays, which results in a confounding combination of design/fashion theory and utter ridiculousness. An interesting peek into history.
It should be no surprise that ideas written >120 years ago often do not align with society's views today. Loos takes himself very seriously in this collection of essays, which results in a confounding combination of design/fashion theory and utter ridiculousness. An interesting peek into history.
January 13, 2023
some absolutely nuclear takes on footshape and footwear, but an incredible insight into modernizing Viennese point of view. Captures a point in time where we transition from traditional wear to modern wear, and the thinking behind those who were hold outs from the transition in Europe.
June 20, 2018
Fabulous collection of (previously published and translated) essays. Abysmal translations.
February 3, 2023
“Never should the architect waste his abilities on creating new forms.”
February 27, 2025
Appealing title.
March 29, 2017
Я так сміявся над деякими моментами....від душі. Чувак, дуже недурно та із шикарнющою манерою висловлює власні погляди на переломові процеси початку ХХ ст. в частині елементів одягу, як, до прикладу, капелюха, спідньої білизни й подає своє бачення рецепції суспільством будь-якої новизни.
January 6, 2013
I don't read a lot of non-fiction books and I only bought this because I had to use up some vouchers I was given at the RIBA bookshop but I was pleased to find that I had discovered a little gem. It is hard to believe that some of the text were written over a century ago because their impact is so relevant to today's design and appreciation of fashion. Loved it! I'm now going to go research more of Adolf Loos buildings and see if I appreciate them as much as his writing.
March 27, 2013
I only came to know about Adolf Loos through this read. On a literary note, I faced complexity at times trying to make sense of sentences in an English far off from the English I speak. Some major rereading done here; but it all pays off. The script belongs to a man with class. You could tell what intellect Loos was by reading this book which you'll find out doesn't directly answer Why A Man Should Be Well Dressed. A diary like reading.
December 29, 2013
Got about half way through this one and just didn't care enough. I hope to pick it up again someday and pick off the essays one at a time with space between. The arrogance and 19th century mono-perspectival "rightness" of it all is a bit much to take in large doses.
April 21, 2020
تاریخچه لباس و تفاوت پوششها رو از وین توضیح میده و ارتباطی با عنوان کتاب نداره
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May 21, 2014charming
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews