Category Archives: blouse

3 TRUE VINTAGE NATIVE AMERICAN/HAWAIIAN COSTUMES FROM THE 1940’S – 1950’S

It is always appropriate to show my great Native American and Hawaiian dresses in Summertime, even though they are not always the most cool garments to wear.  Ocean breezes and high mountain altitudes can help with that!  The two on the right are from Arizona, sold by a company called Thunderbird Fashions which made lots of Western-wear dresses, blouses and skirts back in the day.  The dress on the left was made in Hawaii.  In most cases, women bought these outfits while on vacation in the American West or Hawaiian islands but sometimes a woman living there would include these in her day-to-day wardrobe.

Like a couple of the other items I’ve shown before, they are of heavy cotton with loads of braid trim, ric-rac and color! The Western-wear blouses have a side zipper at the waist.

The Hawaiian outfit on the left was made about the same time as those from Arizona.  It is interesting that there are so many similarities in the style although no zipper in this blouse, and the contrast is in the fabric panel on the bodice.

Both styles have a flattering fit, with a wasp waist and free hips.  I love wearing them on cooler days in the Summer and Fall and sometimes wear the skirts with another top.  Each of these ensembles is different and they are from a time when  Western and Hawaiian fashion were all the rage – probably in the 1950’s.  Women loved wearing them and vacationers loved bringing them home.

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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BEAUTIFUL TRUE VINTAGE 1960’S COCKTAIL/DINNER DRESS AND A FAVORITE 1940’S BLOUSE IN EMERALD

Sorry I didn’t get this photo into my St. Patrick’s Day series.  Can you imagine that dress worn under the emerald green satin evening coat I showed then?  Perfect!

Both these garments are in a lightweight fabric.  The blouse is probably a rayon georgette and the dress in a crinkly rayon or poly that is lined with acetate.  Pearl buttons on the blouse and a rhinestone detail on the bow belt of the dress. Stella is wearing my favorite leather Deliso – style pumps from the Eighties.   IMG_0954

The dress has a well-known label of the time which I have shown before – L’Aignon (the spelling might be a bit off).  A bright jewel tone like this and filmy fabric could be worn any time of year, but I like it in Spring or Fall.

These are not new finds – I’ve had them for a while and they are keepers!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY .COM

ANOTHER NEW FIND – MOD TRUE VINTAGE 1960’S LIME GREEN DRESS

Lime green was a huge color in the mid to late-’60’s.  Some gal decided to whip up a little mini dress in that hue for Spring or Summer.  The style is almost like the tent dresses that were popular then, too, but with more fitting on top.  It’s a little small on Stella, but the basic fit is right.

Again, it’s made of the looser-weave hopsacking kind of material that I’ve talked about before, used a lot in the Sixties.  You can’t see them well, but I also love the opalescent plastic vintage buttons.   Plain design, but a very distinctive true vintage style and cute, cute, cute!

It’s the right dress to wear when you want to be very COOL, in more ways than one . . . . . . . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAESPY

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HOME-DESIGNED 1960’s MOD-PRINT MATERNITY BLOUSE

So unusual to find a maternity blouse this old, let alone two of them within a couple of weeks! This example is definitely from the 1960’s, per the fabric, but with styling from an even earlier era.

Peter Pan collar, contrasting cuffs, back button closure and a deep inverted pleat in front. Although maternity wear was available commercially long before this garment was made, most early pregnancy-wear seems to have been sewn at home.

It’s fun to see prim and proper pregnant meet psychedelic! More to come – stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

THE MOST WONDERFUL SHIRT – LET’S START HERE

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Handmade for a man in the 1950’s,  or maybe even the Forties, but I’ll make it my own.  Neat little way of unbuttoning the neckline so that it can be slipped on.  The most fabulous soft cotton, due to many washings and wearings.  LOVE the french sailors print!!!!!!!

And, of course, a chest pocket on the left.  There is damage under one arm, so I will be taking the sleeves off and making it a cap sleeve tunic.  Don’t mind – as an alteration, that’s probably better.  Love it when I find unusual things like this.  More coming . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

A COUPLE OF REALLY FUN 1960’S FINDS

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A fitted (the best) Western-style shirt in cotton blend with a floral wallpaper stripe and a true vintage paisley scarf, maybe both from “Monkey Ward” (see the shirt label and investigate the nickname online – fun).  Again in my size, though the blouse size must have been for a girl at that time.

Unusual finds per their fabulous condition.  I’ll enjoy wearing them – very much perfect examples of the fashion era when they were made.

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY SEPARATES FOR SPRING AND SUMMER

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Not always the most exciting things to find, but I am always thrilled because true vintage wardrobes cannot be built without them.  What will you wear with that great 1940’s skirt or pair of slacks?  What blouse will be just right under the beautiful skirt suit?

I also love these garments because of the fabric and tailoring.  A hand-knitted sweater from back in the day is always a great find because they’re RARE and much more nicely crafted than machine-knit mass-produced clothing in the stores today.  I love the Forties/Fifties style of this one with gathered shoulders and ribbed cuffs, fitted waist and a scalloped boat neck.  The short-sleeved shirt is a well-tailored cotton version, so common during the 1950’s and early 1960’s for everyday wear.  The pale pastel palette will be just right with skirts, shorts, jeans and summer whites.

I hit the separates jackpot which I’ll continue to show you tomorrow.  Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S SWEATER – BLOUSE IN LIGHTWEIGHT WOOL

A 1940'S SWEATER - BLOUSE IN LIGHTWEIGHT WOOL

Very feminine, very versatile.  I photographed it on Madge and it fits her “VA –  VOOM” like a Fifties sweater-girl but I think I’d like to see it on more petite Stella, instead.

This little blouse is a fine sweater-knit.  Looks great with pants or skirts.  Although it doesn’t show well in the photo, the small collar is decorated with delicate applique and beads.  I haven’t tried it yet with the ’40’s slacks shown yesterday but the color is close so it might be perfect!  What a fabulous find.

This blouse is a cross between sportswear and dress-wear.  In the Forties, daily outfits were usually more finely tailored and sophisticated than what is worn now, no matter how “cute”.  If you really want to be well-dressed, take a lesson from true vintage fashion . . . . . . . . . .. ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

BOOK:  HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

A REALLY CUTE BLOUSE MYSTERY – VINTAGE OR RETRO?

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I just loved the mid-century post-war vibe of this shirt as soon as I saw it.  The cotton fabric is in a print very faithful to that time-frame, and some of the design details are, too.  But, there’s evidence of a label which doesn’t look like it was an old one (?).  All I have to go by is the remnant left when it was cut out.  I’m not often stumped – but it gets trickier . . . . . . . . .

Somewhere along the line this shirt was altered and re-styled, probably to make it smaller.  I love the piping accents that may have been added.  The front probably used to button, but was closed to make a pull-over style.  At the end of the day, I can’t definitely say what the true age of this garment is or be really clear be clear about it’s history.

However, it’s very fun and fits me!  What could be better?  I’ll choose to believe that it’s 55 years old and enjoy.  You just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S JACQUARD COCKTAIL BLOUSE

TRUE VINTAGE 1950'S JACQUARD COCKTAIL BLOUSE

Here’s a lovely, oh-so-flattering jacquard blouse for cocktails, dinner, dancing and parties. It looks superb with a long black skirt or black cigarette pants.

Notice the little bows at the waist. It also buttons up the back (I LOVE that feature of so many ’50’s blouses) with 5/8″ covered buttons. Very swank.

The fun thing about 50’s separates like this is that they were dressed up or down, since rock and roll, rhythm and blues and, later, cocktail parties became such a rage – on top of the more formal and traditional occasions that were always part of the social scene.

As usual, the cut and tailoring of this piece is outstanding. The fabric is quite nice, too. Just the right thing for a woman of intrigue to have in her closet, no? . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM