Category Archives: dresses

TRUE VINTAGE PATIO LEISURE LONG DRESSES FROM THE 1970’S – 1990’S

Through the decades the changes in style are often subtle, but they’re noticeable if your sleuthing trade skills are sharp. One thing that all these dresses have in common is excellent quality. I showed several dresses of this genre which were made in the Victorian/Prairie style when covering 1970’s Prom dresses a couple of months ago. Early in that decade, girls sometimes wore them to the Prom but they were usually fussier with lace and more details. Jessica McClintock of Gunne Sax styled them for at least 20 – 30 years. Labels always help, of course, but aren’t always present. The condition of all these examples is near-perfect, which can make the job a easier, though tell-tale signs of wear can sometimes be very helpful clues. Let’s start from left to right:

A Prairie-style gown, pretty and modest in cotton. Looks like it was made for retail because of the precise tailoring detail, but there is no label. I would put it in the 1970’s but it could possibly have been made later by an individual expert or a company that catered to a niche market which preferred very modest styles of dress.

A red and white plaid gown that picks up on the Prairie style, but in a much more casual, carefree design reminiscent of the 1960’s. It’s probably made from cotton but I can’t be sure without the file in front of me and it could be cotton/poly blend. It was made in the 1980’s in West Germany. This is an example of trends jumping the oceans, usually years after they originally appeared in the Western nations. Although they’ve done their own take on the style, it’s exceptionally well-made, as goods from West Germany have always tended to be, in my experience.

A black and white floral print gown made in Hawaii. This one is from the 1980’s, give or take a decade and is the most elegant. Same deal about the fabric as in the previous dress. The style is pure average conservative, which makes it harder to date exactly. A pretty dress, but nothing distinctive about it excepting for excellent tailoring. It might have been a wardrobe item of someone who lived in Hawaii, purchased at a specialty shop stateside which carried Hawaiian garments or by someone who bought it while on vacation. Hawaiian-made gowns have been popular with women worldwide since the 1950’s, but earlier ones were usually made in more traditional Hawaiian style and, often, of Hawaiian fabric with traditional island prints. The more mainstream universal designs like this one came later.

The final dress is from the 1990’s. Always harder for me to think of as true vintage, but it is worthy because of the good tailoring, 100% cotton fabric and the retail designer label sold by a high-end department store in New York City. It’s got pedigree. Again, nothing notable about the style but it is very well-cut, which can make a world of difference in terms of how a dress fits. That’s one feature of even plain, rather boring vintage clothing items that can make them worth collecting and wearing. The style can always be elevated by adding accessories but one thing that always elevates any garment is how well it is made and how well it fits.

Tomorrow I’ll be showing a collection of dressy day-wear accessories from the 1960’s that fit the category of well-made, classic and designer items that can “make” an outfit. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE MID – LATE 1960’S LONG LEISURE DRESSES – MOD, WITCHY, ETHNIC

British influence Medieval/Victorian/Edwardian vibes, Op-Art, Flower Power and Indigenous influences allowed mainstream women to enjoy some “revolutionary” style during this transformative decade while not getting too far away from classic traditions. Plus the fact that they couldn’t have been more comfortable, convenient and flattering.

Fabulous sleeves, hand-done embroidery, geometric floral graphics. Love, love, love! Of course I had to collect these clues. Tomorrow we’ll step into the progression of this genre in examples from the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties. Stay tuned . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1960’S LEISURE DRESSES – ALTERNATIVE STYLE FINDS THE MAINSTREAM

In the early 1960’s home-based seamstresses began making at-home leisure dresses. Velveteen was a popular fabric for hostess dresses that could work for cocktails with friends. An early flower-power dress in a traditional style was a more timid effort (looks like a vintage tablecloth) and a Mod print gown stepped firmly into the mid-decade. Washable cotton and blends made these easy-care garments and fashionable alternative styles for women who hadn’t been ready for 1950’s Boho or early ’60’s minis.

Tomorrow we’ll look at dresses from this genre that appeared later in the Sixties. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE LATE 1950’S – MID-1960’S DRESSES

Late Fifties saw slinky knit sheath dresses that carried over the new, easy-care synthetics from the 1940’s. The prints morphed slowly from geometric, atomic shapes back to cute animals, fruits and veggies. This fabric is amazingly comfortable and drapes beautifully but was economical. Common, moderately-priced frocks were made from it.

Just a few years later, lace overlay became the big thing. Dressy day-dresses were often made from it, as well as semi-formal and formal gowns. These were also generally made from synthetic or blended fabrics but probably required dry-cleaning. Better frocks often came from British Hong Kong, where the design and hand-made tailoring made them exceptionally elegant and of higher quality. These dresses were still within the reach of middle-income ladies but were more expensive. See the black dressy sheath with a beaded over-blouse above. The straight black high-neck sheath came from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Then, again from the Brits, came Mary Quant’s Tent Dress in 1964. Although the Mod style had started in the 1950’s, it’s appearance in clothing was totally revolutionary. It brought with it radically shorter hemlines and easy-to-wear, casual shapes. See the light blue, home-sewn version above.

Some styles retained their classic, conservative lines and stuck to neutral or basic tones while bright colors became ever more popular, even in formal garments. While political and social movements became radicalized and changed society, the Hippie, Boho and Prairie styles started to take over in the late 1960’s and carried over into the early 1970’s. Tomorrow we’ll look at some of the ways that popular fashion incorporated these trends into mainstream dressing. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE EARLY 1950’S DRESSY DAY-WEAR

Let’s start with this novel style by a famous French (undoubtedly Paris) designer. The knock-off pictured above was by Nelly Don, a well-known mid-century ladieswear label in the U.S. The belted sheath dress woven of substantial cotton or a blend has a wide detachable peplum which creates this avant garde silhouette. The French designer brought this luxury style out in 1952 and the mid-priced American version followed quickly.

A very pretty semi-sheer dress with a scarf neckline is unusual in an olive green and purple print which I love. Again, it’s belted and fitted as were most of the dresses of this time and follows a shirtdress style.

This green pencil skirt is made in a relatively briefly-used but popular fabric which consists of thin, rayon(?) ribbon that is coiled in a continuous design, appliqued onto another fabric base. Imagine it worn with a pretty, fitted blouse. I have a black skirt suit made in this fabric and a family member owned a short-sleeved dress in a gold color, back in the day.

The shirtwaist dress never lost it’s place and continued into the Fifties and beyond in fabrics which ranged from cotton and cotton blends to rayon and silk. The simplest daywear styles continued to be the housewife’s daily uniform. This one is a slightly upscaled version in a more complex print with embroidered trim and tucks.

This black and white dressed-up sundress would have been appropriate to go on a date, to the Ladies’ Club, Country Club or shopping in the city. It may have been custom-made, as women and professional tailors continued to use their skills this way though not as much out of necessity as during wartime. The Fifties were about being thrifty but also stylish and having more!

Shoe styles carried over from the 1940’s but with sleeker lines. Pumps were a bit more cutaway and more often had sling-backs. Soles and heels were slimmer. Peep toes continued, which I absolutely love. Hairstyles became smaller and neater again as did hats, which continued to be de rigueur for any well-dressed woman. Also, a pair of well-made gloves in a style which complemented your outfit and a short string of pearls with almost anything from casual to dressy outfits were considered to be necessities for elegant style. Handbags adopted many styles but here are a couple of semi-dressy designs that carry over the classic “tapestry” floral design and introduce the decorative metal frames and vinyl covering which began to be more popular.

Tomorrow we’ll stay in the same Forties to Fifties time-frame but focus on casual separates and trends. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE LADIES’ DRESSY AND FORMAL – WEAR FROM THE EARLY 1950’S

From cocktail party to Prom to a wedding, these dresses and separates went to many swanky events. A sparkly bling necklace and earrings were a necessity, too. Stiletto pumps became the hugely big footwear trend for women.

Jacquard “brocade”, satin, lace, metallic thread, organza and netting, cashmere, beads and sequins and even fur trimming – all popular materials in garments for nights out and special events. The prosperity of the Fifties brought on a real break-out in middle-class spending and ostentation. Showy was good but, fortunately, so was elegance so we had some of the most beautiful gowns produced during this time. Female movie stars of this decade were some of the best-dressed women ever seen. The first dress pictured, with the fur-trimmed sleeves, is a gorgeous example of the New Look style. Fun and novelty were also present in many examples of the more casual clothing but the cheap-looking garishness of the 1990’s was not the thing.

I love these clothes and it’s fun to show them. All would have fascinating stories. The elegance of design showed up in dressy daywear, too, and I’ll be showing some of that tomorrow. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

MORE WONDERFUL TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S SPRING DAY DRESSES AND ACCESSORIES

Some of my very favorite frocks. Wonderful rayon and blended synthetics. Pretty cotton. One sheer, the others opaque and drapey. Don’t you love these prints? Atomic, abstract and floral – big wartime and post-war favorites. Here, also, are some of the handbags, scarves and pumps that might have been worn with them.

Iconic styles, rationing-compliant and “modern” plastic alternatives to leather and wool. Silk and silky synthetic scarves were constant purse accessories. A few items carry over from the 1930’s – a few point toward popular styles as we go into the 1950’s. Since we’ve had such a long, cold winter, tomorrow I will show a few of the coats and outdoor accessories which might have accompanied 1940’s dresses outside the home. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

1970’S – 1990’S DOES 1940’S. TRUE VINTAGE RETRO DRESSES AND JUMPSUITS.

The Seventies, Eighties and Nineties produced a lot of popular retail styles that imitated 1940’s designs. Some were very well done and others not so much, to be charitable. As I’ve said, it’s hard for me to call these decades true vintage but, technically, they are. The two purses echoing shapes and tapestry design popular in the Forties might have shown up in the 1960’s.

All of these could be fun and the reproduction details became best during the mid-1980’s but, unfortunately, modern polyester fabrics and production techniques lowered the quality a lot. No valid comparison, in my opinion, to true vintage from the 1940’s – even the home-sewn versions that were made from older clothing during rationing.

Of this group, the best-made is the black velveteen custom-tailored frock from the 1980’s or 1990’s. It was made by an expert seamstress and is worthy of being called a reproduction in the Post-war New Look style. The retail day-dresses are versatile and the prints are great – pretty faithful to authentic ones that I’ve come across. I always love the padded shoulders and cinched waistlines that are very flattering but were also a nod to the style of military uniforms. Jumpsuits were just for fun in the Seventies, but always are inconvenient. I suspect that the jumpsuits worn by women working in the war effort during the Forties had drop seats, which makes it a little bit better. I do have a pair of high-waisted slacks from the ’40’s that have an ingeniously-designed drop seat that looks quite good.

So, these clues were fun to find and seemed worthy of collection though I always prefer the real deal. Speaking of which, I just came across another archived file of true vintage 1940’s dresses which I will show tomorrow. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S DRESSY DRESSES FROM AFTER THE WAR YEARS

Here’s another group of finds that were fabulous. Let’s look at the details on these frocks, which were over-the-top when wartime rationing was no more and fashion was ready for a break-out right before the New Look. Lots of glitz – rhinestone buttons, metallic thread, sequins, beads, lots of little buttons and velvet. Hemlines went down again. Rayon reigned – it had become the darling of fabrics.

There was certainly an element of weirdness to some of these designs. The last two black dresses were discovered in Montevideo, Uruguay and had been made by specialty dressmakers. Many of their wardrobe items in that city came from France, and I suspect that there is a lot of European influence in these styles.

The top two designs are squarely U.S. American and the tag on the dress with the big velvet bow indicates that it was made by a company that was producing affordable garments, probably during the early recovery from wartime. The navy blue dress was higher-end and looks so much like the costumes seen in late 1940’s film noir.

Tomorrow we’ll look at some examples of how 1940’s dress styles have persisted during the following decades. Stay tuned . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

1940’s WAR-SHOCK DRESSES & WARTIME FASHION TRENDS

Before 9-11 it was hard for young U.S. Americans to understand the shock and fear that the attack on Pearl Harbor caused in December 1941. The government’s decision to join WWII, which had been happening in Europe and seemed remote to most everyday folks in the U.S., suddenly brought it close to home. The news and the movies began to open the doors on Asian culture and the curiosity of Americans and popular culture started to make this theme trendy. These dresses are from some of my most interesting investigations.

From the 1940’s on, Cheongsam dresses like the lavender one above gained popularity. Mata Hari and Charlie Chan became cultural figures in the media. The beauty and flattering fit of Chinese and Japanese traditional frocks brought interest in Chinatown areas of many cities and non-Asian women began to shop there. Above, see also a Japanese tea dress – fabulous find dating from the 1930’s, made in Hawaii. The purple native traditional gown from Hawaii also found a home in some American woman’s closet after people began traveling again.

But, before that time, women stayed at home. They worried about their family members and friends who were fighting in or living in war zones. They joined the war effort in whatever way they could through their work, volunteerism and spending habits. Of course, some kind of escape was necessary to maintain their sanity. That’s where the movies and dancing filled a void. Whether homemade or found at retail, dancing and cocktails required special dresses and women were very creative despite the restrictions caused by rationing.

Synthetic fabrics were most available and affordable, so this red jacquard frock with puffed sleeves and an elasticized neckline which allowed cold shoulders was home-sewn. A similar style in black was local couture from a specialty shop in Texas and has ruched 3/4 sleeves and shows off the luxury of velvet piping decoration. The pink knitted and crocheted 2-piece cocktail dress was another unusual find which somehow found it’s way to Argentina. It’s made of a heavy, glossy/shiny yarn that allowed some gal to make a glamorous outfit on the cheap.

So fascinating! Such a fun bunch of clues these are. The delight is in the details. More tomorrow – stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM