From the time when Roy Rogers & Dale Evans were TV celebrities, Happy Trails to you . . . . . .
These two dresses are examples of fashions made and sold in the U.S. Southwestern states (Arizona, New Mexico mostly). They are inspired by traditional Native American designs and may have been made by Native Americans. My warm-weather wardrobe wouldn’t be complete without them.
Outfits like this were especially popular in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Some from the 1940’s have been seen. Tourists often returned from vacations with one and non-Native people who lived in the region wore them a lot. It was a real craze for a while.
Ric-rac and braid trim on bright cotton material was popular. The skirts are big and swingy – usually full circle. I have more to show – some have interesting tailoring details on the blouses. Love ’em!
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To change gears a bit today, here’s an example of a beautiful handcrafted item. It’s an evening purse made of black velvet and satin with metallic embroidery all over, front and back.
It was probably made in Hong Kong or Europe and took someone a long time to do by hand. These sorts of items were much more available back in the day. I suppose that you can still get them now, but only overseas or in very specialized shops.
Handiwork of this kind and exquisite workmanship used to be seen in fashion items that middle-income women could afford to buy, at least once in a while. Although it was generally done overseas, many of the major department stores sold it in their better departments. It’s difficult to find now. The hand-crafted items that are sold today generally can’t compare in terms of their quality.
Keep your eyes open for…
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Don’t you just love this one? Well, I do. Gingham isn’t for every day, but it is for always. I love it in shirts, shorts, skirts, frocks, tablecloths, curtains . . . . . . . . . nothing says “vintage” like gingham!
The best things about this one, aside from the great fit, are the neckline detail and the cross-stitch embroidery near the hem. I think that this must have been handmade (oops – as if all clothing were not!).
Anyway, it’s cute as can be and has a very fetching, though lady-like fit. I’ve seen a number of garments with cross-stitch embroidery from this time period, and it seems like it’s often done on gingham. Duh – wonder why – saves a lot of counting – have you ever done cross-stitch? Then you know what I mean – shades of 8th grade home ec.
My, how I do…
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Magicvintagespy 