I love these! They’re so typical of the day-dresses from the early to mid-Sixties that said “Fall is Here”, mostly for professional women. Anyone who wanted to look nicely tailored, but casual, wore styles like these.
So, I’ve seen lots of them on TV but not in person. It’s great fun to find this blast from the past that probably belonged to the same woman. Wonder what her everyday story was about . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Look what I found in Canada! Celebrity brand Mary Janes with leather soles and chunky heels.
These would be from the mid to late 1960’s. Like some others I’ve shown before, one shoe has the maker’s name stamped on the footbed and the other has the name of the local store that sold them. This was a common practice in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties when small, privately-owned shoe stores were in every town and city and many of them had a good relationship with the suppliers of the special brands they sold.
Probably moderately priced when they were originally sold, but quality, quality, quality all the way . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Back in the mid to late Sixties, while all the Mod stuff was going on, women with more traditional tastes wore beautiful frocks like this one. Many day dresses were still true to the history of elegant styling, lovely fabrics and excellent tailoring. This one is by ALGO, a mid- to higher-priced line of dresses that originated in the U.S. and also became popular in Canada.
For example, this fabric is some kind of a rayon blend with alternating shadow stripes of nubby weave and satiny sheen. The color is not for me and it’s also too large, but I couldn’t pass it up because it’s such a lovely example of the timeless side of 1960’s style. Probably next Spring it will go on eBay, but I do have other dresses I love from that era.
I’ve still got more to catch you up on, and the next ones are a little more seasonal . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Yes, I’m back at Headquarters now – unpacking and taking care of business. Although these finds are out-of-season right now, despite the heat, I like to show brand-new discoveries ASAP.
What makes these worthy of my closet? The styles are simple, but the vintage fabrics are REALLY NICE. Also, the hand-done tailoring touches, like a full lining, well-cut facings and hem allowances make them special garments.
I always pick up pieces of exceptional quality. They are rare treasure, not seen in the marketplace today. Stay tuned for more . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
I’ll be showing highlights of my vintage jewelry collection, along with the shoes and dresses. Here are three pieces which were very characteristic of the Sixties decade.
Enameled pins were very popular – especially in flower shapes. Also, large pendants that hung to the chest were a big thing.
The pin is not marked, nor is the middle pendant but I think that the chain which came with it said it was by Trifari. The gold-color pendant with chain is by Sarah Coventry. Modernistic shapes were really popular.
Any one of these really sparks up an outfit and gives it a mod, mid-sixties flair.
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
These, again, are a favorite pair of shoes and look great with that little suit from yesterday. So classic, they can be worn any time of year. In fact, they look great with many of the dresses coming up . . . . . . .
They were made by Life Stride, with leather uppers and synthetic soles (but that very long-wearing stuff). This company also made purses to match, as did many of the other mid-priced shoemakers then.
Very flattering fit and the bows on the back straps are so sweet! I wear them a lot. Mid-heels make them super comfortable and practical for shopping to dancing, but sexy-looking, too. . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
I have found several of these elegant black and white styles from the ’60’s and ’70’s – and wear them a lot. As versatile as a Little Black Dress for day and fun to accessorize. If made by a well-known clothing company or designer, the workmanship was good .
Polyester knits made up until the early 1970’s were usually very nice – good quality and with a substantial feel and nice drape. A well-made dress or pant-suit could take you through 3 seasons of the year. Although similar-looking dresses are made now, the older ones almost always have superior tailoring and fabric.
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Here we have Victorian meets 1940’s in these girly, secretary-style blouses that were really popular 40 to 50 years ago. Paired with a straight skirt and mid-heel stiletto pumps, they were office-worthy attire or might have been seen on your favorite teacher.
The polyester used at that time was not as weird-looking and feeling as a lot of it has been since about 1975. In this case, it’s much more refined-looking and might even be blended with rayon or acetate, which were very popular fabrics in the decades before then.
I’m certainly not professionally trained in costume design, but have learned a lot. Average off-the-rack blouses from mid-century have many stories to tell. These probably got a lot of wear, too, but it’s amazing how well they have held up. Blouses of this style and quality are another rare find – more tomorrow . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
A MOD PRINT IN RARE ARNEL FABRIC!
Moving forward in time 20 years or so, this iconic ’60’s dress is an unusual discovery. In virtually perfect condition, what a find!
The fabric, Arnel triacetate, was a biggie for a few years but soon gave way to acrylic and polyester. Granted, there are a few care issues that would have made the change more convenient but we’ve always lost something when those older fabrics were replaced with the “new and improved”. The sheen and the feel of this material has never been duplicated, as far as I can tell.
Of course, the rarity and special qualities of these old pieces are what give me the biggest kick when I find one! It would be boring if things made today looked and felt the same. Some day we’ll be able to see this only in museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
This dress doesn’t shout at you, but it shouted at me and that was why I picked it up. It is so obviously classic 1960’s and has an interesting label.
I researched the company, Carolina Made, and discovered a small clothing firm in, I believe, South Carolina, USA, which has been selling clothing for decades. Rather than closing down, as many have done over the years, they have morphed into selling a completely different casual line of t-shirts, shorts and other sportswear that looks like the usual modern styles.
The southeastern U.S. was a clothing manufacturing center for many, many years. This is where the garments were constructed. So, this company – regardless of how it has changed – represents that history.
And, this dress also represents the history of classic styles in several ways. The style has stayed good over several decades, the construction is strong and the colors are basically neutral. It’s very versatile and useful – the way that we wear jeans today, a dress like this would serve for many activities that an average woman would do in a day in 1964.
The original belt was probably a fabric tie belt – this dress was not even swanky enough to have a buckle belt on it. It’s a workhorse-type of dress, but with lots of possibilities.
Anyway, that’s the story that it told me and part of the enjoyment I get from hunting for true vintage. I love stories and you just never know . . . .. . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
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