Love polka dots and polished cotton! Stella’s off to the State Fair.
Although this dress isn’t way old, it is true vintage and the classic and fun styling made it worth picking up and wearing. It’s very reminiscent of summer dresses from the 1950’s and early 1960’s and is made well.
As we go up and down, back and forth through the decades, stay tuned!
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Isn’t this cute? Someone custom-sewed it back in the day. Love the flippy skirt and overall easy style. Neat find!
Not much else to say, but the photos will keep on coming. Stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
A perfect little black dress for day – wonderful find! The classic elements – 3/4 sleeves, decorative detail and shantung weave – make it very fun and versatile. A best of the best everyday garment to discover.
Always an adventure!
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Believe it or not, it IS a maternity dress! From the Forties or early Fifties!! The brand name is Lady in Waiting (how cute). What a fun, fun find!
Nothing could be more practical or economical than this baby (pun intended). The fabric is cotton, rayon or a blend in a colorful print. Perfect for a summer pregnancy. The dress is simple and was not expensive, but so ingeniously designed and convenient!
The easy, breezy shirtwaist style is always in fashion and the flowing fabric is very forgiving. Underneath that wrap-around wasp waist sash is extra material and a set of 3 snaps near each side seam which allow the dress to be let out up to about 10 inches. So, no matter the stage she’s at, this mama could wear the dress from start to finish and beyond.
Good old American ingenuity (not to imply that we’re the only ones). I love clever fashion ideas like this one.
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Isn’t this print gorgeous? And, the cotton is super, super soft – probably due to age and washings as well as a high-quality fabric.
Another mystery for me! Can’t date it exactly – there is no label and signs say that it was hand-tailored. The style is not traditional Hawaiian, but certain details, such as the pleat in the back of the skirt and the fabulous material, make me think of other vintage gowns made there.
No matter. It’s lovely and tiny but, if I can comfortably wear it it’s a keeper! We’ll see . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Though certainly not a star when it comes to quality or design, it’ll be fun to wear when I’m in the mood. Even the best of the late 1960’s to early 1970’s wasn’t great.
In this case, worth picking up for several reasons. 1. Perfect condition and commercially-made. When I see items like this in great shape, they’re usually home-sewn. Probably women who sewed appreciated the value of their clothing more. I rarely find a true vintage knit from this era that was commercially-made unless it’s a rag. 2. The content & care tag and the Ladies Garment Workers Union tag are still present. 3. The fabric and styling are purely from the era. Although some fairly faithful retro copycats have been made in recent years, there’s always nothing better than an original. 4. The pattern, collar and color are just cute!
So, that rounds out my week. We’ll see what happens around May Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
When I come across a pretty one, I’ll always snap it up. This example, quite different from the one I showed a few days ago, was machine-made and not as old. Although hankies began to lose popularity to Kleenex paper tissues in the 1930’s (for those who could afford to buy them), many women continued to carry fabric handkerchiefs into the 1950’s and even the early 1960’s. Men, of course, for much longer.
For a special occasion, the use of a handkerchief is more elegant than using a paper tissue – especially for drying tears. A productive cough and runny nose, on the other hand, call for something more hygienic (disposable) and sturdy than a delicate lace pocket square.
When did manufacturers stop making fabric hankies? Maybe they still do. No doubt a supply of both hankies and paper tissues are on hand in many dresser drawers today, along with the dress gloves, purse mirrors and other accessories that every sophisticated woman has at the ready for whatever event may come up on her calendar.
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
What a neat discovery! I have 2 or 3 lingerie bed jackets from this era already, but haven’t found another for a long time. Rare, rare, rare. This one may have been part of some woman’s trousseau, which she stored away lovingly for decades. Some were made of silk. This one is glossy rayon.
Pretty bed jackets from the post-war 1950’s are also fabulous, but much different from the older wartime ones. Notice in the detail close-up the embroidered mesh decoration. Remember that from the nightgown I showed just a few days ago?
Oh, I’m over the moon again and will also store this garment away lovingly, probably for decades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
In lustrous black nylon and lace, this is one of those wonderful slips that feel like heaven to touch. What you can’t see well in this photo, is that the bodice and hemline ruffle are in tiny accordion pleats.
The original label was removed, which I’m always sorry to see, but for a seventy-year-old she’s in marvelous shape. I have reinforced some places in the stitching that had become weak and re-set one of the straps. That’s all. I suspect that the “brown” lace was originally black and that it’s fabric has faded with age. I kind of like it this way, but may also dye it back to the original – easy to do with most slips because nylon stands up well to hot water.
I love it that we can now wear wonderful lingerie as dresses in the summer, for evening or as sleepwear. It’s also perfect under midi-length dresses from the late ’30’s to the early ’50’s, of course, (and 1980’s – wait till tomorrow).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
This is such a WONDERFUL find (aren’t they all?)! It’s a bit of a mystery, which I love. . . .
The style is late 1930’s – early 1940’s and it’s been custom – made. There’s no label or sign that there ever was one. The bodice has embroidered netting (similar to the 1930’s house-dress I found a few months ago in Montevideo – remember?). It’s finished almost entirely with french seams. Little bow detail on the bodice – lots of hand-work.
The fabric is some kind of synthetic which isn’t like vintage fabrics I’m familiar with NOR modern ones!?# There is virtually no sign of wear and just a little bit of age or storage-related damage, which was easy to fix. The conundrum is – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – :
it’s either true vintage from the WWII era OR a reproduction (not retro-style fashion) which has been expertly made to be identical to the originals. Whoopsie doo! Either way, it’s a fabulous gown and a rare and unique discovery which will look stunning on Stella. More to come . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Magicvintagespy 