Category Archives: shirtwaist

A COLLECTION OF FAVORITE TRUE VINTAGE LATE 1950’S – EARLY 1960’S DRESSES FOR EARLY FALL

A COLLECTION OF FAVORITE LATE 1950'S - EARLY 1960'S DRESSES FOR EARLY FALL

While it’s still warm enough to wear them, here are several of my favorite casual day-dresses.  They’re great in the Summer, too, but the colors look like Autumn to me.  The plaid fabrics are a wonderful vintage look.

I just love these for running around in every day.  Since the fabric is somewhat sheer, they do  require a slip but they’re super simple to wear and accessorize.  Anyway, who objects to opportunities to wear beautiful true vintage lingerie?

All have unknown maker’s names, or maybe just a union tag.  They were average garments from that time and wouldn’t have been expensive, but they fit really well and look smart.  Exceptional tailoring is one of the reasons that I love true vintage clothing so much.

For some reason, these look like Nancy Drew dresses to me.  How appropriate . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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SWEET TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S – ’50’S COTTON DAY DRESS – END OF SUMMER COLORS

SWEET 1940'S - '50'S COTTON DAY DRESS - END OF SUMMER COLORS

This cute little dress is just so back-to-school in it’s looks!  It’s a little small on Madge, so I’m guessing it was a girl’s, but the average woman was tiny by today’s standards.  Almost every woman  wore something similar on a daily basis back in the day.

It’s a lovely cotton with woven-in plaid – maybe made at home.  The style is typical shirtwaist, excepting for a ruffle that goes all the way around at hip level. Maybe this was someone’s idea of adding something original to their creation.  It’s not a peplum, so . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

maybe the piece of fabric was too short and the tailor wanted to dress up the seam that had to go there.  I have found many home-sewn garments that tell stories about shortage of materials or mistakes, especially from the times when the Depression or World War was changing everyone’s lives .

Such a treat to find pretty vintage fashion that  also tells something about  history . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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A COUPLE OF LATE ’40’S – EARLY ’50’S FUN SHIRTWAIST DRESSES IN SUNNY COLORS

A COUPLE OF LATE '50'S - EARLY '60'S FUN SHIRTWAIST DRESSES IN LEAD-INTO-FALL COLORS

I love the colors of these dresses – pink to lavender, with black and white.  Both in a similar shirtwaist style, below-the-knee length and made of a substantial cotton.  Perfect mid-century design.  Absolutely LOVE the collar shapes!

The dress on the left has little houses in a novelty print and some interesting tuck and piping details.  The fabric is a bit heavier, and I’d wear it into Fall.  The one on the right has cute pockets, ric-rac trim and a great plaid.  It really says “summer” and farmers’ markets, to me.  I took the sleeves off for a more flattering fit for me (and saved them, of course!) and wear it often.

Neither one has a label, but I doubt that they were made at home – especially not the left-hand one.  Just goes to show, that labels often go by the wayside. . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

LOVELY COTTON SHIRT-WAIST FROM THE 1950’S – EARLY 1960’S

LOVELY COTTON SHIRT-WAIST FROM THE 1950'S - EARLY 1960'S IN FALL COLORS

Here’s another dress from about the same time as the last one.  It has the same features of design – the side metal zipper is the most significant.  I don’t know why that was a favorite feature, rather than allowing the front opening to be longer.

Although it was more trouble to put that side zip in, it was hidden (more or less) from view and allowed the front and back lines of the garment to be unbroken.  My best guess is that this style feature is more elegant than a back zip or long front opening would be.

So many of the styles and tailoring methods from the ’50’s and before paid a lot of attention to keeping the lines of a garment very elegant, with good fit and clean silhouette.  Back zippers on pants and skirts are a good example of this.

This dress is, I’m sure, custom tailored.  The skill of the sewer is excellent and it would challenge the quality of any commercially-made things today, outside of haute couture.

The reds, golds and mossy browns in this print make me think of leading into Fall, but let’s not rush our summertime, when the livin’ is easy . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S – EARLY ’60’S SHEER SUMMER DAY-DRESS

TRUE VINTAGE 1950'S - EARLY '60'S SHEER SUMMER DAY-DRESS

This was a fun find, with its own attached scarf and in cool, floaty fabric again.  The really unusual thing, to me, is the color combo.

It’s an all-over print in purple with black accents on an olive background.  That’s a great combination which you don’t see often – especially for summer!

By Westover – New York.  Fabric-covered belt.  It’s one of those fun, flirty and feminine styles that I’m sure some woman loved wearing, even if her day was just a pretty average one.  Of course, she’d have a pretty slip underneath, too.

I’ve never seen another one like it.  It’s a real one-of-a-kind style, as so much true vintage is.  Each one is a unique discovery – you just never know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion

TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S SHEER SUMMER SHIRT-DRESS

TRUE VINTAGE 1940'S SHEER SUMMER SHIRT-DRESS

Here’s a really pretty summer shirtwaist dress from the ’40s.  It has many features that I love such as a covered fabric belt, decorative touches on the bodice, color-match buttons with rhinestones and a very flattering shape.

These sheer dresses were a big thing for at least 2 decades, according to what I have found.  Gives us a chance to wear our beautiful lingerie and let it peep through just a little without being indiscreet.

Just seeing that silhouette makes me think of classic movies and how put together the average woman often looked then.

I believe that the fabric is a rayon or perhaps a rayon/cotton blend. Many of the fabrics used then were very interesting in their qualities and their properties – quite different from what we have today, in spite of all our easy-care progress. There’s nothing like the older ones.

True vintage is often very bashful – or maybe just cunning.  It likes to hide and to be sneaky.  I usually discover it in odd places or in corners.  But, sometimes it hides in plain sight.  You just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

True Vintage 1930’s – ’40’s Summer Day-Dress by Lora Lenox

True Vintage 1940's Summer Day-Dress by Lora Lenox

Such a beautiful coral color on this fun and spunky frock from the late 1930’s or early 1940’s.  I love the great big buttons and the pleated flounce at the hem.  Polka dots all over.  The fabric is an interesting textured weave with some pattern in it, like some men’s shirts of the ’40’s and ’50’s that are so intriguing.

Made by Lora Lenox, a company that manufactured women’s clothing over several decades. This one was definitely a moderately – priced item, but not of poor quality.  Just to have survived since the ’40’s in such good condition says a lot.

It’s got the hallmark shoulder pads and a variation of that classic shirtwaist style.  When I caught sight of it, half-hidden, it was the color that arrested my eye.  Coral is so flattering to most women and so perfect for Summer!

Keep your peepers peeled, ’cause you just never know . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

TRUE VINTAGE SHEER SHIRT-DRESS FOR SPRING FROM THE 1950s

TRUE VINTAGE SHEER SHIRT-DRESS FOR SPRING FROM THE 1950s

In the 1950s, this style of shirt-dress in a very sheer printed material was popular.  I have found several of them here and there.  Although the photo doesn’t do it justice, it’s one of my favorites.  The fabric drapes really well and is very flattering.  Bits of pink in the print help it to go with my skin-tone.

Usually, dresses of this type were belted and, of course, would be worn over a slip. Imagine this one with a lovely true vintage nylon slip underneath (but not a fussy slip). and a covered buckle belt or tie belt. . . . . . . . . . .your skirt swaying in the breeze as you walk down main street on your shopping errands for the day.  A pretty little ’50s bag and peep-toe sling-back sandals might be nice.  Or, you can mix it up.  I love a full-on vintage look, especially with dresses, but mixing decades is also fun.

Vintage accessories with modern clothing really works for me sometimes. I find the mixing easy with casual looks. The great thing about many true vintage items is that their styles are very classic and elegant. Therefore, if you do go 100% true vintage in an outfit that is very elegant, it won’t look overdone or too much like a movie set. Be careful not to over-do things like jewelry or hat and gloves unless you want to aim for the kitchie look.  That’s fun, too.  And, to me, fun is what it’s all about.

I love the elements of history, mystery, style and aesthetics and recycling – but it’s all fun to me!  Everyone loves a treasure hunt, because you just never know . . . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

ANOTHER SURPRISE FIND! TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S/’50’S DRESS WITH THE TAGS STILL ON!!

ANOTHER SURPRISE FIND! TRUE VINTAGE 1940'S/'50'S DRESS WITH THE TAGS STILL ON!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE surprises like this!! A polished cotton Spring shirtwaist frock from back in the day that’s new to me!

This dress would have been sold in a hometown store or a department store – it was a budget to mid-priced item – but the quality of workmanship would beat most of what is sold today.  That’s not even to consider the fabric – it’s really superior and you won’t find anything like that now!

It was just an everyday day-dress to Rosie the Riveter or Lucy Ricardo, but I think it’s cute with a lot of attitude today. That’s what it’s all about.  Madge thinks it’s pretty swell . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

A FAVORITE TRUE VINTAGE SPRING/SUMMER DRESS FROM THE FIFTIES, WITH A FRENCH THEME PRINT

A FAVORITE SPRING/SUMMER DRESS FROM THE FIFTIES, WITH A FRENCH THEME PRINT

I love this little shirtwaist with a saucy, sassy French foodie print. The style is what almost every woman wore as everyday dresses in the Fifties and early Sixties.  A classic day dress – house dress.

It’s a little bit sheer, so you have to wear one of your lovely slips underneath, but women almost always did during the mid-century era – sheer dress or not.  Because they were usually wearing a garter belt or girdle and nylons, they needed lingerie to mask the lines and let the dress move on top.

Perfect for shopping and light work around the home; coffee with the neighbor.  Easy to wear.

It’s what “happy days” was all about . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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