Category Archives: skirt

LET’S GO TO THE HOMECOMING PARADE! A CUTE LITTLE MID-CENTURY CHEERLEADER’S OUTFIT

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Whether in the parade or afterward, at the big game, some high-school girl or coed strutted her stuff in this set.  Sorry that I don’t know what school it was associated with, but she must have kept her letters as memorabilia.  Styling and construction put it in the Sixties or Seventies.

Again, a super-seasonal find which makes it all the more fun.  Won’t be a keeper in the long run, but we were approaching Halloween  when this turned up.  I’ve got lots of “new” things which could make dynamite costumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

A FAVORITE FORTIES SKIRT & BLOUSE FOR FALL, WITH A COORDINATING JACKET – AS ALWAYS, TRUE VINTAGE

IMG_1002 IMG_1003This combo is perfect for early autumn.  Three of my favorite separates, which are very versatile.

The blouse is a silky fabric – maybe silk or might be a synthetic of the time – in cafe’ au lait  with black polka dots. It’s so pretty here, or with pants or a suit.

The bolero jacket by Fashion Frock is also a favorite.  It’s a tweedy brown/black fabric with a black velveteen collar and fills out the ensemble nicely.

The skirt is wonderful!  Black velveteen with a big bow behind, between the buttons.  It’s also got a hem that dips a bit in the back.  Dressed up or down, so many ways to wear it and it’s so cute!

All these pieces are from the Forties or early Fifties.  That’s always a favorite era for me, and I so LOVE finding things that I can put together in lots of different ways . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

3 TRUE VINTAGE NATIVE AMERICAN/HAWAIIAN COSTUMES FROM THE 1940’S – 1950’S

It is always appropriate to show my great Native American and Hawaiian dresses in Summertime, even though they are not always the most cool garments to wear.  Ocean breezes and high mountain altitudes can help with that!  The two on the right are from Arizona, sold by a company called Thunderbird Fashions which made lots of Western-wear dresses, blouses and skirts back in the day.  The dress on the left was made in Hawaii.  In most cases, women bought these outfits while on vacation in the American West or Hawaiian islands but sometimes a woman living there would include these in her day-to-day wardrobe.

Like a couple of the other items I’ve shown before, they are of heavy cotton with loads of braid trim, ric-rac and color! The Western-wear blouses have a side zipper at the waist.

The Hawaiian outfit on the left was made about the same time as those from Arizona.  It is interesting that there are so many similarities in the style although no zipper in this blouse, and the contrast is in the fabric panel on the bodice.

Both styles have a flattering fit, with a wasp waist and free hips.  I love wearing them on cooler days in the Summer and Fall and sometimes wear the skirts with another top.  Each of these ensembles is different and they are from a time when  Western and Hawaiian fashion were all the rage – probably in the 1950’s.  Women loved wearing them and vacationers loved bringing them home.

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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STELLA’S TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S 2-PIECE WEDDING SUIT

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This is the ensemble that Stella was wearing when I met her and I’m glad she didn’t want to give it up.  I’ll be showing some white satin 1940’s wedding pumps tomorrow.   Although they didn’t come with this outfit, they’d be just perfect with it!

During wartime, this was a relatively modest choice for her wedding and the bride probably had this suit custom-tailored.  Naturally, it has many of the 1940’s styling details which were popular then – shoulder pads, nipped peplum waist, a handkerchief hem and a rare coil metal zipper in the skirt.

Also, some of the favorite classic features of a wedding gown are also present – rows of tiny, covered buttons and medieval-style points on the sleeve hems.  The fabric is a substantial brocade/jacquard floral – not a high-end textile, but nice.  Clearly, this wedding took place in a formal setting.

I wonder about her hair . . . . bridesmaids?  Wouldn’t it be fun to go back as a guest? . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

CUTE LITTLE SEERSUCKER MINI SKIRT SUIT FROM THE MID-SIXTIES, FOR SPRING, SUMMER AND EARLY FALL!

CUTE LITTLE SEERSUCKER SKIRT SUIT FROM THE SIXTIES, FOR SUMMER!

A cotton suit like this is a very unusual discovery.  Casual wear often didn’t stay in good shape over the years and separates, especially, didn’t stand the wear and tear of frequent use.  It’s not rare to run into seersucker, which is a really fun and durable fabric.  But, to find a true vintage piece is quite uncommon.

Like in the Fifties, it seems that little casual suits were also popular in the Sixties and were worn like day-dresses used to be.  Pants were STILL not hugely popular, with women generally sticking to dresses and skirts more often than we do now.

This outfit has cute little details like waist tabs and notches in the hems – nice tailoring details that are a hold-over from the 1940’s and 1950’s, though I think this suit was sold through one of the catalog houses that were popular then, like Montgomery Ward, Penneys or Sears & Roebuck, and wouldn’t have been considered a high quality item.

Not quite my color and a little large for me, so it probably won’t stay in my closet forever. But, can’t pass up a beauty like this! Such fun . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

HERE’S ONE OF MY CIRCLE SKIRTS FROM THE 1950’S – IN AN ATOMIC PRINT

ANOTHER OF MY CIRCLE SKIRTS IN AN ATOMIC PRINT FROM THE 1950'S

Hanger by hanger, moving on through my closet, a true vintage atomic print skirt in a lightweight cotton, so it really moves. That’s an advantage of the circle cut, especially for dancing.

Nothing could be nicer on a hot summer day or any other time from Spring to Fall, with the right additions. The top shown with it is a nice faux linen thing but is not true vintage. I paired them because of the color match, which can be tricky with aqua.

It’s blue, green and black with little satellite-looking things on a white background. Side metal zipper and button closure, with a built-in side-seam pocket for convenience.
Embroidered label says “Nelly de Grab New York”.

This is one of the few items which I have found on the Internet. Online is not my first choice for shopping, because I love my feet-on-the-ground investigating, but it is certainly a worthwhile one as long as you are savvy about how to do it wisely . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1960’S GREEN AND WHITE SEERSUCKER SKIRT & TOP SET – JUST THE CUTEST THING!

IMG_1233Another way to pay homage to the St. P’s holiday, I love this little suit!  The skirt is shorter now than it was when the outfit was sold in the early to mid-1960’s, but the skirt lengths did change just a couple of years later when the mini came out.  No one back then would trash an outfit just because of that!  Shortening a hem was a really easy thing to do and many women did much more complex alterations on their clothing to keep them for years.

It looks like a jacket and skirt, but the top is almost like a shirt.  I guess it could be worn either way – would be really cute with a little white shirt underneath.

Notice the detail at the waistline – those little tabs are things that we don’t see anymore.  Just for decoration!  The brand is an inexpensive one that one of the catalog stores sold, I think, but even they did nice little tailoring things.

Seersucker has always been such a classic warm-weather fabric; it’s always fun to see it again.  Olive green and white is a little different, too . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY CUSTOM-TAILORED CLASSIC SUIT

TRUE VINTAGE CLASSIC WOMEN'S SUIT - JACKET/SKIRT FOR FALL

 

The style is so un-fussy and classic that it could be worn casually  like a day-dress or dressed up.   It could have been made anywhere from the late 1940’s to early 1960’s, but I lean toward the ’60’s because of the cotton velveteen-type fabric, which was popular then.  Hard to be sure, in this case.

I am certain that the suit was custom tailored.  It might even have been done at home. It’s amazing that many women were able to do this. Tailoring requires a lot of skill!

Look at all the covered buttons. And, the buttonholes are also bound. Amazing! Not to mention the lining, interfacing and padding required to make a garment like this fit properly.

Although it looks very elegant as pictured, imagine all the ways it could be worn and accessorized.  As separates, the jacket and skirt add more possibilities.  Simple suits like this can be great additions to any vintage wardrobe, making a variety of quick-changes possible . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

BEAUTIFUL SCOTTISH WORSTED WOOL POST-WAR SKIRT SUIT

This is a magnificent find, with all the beautiful tailoring details that I love on post-war suits and dresses.  Notice the notched cuffs, fabric-covered buttons, interesting pocket treatment, back belt, button trim, interesting collar lapels with little embroidered detail and, of course, the fabulous fitted shape.

It’s worth every minute I’ll spend on altering the size to fit me (a simple job, in spite of the professional tailoring).  No need to hire this job out, which is an extra bonus.  Someone loved it very much over the years.  Just one little, tiny moth nibble on the back of a sleeve and, otherwise, no damage or noticeable wear.  Another mother-lode treasure!  And, as always, for a mere pittance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

WHAT A WONDERFUL ENSEMBLE FIND! LOVE THIS!!!!!

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Found these two pieces separately, but aren’t they perfect together?  The pencil skirt is a true vintage 1950’s design by the vintage California Lorrie & Deb label.  It fits like a dream – looks as good on me as it does on Stella.

Later, I came across this blouse.  It is a more modern retro design (might still be true vintage by the definition of 30 years old or more) and I fell in love, also knowing that it would likely look great with my skirt.

Well, guess what – how wonderful can you get?  I was over the moon when I tried them on together and will remain so every time I wear them.  So, chalk up another one for serendipity and the Magicvintagespy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:   MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM