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
Sorry I didn’t get this photo into my St. Patrick’s Day series. Can you imagine that dress worn under the emerald green satin evening coat I showed then? Perfect!
Both these garments are in a lightweight fabric. The blouse is probably a rayon georgette and the dress in a crinkly rayon or poly that is lined with acetate. Pearl buttons on the blouse and a rhinestone detail on the bow belt of the dress. Stella is wearing my favorite leather Deliso – style pumps from the Eighties. 
The dress has a well-known label of the time which I have shown before – L’Aignon (the spelling might be a bit off). A bright jewel tone like this and filmy fabric could be worn any time of year, but I like it in Spring or Fall.
These are not new finds – I’ve had them for a while and they are keepers!
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY .COM
Handmade back in the day by “Rosalie Couturier” – I’ve never seen this common and popular style done so elegantly, by one seamstress. All the best of beautiful little details and stunning fit are really only found in purely hand-tailored examples. What a treat it was to find this one!
The fabric is also very special – a rayon or rayon blend that was used in off-the-rack garments only in the 1940’s – 1950’s, if you were lucky. And the buttons! I’m over-the-moon on those – heavy, polished and perfect in their iridescence. Nothing can compare to old shell buttons. You can see in this photo another example of the phenomenon I mentioned a day or two ago – the belt looks slightly darker, probably because it was never cleaned along with the dress. Spy-craft!
Just in time for Spring, right out of classic cinema – Mrs. Miniver or June Cleaver would be right at home wearing this frock any old day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Still for cooler weather, but a pretty, peachy color. It’s hard for me to classify this dress. It’s kind of a hybrid style with an unclear purpose. Part Boho prairie, part Victorian lady, part Prom dress, part hostess gown. Got me!
The prairie-style and long Victorian/Edwardian-style dresses became really popular again in the late Sixties and early Seventies; plus the construction and materials give lots of clues to it’s original era.
Made of a heavy nylon-feeling fabric and has an embroidered makers’ tag. Never seen anything quite like it, but I was intrigued.
Could even be a Spring party dress! Good idea . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
This time it’s Seventies Does Forties/Fifties, in 100% cotton. No matter what decade you’re in, navy and white, polka dots and nautical themes are always part of the shoulder season style line and are classic for Spring.
These oversize collars were also popular in the early 1950’s for women’s dresses and coats. Haven’t we also seen lots of old photos of babies and toddlers in “Sailor suits” with big, big collars?
Although I always prefer true vintage from the original time of the style, rather than re-makes, this example is a nice version. It has several more of the style elements which are true to the era such as 3/4 sleeves, a nice long midi hemline and lace edging trim. Because classic styles do repeat, it makes the search much more fun and surprising; plus the added benefit of remaining stylish decade after decade.
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Source: TRUE VINTAGE DRESS WITH SAILOR COLLAR. NAUTICAL STYLE IS CLASSIC!
Magicvintagespy 