No worries about dog poop here, unless you trip and fall in it. As long as you keep your nickers covered, you’re good. This 1960’s take on the dressy dress shows off the physical freedom introduced by Mary Quant in 1964 when she released her mini-dresses on the world. Although hemlines will always go up and down, women have loved them since then (for better or worse!).
In this case, however, Stella looks smashing. And, check out that wide hem allowance to die for. . . . . . .
How about a little barbecue in hippie/prairie/Boho style? It all comes together in this 1960’s patio frock. So many places to wear this one – now that the rails are off the fashion corral (Yes!) a true vintage dress like this goes from the patio to the Prom with a stopover at the picnic and the pop concert in the park. All in true cotton comfort.
However, without your miniskirt, watch out for the puddle and the dog poop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The best of many worlds with sharp shirt-dress looks, figure-flattering silhouette and tropical foliage in Miami colors. This day-dress has better-than-average styling from Liz Claiborne Dresses. 1980’s modern, but was still worth picking. Classics never die, but true vintage is still the gold standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A bargain store beauty, ready for a casual day out. The length puts it into early 1970’s does 1940’s revival time. Love the stripes and the pastel summer hues that were popular then – lots of baby blues and pinks were seen.
In an iconic early to mid-1960’s style, this true vintage gown went to some kind of special occasion. The sheath style with embroidered overlay was extremely popular at the time; very “feminine” and pretty. All the necessary components for this type and vintage of frock are there – a metal zipper, hanging loops, a net underskirt for pouf and other tailoring touches to make the dress hold its shape and fit well. Close examination reveals it to have been custom-made, with some basting seams still inside.
It’s rare to find these true old ones in great condition anymore. 20 years ago they were coming out of the closet when the former debs and prom queens were moving house or retiring. Now anything that looks like this on the surface was probably made in China yesterday.
However, when you look a little more closely at a true vintage gown you’ll see the careful construction and quality materials that these older garments were made from. Even those that aren’t top-of-the-line are still distinguished and built to last!
A beautiful 1940’s cocktail-style dress constructed to professional standards. Who knows if it was made for a gala event, theater production or just for the love of couture. Whoever did so had marvelous skills as a dressmaker.
Although it looks best on a more voluptuous figure than Stella’s, she shows off the stylistic elements better than my models Madge and Giselle. Extended, padded shoulders, trim waist, full skirt and a wide sash are each iconic elements of late 1940’s fashions designed after the rationing of fabric was ended. Hemlines fell again and glamorous elements reappeared. It was a fabulous time for fashion and was championed from Paris by Christian Dior.
Like Stella, my figure doesn’t do it justice so it will be among the archives on offer in about 3 weeks.
Egads! A swift evacuation of Headquarters is mandatory. What a bother, but it’s a more or less normal part of the culture of underground investigations. Agents must be nimble and procedures flexible. Operations are not aborted, but will be delayed until after July 15. With the exception of one piece which is on offer until early next week, no further archived items will be placed on the eBay marketplace until after that date. Some postings of future offerings will continue during this hiatus. Stay tuned for updates . . . . . . . . . . . .
Here’s one of the loveliest examples of a Kennedy-era day dress I’ve found. The special characteristics that stand out here are the bubbly, happy print and the “whipped cream” texture of the synthetic fabric. They’re features identified with those few years surrounding John’s and Jackie’s “Camelot” and not often done as well since then. Women’s clothing between about 1955 and 1965 combined the elements of feminine style and fun in really wonderful ways.
Although the fabric is a type of polyester or poly blend, the light weight and the fit of the dress make this a cool summer confection. It really makes me think of some kind of dessert. Although I’ve loved the frock for years, the fit never loved me and I couldn’t bear to re-style it. Its a real Marilyn Monroe piece that looks it’s best on a voluptuous figure.
So, I’m happy to let it go to someone who can allow it to fulfill it’s mission. More to come . . . . . . . . . . .
Oh, my. As always happens to those of us with huge collections of vintage fashion items, the storage capacity eventually becomes overcrowded. My evidence lockers at Headquarters are straining at their limits and a rapid de-classification and release of archived material is imperative. The procedure has now begun, to be accelerated in the last week of June and on into July and August.
To you, my community of agents-in-training and aspiring students, an early look at the items which are going public will be published on this site as promised. Many were produced in the commercial market decades ago and became prototypes for a range of popular mass-produced apparel which has been manufactured in recent years more or less faithfully to these originals. Some are unique one-off constructions which were produced by unidentified or rogue elements of the underground handcrafting couture movement which has been operating in the shadows of popular commerce for centuries.
*If any of you are interested in starting or adding to your collections of archived intelligence, the items described will be on public offer in the eBay marketplace under the seller name Singswing. It’s refreshing for an agent to be able to poke one’s nose out from undercover once in a while though still using an alias.
Magicvintagespy 