Tag Archives: 1950’s

TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY BLOUSES AND SHIRTS – I’VE COME UP WITH A TON RECENTLY!

IMG_1684Here’s a proper picture of the wonderful Fifties/Sixties blouse that I recently found in New Mexico.  I’ll start getting into more seasonal items tomorrow, but this top could be worn any time of year with a jacket or sweater.

My favorite look would be to wear this with a pair of cigarette pants, and maybe a neckscarf or colorful costume necklace a’la 1950’s.  Pencil skirt, pleated skirt, capris or shorts – any of those will look great.  True vintage accessories are always important to spark a look like this one.

With regard to the style, I love cap sleeves, extended shoulders and bateau necklines – but the neatest thing is that it’s made to wear belted, with little loops sewn in the side seams.  The original belt is, alas, missing but I think that it was a slim fabric tie.  Easy to replace.  For a dressier look, the buckle belt I’m showing in the photo works really well.

It’s just made for Madge’s figure, no?  But, it looks pretty good on me, too . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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RARE MID-CENTURY FEMININE COTTON LINGERIE FULL SLIP

IMG_1692Remember I said I’d show this one a bit later – very different from it’s fancier nylon cousins.  I’m always thrilled to discover a true vintage one, because they aren’t common.  Absolutely the best  for wearing with summer dresses (or even as a nightgown).  Some people wear them as dresses alone.

No one wants to smother in a nylon slip on hot days, no matter how gorgeous it is!  But, many vintage and some modern dresses really need an undergarment like that in order to look their best.  Smooth cotton will enhance the fit just as well as nylon or rayon, while being wonderfully comfortable.

This piece is short, too, compared to most of the slips of that era so that’s a plus. So pretty!  I love the innocent style of the lace and embroidery decorations.  So, even though it’s out of season here in North America, it’s another sleuthing success . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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HUGE FIND OF GORGEOUS TRUE VINTAGE LINGERIE!!!

IMG_1700Just the other day, I discovered about half a dozen of these beautiful lingerie slips from the 1950’s or late 1940’s.  I already had two or three others similar to the one on the left, but it has been several years since I found them. Those like the perfect, classic beauty on the right are a bit more common but still are tricky to find.

Do take a close-up view of the lace and trims on these stunners.  They are just so lovely.  And, of course, the heavy nylon is wonderful to touch.  The longer length of Fifties slips is great for wearing with dresses from that same era but they’re also fabulous worn as nightgowns or slip-dresses.

There’s one of a different type that I’ll show in another post later on, so stay tuned . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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ANOTHER GREEN MID-CENTURY FIND – RARE RIBBON SKIRT FROM THE 1950’S!

IMG_1705In almost the same shade of green as yesterday’s dress, I discovered this skirt on the same day. Wow – I’ve just recently found a trove of true vintage dresses, skirts, accessories, lingerie, shirts and blouses (we’ll get to the one Stella’s wearing later).  Not to mention, of course, my fabulous vintage navy pea jacket find!

Dresses and suits made of this knit material with grosgrain ribbon sewn closely all over in a swirly pattern were very popular among the dressier set in the Fifties. I have a black suit decorated this way and I remember that my great grandmother had a dress.  This skirt might have had a matching jacket originally since, as I said, this style is usually seen in dressy garments.

However, it will work well as a separate, too, and is a great foundation for a beautiful blouse or sweater – no jacket needed.  That’s one thing I like about true vintage suits as opposed to dresses – although our grandmothers were tied in to wearing the jacket and skirt together as an “outfit”, as dictated by the fashion rules of the time, we can do so many wonderful things with the separate pieces now, as well.

Once in a while I see one of these ribbon garments, but very rarely – SO, it was ANOTHER Eureka moment for the Magicvintagespy.  Life is fun!!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S COTTON SHIRTWAIST DRESS – ALWAYS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FINDS

IMG_1708I’m always thrilled to find one of these!  This dress was custom-tailored WAY back in the day.  It’s a rockabilly/housewife/everyday special that most women wore.

This one dates farther back than some, but is still in near-perfect condition.  The only thing is that is seems that “Mildred” didn’t make a belt for it yet, so I’ve put on one of my own.

Years ago, women whipped up lots of frocks in this style for themselves and their daughters.  They could also be purchased at department stores or discount clothiers.  Depending on the fabric chosen and the details added, they might be very inexpensive or pricey and elegant.

There’s nothing more iconic of that time, so it blasts me right back to the past . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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WONDERFUL TRUE VINTAGE CIRCLE SKIRT FROM THE FIFTIES

IMG_1685This beautiful skirt is a full circle, decorated in the style of some Native American costumes that was very popular in the 1950’s.  It seems like these beautiful clothes were “discovered” by tourists and movie-goers during the Forties and it became a real trend to buy them as souvenirs of travel and to wear to casual parties (in the eastern U.S.) and for everyday out West.

Made of a substantial cotton, and always colorful with braid trim or ric-rac.  Some were made by Western-wear companies and some were made at home.  I love these for summer, but they are really 3-season skirts that look nice with sweaters, too.

Always makes me happy to find one!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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NEW FIND – A COUPLE OF HOME-SEWN PARTY FROCKS FROM THE 1940’S/EARLY 1950’S

IMG_1702 IMG_1703Both these dresses need a professional pressing before they go to the dance but, so what?!  Such iconic styles!!!!!  Read on . . . . . . . . . . . . .

#1 is of taffeta with a gored skirt and velveteen insert at the v-neckline,  That was  put in for modesty, because without it  the dress has a decolletage and would sit wide on the shoulders.  A very sexy style, and I’m convinced that the sewing pattern or the dress as originally made had the sexy neckline.

Of course, it’s got a tiny waist and the skirt is a fabulous style for dancing (or just walking in!) because of how it flips and moves.  The most interesting and telling thing is the zipper in back.  It’s about a foot long and sits in the middle of the back, with no connection at the neckline.  Therefore, you REALLY have to wiggle into frocks made with these and this one is already quite tiny.  Not even Stella could wear it!

#2 is very plain in style, but it’s got 3 layers of taffeta-like then organza-like fabric in the skirt.  With proper finishing by a professional cleaner (or someone who just knows how to do it correctly) it would be a stunning and pretty dress.  About a size or two larger than the other, it would have been made about a decade later.

Both in aqua blues.  What each one needs is a corsage at the neckline or the waist.  Both of them could have benefited with a bit of trim here or there to finish the look – maybe that was coming.  Little bows, covered buttons or bits of lace/embroidery were commonly used as final touches to make a mid-century look more feminine and stylish.

Though they may not have both been made by or for the same woman, who knows?  I found them in the same location, which adds possibilities to the story. You just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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FOUND YESTERDAY – THE CUTEST TRUE VINTAGE CHRISTMAS DRESS IN THE WORLD!!!

IMG_1686IMG_1687Well, probably – it would certainly have a huge chance of winning the contest!  Don’t you love the collar?  And the bright red wool.  It’s party time!

There’s no label – I suspect the dress was custom-tailored.  And, for a woman a lot shorter than Stella – the hem should at least be at the knee and the sleeves a tiny bit longer because I’d date it about 1960.

It’s finds like this that make my day – but there’s lots more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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STELLA SHOWS OFF MY “NEW” TRUE VINTAGE FIFTIES FROCK

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This is one of the dresses which I recently found out West and it deserves a better photo so that you can see what a great find this was and why I’m so excited by it.  Look at that iconic Fifties fit!   In “real life”, the color is a bit warmer but still a light beige and it feels like a linen/rayon blend.  Who knows for sure?  Mid-century synthetics were so beautiful but they remain very mysterious . . . .

There are such beautiful tailoring details. The bodice is tucked and fitted, there are gussets under the arms to improve the fit and the satin ribbon trim is very artfully applied, with no visible seams. Pleats and faux slash pockets at the hip seams add style and enhance the fit, too.  These faux pockets are interesting – they’re about 1″ deep – too shallow to use, but they look real and add a bit of fullness to the hipline.  Vintage tailoring tricks were very creative and added incredibly to the style of garments that would otherwise seem ordinary.

In this picture, I have included a belt which would have been close to the original.  I’m convinced that the original belt was covered with the same fabric as the dress, so I plan to do that.  Some extra fabric can be taken when the hem is finished, without making the dress too short.  It’s a tiny size – about a 0 – 2 in modern numbers – and really would fit better someone without Stella’s 5’8″ stature.  The proper length should be below the knee.

So, you see why I gasped with delight when this one showed up.  My investigations are always peppered with moments like this that keep life in the shadows very interesting . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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LATEST DISCOVERY – TRUE VINTAGE LADIES FULL LINGERIE SLIP BY VAN RAALTE IN AQUA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMy collection of true vintage clothing contains lots of gorgeous lingerie pieces, but there’s always room for another one like this! Van Raalte was one of the best brands and it’s no wonder that I fell in love with this one at first touch. You know how much I value that fabulous heavy nylon that was used in the best lingerie from the 1950’s.

This slip is in an extra-small size, so I’ll save it especially for wearing under dresses that require a smooth, sleek line like some from the 1930’s and 1940’s. A beautiful undergarment like this is perfect for achieving that look, while keeping your outfit just as gorgeous underneath as it is on the outside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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