Trifari made lovely costume jewelry – here are a few examples of pins and earrings from several decades. Always high quality. Pick them up if you find them . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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I absolutely adore this jacket. AND, it’s got a real story – The silk pants are not original, but the greenish bronze is a good match to the trim and I wear them with the jacket as loungewear.
When I first bought this jacket, it was a light lemon yellow, with emerald green embroidered trim, in a very large size. From the 1940’s, the fabric was a mystery – probably acetate or some blend.
It had been sold by a well-known (back in the day) Denver department store and carried their label. I enjoyed wearing it as a wrap over strappy dresses or with skirts and light blouses. Yellow is not my best color, but it still worked.
After several years, I wondered how it might be to dye it a more flattering color – so, out came the scarlet dye and into the washing machine it went. I’ve done this a number of times and have a system that USUALLY works – it’s ALWAYS a gamble.
So, what I got was a beautiful orange-red jacket with bronze embroidery (love it!) and in a size that fits me perfectly. Surprise!!
Could have been a disaster if I was not somewhat experienced and prepared. Colors can turn out blotchy, seams can rip, fabrics can pucker and shrink beyond belief!! Just a heads – up – the possibilities for success are endless, but so are the hazards, so here’s a word to the wise . . . . . . . . . … . . . . . . . . . learn your stuff well, then you can be adventurous!
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Genuine mink fur novelty jewelry had a bit of mid-century popularity during the 1950’s. Kind of a fun idea at the time, BUT –
if we could go back in time to advise our young grandmothers, we might say “Be careful what you ask for!” This whimsical little mink “brooch” may not be exactly what Ethel had in mind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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When Spring is springing (or almost) I really like to get into the true navy blue and white and nautical themes that have been classic styles of this season for decades and decades. In this case, the classic double-breasted jacket with a twist – cape styling(!) and a little military feel.
A cute little sailor-style hat would look so great with this (true vintage, of course). Imagine it with skirts, sheath dresses, slacks, jeans, leggings – a true vintage classic can go with all of them, ups the style quotient and lasts for decades because of its high quality.
In this case, there’s wool warmth, too. Much appreciated this year! I’ve loved my vintage military pea jacket for winter, but now it’s time for a change. Perfect outerwear to bridge the seasons from cold to cool in fashionable elegance, with a lighter, brighter feel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGSPY
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OK. Let’s compare this frock to the dress shown yesterday. . . . . . . ..
This was a completely magical find! For the first thing, I almost missed it. I was an inexperienced sleuth at the time, years ago, and wasn’t sure what I was seeing.
Second, it was at least 3 sizes too big, with some dowdy design features that were not appealing. However, this is a 100% silk dress with a designer label.
Look at the draping and the ruching – GORGEOUS!! Another woman remarked about it and woke me up.
After a few very simple alterations, without doing anything that can’t be reversed, voila’! An absolute Mata Hari, femme fatale frock. Who knew?
From the same 1950’s era as yesterday’s dress – just as elegant but with a totally different feel. This dress is very sexy and dramatic, but not in any way sleazy or tacky. That’s the beauty of true vintage style and quality . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Leave it to the 1950’s to produce the most come-hither styles . . . .. . .. How could anyone resist this one? The inventors of the “cocktail dress” knew their stuff.
Rather than a sleeveless style, “demure” sheer sleeves add just the right touch of modesty and mystery and end up amping the “sexiness” to new levels.
One of the mistakes that so much modern fashion makes – it’s so in-your-face that after the shock and awe wear off in a few minutes, it’s pretty boring and tacky. True vintage fashion rarely, if ever, makes that goof. It’s usually has just the opposite effect. And, high quality materials and tailoring is the cherry on top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Here are great nylon slips for Spring into Summer wear. When the weather has us in the doldrums, these will pick up the spirits and coordinate with the lovely pastels we are beginning to wear again.
Gorgeous lace and embroidery – the slip on the left may even be 1940’s. We know we’re getting into the 1960’s with the one far right because of the fabric and construction – not just the length – .some pre-WWII slips were short, too, depending on the style.
It’s fun to know all the details but I love each one . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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A handful of fun separates when I had a bit of time on my hands: 1. a cute poly/cotton pajama top from the Fifties or Sixties that doubles as a summer blouse 2. RARE, RARE, RARE FIND of Fifties pajama bottoms – although they’re not a perfectly-matched pair, I think they’ll make a great lounging outfit together with the bed jacket shown earlier today. It’s always great to have these on hand. Nice lace at the ankles 3. a home-sewn Sixties shirt. I’d wear it with jeans, but it’s not the best job. However, worth buying just for the buttons.
Never miss an opportunity to uncover more clues . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Wowee! I love it so much! First off, this beautiful frock appeared to my spying eyes and I was transported to a dance in 1960 . . . . . . . . . . .
Sheer, printed fabric over an acetate sheath – so pretty and feminine, with fabulous movement in the skirt. The pleats make the bottom half of the dress look a completely different color, though the fabric is exactly the same. Such wonderful wizardry in the beautiful tailoring tricks seen in true vintage garments.
This is the kind of find I live for – and I’m glad that they are frequent! I’ll have so much fun with this one. It’s done a lot of dancing and needs some TLC, but nothing I can’t handle – getting ready to party on. The “new” finds are coming more frequently now, so stay tuned . .. . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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These slips, on top of the beautiful colors, have some of the nicest lace and embroidery decoration! They’re very similar in the construction techniques, but each one is unique.
The 1950’s were so big on vivid colored lingerie and, of course, the nylon had a wonderful “hand”. The one on the far left, especially, could almost double as a dress. In the early 1960’s some variation in length became more available, which will work under shorter styles.
They make dressing such a pleasure and sleuthing always an adventure . . . . . . . . . . ..
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM
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