So lightweight and cool but oh, so Vintage! Yes, it’s a man’s but not way big so I’ll happily curl up in this flattering gray-green printed wrap when the temps are soaring outside. In perfect condition, too! Not a bad pick for celebrating the St. Patrick’s holiday in a small way at home with a glass of green beer.
It’s a Brent brand – the men’s version of a Montgomery Ward proprietary label. Good old “Monkey Ward”. Like Sears & Roebuck, Simpson Sears (in Canada) and J.C. Penney, it served well as a moderately-priced department store and catalog shopping service for decades. It’s fun to collect the old catalogs, too, if you come across them.
This piece is just a lark and will be fun to wear. Also, it will probably last a long time, without the fraying seams and trim that are so common now. It already has . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Mint green acetate(?) satin with floral embroidery, a sweet bow at the waistline and box-pleated skirt make this pretty dinner frock an iconic mid-century style. All hand-tailored for semi-dressy occasions.
The color says SPRING, but the fabric weight and style would take it through most of the year. Obviously, the woman who owned it had kept it for many years and worn it to many events or saved it because of special memories.
I love finding garments that were custom-tailored because they tell a lot about the former owners as well as the time period in which they were made. There’s nothing much more personal than having clothing hand-made exactly as you want it and fitted on your own body. That used to be a common practice no matter how poor or wealthy a person might be, but now is mostly a lost art.
“Printing” our clothing in the not-too-distant future won’t be the same as having a personal tailor, but might be interesting in many ways and certainly a lot faster! However, I won’t stop searching out and wearing beautiful old fabrics and hand-done work, . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Love, love, love this beautiful dress! It’s all handmade in elegant simplicity, with gorgeous fabrics. The black velvet bodice is off-set by the pale sage green satin skirt and trim.
What a lovely surprise – and it wasn’t the only one. Wait till you see the fabulous gabardine jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
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
I’ve come across many shoes by this company – made in the U.S. for many years. Just love these little oxford flats for summer! They echo the blue-and-green trend that went on in the early 1960’s. Skip off to the party on the 17th. These will get you in the door.
As always happens, what goes around comes around in the fashion world. Just read that flats are back in again, after the recent trend of heels so high that they aren’t flattering to our legs anymore.
When it comes to design, there’s a “sweet spot” with every style that is absolutely the most attractive cut and shape. A few designers get this just right. A few more stay pretty close, but so many miss the mark altogether.
These shoes are cute and elegant at the same time. I think Audrey Hepburn would approve . . . . . . . . . . .
Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com
I love the apple-green button trim on this navy jacket from the 1940’s. Alas, the skirt is not part of a set, but I was able to find one with an almost-matching color and fabric weave. That is a very difficult assignment, but one I’ve become good at.
The jacket, however, steals the show so a plain skirt, dress or slacks are just right. A colorful green blouse is nice – another color-matching challenge!
Though it’s not quite a “novelty” garment, this jacket is another example of the fun, whimsical styles that are common to many true vintage fashion eras and make the clothing such a treat to find and wear. It would be fun to do some green and blue experiments with this – when I have the time . …. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM
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