A VERY PRETTY TRUE VINTAGE DRESS, HOME-SEWN IN THE 1950’S

Put on a sweater or jacket and look pretty in this one, no matter how cold it is!

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy's avatarMagicvintagespy

A VERY PRETTY TRUE VINTAGE DRESS, HOME-SEWN IN THE 1950'S

Another favorite, the 50s styles with nipped waists. Love ’em! – who doesn’t – they’ve remained a fashion favorite for many years and a style that keeps on repeating itself. The wide neckline is also a favorite – SO flattering.  I call it a summer dress, but the cotton material is heavy, so it’s perfect to wear almost all year.

The skirt on this one has a bell shape, too – an unusual feature that is somewhat unique. This dress was custom-tailored and the construction is very unusual. I’ve never seen anything like it. Although it zips up the back, there is also an inner bodice that hooks together. This may have been the design of the woman who sewed it – in place of a bra(?)

Sometimes you’ll find a garment like this that is as interesting on the inside as it is on the outside. The tailoring details…

View original post 121 more words

AUSTRALIAN CONTACTS IN THE TRUE VINTAGE WORLD

file0001209214386  ebook cover #1 (1)Two days ago I had the privilege of talking with two of the owners of vintage clothing stores in Melbourne who have been doing business for years there.  Both of these stores were included in my book’s reference section two years ago, but I hadn’t had the opportunity of meeting these women in person until now.

Nicole Jenkins, owner of CIRCA, is a true ‘grande dame’ of the vintage trade and has written several books.  One was awarded a bronze medal by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  Trained as a costume designer, she really knows her stuff down to the most technical details.  I certainly learned new things during our short visit and her passion for the care and conservation of true vintage fashion items plus her wealth of knowledge earn my respect.  She has lovely items for sale, plus a huge inventory behind the scenes – ranging from 1820’s to the present day.  Well worth a visit.

“Annie” and her husband have operated RetroStar for eleven years and are real veterans among vintage-hunters.  They have a delightful collection of remodeled true vintage and original true vintage, plus a smattering of new merchandise.  Jewelry, accessories and clothing of all types – dresses galore.  I especially enjoyed their relatively new “Forties/Fifties Room” that is filled with gems from those decades, in beautiful condition.  No matter what you’re seeking, there’s sure to be something of interest.  They bring in large numbers of “new” items every month.  Don’t miss it – lots of fun.

So there – what a treat!  Just another of the “perks” of my sleuthing investigations . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

BOOK:  HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION  – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

TRUE VINTAGE CUSTOM-TAILORED FOR THE MAN IN HER LIFE

TRUE VINTAGE CUSTOM-TAILORED FOR THE MAN IN HER LIFE.

McCALL’S NEEDLEWORK MAGAZINE FEATURE FROM 1956 – MAKE YOUR OWN HATS

McCALL'S NEEDLEWORK MAGAZINE FEATURE FROM 1956 – MAKE YOUR OWN HATS.

TRUE VINTAGE LATE FIFTIES DAY DRESSES . . . . . RECENT ADDITIONS TO MY COLLECTION

TRUE VINTAGE LATE FIFTIES DAY DRESSES . . . . . RECENT ADDITIONS TO MY COLLECTION.

TRUE VINTAGE LATE FIFTIES DAY DRESSES

IMG_0910IMG_0940
I’ve discovered both of these this year! It’s a simple style that seems to have been very popular around the end of the 1950’s.

Several years ago, I found my first one – fashioned by the Lady Carol brand – and it is made almost identically to the flowered one here, in a brown and white print knit fabric and was pictured on a previous post.

These two were custom-tailored. The floral one is a knit and the pink one with pockets is woven cotton blend. All have elasticized waists and cap sleeves. Would be dead simple to make today.

The tailoring details that tell me when they were made are all inside, excepting for the button at the back of the neck on the woven model. Though they are not high-end garments, I love the ease of this style for an everyday dress. Undoubtedly, they were worn with a bit of pretty mid-century jewelry.

Love finding things that everybody was wearing back in the day . . . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn, PATH & more . . .
Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

MID-CENTURY WOMEN HAD FUN MAKING DECORATED SWEATERS & COLLARS

MID-CENTURY WOMEN HAD FUN MAKING DECORATED SWEATERS & COLLARS.

HEY, MOM – CAN YOU KNIT THIS DRESS FOR THE PROM BY NEXT SATURDAY?

HEY, MOM – CAN YOU KNIT THIS DRESS FOR THE PROM BY NEXT SATURDAY?.

HEY, MOM – CAN YOU KNIT THIS DRESS FOR THE PROM BY NEXT SATURDAY?

IMG_0874<a href="http://magicvintagespy.files

IMG_0874
Can you even imagine?! In the mid-1950’s this might have replaced a trip to Macy’s or Saks or Marshall Field’s for the new dress. Doris’ fingers would fly while she watched I Love Lucy and Peggy Sue would dream of the perfect matching pumps.

This is a real photo with accompanying instructions from a McCall’s needlework magazine. Amazing!

Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Digg, PATH & more . . .
Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

TRUE VINTAGE 1960’S HAND-DYED SILK BELTED TENT DRESS

TRUE VINTAGE 1960'S HAND-DYED SILK BELTED TENT DRESS.