Tag Archives: dress

MOST EXCITING FIND YESTERDAY! – TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S DRESSY DAY DRESS WITH LOTS OF CLUES . . . . . . . .

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Yesterday I found 3 more true vintage garments and none of them look exciting in the photos. But, if you know more about them and can “see” where they came from, each one is great!

This is a dressy frock for day, a date or a significant appointment. It should look fabulous on Stella because it’s tiny, as are many from that era. There are tailoring details that told me it was not a modern copycat and set my thrill-meter going.

Looks like a rayon/linen blend that needs a press and light cleaning, but it’s in great shape. The facings and hem need to be stitched down, but that’s a fast job that anyone can do by hand and doesn’t intimidate me at all. I’ll probably make a replacement belt from some fabric in the hem, which does take more time, but it’s not hard and is worth it for a dress like this because I’m almost certain that was the original look.

Since there’s no label, I’m wondering at this point if the dress was custom-tailored and maybe hadn’t even been quite finished yet. If so, the tailor was a real professional and it’s such fun to trace the story through the clues in the details.

Well, there’s another episode in fashion history when I get to experience the story from someone’s years-ago closet and lifestyle. It’s a great way to time-travel . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
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TRUE VINTAGE SIXTIES DAY DRESS – IT’S A MAD, MOD, MID-CENTURY WORLD

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA What a fun find! Classic black and white knit dress by Caron of Chicago, in the most marvelous mod, op-art design.

It’s a beauty! Haven’t seen one by this brand name in a while, so I love catching up with a previous acquaintance. Although this classic style will never go out of fashion, the graphic is so eye-catching that it will always seem new and avant guarde.

What a great example of fashion artistry!! We always love the “timelessly elegant” design that is never flashy, but eternally beautiful and ageless no matter when it was made – but there’s also this category of knock-your-socks-off great designs that look fabulously new and fresh, even though they’re 50 years old!!!

No wonder its first owner took such good care of it, but then, treasure is always worth safeguarding. Quality true vintage – just like a pot of gold . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

TRUE VINTAGE MID-1960´S PARTY FORMAL – FOR PROM OR ANOTHER SPECIAL OCCASION

SWEET SIXTEEN IN THE SIXTIES

SWEET SIXTEEN IN THE SIXTIES

I´d love to have Stella here now!  This innocent, cotton-candy gown is just right for a petite figure like hers – made to fit a teen-age girl like Buddy Holly´s Peggy Sue, but about 10 years later.  Lace and bows and sheer pastels, plus an ankle-length hem  – all the things that used to be standard for a Prom dress back in the day.

It´s just so iconic of that time – in between some of the sophistication that was coming out in the late Fifties and very early Sixties, and before the Mod fashions hit hard.  Less elegant or frilly, a little more casual, but VERY sweet and girly.

We´re so lucky that many women of the Sixties and before tended to hang on to their favorite ¨special¨ dresses for decades, preserving them for fashion archivists and those of us who adore true vintage today!  The best treasure is usually buried pretty deep . . . . . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

TRUE VINTAGE 1970´S PRAIRIE DRESS – WITH ALL THE FRILLS

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is the sweetest thing from that era, and very well-made, in a peachy-pink tone.  It´s all lined, in beautiful sheer fabric, covered with lace and details.

Not sure if this might have been a Prom dress years ago, or just for a special occasion.  It´s a possibility for street wear now.

So iconic of that time, I just had to pick it up – like another that will be shown in a day or two . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY SHIRTWAIST DRESS BY HENRY LEE

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWell, this computer has distorted my image a bit, but use your mind´s eye.  I haven´t run across a dress of this style for some time, so I was excited to see it.  It`s also a name brand that I have discovered before, so it was double fun!

Midi-length shirtwaist style with round, faceted black plastic buttons that look like jet.  The print is black on red and it´s made of a swishy synthetic fabric.  Designed with a classic tie at the neckline – very traditional, but smart.  No shoulder pads this time.

I always enjoy finding this style, which has been popular since the 1930´s and keeps showing up in new incarnations each decade.  It was a lovely surprise when I was scouting in new territory.  As always, you just never know . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGSPY.COM

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

NEW FINDS! TRUE VINTAGE DRESSY DRESS AND MID-CENTURY EARRINGS IN EMERALD

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Both true vintage, but from very different eras. This sophisticated late 1980’s/1990’s Maggie London silk dress is an uptown and toned down version of Eighties does Forties(with modest shoulder pads and 3/4 sleeves) that reflects a flashier side of the city chic style going on at that time, when “black was back”. I love black, but am so happy to report that the monotone of that decade was broken by vivid, jewel colors, too. Silk was also popular then and some very good quality was still being used.

Speaking of vivid and jewels, I also found this beautiful pair of faux emerald costume clip-on earrings from the Fifties that are a perfect complement. Beautiful stones, in excellent condition – I have others that would go with the dress, but these seemed perfect! I’m usually very selective when collecting evidence . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1950S – ’70S “HAPPY DAYS” UNISEX JACKET

Can’t resist the autumn jackets right about now . . . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy's avatarMagicvintagespy

Doesn’t this just make you want to pull out the Mickey Mouse ears, saddle shoes, or Keds and toast marshmallows? Or maybe put on the Frye boots, a workshirt and painter pants for a “70s thing – whatever mood you’re in, it’s fun to have garments like this in the closet. ONE GLANCE and I knew that it was not a modern item. That’s the cool thing about true vintage – even people who aren’t expert at picking it out will notice something different or intriguing about what you’re wearing that sets you apart from the crowd.

This one is of a heavy knit that has kept its shape beautifully. Aside from a little fuzz, which can be shaved away, it is in excellent condition. I suspect that it is from the 1960s, all things considered, though the style could span 2 or 3 decades. It’s certainly not a high-end…

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LOVE TO DANCE? HERE’S THE PERFECT TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY DRESS. . . . . . . . . . .

Source: LOVE TO DANCE? HERE’S THE PERFECT TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY DRESS. . . . . . . . . . .

LOVE TO DANCE? HERE’S THE PERFECT TRUE VINTAGE MID-CENTURY DRESS. . . . . . . . . . .

IMG_1672With this kind of styling, you could do almost any type of dancing in it, but a Fall gala would be perfect . . . . . or think a cotillion or Homecoming Dance.  You wouldn’t want to waste this fabulous Forties frock on the local beer joint, would you?

This dress, I suspect, is from the late Forties Post-war era though it could be from the early 1950’s.  Black rayon with velvet cord decoration and those sleeves with ruching.  I enjoy picking up on tailoring details that I’ve seen before (check out the ’40’s day dress from about a week ago).

It’s the velvet cording that is the stand-out feature.  Looks like it was from a small designer line and styled with an eye to giving it a luxurious look.  Originally found in a Southern U.S. state, you can imagine the social functions and elegant affairs that it may have attended on the back of some lovely Society belle . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

CUTE CUSTOM-TAILORED DAY DRESS WITH MATCHING SCARF – TRUE VINTAGE FOR FALL

Source: CUTE CUSTOM-TAILORED DAY DRESS WITH MATCHING SCARF – TRUE VINTAGE FOR FALL