Well, now that I’ve got the road dust washed off and had a good sleep, I’ll finish up with the lovelies that I uncovered about 2 weeks ago. This one is in a dark navy color, a favorite of mine, with a neutral floral print.
I believe it is missing its belt (a frequent issue, of course) and the label is gone but there is no question that this was commercially-made. I am acquainted with the store owner where this one and its sisters were waiting and she was able to give me some of the history.
The length is below the knee and the skirt has an attached crinoline. I especially like the woven shoulder straps and neckline, done in a shiny cord of dark navy. The fit is really cute and flattering.
Not really a formal, but definitely a party/occasion dress, made for dancing the night away . . . . .. . . .
Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Through till Monday or so, it’s all about details. This dress doesn’t look like much on the hanger – it’s a custom-tailored wrap dress that needs the body to define it’s shape.
The most interesting points about it are in the construction. It’s a fun style that buttons off-side and has hidden inside ties to shape the waist and tame the overlap.
The seamstress used little metallic buttons and the fabric has gold accents on some of the flowers in the print. It has an Asian flavor to the style and the floral designs.
So far, you’re still saying “OK, ho hum, so what? I see stuff that looks like this all the time.” The big deal in this dress, to my vintage-spotting eye, is the fabric.
It is a closely-woven 100% cotton that looks and feels like nothing new. The best way that I can describe the “hand” (feel) of it is if your grandmother still has cotton sheets from the 1940’s or 1950’s that have gotten soft with wear over the years, but are still strong.
The fabric also has a polish. Good polished cotton is rarely, if ever, seen in modern clothing.
So, that’s the secret of this casual dress and what makes it special. . . . . . . . . . . .
Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com
Simpler styles and, often, less fine materials start to become more commonplace in the ’60s. There are still lots of Items that I love from this decade
A simple style is sometimes the most elegant, and you can’t argue with a shapely sheath dress. The material in this one is a looser weave – kind of what they used to call hop sacking (but wasn’t real hop sacking). It’s a nice cut, but the most distinctive thing about it is the embroidered trim. I’ll post another picture directly following this one which shows a more complete view of it.
It’s got a center-back metal zipper and is unlined. Most probably custom tailored. I love the colors. Some seamstress got creative.
When women commonly made their own garments, the individual variations and touches were endless and made each piece unique. That’s why when you’re out there sleuthing and wondering what you’ll find, you just never know . . . . . . . . . .
Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
Blog address: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available at Amazon.com
Someone custom-tailored this dress in about 1965. I put the tie belt around it just for effect, but it is an A-line style, which can be worn belt-less, too.
Although it doesn’t show well in this photo, the neckline is a wide, high scoop with a collar. The material is unusual in that it is fairly heavy and is almost embroidered with the floral pattern – not printed. The style and flower design, plus the back metal zipper, are the clues to its age. Although many copycat styles and designs are on the market now, this one just looks different and you have to have a trained eye and know the details to spot it.
It’s always fun to suddenly see a dress like this, because it immediately transports me to the ’60’s and all the mod and English influence that was popular then. That’s what everybody wore, who was not into high fashion. You can see that on any TV show from that time, and in old media photos. Yes, I’m into time-travel and theatrics – such fun!
It’s a medium to large size, and I probably won’t have it altered for myself, but just couldn’t resist. It’s too iconic and authentic. Despite all the miracle fabrics available now, you really can’t improve on the real thing . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM
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