Pretty easy-wear polished cotton sundress from the early to mid-1950’s, in the New Look style. Bit of an atomic thing going on with the applique’ design. Somebody had a lot of fun with this one!
Can’t wait to see it on Stella – it’s a real knockout on a gal with an hourglass figure. Marilyn would have loved it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
The most interesting fabric, fun buttons and near-perfect condition. This is a great example of an everyday dress for a woman after WWII.
Very nicely tailored, despite it’s modest category. Grandma was happy to have better clothing to wear again after all the wartime deprivations. We’re just getting started – stay tuned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Sticking with up-scale day frocks and moving forward a couple of decades, look at this fabulous late Sixties frock! These were iconic color combinations from that time.
This size 10 dress on x-small Stella is a good clue to it’s era. The fabric is a glossy rayon & linen blend – a bit dressy, with a nice drape. A pretty day-time sheath with a bit of attitude.
No matter the time of year, the hunt continues and you just never know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Here’s a lovely retro frock from my collection.
It’s a beautiful re-creation of an early 1900’s up-scale day dress style. Wonderful rayon-type fabric, cut on the bias with all the figure-following qualities that has and very well-tailored. Designers from those early decades really knew how to enhance the figure and the designer of this one (no tag or label) – probably from 1980 – 2000 – did a wonderful job of imitating their style.
I prefer true vintage and don’t usually wear a lot of retro, but this frock was too good to pass by. It’s a sheer dress with it’s own rayon slip underneath. The long necktie that wraps around as a belt is perfect. Of course, it’s also my size . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Thrilled, thrilled, thrilled! One of my favorite finds, from a favorite decade. And, in beautiful condition.
Very popular post-war shirtwaist day dress with pretty, carved rhinestone buttons. This was a day-to-day item for women in the late Forties and early Fifties when nice clothing was becoming available again. The prints were so interestng.
This one was hiding in a big way, but not from the Magicvintagespy. What will show up next? You just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
More from my favorite(?) decade. This little cutie is a crepe number – very popular in the 1940’s. It’s a day dress and I love the cute trim details! Heavy enough to wear in the cooler seasons, too.
I had another very much like it with plain pockets which I saw worn in a popular movie from that time – just about the same color as mine, too. That was a thrill.
This one is really more gold than yellow but, between the digital camera and the funky light, it’s hard to tell. Women enjoyed fashions like this with their quirky details in the forties. A lot of the clothing from past decades really makes me smile.
This is another teeny one with a side zipper and front buttons to the waist. The trim gives kind of a peplum effect – peplums were also a popular style feature then. I’ll show at least one more soon.
I just love shirtwaist dresses from that decade – one of my favorite true vintage styles. The crepe fabric doesn’t move as much as rayon, but still drapes really nicely – a hallmark of many 1940’s garments for men and women. Swish!
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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This is a really interesting find! A plain belted sheath dress with removable peplum. I encountered a photo several years ago that told me the year it was designed and the designer. I can’t remember the designer’s name – can anyone help out? It was a famous name that we all know.
This one was styled by Nellie Don, a company which made very reasonably-priced clothing items for women in America – not couture. Usually a year or two after styles came out in Paris they found their way into the U.S. one way or another. So, this dress would probably have hit the store racks in 1952 or 1953.
It’s made of an unremarkable heavy-ish fabric – some kind of cotton blend in an abstract print – with a center back metal zipper. But, it is an unusual length for that time – just a bit below the knee. The Paris trends would have told us when hems wer going up again!
I was quite surprised when I discovered it, hiding in an odd little shop, and it was a revelation when I noticed that photo! You really just never know . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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This dress is very intriguing to me.
I strongly suspect that this frock was custom tailored; very well done. Putting in all the lace edging is not easily accomplished by someone who is not a good seamstress..
The buttons are also very interesting. They are delicate, lacy and iridescent, though I feel sure that they are not made of mother of pearl. They seem to be a plastic of some kind – or possibly celluloid. The belt was made to have a slide-through buckle, which is missing. I have 2 or 3 that could replace it beautifully – another reason to collect these things when you can.
The material is a floral print and has a feel which makes me question exactly what it is made of. It doesn’t swing like the rayon dress shown yesterday, but it’s not a plain old cotton either. Hmmm . . . . . . . . .
These are some of the mystifying clues that make finding true vintage fashion so much fun. Plus, it’s a wonderful dress!
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
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Another home-sewn frock, this time for school or work. The spots are just from the camera and a little water at the hem – the condition is WONDERFUL! Thanks for bearing with me in the less-than-ideal publishing conditions. Can’t wait to put it on Stella or Giselle for a really good presentation.
Soft knit fabric with embroidered ribbon – such a popular trimming at that mid-century time. Dolman sleeves and a flared hem – pretty style! It all screams late 1960’s and was another at-home creation that captured some girl’s imagination back in the day. Most of us get a thrill from shopping, but can you imagine the step-by-step anticipation and excitement of watching a custom-designed frock come together? Back in the Sixties and before, that’s what a lot of women experienced.
So, I’ve been from classy designers’ elegant designs to stitching on the dining room table in less than two weeks. What’s coming next? You just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
Here’s something THAT GIRL Marlo Thomas might have worn in her city life. Cute and sophisticated – that’s the feel lots of fashions had at that time. We were breaking away from the traditional.
This one is of a beautiful glossy woven rayon, but not at all like those luscious crepey ones from the 1940’s. It’s perky and substantial.
Classic style, with a mandarin collar, which were very popular then. The rhinestone buttons at the waist let you know that this is a garment with some status.
The tailoring is more or less what you would encounter today, though the hem is done more nicely – with hem tape – and is about 2″ deep. We hardly see that anymore, nor a hem that is nicely finished.
This is, overall, just a really well-made dress that a woman with very good taste might wear to a swanky party or out to dinner. But, don’t try to go incognito in this one . . . . . . . .
MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY
BLOG: MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM
BOOK: HOW TO FIND THE BEST IN VINTAGE FASHION – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM
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