Tag Archives: shirt-waist

LOVELY COTTON SHIRT-WAIST FROM THE 1950’S – EARLY 1960’S

LOVELY COTTON SHIRT-WAIST FROM THE 1950'S - EARLY 1960'S IN FALL COLORS

Here’s another dress from about the same time as the last one.  It has the same features of design – the side metal zipper is the most significant.  I don’t know why that was a favorite feature, rather than allowing the front opening to be longer.

Although it was more trouble to put that side zip in, it was hidden (more or less) from view and allowed the front and back lines of the garment to be unbroken.  My best guess is that this style feature is more elegant than a back zip or long front opening would be.

So many of the styles and tailoring methods from the ’50’s and before paid a lot of attention to keeping the lines of a garment very elegant, with good fit and clean silhouette.  Back zippers on pants and skirts are a good example of this.

This dress is, I’m sure, custom tailored.  The skill of the sewer is excellent and it would challenge the quality of any commercially-made things today, outside of haute couture.

The reds, golds and mossy browns in this print make me think of leading into Fall, but let’s not rush our summertime, when the livin’ is easy . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S SHEER SUMMER SHIRT-DRESS

TRUE VINTAGE 1940'S SHEER SUMMER SHIRT-DRESS

Here’s a really pretty summer shirtwaist dress from the ’40s.  It has many features that I love such as a covered fabric belt, decorative touches on the bodice, color-match buttons with rhinestones and a very flattering shape.

These sheer dresses were a big thing for at least 2 decades, according to what I have found.  Gives us a chance to wear our beautiful lingerie and let it peep through just a little without being indiscreet.

Just seeing that silhouette makes me think of classic movies and how put together the average woman often looked then.

I believe that the fabric is a rayon or perhaps a rayon/cotton blend. Many of the fabrics used then were very interesting in their qualities and their properties – quite different from what we have today, in spite of all our easy-care progress. There’s nothing like the older ones.

True vintage is often very bashful – or maybe just cunning.  It likes to hide and to be sneaky.  I usually discover it in odd places or in corners.  But, sometimes it hides in plain sight.  You just never know . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com

THE QUINTESSENTIAL MID-CENTURY SHIRT-DRESS, IN ALL IT’S COUTURE SPLENDOR

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Handmade back in the day by “Rosalie Couturier” – I’ve never seen this common and popular style done so elegantly, by one seamstress.  All the best of beautiful little details and stunning fit are really only found in purely hand-tailored examples.  What a treat it was to find this one!

The fabric is also very special – a rayon or rayon blend that was used in off-the-rack garments only in the 1940’s – 1950’s, if you were lucky.  And the buttons!  I’m over-the-moon on those – heavy, polished and perfect in their iridescence.  Nothing can compare to old shell buttons.  You can see in this photo another example of the phenomenon I mentioned a day or two ago – the belt looks slightly darker, probably because it was never cleaned along with the dress.  Spy-craft!

Just in time for Spring, right out of classic cinema – Mrs. Miniver or June Cleaver would be right at home wearing this frock any old day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

PERFECT POST-WAR SHIRT-DRESS!

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Absolutely couldn’t believe it when I encountered this 1940’s – 1950’s post-WWII frock – looks like it just came out of the box!  Somebody loved it and kept it for special.

Back in the day, this was this was an everyday – Sunday tea kind of dress.  It was very modestly-priced in it’s time but was meant to look nice for not-just-your-ordinary occasion.  My good luck that it’s owner was so fastidious.

It’s a little big for me so, unless I want to have it altered, it will probably end up on eBay some day.  But how could I pass it by?  There’s more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

FABULOUS 1940’S DAY DRESS – ANOTHER FIND FROM THE WARTIME YEARS

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Love this frock!  They had such fun print designs then.  This one’s a bit atomic – hope they’re not supposed to be bombs.  The wide collar, sleeve cuffs, fabric-covered buttons and bronze color give unusual touches to this example.  The original belt would probably have been covered with the same material as the dress.

It’s got some stain damage down near the hem from bleach or a storage spill, but I don’t care.  Those kinds of accidents were so common in mid-century laundry rooms and have, unhappily, occurred also to many garments that were stored in basements along with chemicals and cans of paint.  As much as I love finding items that are in pristine condition, sometimes the little dings and dirt add a certain je ne sais quoi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY’

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S HOME-SEWN SHIRT WAIST DAY DRESS

TRUE VINTAGE 1950'S HOME-SEWN SHIRT WAIST DAY DRESS

I show a lot of this style, because it was SO popular from the mid-forties until the early ’60’s. This example is quintessential in all its qualities.

I’m sure this was home-sewn because when I found it I found 3 others obviously made for the same woman. Yes, she may have had a tailor.

Lovely cotton which can’t be found anymore – certainly not in fabric stores. It’s hard to describe if you don’t know it. Looks wonderful, feels wonderful and gets better with age.

Also, the buttons she used are just great! They’re big, plastic and colorful. Some were sculpted in their shape. The sewing is impeccably done and fabric-covered belts always look so crisp and stylish. Naturally, there’s a generous hem (whatever happened to those?).

All four of these dresses were of exactly the same style, each one in a beautiful cotton print. Though I’m sure they were well-used, they hardly looked worn – a testament to the quality of vintage materials and workmanship, as well as the care of the owner.

Each one opens the book on a mystery, just as illusive as they can be . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . … . . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the Magicvintagespy
Blog: Magicvintagespy.com
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Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com