Tag Archives: sixties

A MID-CENTURY BLOUSE FROM THE AUSTRALIA TRIP – LOOKS LIKE SIXTIES TO ME

IMG_1071     Here’s a nice picture of that great rayon blouse that I found there.  Love the fitted shape, which is a rare find in itself.

I suppose that this shirt could go all the way back to the Forties.  Somewhere between 1940 and 1970, with my bets on the late Sixties.  As much as I love being able to pinpoint the age of my discoveries, there’s also some fun in the things that keep you guessing a bit.

Won’t this look GREAT with the jacket I showed yesterday?  A perfect combo!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

A LITTLE MORE “FALL-ISH” LOOKING – TRUE VINTAGE “TONI TODD” DRESS FROM THE SIXTIES

IMG_0976     The Toni Todd label was a mid-priced line of popular everyday dresses.  Pretty hum-drum by the standards then, but nicer than lots of the stuff that is marketed today.  The best feature of this one, I think, is the styling.

The fabric is a poly or poly-blend knit.  It is a one-piece, but made to look like a two-piece ensemble and pulls on overhead. Two of the buttons on one shoulder can be unfastened to allow this, while the others that run down the center of both sleeves are purely decorative, as is the red vinyl belt.

In terms of dating it exactly, the length of the skirt throws me off a bit but it could just have been a style element even though lots of hemlines at the time were shorter.  It is an unusual design which contains elements of Mod and military styling – both popular in the mid- to late 1960’s.

It’s so much FUN to find vintage garments like this, with several interesting and curious fashion features that make the deciphering of their history a little unusual or puzzling. . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

FABULOUS TRUE VINTAGE JACKIE KENNEDY EARLY 1960’S SKIRT SUIT

IMG_0985    This suit is so iconic of that era.  Gorgeous yellow wool in a loose weave, with a cute little vintage mink collar.  If the collar is too dressy, it can easily be removed with just a snip-snip because it is hand-basted onto the neckline.

It’s easy to wear and the two pieces can be very versatile.  True vintage suits are worth investing in for many reasons – the styles are usually quite elegant; tailoring is superb and the quality of materials are unavailable today.  Because the designs are classic, the jackets and skirts can usually be worn in a variety of ways that would never have been thought of decades ago.

Love the big covered buttons and pencil skirt.  So pretty, and a nice alternative to dark, somber colors for Fall and Winter.  Being on the prowl is so much fun, because you just never know . . . . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE CUSTOM-TAILORED FOR THE MAN IN HER LIFE

IMG_0961 IMG_0962 IMG_0972Yes, you can also make your husband’s, son’s, father’s, boss’s (lets not get carried away) next necktie, etc., etc, etc, . . . . . .

This red shirt was custom-made, but by a western-wear retailer out West, sometime in the ’40’s, ’50’s or maybe the early ’60’s.  Bespoke attire was a common luxury, even here in the U.S.  Of course, it’s been a tradition and beautifully done in Europe for decades (centuries?)

I’ve recently seen some ads for what looks like business and formal clothing that can be ordered custom-made, with one fitting or at-a-distance alterations near the end of the process.  An improvement on ready-to-wear, but not like having it constructed from the first detail by a tailor having that in-person relationship with you and your body, giving you a perfect fit, exact style preference and real-time preview.

And what a nice luxury it was to have that done for you, or to have the leisure time to do it yourself . . . . . . . . . ..

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE LATE SIXTIES CRUSHED VELVET PARTY MINI- DRESS

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Yes, it is really crushed!  Needs a trip to the cleaner or, maybe, a good steaming.  Doing this at home can be tricky, however, with true vintage garments.

Reminds me so much of photos I’ve seen from the late 1960’s and early 1970’s – a typical dress for the Homecoming dance.

Crushed velvet and panne’ velvet were really popular then, plus dresses with Victorian or Edwardian tailoring details. Funny how fashion really swings back and forth from modernistic to old-style, sometimes combining the two in one garment.

In this case, I love the long sleeves and vintage-style bodice with lacy trim at the neck and a mini-skirt combined. I see a lot of that in my investigating experiences – so interesting!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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

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Custom-tailored in a popular style of the mid-late Sixties, batik dyed silk tent dress that I like to wear belted. It also has a shawl made of the same material that completely transforms the look.

Wearing it un-belted is also a completely different look, but not my style. This cut can work for almost any figure, but really looks great on curvy Madge. That’s her edge over slender Stella, so they’re getting along fine .. . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

UNUSUAL FIND! TRUE VINTAGE 1960’S LADIES’ NYLON LINGERIE PAJAMA SET

UNUSUAL FIND! TRUE VINTAGE 1960'S LADIES' NYLON LINGERIE PAJAMA SET

It is SO unusual to find a pair of true vintage pajamas with both pieces intact, let alone dating before the 1970’s!  I had to use a little of my special sleuthing know-how to do it, but they were hiding in plain sight.

This pair is by Shadow/Line and is made of fine vintage nylon, with netting, lace and embroidery at the neckline and on the front pocket.  In a beautiful deep coral pink, which is also an unusual color to find.  Yes, there are always fun surprises around the corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

HAND-TAILORED AND ELEGANT: MID-CENTURY SILK SHEATH DRESS FROM HONG KONG

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Let’s stay in the 1950’s ad 1960 with summer frocks. This dress is another keeper!  I wish Stella were here to model it for you – it’s so beautiful. So chic and elegant, of 100% silk with a floral jacquard design, with all the fine details that would be expected from an expert tailor.   This dress was made in the late 1950’s – early 1960’s by a tailoring firm especially for a higher-end shop in the Bahamas.

Excepting for the missing original belt and a few stitches in the hem which need to be repaired, it is in perfect condition.   A dress of this type would have been especially prized by it’s mid-century owner, and protected from damage.  That’s why it’s still possible, if you are lucky, blessed and skilled, to discover these frocks today.

I’m also fortunate to be of a size that was more or less average at that time, so I can wear many of my finds without alterations.  However, an expert cleaning service will have skilled seam-sters who can work wonders when necessary, so carry on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY’

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

THREE OF MY OLDEST TRUE VINTAGE HAWAIIAN GOWNS

THREE OF MY MOST VINTAGE HAWAIIAN GOWNS

From the 1960’s back to, maybe the 1920’s, these three are my oldest vintage examples of Hawaiian gowns.  From the farthest left, to right –

Psychedelic hues and patterns on the far left – not hard to see the late Sixties here.  The center dress is from the 1950’s and is fashioned in the traditional Hawaiian style, with a panel on the back that is almost like a train, without the dragging hem.

On the far right is a mystery dress with a metal side zipper. It has images in the print that are not your standard Hawaiian shirt variety and the fabric is very different –

instead of being the heavy cotton that I’d usually expect, it is a fluid material that I’d guess is rayon. If the label did not indicate that it was made in Hawaii, I’d say it had come from Japan.  The toggle closure at the neck is also something often seen on Chinese and Japanese garments. It’s also got a very 1930’s cut – close to the body.

Hmmm . . . . . . . . . this is REALLY Mata Hari undercover espionage stuff.  I wonder how she wound her way to the place where I discovered her . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

TRUE VINTAGE LATE ’60’S – EARLY ’70’S CALIFORNIA NOUVEAUX HIPPIE DRESS

TRUE VINTAGE LATE '60'S - EARLY '70'S CALIFORNIA NOUVEAUX HIPPIE DRESS

Mod, psychedelic, polyester knit dress – was made just a little past the time of the hey-day of the hippie/back-to-the-land movement.  About the time that popular fashions were beginning to turn back toward mainstream, but still liking the counter-culture vibe in a more modest way.

Prairie-style was also becoming a big thing around this time – leaning more toward Jessica (McLintock) designs than Janice Joplin’s Salvation Army finds.  Also,  polyester was beginning to replace cotton in a big way.

Not quite your pure Love-In roll-a-joint party outfit, but you could still get by with it . . . . . try doing it at a patio party  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM