Tag Archives: spring

MY TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S SHOULDER SEASON FROCK BY LORA LENNOX – FROM KANSAS CITY!

IMG_1441Such a smart-looking little day-dress by Lora Lennox.  Apparently, this was a dressmaker label that was common back in the day.  The polka dots and big buttons are a lot of fun – plus the vibrant salmon – orange color; not garish and softened just a bit by the pinkish undertone.

I ALWAYS love shoulder pads and the hem flounce is very saucy.  These are wonderful when you walk in them.

Doesn’t this dress look fabulous on Stella?  I love it.  And the fact that I found it in Kansas City – well, that conjures all kinds of possibilities in terms of it’s history . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

A TRUE VINTAGE LATE 1940’S – EARLY 1950’S SKIRT SUIT – JUST RIGHT FOR SHOULDER SEASON

IMG_1453IMG_1452Here’s another ensemble in that lovely salmon pink that keeps coming back every decade or so – more to come!  This suit was such a fun find – look, it still has the original store tags hanging on!

Although it was an ordinary item when it was originally sold – more or less a generic garment with no specific brand label – notice the nice design and cute tailoring details.  Even in lower-priced vintage clothing the attention to smart and careful tailoring was almost always there.

Wouldn’t this be a nice outfit to wear this season to a dressy occasion that calls for something a bit conservative?  Even though I rarely go to events like that, I always keep one or two things ready to go . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

BACK IN TIME AGAIN – 60 OR 70 YEARS. A COTTON HOME-SEWN TRUE VINTAGE FROCK – 1940’S/1950’S

IMG_1239An unusual dark plaid, but a shirtwaist style and definitely for warmish weather.  Notice the second layer of skirt, with a little ruffle at the top.  I wonder if the fabric she used was sold from a narrow bolt, so she had to piece the skirt for that reason???

It’s so much fun to try and unravel the mysteries that older garments, especially, can pose.  Unlike dresses made later, that usually buttoned lower down to make them easy to get into, these earlier ones often button only to the waist.  That’s why those side zippers were so necessary.

It also allowed the waist to be kept really tiny, rather than gathered in by the belt – just barely large enough to get shoulders through, with the help of that zipper opening.  Ahh, fashion . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

TRUE VINTAGE SPECTATOR PUMPS FROM THE 1970’S

IMG_0911A classic!  These are just a run-of-the-mill example, probably made in the Sixties or Seventies, but they just go to show how enduring this style is.  Spectators have been showing up in fashion since the early 1900’s, at least.

Although black/white and brown/white are the most common, true vintage styles have been made in all the basic colors, including red, tan,, navy and, probably, grey.  If you’re looking for a good city shoe, a pair of spectator pumps is an excellent choice.  A true vintage pair is a fabulous one!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

TRUE VINTAGE 1940’S/1950’S SHERBET-COLORED PEEP-TOE PLATFORM SANDALS

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These lovely sandals are very fine, in beautiful kid suede. They have tiny peep-toes – a favorite feature of mine – and sling-back heels.

What a fabulous addition to any 3-season dress or perky pants outfit!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

CUTE LITTLE TRUE VINTAGE MINI – DRESS FROM THE LATE 1960’S

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An iconic Mod flower-power print, with sheer sleeves at the same time!  The dress material is a loosely-woven stuff that they used to call “hop sacking” in the mid-Sixties (but, of course, not real hop sacking, which is a different thing – sort of like the sugar and flour bag material that women used to make shirts and dresses from on the farms WAY long ago).

It fits Stella in a way that’s too short and tight to look the way it is supposed to, and would do better on a model a little bit smaller and not quite so tall.  But, anyway, oh so cute and DEFINITELY from about 1966.  Notice the Peter Pan collar.

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

SUPER – FUN LATE SIXTIES DRESS FIND – FROM AUSTRALIA

IMG_1054IMG_1055 Here’s a better look at my street – market find.  When I saw the print and colors on this, I just HAD to have it!  When I touched the slinkiest of slinky nylon/poly/whatever fabric, I was over the moon!

Just a simple shirt style, with an elongated collar, but the open sleeves are a really fun touch.  It will be a very cool Spring statement dress – hard not to get noticed coming down the street in this.

And, so much fun to meet the daughter of the woman who had made it.  Getting family stories along with the great clothing is the best!

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

 

A TIMELESS FIND FROM “DOWN UNDER” – TRUE VINTAGE CLASSIC WHITE BLOUSE

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA     This shirt joined my true vintage wardrobe when I was in Australia several years ago.  It’s of the most wonderful cotton/cotton-blend fabric! That was my first tip-off to its age.  I have another white blouse from the Forties with similar tailoring details, but this one is not quite so old.  Although it’s a timeless style, the little clues that it isn’t modern are all over.

With no label, its origin is a mystery.  It looks as though it was commercially-made, but not completely.  Sometimes custom-made garments from tailoring shops had that look.

Although the answers are elusive, it’s different and I know it.  Imagine my delight to discover this hiding among all the ho-hum modern things . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

THIS WAS A SURPRISE FIND! LEMON YELLOW TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S LINGERIE NYLON HALF-SLIP

NEW FIND! LEMON YELLOW TRUE VINTAGE 1950'S LINGERIE NYLON HALF-SLIP

You know I have SO much lovely true vintage lingerie and a ton of 1950’s slips, but I still go giddy when I find another one.  They’re just so beautiful with their lace, applique, ribbons, sumptuous fabric and elegant tailoring.

This one is by Warner’s in a lemon ice color.  Just the right length for a bottom-of-the-knee dress or skirt, or a midi.

I’m so glad that we are not locked into a certain hem length for months (or years) like women were in the past.  No more dread of appearing unfashionable or out-of-step.

Ha!  Can hardly imagine it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM

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TRUE VINTAGE 1950’S PEEP-TOE GOLD LEATHER & CLEAR VINYL EVENING SANDALS FROM A SPECIALTY STORE

TRUE VINTAGE 1950'S PEEP-TOE GOLD LEATHER & CLEAR VINYL EVENING SANDALS FROM A SPECIALTY STORE

I think we’ve got a good show-off of the clear vinyl and gold leather that was so popular in dressy sandals from the Fifties.  These came from a private store in Chicago that had shoes specially made under their own label.

There are so many photographs of women in the ’50’s wearing gold dress sandals and sandals with clear vinyl vamps that it’s iconic of that time.  Makes me think of Peggy Lee and Cotillion dinner – dances that were such popular social events then.

Off to the Country Club, anyone? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

BLOG:  MAGICVINTAGESPY.COM