It’s true that many of the true vintage (pre-1980s) items that I discover don’t have labels. Sometimes the label is missing or has been removed and or these items have been custom-made. Sometimes a commercially-made item never had a label. It’s the quality of the materials, the workmanship and design which are the most important to me but it’s always fun to find maker’s names that I know.
There are times when I don’t recognize a name and it may be difficult to find reference to it on-line. Other times, the brand is well-known and those are the ones I’ll list below. Although some of these brands are still in production, their vintage products are different and better, generally, than what they make now.
Naturalizer and Air-Step (shoes and purses)
Bobbie Brooks (sportswear)
Red Cross (shoes)
Princess Gardner (leather wallets)
Carol Craig (dressy dresses)
Frank Starr (dressier dresses)
Lanz (women’s clothing)
Stetson (hats – mostly men’s)
Fashionbuilt (coats)
Trifari (jewelry)
Koret (women’s clothing)
Coro (jewelry)
Sarah Coventry (jewelry)
Napier (jewelry)
Hudson Bay (car coats)
Gunne Sax (dresses)
Swirl (casual dresses)
Jantzen (sportswear, swimsuits)
Deliso Debs (women’s dressy shoes)
Morris Moscowitz (handbags)
Ande’ (purses)
Barbizon (lingerie & sleepwear)
Vanity Fair (lingerie & sleepwear)
RayBan (sunglasses)
Nellie Don (dresses)
Marshall Field (department store brand – Chicago)
Stix Baer & Fuller (department store brand, midwest)
Sax Fifth Avenue (high end store brand – Chicago)
Monet (jewelry)
Bulova (fine watches)
Keds (tennis shoes)
Skips (tennis shoes – Montgomery Ward brand?)
Carol Brent (Montgomery Ward brand)
White Stag (sportswear)
Ship ‘n Shore (blouses)
There are well-known names that I can’t think of right now, and many others. Always a pleasure to uncover one, and it’s always a delightful surprise! You just never know . . . . .
Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy
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This beautiful bag was hanging on a rack with other very ordinary modern purses. I don’t think that the store personnel had a clue, but the magicvintagespy never fails to spot one . . . . . . .
Although it is faux leather and not top-of-the-line with no maker’s name inside, I love the pretty tapestry cover on the front. It is very well-made, as are most purses of that era, whether high-end or mid-priced. The colors are subtle and chic for Spring (or any season). It would be especially pretty with the season’s neutral colors like ivory, beige, or gray, as well as any solid color in the tapestry. It’s always great fun to find an unusual bag like this one.
My finds don’t always follow the weather, but I try to post photos of things that we would wear currently in North America. I know that doesn’t jibe for many of you joining in from some places in Europe, South America, Australia, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. Maybe the way the weather is changing, that’s not true after all!
Keep in touch and stay tuned because, 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
Granted ,many women were smaller back in the day – sometimes incredibly tiny compared to modern averages. Especially if you are hunting for bargains, it might seem like everything you see is impossibly small (They really meant it when they coined the term “wasp-waist”?)
However, don’t believe it. If you are fortunate enough to wear a small or x-small size, you will have lots of success. Still, I regularly find items of all types which are medium to large, too. If you need a special item right away and haven’t been able to discover one in your size, you can visit a specialty vintage dealer and pay the market price. There are lots of reputable people whom I have found whose prices are reasonable and their service is expert and trustworthy.
If you have more time, a clear idea of what you want and some skills will find it for you eventually (maybe sooner than later!) Accessories, too, usually work for any size figure and many clothing items can be altered or adapted to fit.
So, don’t let size discourage you because magic always happens when you believe in it.
Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy
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i bought this little blouse in about 1977. It is by a company called Nirvana (not the same as the stores that have been around lately or the music group of the same name). Made in India, of cotton. Again, it looks a lot like stuff sold today. The only differences are that the cotton fabric is nicer and the embroidery design is done better than what I usually see now. The stitching is also better – one reason why I still have it after 36 years!
Although it would look better on my mannequin, Madge, there is no special fit. The shoulder straps are adjustable and the waist is a drawstring tie. Mostly, it’s very typical of the time it was made – the sort of thing that everybody wore in the summer.
Most of my true vintage is older than this and has much more interesting style, which is very different from today (excepting for the copycats, if you don’t look too closely). But, I thought I’d go ahead and share these to show you that the differences between true vintage and modern are still there, but are harder to spot after the 1960s.
i was prepared to pitch this photo and the one that I will post next, but then I changed my mind. This little outfit is from 1981. It looks just like things being sold today at first glance. So why would I say that there is anything special about it? It is just barely true vintage – 33 years old. But, it’s still a favorite outfit of mine and I still wear it.
The pants are by Stuart Lee. I bought them from the Spiegel catalog, which was a favorite of mine. They are a lightweight denim and fit really nicely. Love the color!
The blouse is silk in an animal print that was very popular then (also in the late ’60s and came back a bit in the late ’70s. Not to mention, of course, the ’50s and the ’40s!)
At that time, silk clothing was usually only high-end and was expensive. The company that produced this, Royal Silk, was one of the first to make popularly priced silk shirts and blouses. I had several and will show another one of a completely different style later.
So, ordinary fabrics and ordinary style – but they have held up well and are completely current fashion NOW. The pants, especially, fit better than what I can find at retail today.
What’s the point? 1. If you find things that you love, take care of them and keep them. 2. The clothing made since the mid-seventies (excepting some disco-wear and some designer things) are very similar to what can be found now. They differ from modern clothing only in the quality of the materials and workmanship. If you’re very good at spotting the difference, you can snag some wonderful things. Otherwise, it all looks the same. Take a look at my next post, from the ’70s, for another example.
The magic of vintage-spying for me is the unplanned surprises, the phenomenal discoveries and the fabulous savings that I encounter all the time. I have built a great wardrobe that lets me mix and match in a really unique and personal way, as well as looking elegant, striking and appropriate in vintage clothing almost anywhere. (I MIGHT buy something at retail when I am invited to visit with Queen Elizabeth).
But, . . . . I know that there are times when you have a specific kind of vintage item in mind or a special outfit to put together in a hurry and that requires a very focused shopping strategy. I haven’t talked about that when showing off my closet, because I find most of my wardrobe by using my skills and experience and I own clothing that will work almost anytime.
When I do want to find a specific thing, I know of lots of stores and on-line boutiques that specialize in vintage clothing . I can visit them because I have done so before or I have talked with them and I know that they have quality merchandise and know their business really well. I don’t have a degree in costume design (though my sister does). My confidence comes from lots of time spent looking and learning. I always say “You just never know . . .” because that is my everyday experience and it is SO FUN! I always find the most wonderful true vintage stuff.
So, don’t be frustrated. I used to be sometimes, too. It IS out there, and it’s waiting. You really just never know . . . . . . .
Magicvintagespy 