Tag Archives: women’s

DOES THE TENDENCY OF VINTAGE CLOTHING TO BE SMALL DISCOURAGE YOU FROM GOING OUT AND HUNTING? DON’T LET IT!!

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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LATE 1970s TRUE VINTAGE BOHO TOP

LATE 1970s TRUE VINTAGE BOHO TOP.

LATE 1970s TRUE VINTAGE BOHO TOP

LATE 1970s TRUE VINTAGE BOHO TOP

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.

TRUE VINTAGE (BARELY) VS. RETRO – WHY DOES IT MATTER?

TRUE VINTAGE (BARELY) VS. RETRO - WHY DOES IT MATTER?

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.

TRUE VINTAGE 1960s COAT & DRESS ENSEMBLE BY A CHICAGO DESIGNER

TRUE VINTAGE 1960s COAT & DRESS ENSEMBLE BY A CHICAGO DESIGNER.

REMEMBER – THIS BLOG PUBLISHES PICTURES OF ONLY ONE VINTAGE-HUNTER’S CLOSET: MINE!

This is the plunder of my years as the Magicvintagespy, from my own closets.  There are no photos from web archives, magazines, etc.  Many other people do that beautifully.

 Here, I want to show you what’s out there ….. just around the corner, waiting for you . . . . .   Although I’ve found some great things years ago, most of what I have and you will see has been discovered very recently and everything is a surprise!

Keep your mind open about what you may find rather than looking only for the faddish styles.  It’s the best way to be unique, and you just never know . . . . . .

 

 

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy

Blog: Magicvintagespy.com Google+, Facebook.com, Twitter & Pinterest

Book: How to Find the Best in Vintage Fashion available on Amazon.com 

 

TRUE VINTAGE 1940s – ’50s LIGHTWEIGHT KNIT SWEATER OR BLOUSE

TRUE VINTAGE 1940s – '50s LIGHTWEIGHT KNIT SWEATER OR BLOUSE.

TRUE VINTAGE LATE 1950’S – 1960s WOMEN’S CLASSIC LEATHER JACKET

TRUE VINTAGE 1960s WOMEN'S CLASSIC LEATHER JACKET.

TRUE VINTAGE 1960s WOMEN’S CLASSIC LEATHER JACKET

TRUE VINTAGE 1960s WOMEN'S CLASSIC LEATHER JACKET

This fine leather jacket is from the early 1960s. It is fully lined with a glossy acetate satin material. The tailoring is impeccable, made of high quality leather that lasts for decades. There is only one thing that is not original and that is the buttons. When I found it, one of its leather-covered buttons was missing, so I substituted vintage plastic buttons. Some other style, perhaps of wood or braided leather might look nice, too. That’s one reason that I keep a collection of vintage buttons at home.

What can I say – this classic style goes almost everywhere, with almost everything, at almost any time of year. I have several styles that I’ve found in my hunting expeditions and I love every one.

Use some leather conditioner once a year and basic good care (you know, hang it up properly and wipe off any spills right away) and it’ll be passed on to your grandchildren, or, whomever . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Morgana Martin, the magicvintagespy
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TWO TRUE VINTAGE PURSES FOR SPRING BY MORRIS MOSCOWITZ & ANDE’

TWO TRUE VINTAGE PURSES FOR SPRING BY MORRIS MOSCOWITZ & ANDE'.