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Dior Sundress - 1954
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Weekend Eye Candy - Gilbert Orcel, 1952
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Fashion Lesson From the War Years - 1943
Can you make do today? Do you really need something new to make a fashion statement? Reach for an old favorite in your closet and combine it in a new way with accessories you already own. Don't spend your money on fast fashion garments that will fall apart, fade, shrink and pill. The vintage in your closet has stood the test of time. It was made with far better fabrics and construction techniques than anything you can purchase today.
Wear a classic. Wear vintage.
Photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe for Harper's Bazaar, 1943.
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Pretty in Pink - 1955
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Weekend Eye Candy - Jean Desses, 1953
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Nelly de Grab - 1955
In 1955, Nelly de Grab joined forces with Peck and Peck and Everglaze cottons to produce this 3 page advertising spread for the pretty blouses and skirts made by the company. For more information about Nelly de Grab, please see my biographical post about the company here.
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Stripes and flowers mix in this blouse and skirt, available in turquoise or pink polished cotton.
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Wallpaper rose print combined with panels of solid cotton, available in royal blue or gray with whtie.
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Solid cotton blouse is black or chartreuse combined with a full skirt in brown with black and gold print or navy with chartreuse and white print.
All photos from full page advertisements for Nelly de Grab, 1955.
All photos from full page advertisements for Nelly de Grab, 1955.
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Roxanne Swimsuit - 1964
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Polka Dots - 1949
Above: Townfield dress of polka dotted rayon surah.
If you love to wear polka dots, don't miss this post of mine from 2009 with tips for doing just that!
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Dan River Stripes - 1948
Read more about Dan River here. It's a sad story.
Photo from a full page ad that appeared in Mademoiselle, 1948.
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Before They Were on the Ed Sullivan Show
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Weekend Eye Candy - Mathilde Geral, 1939
This stunning one shoulder gown from 1939 has a huge silk tulle skirt accented with velvet petals and a large silk tulle flower at the neckline.
Photo by George Saad for L'Art et la Mode, 1939.
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Arbus Fashion Photograph - 1949
This photograph captured my attention this morning. It is from a full page ad for Enka Rayon from 1949. The striped rayon dress is by Harvey Berin. But it's the composition of the photo that I like. The model is posed far off to the side and the dress that is being featured is almost an afterthought. The model looks askance at a piece of sculpture in the American Museum of Natural History.The photograph was taken by Arbus; not Diane but her husband, Allan. Diane would have been the art director for the shot, though, and her genius is apparent even though she hated doing fashion work. Pose a model in a purple striped dress against a busy painted wall? Yes, please!
Photo by Allan Arbus is from a full page ad for Enka Rayon from Mademoiselle Magazine, 1949.
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Givenchy - 1959 and 1984
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Guess the Date
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Donald Brooks - 1956
Before he started his own company, Donald Brooks started his career working for the junior sportswear company Darbury. This classic cotton check shirt dress by Brooks for Darbury is very different from what he would later design for his own label. He was likely working within the guidelines of what Darbury wanted for its customers and this was very early in his career. But the dress is so classic that it could have been made last month and still look in-style and of-the-moment. Do you have a classic shirtwaist dress in your closet? Do you wear it over and over? If not, perhaps you should consider it!
Photo by Francesco Scavullo for Harper's Bazaar, 1956.
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Mystery Solved
Photo by Neal Barr for Harper's Bazaar, 1967.
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Every Day Will Count
Today marks the 4th anniversary of the tragic death of my sister Barbara. As I do each year, I want to share her words with you. This is a reprint of a post I wrote in February, 2010. Please hug someone you love today.
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Thank you all so very much for your heartfelt thoughts, prayers, and words of condolence over the past week. The loss of my dear sister has been devastating to me and my entire family. Your words meant a lot.
My sister Barbara was 5 years younger than me, which disproves the theory "Older is wiser", as she taught me many life lessons through the years. Barbara taught me how important it is to define your dreams and then go and get them for yourself. She taught me that it was OK to pursue being happy with my life. She taught me to take care of myself first, so I could be the best mom possible for my children. She taught me what it means to be a friend through her ability to listen and care. She taught me what it means to be a sister through her love for me, Pam, Becky and Brenda. She taught me what it means to be a daughter through her abiding love and respect for our parents. She taught me what it means to be a mother through her willingness to do anything for her children. She taught me what it means to be an aunt through her caring for all her nieces and nephews.
Barbara's passing has left a rift in my family that will never be filled. I wish that I had spoken with her in the week before she died and told her how much I loved her. As it is, I must believe that she knows it somehow.
Please reach out to someone in your family today and tell them that you love them. You never know if it will be your last chance.
During the past week, I found the following passage written by Barbara in her journal. It was written sometime in 2000, the year she turned 39. It was read at her memorial service on Thursday, and I want to share it with you here.
"What can I say, but be true to you and you will never disappoint yourself.
Try to treat your children as you would see your perfect self behave.
Don't sell yourself short. Amazing things can happen - even at 39.
If you were to know that you would have your last year on earth - how would you live your life?
Don't settle.
Know that every day will count.
Go surf, ride the bike with the kids, plant a tree, put a fence in, put a hot tub in.
Try to make a difference for your children."
Rest in peace now, my beautiful sister. I love you.
Thank you all so very much for your heartfelt thoughts, prayers, and words of condolence over the past week. The loss of my dear sister has been devastating to me and my entire family. Your words meant a lot.My sister Barbara was 5 years younger than me, which disproves the theory "Older is wiser", as she taught me many life lessons through the years. Barbara taught me how important it is to define your dreams and then go and get them for yourself. She taught me that it was OK to pursue being happy with my life. She taught me to take care of myself first, so I could be the best mom possible for my children. She taught me what it means to be a friend through her ability to listen and care. She taught me what it means to be a sister through her love for me, Pam, Becky and Brenda. She taught me what it means to be a daughter through her abiding love and respect for our parents. She taught me what it means to be a mother through her willingness to do anything for her children. She taught me what it means to be an aunt through her caring for all her nieces and nephews.
Barbara's passing has left a rift in my family that will never be filled. I wish that I had spoken with her in the week before she died and told her how much I loved her. As it is, I must believe that she knows it somehow.
Please reach out to someone in your family today and tell them that you love them. You never know if it will be your last chance.
During the past week, I found the following passage written by Barbara in her journal. It was written sometime in 2000, the year she turned 39. It was read at her memorial service on Thursday, and I want to share it with you here.
"What can I say, but be true to you and you will never disappoint yourself.
Try to treat your children as you would see your perfect self behave.
Don't sell yourself short. Amazing things can happen - even at 39.
If you were to know that you would have your last year on earth - how would you live your life?
Don't settle.
Know that every day will count.
Go surf, ride the bike with the kids, plant a tree, put a fence in, put a hot tub in.
Try to make a difference for your children."
Rest in peace now, my beautiful sister. I love you.
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Rose Marie Reid Swimsuits, 1954
"Pouf go those winter winds! Blaze goes the sun...and from Trinidad to Tuscan, Majorca to Miami, you're part of the fun! Smart girl, if you're a second-vacation traveler, revitalizing for the rest of the year. Lucky girl, if your first flight is in fashion...anew shape that says you've arrived! The shape, a feather boned sheath. The suits, "Court Lady," left, $19.95. "Beau Catcher," right, $17.95." (That's about $173 and $156 in today's dollar.)
Photo from a full page ad appearing in Harper's Bazaar for Rose Marie Reid, 1954.
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Short Break
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Incredible Use of Gingham - 1954
Photo from a full page ad for Mooresville fabric in Harper's Bazaar, 1954.
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