"La Pastorale" (Autumn-Winter 1966)

Here are some more fashions from "La Pastorale", a boutique that operated from "the Paris End" of Collins Street in Melbourne in the 1950s and 1960s. 

(For a look at their Summer catalogue of 1961, see here.)

Though the dresses in this catalogue are mostly stylish straight shifts, the fashions portrayed are not quite up-to-the-minute for 1966.  To be really modish the hemlines should have been an inch or two higher.  The models very styled hairstyles were also slightly out-of-date, as were their shoes with pointed heels (shoes with lower square heels were the trendiest footwear in 1966).  In brief, these clothes don't appear to have been made with the grooviest young trendsetters in mind: they appear to have been made for slightly older women who wanted appear fashionable but were not part of the sixties "youthquake".

Since millions of women must have worn clothes like these, but they seldom appear in the history books, this little catalogue is a valuable historical resource!

 SNAPPY WOOL FROCKS WITH THE LATEST FASHION IDEAS

(The dress on the right is described as being "inspired by" Courreges.)

 4 WONDERFUL STYLES IN THE NEW WASHABLE DOUBLE-KNIT JERSEY

 

NEW TREATMENTS IN WARM RICH WOOLS AND JERSEYS 

 

FOR OLD AND YOUNG —  FROCKS STYLED TO FLATTER

(The dress second from the right is described as: "Dashingly styled for young people "on the go" this frock of pure Wool doe-skin is specially cut for the youthful figure")

 

ORIGINAL WOOL DESIGNS — INCREDIBLY PRICED TO PLEASE!

 

WARM WEATHER "CUTIES" in CARE-FREE DRIP-DRY FABRICS

(On the right: "The latest craze—OP-ART hand screen printed designs.")

PARTY PRETTY STYLES in NYLON LACE and DRIP-DRY CREPE 

 

TUB-HAPPY FROCKS with CLEVER STYLING and TINY PRICE TAGS

NEW IDEAS, NEW TRIMS in LUSCIOUS PURE WOOLS

GAY CASUAL IDEAS TO FLATTER THE MODERN MISS

Tea Gowns (1890s and 1900s)

In 1902 Mrs Eric Pritchard wrote in The Cult of Chiffon:

"And now let us seriously consider the question of the tea-gown from its varying aspects, and see how it is misunderstood and how it can form the ideal of all that is best in dress feminine.  For here we can vanish the practical, and let art have her say without a backward glance at utility.  What I mean is, we cannot trail about the London streets in the flowing garments of beauty; but in our drawing-rooms, when the tea-urn sings at five o'clock, we can don these garments of poetical beauty.

"... Fashion you can cast to the wind if you please, and impart meaning and intention in every fold, in every line of this garment of mystery which can be a very complete reflection of the personality of the wearer."

Tea gowns were loose dresses, usually made without a waist seam, and worn without corsets (or with loosened corsets).  They were closely related to wrappers and kimonos, and shared some of the characteristics of "rational" dress and of artistic styles.  As the quotation above indicates, they were primarily worn at home in the afternoon for relaxing and partaking of tea—but they weren't casual wear.  As the descriptions of the tea gowns below indicate, they could be very dressy garments indeed.

The Delineator, November 1890.  "Ladies Japanese Tea Gown" Figure no. 476L

"The Gown is composed of an under-dress of white India silk and a Kimono or Japanese dress of figured India silk.  The underdress has a full, flowing skirt, which depends from the edge of a fanciful body and is trimmed down the center of the front with a handsome jabot of Italian lace."

The Delineator, May 1896.  Ladies Tea Gown, Pattern no. 8333

"LADIES' TEA-GOWN—The tea-gown is especially handsome in the present combination of black peau de soie bearing large figures in subdued coloring, cream satin and figured maize taffeta, with lace net, lace edging, ribbon and insertion for decoration."

The Delineator, September 1898.  "Ladies Watteau Tea Gown", Pattern no. 1851

"LADIES WATTEAU TEA GOWN—Rich dark plain satin, and plain and figured light satin form the handsome combination here pictured in the tea-gown, and the trimming is original and pleasing, consisting of wide ribbon in a novel bow arrangement and narrower ribbon frilled and edged with lace."

McCall's Magazine March 1901. Tea Gown pattern no. 6442

"LADIES TEA GOWN—White challis patterned with pale blue and green made this artistic tea gown or wrapper.  The pattern is cut with a deep pointed yoke back and front, of pale blue silk entirely covered with white lace insertion, joined by beading run with velvet ribbon, and finished with a deep ruffle of lace... Entirely covering the center closing is a full jabot of white lace."

The Lady's Realm, March 1904

 "At this season of the year the tea-gown holds an important place in the society woman's wardrobe—not the picture frock, which is more or less decolleté, but the warm and cosy wrapper, which is yet smart enough for dining in. Some light, soft fabric, accordion-pleated and made very simply with a big collar or fichu, is charming, and this is a useful garment to wear over a separate slip."

Mrs Eric Pritchard, "London and Paris Fashions", The Lady's Realm, (March 1904)

The Delineator, August 1906, Pattern no. 9412

"9412—A tea-gown for mid-Summer combining daintiness and comfort is here portrayed in embroidered wash voile with lace and ribbon, in linon with German Val insertion and edging, and also in French challis with buttonholed edges."

The Delineator, June 1909.  Pattern no. 3083

"A more elaborate lounging -robe is shown in No. 3083, a ladies' tea-gown or wrapper.  The wrapper may be made in the round length or with the medium sweep and with the high, collarless or open neck.  The body of the wrapper is tucked to the fancy-shaped yoke and falls from the bust in graceful folds.  There are two styles of elbow sleeves, those which are left flowing and those which are gathered into the bands, as well as the full-length leg o' mutton sleeves.  The fancy shaped bolero may be omitted if desired..."

According to my reading, tea gowns were first worn in the 1870s by ladies at country house parties.  At first an informal garment, the tea gown became more elaborate as it moved out of the hostess's boudoir into other parts of the house.  Then in the 1880s it moved out of the country house altogether and down the social scale from the aristocracy to the leisured middle classes.

While tea gowns were worn until the early 1920s, they were at their most fashionable in the last years of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth.  As women's clothes became less constricted and their lives more active the tea gown fell out of favour.  Other styles took its place, including lounging pyjamas in the 1920s and 1930s and hostess gowns in the 1950s and 1960s.

1975, A Year in Pants (David Jones catalogue, Autumn-Winter 1975)

Flipping through the David Jones catalogue for Autumn and Winter 1975 I couldn't help noticing that nearly all the daytime outfits available to the store's female customers included pants.  Catalogues published only a few years earlier would have included a much wider range of dresses and skirts—with trousers for women relegated to the section for casual wear.  This little booklet, then, shows how much things had changed for women in a very short time.

The model on the cover has a rather manic look, as if she's been driven insane by all the 1970s brown surrounding her.  The outfit is described as:

"The beautifully put-together pant suit.  Jacket is Europe's darling of the moment.  Longer line with gentle easing, broader tie belt... The pants that match... tailored to hang beautifully, fit where they should in brown or green wool/polyester gaberdine."

On the left:

"The occasional cardigan by Sportscraft ... in pure, hand-washable wool."

On the right is the jacket featured on the cover (this time in green) worn with a matching skirt.

From left to right:

"Rich velvet pants have slightly wider legs, inset waistband loops.  Two back pockets in new Parisian manner.  Turquoise, brown, black.  Aywons in washable cotton velvet."

"...Aywon's Acrilan jersey pants; hand washable, non crush, curved stitched pockets."

"Camel coloured corduroy jeans are Awyon's newest styling; beautifully cut, accented with important zips."

"Crestknit plays the put-'em-together game and shows you how easily it can be done with easy separates that multiply your wardrobe threefold."

Separates: a very 'seventies fashion.   All outfits are completed by pants in pure wool.

Another very seventies fashion—pantsuits.  At left:

"The soft and gentle pantsuit that will take you most anywhere—in a very good frame of mind!  Jacket is lightly gathered into the yoke, tied by a loose belt, outlined by contrast stitching.  Pants have an elegant line, slightly flared.  The whole in jersey you can wash with care."

At right:

"It's hard to beat the basic pantsuit—specially when the one we're showing you is hand washable.  The blazer jacket is slightly fitted, styled with an action back and wide lapels.  The pants slightly flared.  Suited to most occasions, dressed up or down by the addition of a shirt or sweater.  Hand washable as we said, again and again, as this is an easy Acrilan."

 

Not a pantsuit this time, but

"...go-togethers that are decidedly French inspired.  Jacket is richly checked brown Donegal tweed: 80% wool, 20% polyester... Slim cut pants are creamy Donegal tweed..."

Back to the pantsuits.  These are described as being inexpensive, and are all made of "Orlon that washes, dries like new".  Yes, it's the (in)famous 1970s polyester pantsuit.

Cardigans are the featured garment here—both in 100% acrylic.  Matched on the left with wool blend pants; on the right with herringbone tweed (wool blend).  The catalogue doesn't say what fabric the wool is blended with, or in what proportions.

Finally we come to:

"Pin stitched lines at the shoulder—that's the only decoration this classic shirt needs.  Imported in a soft jersey knit that's a quickly washed polyester."

"The winning pant—could only be French inspired.  Cut to make legs look long and lanky, finished off by double pockets."

"Checker board of lace—this shirt has an eye-catching design in nylon jersey knit, which also makes it an easy-care winner."

"Favourite for comfort, with a great dash of style.  The pull-on pant this year has stitched seams—down both legs.  Flat, elasticised waist to sit neatly."

Evening Dresses from McCall Style News (1946)

In keeping with the times I was going to post something about clothes to wear at home—then thought, "Nah.  People are sick of being housebound.  Let's get out the ol' glad rags and dress up for a party!"

The odds are that people in 1946 were also probably sick of hard times and ready for a bit of fun.  In my collection I have no less than three issues of McCall Style News from 1946 sporting pictures of evening dresses on their covers.

January 1946

February 1946

May 1946

"New Idea" (May 1903)

Though the captions describing these outfits differ (as, presumably, the occasions on which they were meant to be worn) all are basically alike in shape and structure.  Each model has an out-thrust bosom and buttocks (molded by the 'S' bend corset), a skirt fitting smoothly over the hips that flares out below the knees into a fishtail shaped train, a high neckline, and bishop sleeves billowing out over the wrists.

 

A Young Ladies' Dancing Frock—in two parts with separate skirt and waist.  Though this outfit is described as a "dancing frock" it has a very decorous high neckline.  Lace-trimmed flounces indicate that this was a dress for special occasions.

Summer Fashions—like most of the fashions illustrated here, these two outfits aren't one-piece dresses, but skirts and waists in matching materials combined.  The dress on the right is trimmed with Cluny lace.

Ladies' Street Toilettes—The dress on the left is a "shirt-waist costume" made from a single pattern.  The jacket on the right-hand figure is described as a "jaunty Monte Carlo jacket".  Unfortunately, I'm unable to find out what the term means in this context.
 

Shirt-Waist Suits—Once again the obsolete fashion terminology trips me up: to me a "suit" implies an outfit with a matching skirt and jacket.  However these skirt and blouse outfits look suitably businesslike for a couple of Edwardian "new women: just compare them with the lace and braid trimmed "summer fashions" above!  The costume worn by the woman on the right in this plate is described as being made entirely from linen.

Flounces, Flairs and Pleats ("Pictorial Review", February 1929)

"The sports silhouette for this spring has the good grace to remain slim and youthful.  But pleats are smarter than ever—especially when grouped and placed rather low—or finished in a chic V at the top—or expressed  in the box-pleat so much in vogue this season.

Scarfs of all sorts are high in fashion—touches of white at the neck are favored by Patou—and diagonal necklines are extremely chic.  Jackets and coats contrasting with their frocks were worn by the smartest women at Biarritz.  And this mode of wearing a very bright printed jacket with a solid-color frock; or donning a tweed coat over a printed silk, is destined for brilliant success this Spring."

The Pictorial Review, February 1929  

The 1930s are usually seen as a complete break with the previous decade, but here we are in the final year of the 1920s and there are already signs of things to come.

For our first set of patterns we have a cluster of day dresses, all with pleats and skirts with hip yokes (which would stay popular into the early years of the 1930s).  Skirts remain short, just touching the knees, and waistlines low, though there are signs that they are just about to rise—belts are now sitting just at the top of the hips.

Next, a selection of dresses for afternoon or formal wear.  (In the 1920s the rule still held that the later in the day the more formal the clothes—at least for women of leisure!)   Dresses are  becoming more fitted than they were earlier in the decade, though the flat and boyish silhouette still holds sway.  There is an attempt to lengthen the dress second from the left by an uneven hemline, and the dresses at either end are draped asymmetrically on the hips.

The picture on the right shows two more afternoon dresses, this time both with flounced skirts.  The dresses on the left are said to be in "the sports mode"—not clothes for playing sports, but easy-to-wear fashions for the modern woman.

More clothes in "the sports mode".  The term "sportswear" originally applied to clothing that was actually worn to play sport, but by the 1920s it referred to "sporty" designs that could be worn for an active lifestyle.  This style was a specialty of the American market.

The clothes above are all pleated from a low hip yoke or panel, and accessorised by narrow belts riding just above the hips.

"Knip" (September 1969)

I find this little Dutch pattern magazine from 1969 by a happy accident.   It is full of photographs of smart and fashionable, but not particularly "way out", late sixties fashions.

To the right (pattern 6170) is a suit made in striped wool.  To the left pattern 6171—trousers made up in the same wool.  They could be worn with a casual top as shown here, or with the suit jacket to turn the outfit into a pantsuit.

More suits!  On the left is pattern 6175 made up in brown and white tweed.  To the left, pattern 6176 described as "a youthful model".

Note the skirt length in all these photographs—a bit above the knee, making them mini-skirts, but not ultra-short micro-minis.  Also note the patterned stockings worn by a couple of the models.  These were trendy in 1969, but not too far ahead of the fashion curve.  I could imagine these clothes being worn to work or for a day's shopping in town.