"Winter Fashions" (Australian Home Journal, 1953)

 From the cover of the Australian Home Journal's winter catalogue of 1953, two "frocks" and a suit.   The suit is depicted here made up in a plaid for the skirt with a matching plain colour for the jacket, but presumably home dressmakers could mix and match as they pleased.

In 1953 women's fashions were still very fitted and formal and obviously influenced by Dior's "New Look" of the late 1940s.  The return of Chanel to design and the birth of the new rock n' roll youth culture would loosen things up (literally as well as figuratively) later in the decade.  Meanwhile the look was decidedly grownup and ladylike, and just a bit old-fashioned.

 

Skiing With Spiegel (Spiegel Catalog, Fall-Winter 1938)

 It looks like snow outside.  Maybe it's time to crack out the ski gear?

The costumes above were advertised in Spiegel in 1938.  The functions of ski wear haven't changed since 1938 (keeping the wearer warm and dry while allowing them freedom to move) but the fabrics  certainly have!  In 1938 rayon was the only synthetic fiber available, so all these costumes are made of heavy, waterproofed wool.  (Eddie Bauer created the first quilted "puffer" jacket in 1936, but stretch ski-pants, waterproof nylon and Gore-Tex all lay in the future.)

You've probably noticed that the woman on the right is dressed in a skirt rather than pants.  She was not meant to wear it on the ski slopes.  It was part of a three piece outfit advertised by Spiegel consisting of jacket, ski pants and skirt.  Worn with the pants the jacket was part of a ski costume, and substituting the skirt turned it into the top half of a suit!  The skiing version of the outfit is shown on the miniature figure at the far right.
 

Walter Field Co. Catalog (Fall-Winter 1944-45)

I've tried, but  I haven't been able to find any background information on "Walter Field Co." in Chicago.  The firm seems to have issued catalogues between the 1920s and the 1950s.  Judging by the prominent display of the words "Bargains" and "We Pay Postage" on each cover, I'd say Walter Field  specialised in selling inexpensive clothing by mail.  I browsed through some "big book" catalogues of the same era, and decided that the clothes in this little book were roughly comparable in price to the cheaper garments offered by its bigger rivals.

Here we have a couple of budget versions of fashionable wartime styles.  The coat on the left is made of a mixture of wool and rayon, and has a collar made of dyed rabbit fur.  The suit on the left is made of cotton fleece and rayon, and is unlined.  It was probably washable (unlike more expensive suits made of wool which would have to be drycleaned).  Hopefully it would not become too crumpled or shrink when washed!

Crimes in Crochet III (Stitchcraft, June 1970)

 I wasn't going to do a third post in this series, until I went through my collection and (re)discovered this:

I'm aware that bridal costumes weren't always as expensive as they are today.  Nonetheless, I'm taken aback at the idea that in 1970 someone thought it was a good idea to crochet your own wedding dress!  There are even matching crochet patterns for dresses for your flower girls.

The original owner of this copy of Stitchcraft wrote some notes on the cover.  Following the clues I investigated inside and found the following photo:

It seems that someone intended to make herself a "Tyrolean waistcoat" in crochet squares.   To be honest, I'm puzzled finding anything particularly Tyrolean about it!

Knitted "Tweed" Suit (Stitchcraft 1958)

In the early 1950s, women's suits tended to be structured and form fitting.  Later in the decade (mainly because of the influence of Chanel) suits became less constricting.  This hand-knitted suit with a cardigan jacket must have taken a lot of work—but it also must have been wonderfully comfortable to wear!

One does wonder, however, how it would have looked knitted by a less-than expert knitter, and worn by someone less stylish than the average model...
 

"The More Polyesters You Have..." (Lana Lobell, Holiday 1972-73)

 "... The Merrier Your New Fashion Year is Bound to Be!"

Confession time: not every garment featured in this post is made of polyester.  But how could I resist that title, especially when it headlined a double page spread of polyester doubleknits!  And truth to tell, there are plenty polyesters in this catalogue, along with lots of other synthetic fibres for your seventies fashion enjoyment.

On the left-hand side of the cover, our model is wearing a "glittering jumpsuit" in acetate mixed with Mylar® polyester.

In the middle: 

"Caftan and pants for the best of both evening worlds!  When you don't want to choose between a pants outfit and a longdress, just wrap yourself up in this form-fitting caftan over sleek pants..."

Obviously made for the indecisive dresser... in acetate jersey, of course!

 On the right-hand side of the cover is a "magnificent pantset" in lustrous polyester doubleknit.  

The collar of the coat on the left is made of "real dyed lamb fur", but the rest of the garment is made of "broadtail-textured rayon pile".  On the left is a coat made of "plushy modacrylic pile" ("it looks like seal... snuggles like seal") while the "lynx-look" trim is made of acrylic pile.

("Modacrylic" was often used to make wigs in this period.  Obviously it was used in making fake furs as well!)

Another doubleknit "pants set" ... this time in acetate rather than polyester.  

So there you go—acetate, acrylic, rayon, modacrylic and polyester.  You can't get more 1970s than that!

"Siren Suit" (Wakes, Summer 1942-3)

 

Strictly speaking, a "siren suit" was a one-piece garment, rather like a  jumpsuit.  They were designed as warm garments that could be donned quickly when the air raid sirens went—hence siren suit.  This "jacket-and-slacks suit" in "crease-resisting art silk linen" was

"designed to form an essential part of your defense program, a lounging lovely to make an equally complete background for relaxing or busy hours." 

In other words it was not intended for wearing while doing hard labour, or dodging bombs.  

Is it just me, or does this outfit look like some of the pants suits fashionable in the 1970s?

Crimes in Crochet, II (McCall's Needlework and Crafts, Spring-Summer 1970)

 It's time for another look at the things people did with yarn and crochet hooks in the 1970s!  Below are some "essential fashions for 1970" as presented in McCall's Needlework and Crafts.

 

 

Here we have a "flower-striped shift with its own scarf" alternating "bands of chain stitch daisies".

 

 

For the beach: a "Riviera pants set in sunniest yellow, follows a slim line, flares for bell pants."  Very 1970s!

 

 

Also for the beach: "bikini and cover-up dress... combine openwork crochet with pattern."  Ah, the infamous crochet bikini—and to be honest, the dress isn't covering up much!

 

 

Some groovy "casuals to crochet reflecting the cooler look in fashions—five dresses crocheted for day-into-evening wear."   

 

 

... And the remaining two dresses from the page opposite the previous photograph.  There's still more than a touch of the 1960s about these dresses!