"Man-Made Fibres" I : Nylon. (Vanity Fair, May 1962)

The postwar years were the golden years of synthetic fibres: their "easy care" properties were considered little short of miraculous and there seemed to be new ones on the market every year.  If you flick through any fashion magazines or catalogues from around the years 1955 to 1975 you'll find hundreds of references to them, often going under confusingly different brand names.

Luckily for us, the fashionistas of the time were equally confused, which is why Vanity Fair published a quick guide to "Man-Made Fibres" in May 1962.  I'm going to take the fabrics one at a time, starting with Nylon.

Bri-Nylon, 1962

'Nylon.  This is a pure synthetic fibre made from chemicals.  You find it under the British names of Bri-Nylon, Bri-Lon and, imported goods under various names such as Perlon (German goods), Lilion (Italian), Nylsuisse (Switzerland) and others.

'Nylon yarns were the first pure synthetics that we ever knew.  It was the first yarn to give us easy-care qualities in washing and ironing and the first yarn to make us understand what long wear really means.  It will not shrink or stretch.  Avoid washing in boiling water.

'Mainly in stockings and warp-knitted lingerie.  In both these sections it dominates the market.  You also find Nylon in dress nets, lace, quick-dry sweaters, jersey fabrics, swimsuits, bras and girdles, party dress materials, sheets and as a strengthening reinforcement in many other items such as socks, woollen fabrics and carpets.'

Bri-Nylon, 1962

Kayser, 1962

Bri-Nylon, 1962

Bri-Nylon, 1962

"Spring Suit and Day Frock" (Weldon's Portfolio of Fashions, March 1939)

 Weldon's Ladies' Journal began (back in the 19th century) as a showcase for Weldon's patterns.  Gradually it became a more conventional women's magazine as it added stories, articles and recipes to the mix.  By the 1930s the pattern promotions had been separated from the main magazine into their own "Portfolio of Fashion" which accompanied each issue.  Also accompanying each issue were a couple of free patterns—always for "Bust 36 inches, Hips 40 inches".  

In March 1939 the patterns were for making a spring suit and a day frock.

Anyway, the "frock" and suit as the editors of Weldon's described them:

"Start spring splendidly with three smart outfits made from two free patterns!  Yes, I said three smart outfits—first, the frock; second, the suit; third, the frock with the suit's attractive jacket.  To get the best results, harmonize your colours; have the frock in grey, bound with wine, the suit in blue and wine check.  Or have the frock in beige, bound with caramel, the suit a mixture check of beige, terracotta, blue and green.  Wisdom says plump for a really good fabric when making a suit that you'll wear for at least a couple of seasons, so spend a little more than usual, and indulge in a real Otterburn tweed."

(I hope anyone who attempted these patterns heeded that last advice, because though they didn't know it, World War II was nearly upon them.  That suit probably had to last for more than "a couple of seasons"!)
 

"Spring Colours" (Neur Schnitt, February 1962)

Spring is around the corner.  And what better way to celebrate than with this charming coat and suit combination in blue?

 

 

"The spring colours celebrate a brilliant resurrection from the "dark wave".  With a beautiful strong blue our cover model follows the trends for the coming season.  The youthful ensemble, consisting of a suit and an accompanying coat, is made of structured Trevira/wool."

"Wakes" Catalogue, Winter 1950

 Severe and austere in grey, these clothes from the early fifties look as if they were meant to be worn by serious grown-ups.  The suit is tailored in worsted wool flannel, while the coat (worn belted by the model in the middle, as a swing-back by the model on the right) is made in pure wool gabardine.

What I find intriguing about these garments is the width of their shoulders.  We're told that padded shoulders went out a few years after World War II, but here we are in the early fifties and encountering broad shoulders that wouldn't appear out of place in 1980s power dressing.

On page 3 of the catalogue there is a list of what its compilers thought were the fashionable colours for 1950.  For reference, these were:

• French grey (as seen on the coat on the right)
• French beige
• Bamboo shoot green
• American beauty red
• Mint green
• Junior navy

Apart from the red, not exactly a vibrant palette!

Tennis Dresses (David Jones, Spring-Summer 1977)

 I just realised that I'd let the entire Olympics slip by without posting any pictures of sports wear.  To remedy this, I'm going to post this photo of these three lovelies in their fab seventies tennis outfits.

All three costumes are made in a mixture of terylene (polyester) and viscose (rayon).  Game, set and match!
 

Trendy in Tartan (Murdochs and Myer, Autumn-Winter 1949)

 Sometimes a topic for a blog entry just presents itself.  This time it was when I noticed that these two department stories featured very similar outfits on the covers of their catalogues for Autumn-Winter 1949.  Clearly bright red plaid was in that season!

Firstly, from Murdochs of Sydney: a "lightweight, all-wool tartan" Middy suit.  The version illustrated on the cover is in Princess Elizabeth tartan, but the same suit could also be purchased in Macpherson, Red Fraser, Macbeth and Princess Margaret tartans.

 

 

From the inside back cover of the same catalogue: a "gay WOOL FROCK" in a choice of four tartans, and on the right, a woollen pullover worn with an "All-Wool TARTAN SKIRT with full circular swirl." 

Myer in Melbourne was also getting into the Tartan Trend, with a skirt of English (my emphasis) "all wool authentic tartan with myriad knife pleats".  The model on the cover is dressed in Royal Stewart tartan, but the same skirt could be bought in Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret Rose, Buchanan, King George VI and Duchess of Kent tartans.

So there you have it: wherever they lived, the women of Australia could count on being well-dressed if they wore tartan in winter 1949!