Found Online: Winns Catalogues II (Early 1930s)

 Let's take another look at the collection of Winns Mail Order Shopping Guides held at the State Library of New South Wales.  This time we're moving onto the early 1930s

Autumn & Winter 1930

The garments on the cover of the first catalogue for 1930 still look very 1920s in style.  Skirts fall to a little below the knee and hats are still close-fitting.  (They were made of felt, by the way, and available for the price of 12 shillings and 11 pence.)  One-button coats with heavy collars feature prominently: on the left, in wool velour, and on the right in a new "fur-fabric" with "the wearing quality of an expensive fur".  Down the bottom left is a cardigan in wool with "art. silk" (i.e. rayon).

Spring & Summer 1930

In the world of high fashion hemlines were starting to fall, but Winns skirts still hover around their wearers' knees.  As you can see by this cover however, the waistline is back in its normal position and dresses now outline the figure.  (How you got the right figure for these dresses is illustrated by the Berlei "Foundation" garments on page 14 of this catalogue.)   The skirts flare out from dropped hip-yokes.

For the first time not only hats, but fashionable shoes, are featured on the front page of the catalogue.

Winter 1931

Winter 1931 sees more coats, cardigans and hats on the cover of Winns Catalogue.  The figure at the centre is wearing a suit made of tweed—with the coat made long so it can either be worn as part of the ensemble or separately.  The coat on the left is made of wool velour with a rabbit-fur collar.  The cardigans are made of mixed wool and silk.

Hats are now being worn off-the-face.  For the first time in a decade, foreheads are visible!

Spring & Summer 1931-32

The cover of the Spring-Summer catalogue for 1931 sports four typical dresses (now with hems dropped to calf-length).  From left to right: a dress for an older woman in "Good Quality Lockstitch JERSEY RAYON with smart vest effect".  Second left: "An Effective Sleeveless TENNIS or AFTERNOON FROCK" in "good washing Cambrics".  Right: Ladies frock in "FANCY ALL SILK FUJI".  Far right: "FASHIONABLE CAMBRIC ENSEMBLE SUIT" with piped contrast trimmings. 

Autumn & Winter 1932

There's an innovation on the front cover of the Winns catalogue for Autumn and Winter 1932: an evening dress!  This one was made of Milanese silk on "the latest lines, with full flare and deep frills on Skirt" and came in opal green, barbaric red and apricot.  Note the fashionably deep cut-outs on the back of the frock.

Spring & Summer 1932-33

From left to right we have: A Ladies' Frock of Art. Silk Rayon in "neat floral designs with contrasting shades"; A Pretty Frock of Floral Haircord for School Girl; A Smart Frock in the Popular Silk Milanese; and An Attractive Washing Frock in Reliable "Meadow Sweet" Cambric.  Floral prints are popular, but the main things to note here are the large, rever-like collars on the two dresses on the right.

Winter 1933

Wide revers and big collars create an illusion of width near the top of the coats and suits depicted on the cover of the winter 1933 catalogue.  (For more examples, check out the coats on page 11 inside.)  The red coat on the left is decorated with steel buttons and revers which can be fastened back to create a double-breasted effect.  Hats now appear to be worn entirely off the face or tilted so the brim nearly covers one eye—once again, for more examples look inside at page 16.

Spring & Summer 1933

Decoration seems to have gone to the top of the bodice by the spring of 1933, with bows and scarves being popular.  The dress on the upper left (a smart tub frock in "fadeless Falcon Cloth") has puffed sleeves, while the dress on the upper right (in pique voile fabric) has cape sleeves.  Shoulders are starting to broaden out, a fashion which will last until the end of the next decade.

Winter 1934

Shoulders are broad, hats are small, and fashionable gloves are gauntlet style.  On the left we have two dresses in "wool crepe de chene". At the far left is "an exact copy of one of the latest overseas models".  Next to it is a dress "featuring the new sleeve and plastron front treatment".  The coat on the right is made of wool velour "finished with a lavish fur collar of good quality"—though the authors of the catalogue don't state what kind of good quality fur the model is wearing!

Spring and Summer, 1934-35

And now we reach the end of the first half of the decade with these four models who are "smartness personified".   From left to right:

Printed Cambric has has been chosen for this Dainty and Attractive Style.  Contrasting collar and cuffs to tone, edged with printed organdi, gives a delightful "summery" finish.

An Attractive Frock in the new uncrushable Floral Crepara Crepe.  Neck and sleeves prettily trimmed with goffered frilling of self material, and smartly cut skirt gives a distinctive air.

This Charming Frock is in Floral Pique Voile: short sleeves with an opening; and a very effective Jabot trimmed with knife-pleated organdi, adds a smart note to the bodice, with godets in skirt.

A Very Striking Jumper Suit, in Matchbox Check and Pin-spot Silk Moracain, with self-trimming of pleating around shoulders and on sleeve; contrasting bow gives a snappy air to the Jumper.  The Skirt in White, having an inverted pleat back and front.