Concerning Coats V (1950s)

 The 1950s was a fairly conservative decade, and overcoats, being an expensive wardrobe investment, tended to be fairly conservative too.  Except for a few minor details, such as buttons and trimmings, coat styles mainly stayed unchanged through the decade.

There were three main coat shapes in the 1950s: fitted, flared and straight. 

Wakes, Winter 1950

CORDED BACK "FASHION AWARD" DRESS COAT in pure wool gabardine  A superbly styled dress coat with divinely slender, perfectly balanced lines achieved by expert tailoring and craftmanship.  Double breasted princess front with new high buttoning rolled collar and two bound "button-hole" pockets.

Cabinet Card Photograph, (between 1871 and 1872)

This cabinet card, depicting a fashionable young lady, was produced by the firm of Vandyke & Brown—"Artistes in Photography"—of Liverpool.  From the addresses printed on the back of the photograph it was almost certainly taken in either 1871 or 1872.

 Since this is a portrait, not a fashion photograph, we only see part of the sitter's dress, and that mostly from the waist up.  It's enough to establish that she's on trend for the early 1870s.  Her stylish pagoda sleeves are lined with white frills, which probably would have been part of an undersleeve that was  detachable for laundering. 

The sitter also wears a number of large cameos in the form of bracelets and a necklace.  We can't tell if they were antiques or Victorian imitations from this photograph, but from The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine of June 1869 we learn that:

... patent convex jewellery has caused some sensation among gem collectors and lovers of cameos and of antiques... This kind of pendant is now fashionable, and is worn upon a fine Venice or English made chain.

From other sources we learn that cameos framed in jet were fashionable, and that jewellers in Germany had devised their own methods of making imitation cameos. 

Cardigan Jacket (Make It Easy, 1984)

 Real Life™ is getting in the way this week, so I don't have time to do anything fancy.  It therefore seems like a good time to post Pattern 5 in the "Make it Easy" sewing course.

For those who don't remember, "Make It Easy" was a sewing course/magazine issued by Marshall Cavendish in the mid-1980s.  Each successive issue had a slightly harder selection of patterns for the novice dressmaker to try her hand at making.  This cover features a "cardigan jacket":

Super simple to make, this casual jacket with a traditional cardigan shape, has set-in sleeves and optional neatly-finished pockets with piped-edge openings.

There were detailed instructions for making up the accompanying pattern inside.

Australian Home Journal, July 1963

 The editors of this issue of the Australian Home Journal offered their readers patterns for two staples of the mid-1960s: an overblouse and a lightly belted shift.

Overblouses were versatile garments.  A quick look at the fashion magazines of 1963 show them being worn with everything from beach shorts to cocktail suits.  Materials could range from gingham to lace to fake leopard-skin print.  In short, overblouses were considered suitable for every occasion from a beach picnic to meeting royalty.

The pattern illustrated on the cover of this magazine has long sleeves and a collar, so it was clearly intended for day wear.  Depending on what it was made of and what it was paired with, it could have been worn at work or for housework.

What We Wore in '74: Brushed Nylon Nightwear (David Jones, Autumn and Winter 1974)

 Anyone who lived through the 1970s probably experienced it: brushed nylon nightwear.  The advertisements told us it was soft (it was) it was warm (it was) and it was light-weight (it was).  What they didn't tell us was how much static electricity it generated.  Rolling over in bed was enough to create a small storm of crackles and sparks.

Until manufacturers worked out that people didn't enjoy sleeping in nightwear that lit up like Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory, designers created brushed nylon nightwear in every style and for every age group.  Here are a couple of "romantic" and a couple of "fun" examples from a David Jones catalogue of 1974. 

Norman Hartnell luxury

Presenting a superb range of leisure and night wear designed by the Royal Couturier himself, Norman Hartnell.  Sheer romantic glamour for your leisure hours at prices that are very affordable.

B. Utterly luxurious long nightgown to wear when you want to look and feel your most beautiful.  In soft, looped brushed nylon with glamour trims of lace and deep button opening: also the waistline at the back for perfect fitting.

C. Generous raglan sleeves are the feature  of this long gown tailored in luxury-look looped brushed nylon.  The waist is shirred and trimmed with fancy lace for extra glamour.  All this beauty is fully washable and so easy-care in feminine colours...