Christmas Countdown (Vanity Fair, July 1953)

 Continuing our Christmas countdown, we take a look at a gala evening dress from 1953.  In some ways the 1950s was a backward-looking decade, with fashions leaning towards old-fashioned formality, femininity and glamour.  However, it was also the first decade to fully make use of modern easy-care synthetics for clothing.  The dress below illustrates this paradox beautifully.  It would not look out of place in Victorian ballroom, but it's made of nylon!

Evening beauty in nylon.  Atrima from Harrods.

Christmas Countdown (La Petit Echo de la Mode, Julliet 16 1933)

 If party dresses in the 1920s were youthful and exuberant, evening dresses in the 1930s were slinky and sophisticated.  Here is a glamorous duo from 1933, depicted at "An evening at the casino".

ROBE en organdi ave petit collet à volants.  La robe simple, décolletée avec bras nus, est garnie d'une ceinture en ruban drapé et noué sur le côté.  Jupe à deux volants trѐs amples superposés.  La cape est mobile et peut s'enlever à volonté.

[Organdy DRESS with small ruffled collar. The simple, low-cut dress with bare arms is trimmed with a draped ribbon belt tied at the side. Skirt with two very loose, superimposed ruffles. The cape is mobile and can be removed at will.]

ROBE en crépe Georgette vert jade.  Corsage orné  de découpes symétriques devant et derriѐre.  Petit effet de col berthe.  Robe de forme princesse, trѐs large du bas.  Echarpe de mousseline imprimée.

[DRESS in jade green Georgette crepe. Bodice decorated with symmetrical cutouts at the front and back. Small berthe collar effect. Princess-shaped dress, very wide at the bottom. Printed muslin scarf.]

Christmas Countdown (Miroir des Modes, December 1923)

As the festive season kicks off and we all start celebrating, I thought it would be a good time to look at the party clothes we wore in years past.  First up, some dresses from Butterick in 1923:

4883—For Holiday dances this slip-over dress which drapes around the figure and is held in front by a hand-made chou, is lovely in moire, crȇpe satin, plain crȇpes, satin crȇpe, lace, etc.  The straight skirt is joined at a low waistline.

4851—A slip-over dress of chiffon velvet, crȇpe satin, satin crȇpe, plain or printed silk crȇpe, or crȇpe de Chine, printed silks or lace has a two-tiered straight skirt with drapery and joined at a low waistline.  It closes under the left arm and the long body lining has a camisole top.

4899—A full, straight skir with either five or three rows of trimming gives the tiered effect to this slip-over dress with a draped basque which has an armhole in two depths.  It closes under the left arm and the skirt joins a slightly long underbody with a camisole top.  There may be a straight drop skirt.  Use moire or taffeta with lace edging frills and a hand-made ribbon bow and flowers, etc.

Peasant Blouses, Dirndl Skirts (Wakes, Spring-Summer 1947-1948)

In the late 1940s "peasant" skirts and blouses became very popular for casual wear.  Usually consisting of dirndl skirts in brightly coloured prints and puff-sleeved blouses that could be worn on or off the shoulders, these outfits were popular for picnics, the beach, and informal daytime parties.

Here are a few examples as advertised by Wakes of Melbourne in 1947:

ELASTIC TOP'D AND CUFF'D BLOUSE in 'Celanese Celshung'.  To sun or show your shoulders by day or night, just slip elastic top to shoulder point.  Sweet puffed magyar sleeves, frill and bow finished.

DANCE WITH THE WIND DIRNDL, TREMENDOUS SKIRT.  Multi-gore skirt with huge hem, fluted drape in Wakes exclusive spotted bow printed cotton linene.  Zip back placket, interlined corselet band.

ROSEBUD BAYADERE BRAIDE ON 'CELSHUNG' ELASTIC TOP PEASANT BLOUSE.  Sun or show off your shoulders by day or night in this launderable peasant blouse.  Elastic too on peasant puff sleeves.

FLORAL BORDER DIRNDL SKIRT.  LAUNDERABLE MULTI-COLOR SPUN RAYON in gay colors to make a peasant skirt with daisy-chain border.  Double waistband, full gathering all-round.

DRAWSTRING COTTON PEASANT BLOUSE.  A fine white cotton banded by boilfast cotton bias.  Wear as illustrated or with suncatching loveliness of bare shoulders.

"SIESTA", SUN-LOVING COTTON DIRNDL.  Exclusive-to-wakes print on colorfast cotton linene.  Lazy old peons drowsing beneath their sombreros, against desert cacti, make a gay border.  Sombreros and little cacti complete the print.  Gathered-all-round dirndl, button waistband, zip placket.

DRAWSTRING BLOUSE, LACE SLEEVES.  A combination of fine cotton lawn and all-over lace.  Wear the cute drawstring neckline high or low.  Oval drawstring back and puffed magyar drawstring sleeves.  Longer tuck-in length.

COLORFAST COTTON CORSELET-WAIST, BOW-BORDERED DIRNDL.  An exclusive-to-Wakes border print, with with color-spotted white bows encircling hem, more tiny bows on skirt and a collection of coin spots.  Many gored skirt with a tremendous width hem.  Lined corselet waist, zip placket at back.

Australia's Lost Department Stores VII (Marcus Clark, Spring-Summer 1935)

 Here's yet another long lost Sydney department store: Marcus Clark.

Marcus Clark was slightly different from its competitors, in that it began in the suburbs (in Newtown in 1883) rather than the city centre, and almost right from the start started opening other suburban branches (in Marrickville and Bondi Junction).  It was not until 1896 that it opened its first store in the city.

Crimes In Crochet, IV: Fashion Knits 71

 I had something quite different lined up for this week, then I stumbled upon this little gem.  Yes, it's time again to look at the evil that can be wrought by a crochet hook.

The idea behind a lot of these styles appears to be "why wait for the moths to eat holes in your clothes when you can do it yourself?"  

The Fringe of Fashion

Our fashion scene opens with a dashing little crochet vest to wear in many ways.  Crocheted in shimmering white, we dressed it romantically in a gay peasant mood.

Pretty In Pastel

Fine crochet makes this graceful blouse.  Lace patterning in the delicate texture of 2-ply, with full sleeves, demure cuffs and collar, and tiny pearl buttons to add a delightfully feminine finishing touch.

"Demure", except you can see the model's underwear through it.

Nothing is better for lounging by the pool than a bright orange poncho crocheted in an unbreathable synthetic yarn.*

Crochet Cover-up Looks

Seen at the Yacht Club in these striking crochet cover-ups for after swim or sailing.  Brilliant orange for the gaily fringed poncho, or apricot striped with white for the jaunty cardigan-tunic.

 (*I checked.  The poncho is made in Courtelle.)

And lastly, what would a 70s fashion spread be without a crocheted pants suit?  This one is aerated to catch those summer breezes.

The Crochet Trend for Trouser Suits

Two of fashion's top moods — the trouser suit and crochet combine in this striking outfit to turn all heads on the casual scene.  Easy-to-wear tunic top has a cord tie and pretty picot edges match the trousers.

Being a product of the 1970s. this magazine also has some quite—ahem!—interesting knitting patterns as well.  But that will be a subject for another post...

Spring Hats (National Style Book, Spring and Summer 1924)

 Today is Melbourne Cup Day, a day when fashion goes—literally—to Australian women's heads.  While women wear their hats and fascinators at the race course today, I thought I'd take the opportunity to look back to an era when hats were for every day, not just special occasions.

Here we have a selection of hats from the National Cloak and Suit Company, which show the styles available in the mid-1920s.  All the hats pictured here have deep crowns and fit well down on the foreheads of their wearers.  However, they have a variety of brims: narrow (the classic cloche style), broader (described as a "Poke shape model"), turned back and rolled.  Trimmings range from simple ribbons to elaborate feather confections, with embroidery and applique being popular decorations.  The most common material for making the hats appears to be hemp braid, but wool felt and taffeta are also used.