All the fashion hullabaloo from the past few weeks (fashion week, awards season) and the Oscars coming up this weekend has me thinking of course about beautiful clothing, so I want to share some of my favorite vintage clothing shops from my very favorite handmade and vintage marketplace, Etsy. The first contributed to my Halloween costume of this past October, which you see above. I purchased the dress from the shop gogovintage and it is a classic 1960's sheath dress with beautiful sequins and classic lines (including a very cute bow and pleats). The rest of these gorgeous vintage items all come from some other uh-mazing shops, so viva la moda!
I thought it was appropriate for this look back to feature some fashion from 1950 since New York's Fashion Week just wrapped up. Actually one of the hottest trends seen at the various runway shows was fur (according to this Forbes article) as we see on this model from 1950. Others included navy and black, dragon scales, the white suit, and anything Asian, to mention a few. Here are some things that were hot in 1950 (not necessarily in the fashion world).
The first modern credit card was introduced in the form of the Diner's Club card, which was first given to 200 people in 1950. The card was accepted at 14 different restaurants in New York.
Cinderella was released by Walt Disney. It was the first full blown feature film to be released by Disney since Bambi in 1942.
The comic strip Peanuts first came out, appearing in seven different newspapers in October of 1950.
The first self service elevator was installed in Dallas, Texas by the company Otis Elevator.
Billy Ocean, Natalie Cole, Peter Gabriel, Cybill Shepherd, Karen Carpenter, Jay Leno, Nora Roberts and Huey Lewis were born.
The first organ transplant was performed in the form of a kidney transplant at Loyola University.
All the King's Men (1949) was awarded the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Phonevision, a very early form of Pay Per View was made available by Zenith. In 1951 some Zenith television models had special connectors specifically made for Phonevision.
Florence Chadwick swam the English Channel in 13 hours and 20 minutes, which broke the world record that American swimmer Gertrude Ederle had held until then.
Women crowding around a nylon stocking display at Gimbel's Department Store, 1947 Photo by Same Shere from LIFE Photo Archive
I am staying far, far away from any Black Friday madness today, but, I did wonder what our grandmothers were into as far as fashion decades ago in the days before Black Fridays dominated our Thanksgiving weekend (Black Friday dates back to Philadelphia circa the 1960's, read more here). So here's a look at some of the most influential fashion designers and fashion looks of the 30's, 40's and 50's. Classic is one way of putting it because frankly I would not mind wearing any of these pieces now and good thing I can from the comfort of my own home and the beauty that is vintage Etsy.
1930's: Influential Fashion Designers: Madeleine Vionnet, Elsa Schiaparelli Popular Looks: exaggerated shoulders, pants and slacks for women, more widespread use of zippers and man-made fibers, bias-cut dresses, capelets and bolero jackets Hollywood Fashion Icons: Fred Astaire, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Carole Lombard
Influential Fashion Designers: Vera Maxwell, Bonnie Cashin, Christian Dior Popular Looks: Knee-length, flared, straight and pleated skirts, thick and low heels, subdued colors, sweaters, accessorizing with hats, purses and gloves, structured undergarments Hollywood Fashion Icons: Rita Hayworth, Ingrid Bergman, Vivien Leigh
Influential Fashion Designers: Hubert de Givenchy, William Travilla, Cristobal Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain Popular Looks: Full circle skirts, saddle shoes, Dior's "new look" featuring a feminine silhouette of longer skirts, a fitted waist and soft rounded shoulders, narrow pants and shorts, petticoats, stiletto heels Hollywood Fashion Icons: Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe
I popped in one of my favorite movies the other day, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Twentieth Century Fox, 1953), and decided to pick out my top three favorite outfits from the film (I won't include Marilyn Monroe's pink satin number, since I already covered it in a previous post, although this time around I noticed she is wearing beautiful black rhinestone heels that I adore).
My first favorite outfit is the black pant suit and jacket worn by Jane Russell's character, Dorothy Shaw during their voyage to Europe. I especially love the shoes she is wearing, the design is timeless. During the scene Dorothy Shaw leaves Lorelei Lee (played by Marilyn Monroe) scheming with the passenger list of the ship to peruse the pool and work out area where she finds the Olympic athletes that are traveling overseas on the ship. She begins a choreographed singing and dancing number called "Ain't there anyone here for love?" (which by the way ends with Jane Russell in the pool, which was purportedly an accident that the director liked and included in the final cut). The pant suit looks to be a two piece with a corseted halter top and a matching swing coat that has a black and white checkered pattern with a striking yellow lining. It caught my eye immediately. I noticed that Jane Russell wore a lot of black in this movie, but I think it goes really well with her hair, skin tone, and makeup. Plus, I love her quote "I like a man who can run faster than I can".
Another outfit I love is Jane Russell's black lace cocktail dress that she wears one of the nights for dinner and dancing. At this point Dorothy Shaw is being wooed by the private investigator who is on board trying to get incriminating information on Lorelei Lee (he is hired by the father of Lorelei Lee's rich fiance). The dress is in a tea-length ballgown style with long sleeves and a matching black lace shawl that she uses to cover her head once they walk near the ship's railing and the wind and cold are kicking up. I think it is very indicative of the styles during this time period, but at the same time it's a classic look that could very easily be pulled off today.
Finally, the dress suit Marilyn Monroe's character wears when they arrive in Paris is very chic. It appears to be a navy blue color with a white collar, matching navy beret, white gloves, and fur stole. I think the combination of navy blue and white works really well. The suit is both sexy and classy on Marilyn. This is another example of how well the wardrobe was matched with the scenes, plot and pace of the movie, and I liked how both Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe played off each other with their outfits. More than anything what I admire about all of the clothing in this movie is the attention to detail. All of the accessories are immaculate - from the earrings to the nail polish, shoes, shawls, stoles, hair styles and everything in between. For this, and for many other reasons, this is one of my favorite movies.
Photograph of Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell taken on set of the movie (Photograph: Edward Clark; LIFE Photo Archive)
"If we can't empty his pockets between us, then we're not worthy of the name Woman". (Quote from the movie)
Recently I saw a list published on Yahoo's Shine website listing the top 10 most iconic dresses of the past 50 years, and I thought, there are some dresses missing from this list. So I decided to make my own, but I went in a slightly different direction. I've selected the top 10 most iconic dresses in film from the 30's, 40's, and 50's. I've seen all of these movies except Gone with the Wind (yes, I know, I'm a bad person), and Gilda. I promise I will watch these movies soon. But I have definitely seen images of the dresses I picked from these movies, and of course drooled over all the other dresses I selected to feature. Two of my favorites appear twice (Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn) so I guess I'm biased, but no matter, all of these dresses are definitely to die for (dresses are in no particular order).
1.The pink satin dress from Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend scene in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Twentieth Century Fox, 1953)
Let's face it, this whole scene is iconic. It's been imitated numerous times, and no wonder, it's definitely memorable. The dress itself has become so popular that costume companies sell it as a Halloween costume. I've considered buying it myself a couple of times I must confess. The original dress is actually up for auction at the Hollywood Memorabilia Auction as of yesterday (Lot 832). The dress is a silk taffeta strapless dress designed by William Travilla. Originally it was designed as a two piece gown, but it had to be altered because the top portion kept separating when Marilyn would raise her arms during the scene. The original top portion of the dress is included with the lot. It's estimated at $150,000 - $200,000. That'll buy you a pretty good size diamond too wouldn't you say?
2.The "barbecue dress" worn by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (Selznick International Pictures, 1939)
Although I have never watched Gone with the Wind in it's entirety, I am familiar with most of the iconic dresses worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara, including this silk organza number. The original dress is currently held by the Costume and Textile Department of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It was carefully restored in 1976. The gown was designed by Walter Plunkett, who traveled to several Southern historical societies to do research about Civil War era gowns. He designed the original pattern which is now exclusively available from Pegee of Williamsburg, which offers historically significant patterns. The color green was chosen to bring out Vivien Leigh's eyes, which it surely does if I do say so myself.
3. The black and white dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina (Paramount Pictures, 1954)
I'm not sure who the real designer is behind this black and white ballgown worn by Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina. Costume design for the movie was done by both Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy. Actually this marked the beginning of a long relationship between Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy. When he was asked to design for Hepburn, he thought he would be designing for Katherine Hepburn, as he had never heard of Audrey Hepburn. Edith Head refused to have Givenchy's name listed besides hers in the movie's credits, so ultimately the Academy Award for best costume was given solely to Edith Head for this film. Interestingly the characters of Linus and Sabrina go see The Seven Year Itch (the play) during the movie. The film version was out the following year, which leads me to another famous white dress.
4. The white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch (Twentieth Century Fox, 1955)
Actually the dress is ivory, and it is currently housed at the Hollywood Motion Picture Museum, which is a collection of more than 3,500 costumes put together by Debbie Reynolds. She founded the museum in 1972 and it is reportedly worth more than $50 million dollars. It is pictured on the museum's website as the ivory pleated "subway" dress. The museum was set to open originally in Hollywood, but it is now slated to open in Belle Island Village, Tennessee. William Travilla also designed this dress for Marilyn. The scene that has made this dress so famous was originally shot on location in New York City, on Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street, but the noise from the crowds made the scene unusable (not to mention Joe DiMaggio was pretty upset over the whole spectacle). The scene in the movie was eventually accomplished after more than 40 takes on a closed set built to replicate the Lexington Avenue location.
5.The white slip worn by Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1958)
The Cat in the production's title refers to Elizabeth Taylor's character, Maggie "the Cat". Although the slip I'm referencing here is not a 'dress' per say, you could argue that it's a precursor to the modern slip dress. Elizabeth Taylor also wears a stunning white cocktail dress in the movie, but I think the image of her wearing the white slip is much more iconic. Helen Rose was the costume designer for the film. The film was supposed to be shot in black and white, but it was filmed in color because of Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman's striking eye colors. Sadly, on the day filming began, Taylor's third husband was killed in a plane crash. Filming was delayed, but Taylor continued with the film.
6. Adrian gowns worn by Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell in The Women (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939)
This is one of my favorite movies. The whole wardrobe of the movie is spectacular, but I just love the gowns worn by the three leading ladies in the final scenes of the movie, especially Joan Crawford's gold two-piece sequin gown. It looks like the skirt, at least, was auctioned off through Christie's in 2006. The gowns were all designed by Adrian (Adrian Adolph Greenberg), who was an American designer most well-known for designing Dorothy's red ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Adrian worked with some of the biggest stars of Hollywood, and was also credited with Joan Crawford's signature shoulder pad look. (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939)
7. The wedding dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face (Paramount Pictures, 1957)
If you are looking for a knock-off version of this classic wedding gown, or even of the black and white one Hepburn wore in Sabrina, you can go to Lightinthebox.com. Of course you will join a multitude of brides who covet this classic look of satin and a tea-length, full tulle skirt. In the movie the wedding dress is by a designer named Paul Duval, although Audrey Hepburn's costume designers at this point were still Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy. This time around both received a nomination for best costume design for this movie from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, although the award went to Les Girls (Sol C. Siegel Productions, 1957). In the movie Fred Astaire's character, Dick Avery, was inspired by Richard Avedon, an American fashion and portrait photographer.
8. The pink ballgown worn by Billie Burke in The Wizard of Oz (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939)
Maybe I remember this dress so much because as a child I was fascinated by it. I mean what little girl wouldn't be. It's poufy, it's pink, it glitters, and it even comes with a crown and a wand. I'm not sure if it is another Adrian creation, but he is listed as the costume designer for the film. In the original book by L. Frank Baum, Glinda is depicted as wearing a "pure white dress" and she is the Good Witch of the South. She is committed to restoring the throne of rightful heir Princess Ozma, and her court is made up of all women. For the 1939 film version of the The Wizard of Oz, the character of Glinda is a combination of the Good Witch of the South and the Good Witch of the North, who in the book has no name. Her character is played by actress Billie Burke, who was 53 at the time. She had also previously played Judy Garland's mother in Everybody Sing (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1938). She also played Elizabeth Taylor's mother-in-law in Father of the Bride (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1950) and Father's Little Dividend (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951).
9. The black satin dress worn by Rita Hayworth in Gilda (Columbia Pictures Corporation, 1946)
During the filming of this scene in the movie Gilda, Rita Hayworth had to wear a corset under the gown because she had recently given birth to her daughter Rebecca (with Orson Welles). She wears the dress during a scene where her character sings "Put the Blame on Mame". The dress was designed by Jean Louis (another famous dress designed by Louis was the one Marilyn Monroe wore to sing Happy Birthday to JFK). Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino, daughter of a Spanish flamenco dancer whose mom (of Irish and English descent) was named Volga Hayworth. Her grandfather, Antonio Cansino, is credited for having made the bolero famous. One of the legends is that the Margarita was named after her when she was dancing under her real name in Tijuana, Mexico. She was also once a cover girl for Nails magazine, and is credited with starting the trend of using nail polish on the entire nail (hot pink was her color of choice). Her hair was naturally black, not red, and in 1949 she was the first movie star to marry a prince, not Grace Kelly, as most people assume. Also of note is that she was the first choice to play Ilsa Lund in Casablanca and her marriage to Prince Aly Khan served as inspiration for the character of Maria Vargas in The Barefoot Contessa (Figaro, 1954), played by Ava Gardner.
10. The white jacket worn by Kim Novack in Vertigo(Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, 1958). (Yes, I know it's not a dress, but it's iconic nonetheless, and this is my list!)
First off, I love this movie, and pretty much all of Hitchcock's films. He definitely had a thing for the blonde protagonist, and Kim Novak was no exception. I also love this film because of the San Francisco location, which is a city close to my heart. I picked this as my 10th choice because even though it is not a dress, I think it is a classic look that you could say was a precursor for Sharon Stone's iconic white dress and coat in Basic Instinct (Carolco Pictures, 1992). The grey suit Novak wears in the film, (which she purportedly hated wearing, but did so because she felt that it was symbolic of her character Madeleine) perhaps comes to mind as well. Edith Head was the costume designer for this film, and she added a black scarf to the white coat in order to provide contrast. The whole idea was to give an eerie quality to Madeleine's wardrobe. Interestingly this film is one of five that was unavailable for 30 years. It resurfaced in 1984, along with Rope (Transatlantic Pictures, 1948), Rear Window (Paramount Pictures, 1954), The Trouble with Harry (Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, 1955), and The Man Who Knew Too Much (Paramount Pictures, 1956), after Hitchcock bought back the rights.
Honorable Mentions: The white dress worn by Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief (Paramount Pictures, 1955) and the black dress worn by Ava Gardner in The Killers (Universal Pictures, 1946)
Back when I was house hunting before purchasing the house I currently live in I paid extra close attention to the years the houses were built.I was especially drawn to houses built in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.The older the better if you ask me.I know it’s clichéd, but they really don’t build them like they used to.We saw houses that were built in the 1970’s and 1980’s and you could practically hear each other breathe through those cheap, thin walls, not to mention that architectural details are almost non-existent, and frankly I’m not a fan of the open floor plan.Viewing older homes I came across several very charming houses that included details that you just don’t see anymore, like coved ceilings, inlaid floors, and curved walls.Our house was built in 1941, and next year I will celebrate its 70th birthday (still deciding on what kind of cake it prefers - red velvet? tres leches? hmmmm).The architecture is extremely simple in our house.The fireplace is the most elaborate piece.If at one point it had crown mouldings, they are absent today, which is a project I plan to take on in the next few months.It does have a chair rail in the dining room, which I love, a curved detail in the hallway closet, a built-in ironing board, and this really great detail that harkens back to the days of milk deliveries (more on that in my next post).I think perhaps since it was 1941 and World War II was going on, builders probably relinquished most adornments and extra details when building a house.Nonetheless I love my house, and my interest in the year it was built led me to find several images from 1941.
The first is an advertisement for Coty Air Spun Makeup. The image is from the website Adclassix.com, and itfeatures a beautiful blonde wearing red lipstick of course. I really love the colorful containers pictured at the bottom of the ad. And what about those prices! $1 dollar for the air spun powder and 50 cents for the rouge. You even get shade suggestions for brunettes and blondes (don't know what the red-heads or raven-haired girls will do).
The next image I found and liked is one from April 1941 by photographer William C. Shrout, from the LIFE photo archive. It features Dorothy Lamour during a soldiers party on a beach in Hawaii. The young man accompanying her is carrying a small dog, which I thought was really cute (although the dog doesn't look all that happy to be there). Earlier that year, in January, soldiers held another party in her honor where Dorothy dined with the soldiers in the mess hall. Since she was considered to be one of the most popular pinup girls of that era, I can only imagine the thrill these servicemen got from interacting with the movie star. As part of the war effort, Dorothy Lamour, along with other Hollywood stars, toured the country promoting the purchase of U.S. government bonds. The actress was born in New Orleans and was 27 that year. Her movie, Aloma of the South Seas, was released in August 1941.
Another one that caught my eye is actually from Australia. The photograph shows two models outside the Minerva French Perfumery in Kings Cross, Sydney (photograph by Russell Roberts). The fashion of the time is really apparent, with the two women wearing hats, gloves, dresses, beautiful jeweled brooches, and one of them is wearing what looks to be a fox fur stole. I love this about decades past - men and women really took care in what they wore. I mean have you ever seen an I Love Lucy episode when Ricky is not wearing a suit and tie (besides the one where he refuses to throw out his old clothes)? Lucy even cleans in a dress! When I vacuum you'll find me in my pajamas and a pair of socks. I could go on with this, but I'll save it for another post. I also love the picture because of the perfumery itself. The curved walls of the facade and the lettering is so emblematic of the time period. All in all, 1941 was a very stylish year even with a war blazing on.
