A Very Vintage Holiday Season to you!

I adore the Holiday Season. All the holidays..... it's wonderful that there are so many different celebrations that take place, all the world over....festivals of light, days of thanksgiving, the birth of a new year... Christmas is my personal favorite. Besides having been a magical part of my childhood it is also a reminder to me that hope, love and peace are the greatest gifts mankind can ever wish for.

I love everything Christmas and being a vintage kind of gal, it's no wonder the nostalgia that permeates this season touches something deep inside of me. I'm a complete sucker for the old movies (Miracle on 34th Street STILL brings a lump to my throat). I love traditional food, especially old family recipes that take time to prepare AND I am addicted to vintage Christmas decor.

I began collecting Christmas memorabilia when I was just a teenager. My Mom was an antique dealer so we went to a lot of yard sales. My first find was a box of never used, 1950s Christmas cards that could be used as tree ornaments. They were utterly charming! Colorful gingerbread men, singing angels, snowmen, wreaths and lanterns and of course Jolly old Santa! I was SO hooked!

I never became a serious collector and I must confess I never really spent any time researching my finds. Rarity and value were never the point for me. Mostly I just picked up things that struck my fancy. Angels and elves, interesting ornaments, figurines...I treasure them all, from my silly plastic Snoopy with reindeer horns to my one and only Victorian glass bird.

It's been a while since I've taken the time to blog. Time just gets away... but today I decided to put everything down and take a few pictures so I could share some of my favorite vintage Christmas pieces and to wish you all the very best during this beautiful season.

Melody

Vintage Fashion Guild News!

Illustration above from the exhibition - "Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915. Los Angeles County Museum of Art."

If you are already familiar with the online website The Vintage Fashion Guild you know what an amazing resource it is. If not you simply MUST check them out. The website features a public forum where you can ask the experts just about any question regarding vintage and where you can share your passion for past fashions. They also have an amazing labels resource section with pictures and a brief history of hundreds of vintage fashion labels. There are articles and workshops and for eye candy, a seasonal parade of vintage fashions. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better they debuted their new Newsletter!

I joined the Guild a few years ago and it has been such a joy to be a member. If you are drawn to the world of fashion and love vintage I highly recommend you hop over there this very minute :)

Best to all, Melody

SOWA Vintage Market! A little vintage heaven in Boston!

Funky Fun and Fabulous! Vintage (for both home and wardrobe) has come to the South End of Boston by way of a Sunday Open Market and it appears there has been a standing ovation.

The SOWA Vintage Market has been operating on Sundays since the end of May and was scheduled to close for the season this past Halloween weekend. Since the day it opened locals and out of town visitors have been flocking to the large retro-fit warehouse on Harrison Ave. to shop and browse booth after booth filled with everything vintage (including the kitchen sink). The owners are selective about their vendors so standards are high yet prices are surprisingly affordable. As a result, the market has become overwhelmingly popular. It's no wonder the dealers and customers began lobbying for extending the season weeks ago AND they have been heard! Owners Stephanie Pernice and John Warren have decided to add another three weeks to the schedule Hooray!

How do I know all of this? I'm one of the Vintage clothing dealers and I couldn't be happier. SOWA has become one of my favorite venues. The customers are fantastic and not just because they shop. Bob and I meet all kinds of interesting people from every walk of life and I should also mention the place is pet friendly, how great is that?

So if you are in the Boston area over any of the next three Sundays ( Nov. 7th, 14th and 21st) come over to the SOWA Vintage Market and check it out. I'll be in my usual spot at the Albany St. end of the building :)

For directions and info on free parking click here. I sure do hope you can come but if you can't don't worry SOWA will be back in May!

Melody

...not just a brooch

Today I posted an antique Art Nouveau sash pin on my website. A lot of people I meet love old brooches but they just don't wear pins so in my description I mentioned how I often re purpose these beauties (and dress clips too) into eye catching pendants and choker necklaces.




"Wide velvet ribbon tied behind the neck and an antique sash pin make a beautiful choker"




It got me to thinking about how much fun it is to find creative alternative uses for old bits and baubles. I thought I would share a couple of my own favorites.

Recently I purchased a wonderful belt buckle at a vintage show. I fell in love with it but almost passed it over because I thought it was too delicate for a belt. THEN I held it up to my neck and the light went on! What an interesting pendant it would make. There were two holes in the back, just right for attaching a chain. All I needed was a length of chain, two jump rings and needle nose pliers.....in ten minutes I had a wonderful "new" necklace!

My favorite do-over necklace came from an old "apple juice" Bakelite lamp pull. Once again I fell in love with the look of the object.

In a box of flea market junk, I spotted a funny looking sphere on a short bit of brass chain. The amber colored ball had the most beautiful warm glow when the light hit it just the right way, I was mesmerized. The dealer said it came from a broken lamp and sold it to me for just a few dollars. I knew it would make a fabulous pendant so the minute I got home I began to rummage around for a chain to hang it on. Since then it has become my favorite necklace and I have had countless people comment on it. Some have even offered to buy it right off of my neck! No way I say!

If this sounds like your cup of tea, just let the muse flow. If something catches your eye and speaks to you, think outside the box. A brooch doesn't have to just be a brooch.

Just a note for your consideration.... if you decide to get creative with old jewelry please do it without harming the piece. Unless an item is badly broken don't do anything that can't be undone. On a practical level this will destroy it's monetary value and on an emotional level it's terribly sad to see a piece of history ruined forever.

Take care now
Melody

A Bountiful Harvest!

I know...it's not about vintage but I just had to brag about the bountiful harvest Bob and I are getting from our tiny community gardens! Who knew two little 5' x 8' patches of earth could reap such reward! Last night I made the most delicious curried chicken stew with home grown chili peppers and tomatoes and a refreshing raita with the cucumbers (OK so my Mom grew the cucumbers) Yum!

Tonight I'll be doing roasted butternut squash. Life is good and I am grateful :)

Melody

How to dress for that Mad Men Party

So ladies, how DOES one dress for a "Mad Men" party?

The block buster television series, Mad Men, is in it's fourth season and going stronger than ever. The story line is riveting and the actors are phenomenal. In the off chance that you are not familiar with the show the series centers around a New York City ad agency and the lives of the people who work there. It takes place during the first half of the 1960s, a golden age of sorts. Employment was high, housing was affordable and the consumer market was booming. As you can imagine the ad business was populated by ambitious men and women on the cutting edge of popular culture. A big reason the show has been such a screaming success is the meticulous attention the creators have paid to accurate set design and costuming. The watcher is transported in every way to the time of the story.

In the past couple of years Mad Men has brought new interest to the world of vintage (yippee!). People are throwing Mad Men parties for all kinds of occasions and the question I hear most is "how do I dress?" The first question I ask is who do you want to emulate? Are you going for the Betty look... suburban-chic and sweet? Is Joan your muse...sophisticated and sensual? How about prim Peggy or my favorite, Rachel Menken from the earlier seasons, with her tailored couture look? These are some of the main characters but there are plenty of office girls and executives wives both young and "mature" to look to for inspiration.

As the seasons continue I suppose I will also have to ask which year they would like to focus on because as we enter into season four we should be seeing the fashions change. The mid sixties saw an explosion of trends, with the Mod look at the forefront of "new" fashion. For now though we can stick with the earlier sixties.

For simplicity I'm going to break the looks into three categories.

Suburban Sophisticates

City Chic

Office Girl

If you are going for suburban sophisticates (think Betty and neighbors) there are a few looks that will work well. For casual, try a shirtwaist cotton dress...fitted at the waist with full skirt. Not too long though, just a couple inches below the knee. Full or slim skirts and narrow cropped slacks were popular. You can team them with cotton camp style blouses or matching sweater sets. Simple pearls and small earrings and flats for shoes were common daytime accessories. For a dressier look you can go with one of those iconic slim evening gowns...sleeveless with jewel or lace trims and scooped necklines or a full skirted party dress with fitted bodice, also sleeveless. Long gloves would be a nice touch and pointed toe shoes with stiletto heels would be the footwear of choice.

City chic refers to the fashionistas of the day. Joan and Rachel had different styles but they both knew the latest vogue. Joan was ahead of the curve (pun intended) with her smart office dresses and ensembles that tastefully accentuated her bombshell figure. Although her style was form fitting I don't ever recall seeing any cleavage. Joan dresses would have narrow fitted skirts cut to just below the knee. They may have a fitted bodice but never a low neckline. Often times they had a draped detail or scarf at the neck highlighted with a large brooch. At home she wore tight capris and snug fitting tops.

Rachel's wardrobe was elegant and exquisitely tailored. It whispered Paris and money to me. She wore understated classics with statement accessories. I think of Chanel when I think Rachel Menken. Suits with cropped jackets and narrow skirts in fine wools and lovely tweeds are perfect. Bracelet length sleeves with gloves and oversized bangles and don't forget a set of multistrand beads the more strands the better. A touch of animal print in a scarf or blouse and if you dare a be-feathered bubble hat. Again, pointed toe shoes and stiletto heel.

The office girls are a bit less sophisticated and Peggy Olsen the ambitious secretary turned copy writer wore prim somewhat outdated clothing, especially in the beginning. Her dresses and ensembles were buttoned up with fitted bodices and full long skirts, longer than the look of the day. They often had dainty girlish details like little bows and Peter Pan collars. She wore little hats off the back of her head and short white gloves.

If you REALLY want authenticity get out the curlers and hairspray. If your hair is long do a side part and sweep the back up into a chignon, tease a little on top for a bit of height. For medium length hair curl the edges up into a flip and spray spray spray! if it's short try parting on the side and styling some waves, you can also wear a head band. For the finishing touch find a 1960s handbag, similar to the one in the picture below.

So... I think I've covered most of it, I might just add brocade or satin matching coats and dresses, they were quite popular for cocktail and evening. If it's cold outside you just might want to wear a vintage lady like coat. After the party you can wear it with jeans, boots and cozy scarf. Vintage coats are the Best!

There really are a lot of avenues to explore. Pick the one that you think would be the most fun for you. The good news is that there is a generous supply of Mad Men era clothing on the vintage market. Because it was an affluent time in our history women had more money to spend so they bought more clothing and accessories. Quality was still important so the things we find today are often in decent condition. If you would like to learn some of the important ins and outs of shopping for Vintage look for our book The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping. It can be found here on Amazon.com. or get a signed copy from our website. Happy vintage hunting and have a Mad-ball!

Fall Fashions 1954

I just love vintage fashion and never seem to tire of it. A nice cup of tea and a pile of old fashion or ladies magazines is my idea of heaven. I don't care if it's Vogue, Ladies Home Journal or Montgomery Ward, if there are clothes to look at I'm happy. Actually, one of my favorite exercises is to pick different publications from the same time frame and compare. This helps me to develop a broad sense of the various styles for those couple of years. Besides it being fun I also have a professional interest. Part of my job is to try and accurately date the vintage I sell and this helps me tremendously.

So often when people are trying to date vintage they neglect to consider the market it came from. Couture and important designer fashions presage mainstream fashion, sometimes by years. It's important to understand that most vintage on the market would have been manufactured ready to wear. Cutting edge couture and designer clothing is rare so when you shop vintage you are most likely seeing styles that came to market after they first debuted on the Paris runway. Since most fashion history information focuses on famous designers this can become confusing.

I thought it might be fun to pick a time and do a quick blog. Lets look at Fall 1954.

Below are some quick sketch notes I did while I was looking at the styles being shown by Paris designers for Fall 1954

As you can see 1954 Fall silhouettes on the Paris runway showed smoother less pronounced bustlines. Waistlines were shaped but often less "cinched" and they were migrating up or down a bit. Shoulder lines were sloped and the neckline or collar was a favorite design focus... think sculpted. The fall runway was plentiful with fur and velvet trimmed jackets. Skirts were either reed thin or full ( but less full than before) with hemlines just a tad below mid calf. Tailored bows seemed to be the seasons choice for accent. Hats ranged from the occasional pillbox to small platters and asymmetrical, head hugging caps. Modified turbans were worn back on the head away from the face. Prominent colors were black, brown, gray and neutral tones, often in tone on tone combinations however there were experiments in bold color as well. Suits, coats and jackets were fashioned from rich tweeds and lovely wools along with short haired furs like Persian lamb, ocelot and ermine. Gowns were rare, most cocktail and evening dresses were similar in length to day wear. Popular fabrics for evening were heavy satin, taffeta and moiré.

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Now lets take a look at mail order fashions from the Montgomery Ward catalogue Fall/Winter 1954/1955. These are the pieces you are more likely to come across in your hunt for vintage. They represent what was popular in mainstream society.



Right off you can see that the shoulder line is still somewhat defined in suits and dresses, not as sloped as the Paris styles. Fur trimmed jackets and coats had not been adopted yet, that came later. Although there were straight skirts, the pencil thin skirt is no where to be seen. Necklines are modest and collars diminutive. Dresses tend to have fitted bodices with full skirts. If the skirt IS straight then it often has a slight a-line cut. Bouffant formal gowns were still hitting the floor and dinner dresses looked a lot like day dresses but done in fabrics like taffeta, faille and velvet or velveteen. Cotton day dresses had short sleeves, fitted bodices and flared skirts. Decorative pockets, piping accents and dressmaker details added interest. Plaids and solids dominated, and prints tended to be small. Separates were very popular... waist length sweaters, blouses and skirts. The catalogue did feature pants for women, full pleated trousers and cropped knicker lengths as well. Three quarter length sleeves were not common and seem to be confined to a few dinner dresses and sweaters. Coats (not pictured) were mostly softly fashioned with a gentle flare or "swing. They featured both long and short coats. There were a couple with defined waist. Coat wools were soft and lustrous I saw two speckle tweeds. Colors for most clothing was subdued. Black, gray, navy and neutrals but there was some color and turquoise was featured often. I saw shades of red from wine to cherry and some muted green here and there. Hats were brimless in a variety of molded shapes... caplets, bonnets, draped profile caps and toques. I saw no turban styles or platter hats to speak of.

As you can see high end runway styles were very different from everyday fashions. I've covered a little ground in this blog but there is so much more. Pick any year and you will discover that there were differences in style from one coast to the other. California did dressy casual to perfection while New York was the land of chic. Junior fashions were more innovative and Misses fashions tended to change more slowly. The more you know, the more you realize there is to learn and that just means more fun finding out!

'Til next time best to all, Melody