This is an iffy thing I am doing; this trying to resurrect a blog from the dead. It did not go so well for the Mother Earth News, the Whole Earth Catalog, or for Life Magazine. Yet here I am, at the keyboard. Shall we see what we can find?
Since last I wrote, I've made a wonderful discovery: Thrifted and Modern. Their offerings span from the hundreds of dollars to under $50.00, and their sense of chic is spot on. These are vintage clothing pieces that are as fashionable today as they were the day the garments were sewn. Each has it's own timeless personality and belongs on the back of a woman who has the confidence to be fashion forward while being fashion retro.
Among my most recent find there is this magnificent Pierre Cardin Bow Dress:
Isn't that simply yummy? Fully lined, this dress was fashioned by Pierre Cardin for the Ready to Wear Line at Nieman Marcus. It is silk satin and features four dropped waist bows. From the 1980's, this dress is marked as a size 12, and the measurements seem to make that spot on today. Still, as always, I encourage you to compare the measurements of the garment to something that fits you well before clicking the buy button. Yours for $148.00, this is a dress that will last you a lifetime and take you fashionably through any coming trend.
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Also from Thrifted and Modern, is this magnificent Dress and Vest Set by Nina Ricci.
I think this thing is so chic it could take the paint off the walls. I want to wear this to Fashion Week in New York. I want to casually walk by a photographer for Women's Wear Daily dolled up in this. I want to turn heads and stop traffic. Originally minted in the 1960's, I think this is so fashion forward that anyone who didn't know 60's fashions would think it was new. Fantastically turned out in stripes of orange, gold, and avocado this color scheme still works fabulously today. The vest is fully lined in bright orange silk. I must admit I would be terribly tempted to wear it with the vest unbuttoned. If you could find some platform pumps in the right shade of orange, well, you'd have an ensemble to die for.
Available for a not insubstantial $499, but again, I must point out you'd have an outfit that would last you a lifetime.
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Lest you think Thrifted and Modern is only for those with deep pockets, they have a clearance section that has some fine merchandise as well. With summer just around the corner and everyone's mind turning to the breezy maxi, this Joseph Magnin 70's Maxi Dress is available for a mere $37.00.
The dress is in marvelous vintage condition and is cut beautifully for any figure. The robin's egg blue is an almost universally flattering color, and I just adore the fluttering sleeves and the empire waist. Appropriate for a walk in the park or to wear to a wedding, this dress is full of affordable possibilities.
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I found these Killer Sunglasses at my favorite Etsy haunt: DeniseBrain.
These shades are just exactly the right shape and color to make the most of today's summer fashions, and I love, love, love them with gloves. Oh! If only I could get everyone to wear gloves again! But I'll spare you that rant, and instead just rant on about these great sunglasses from the 1960's. When LBJ was President and The Beatles were taking us all to Strawberry Fields, some fashionable young lady was riding in a convertible with these shades on! If you look for them and find them sold, it may well be that I gave in and purchased them. If you can beat me to them, they're yours for $49.00.
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I'm amazed at the modern lines of this 50's - 60's Black and Tan Jersey Dress offered by Etsy's DarkBloomVintage.
Another timeless dress with an empire waist, this dress reminds me of much of the current origami rage in the lines of today's dresses. Fully lined in black cotton / linen fabric. Closes in back with metal zipper topped with a hook-and-eye. This dress is in almost mint condition and sells for a low $80.00.
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There are few things I love more than the lines of a suit from the mid 1950's, and this 50's Saks Fifth Avenue Skirt Suit is all that and more:
This warm colored tan suit is fully lined, and in superb condition. Unfortunately, the seller, LondonCouture does not list the fabric content, but this is obviously a quality suit and the name Saks Fifth Avenue is enough to assure that no expense was spared in it's construction. Alas, the skirt has a 24" waist, so you'll either have to squeeze into a 50's girdle or be a tiny creature to wear it. For myself, I would consider a girdle a small price to pay. The suit features a notched color and bracelet length sleeves typical of the period. Wonderfully, all the original buttons are still present. Available for purchase for only $90.00, this is another outfit that, if well cared for, should last you a life time.
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This 50's style dress from eBay is spot on fashion forward today, perhaps even more so than when it was made in the 1980's.
I just love the squared neckline and the side-buttoned bodice. The swing skirt may need a crinoline to give it the proper fullness, but it's the element that moves this dress completely into the twenty-first century. Offered by Shantilliy-Lace Vintage this inky black dress was made by Lanz. The dress is about a 2-4 with a 32" bust and a 26" waist. Would that I could shrink myself down and squeeze into it! With 5 bids so far and 4 days to go, the current winning bid is $7.50, an unbelievable bargain from anyone's point of view. I expect it to close much higher, but it should be fun to watch it over the next several days.
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Moving to something slightly larger, this Floral Empire Waist Column Dress is a size 12, though the back ties should make it accommodate a woman of smaller stature. I wouldn't put it on the back of anyone below a size 8 without being willing to do some alterations, but it really is amazing what back ties can do to flatter the figure of almost any woman.
It might be wise to bring up the hemline a bit to make it a touch more au currant, but I have to admit I like long dresses, and this is long enough to pass for a maxi with most women. The print is a lovely floral on a celery green background featuring pink and red flowers which look somewhat like carnations (I don't know my flowers). The dress is offered by The Closet Guru for a Buy-It-Now price of $21.00.
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Also on eBay is this fabulous 1950's Wiggle Dress with Matching Full Length Jacket which would be simply smashing for a second, or simple wedding.
This looks to me like a silk satin, but there is no fabric information on the auction site, so please bear in mind that is my guess. The seller does say the dress is of wedding quality with the only issue being some minor underarm staining. The dress is in need of dry cleaning. Besides a wedding, this would be a wonderful dress to wear to the opera, the symphony, or anything else for which one wants to "put on the Ritz". The dress features a 36" shelf bust, 25" waist and 40" hips, so it's another dress for which one must break out the fifties undergarments. C'mon. You've been dying for an excuse to break out the bullet bra anyway, admit it!
Offered for bidding by Dani-Pulsar, I invite you to look at the other lovely items she has up for sale. The dress has a Buy-It-Now price of $279, but she is open to accepting offers. If you've never made an offer before, consider this your opportunity to get something for a dream price. You never know until you ask, and unless your offer is so low as to be insulting, you have nothing to lose.
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This lovely Short Day Dress in the fresh spring print is just what every woman needs to meet the coming season.
I love the empire waist, the boldness of the print, and it is just the right length: short enough to be interesting but long enough to still be wearable by women over 30. The dress is unlined crepe and a size 42, but I don't know if that's a French or Italian 42, so here are the measurements: 36, 28, 42. I would say that's about a size 8 American. Offered for sale by ToTryHard, any longtime reader of this blog knows my fondness for this seller. If you don't take the time to look at what she has to offer, well don't come crying to me when you missed to bargain of the decade. Speaking of bargains, this dress is up for auction for 7 more days and has yet to get it's opening bid of $0.99. Someone may practically steal this dress before it's all said and done.
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This grey tweed suit from the late 50's to early 60's is stunningly tailored and has been well loved and cared for in the past 50 years. The jacket features five buttons up the front, a button each on the two faux pockets, and a button at the cuff of each bracelet length sleeve. The skirt is partially lined and features a metal zipper going up one side. The suit is in excellent condition with the exception of a four inch rip in the lining of the jacket. This rip can be easily sewn. So easily, in fact, that I would not hesitate to take it on, and I am barely on speaking terms with needles and threads.
A fine example of mid-century craftsmanship, this immaculate suit is being offered by lu-owl-vintage-clothing for the unbelievably low Buy-It-Now-Price of $54.99. This is the first time I've ever offered anything from this seller, and I was pleasingly surprised at the quality of their offerings. Do browse their listings, and lets make them welcome on eBay (though they may have been there longer than I have and I joined in 1999!)
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This skirt is Italian made and is an Italian size 26. I have no idea what that translates to in American, and I would strongly encourage anyone considering buying the skirt to write and ask for measurements. Ladies and gentlemen, let us bear in mind this is from Givenchy, the designer who dressed the elegant and unequalled Ms. Audrey Hepburn. The skirt is 97% wool with 3% elastic, and closes with a zipper up the back. Current bidding is at $40.00.
Housing Works provides housing, health care and counseling to the homeless HIV Positive population of New York City. They have thrift shops through out New York, and if you live there, I would like to encourage you to seek them out. They have fine designer fashions at unheard of prices.
And on that note I will tell you what a pleasure it is to be hunting through the vintage sections of the internet with a purpose again. I hope very much that you've enjoyed reading this little bit of shopping trivia, that you've been inspired to either purchase something featured here or make another vintage purchase. Until I write again, thank you for joining me and I wish you happy shopping!
Second Hand Roze
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