pretty dresses preview

Eight exceptionally pretty 1940s and 1950s dresses--plus sweaters, skirts, and other items--coming to the shop this week!  It's kind of a big preview, so I made little collages rather than bombarding you with all the big photos.  (You can click the collages to enlarge them.)

early 1950s L'Aiglon sheer Shade Tree print dress

1940s plaid cotton dress by Ann Foster

1950s blue dot bow collar dress by Nelly Don

1940s sheer blush pink branch print dress with rhinestone buttons

1950s blue floral cotton dress by Helga

1940s blue plaid sailor collar dress by Meryl Joy

1950s white floral print polished cotton dress  with mesh insets and rhinestone and bead trim by Bramson

1950s navy floral print dress with velvet ribbon trim

1950s amber sharkskin Peter Pan collar blouse

1950s fern print full skirt

navy wool military style cape

1950s chartreuse peony print skirt

1950s maroon floral print blouse by HyanniSport

1970s Italian wool space dyed vest and cardigan set

1950s pale pink blooms cardigan by Talbott

xo

K

august 1957 in ads

So last month I covered 1964 in ads, and it was so much fun (for me, anyway) that I had to do it again.  I chose August 1957.  The ads are from Life magazines, which are available online, and there were so many good ones that I had to split it up into two parts.  The first part focused on back to school ads, and you can see that post here.  This one...well, let's just say there are an awful lot of beer ads.

Enjoy.  (I did!)

(You might notice I've re-done the blog banner again.  I think the other was too vertically challenging.  I'll probably change it up six more times.)

Bedroom eyes and haystacks.  I get what you're trying to do here, Du Pont.  (And I like that scarf collar cardigan!)

I always love seeing ads for things I've sold in the shop.  I've sold a few pairs of Williams brand flats.  They're always really cute...and isn't her skirt great?

Yeah, sister.  If he's happy, you're happy, so if you know what's good for you, you'll let him smoke that nasty thing.

Like Oktoberfest.  Only really schlitzy.

I have to say, this does look really appealing.  I can't find anything to snark about here.

What's with the songs and these beer ads?  I bet Red Cap wasn't all that unusual, either, no matter what the song says.  I bet it tasted just like Hamm's and Schlitz.  What I do find unusual is the guy with the accordion.  Was that a thing at cookouts in the 1950s?  If so...awesome.  I do love the Red Cap label.

Hey, neat!  A beer ad directed at women.  Unless it's directed at dudes who like ladies in swim caps.  Whatever.  The ad copy is about quenching your thirst, and she's obviously had a workout.  Or is already a little bit drunk, maybe.

Cute shoes!  But the ad is confusing me.  (What's new.)  Why wouldn't a mother and daughter wear the same style shoe?  I mean, I've seen those Real Housewives shows.  Stripper heels know no age.  Why would the cute flats of the 1950s be different?

Yum.  I love burgers.  And A1 Sauce.  Also love the hookup of PBR and A1 in this ad.  Beer and food go together, might as well advertise together.  Oh wait--what's that copy say?  "When it's a meal mainly for men"--oh--"here's a top notcher combination."  Crap.  Guess I'll take my lame low notcher lady ass over to Eva Longoria's steakhouse for women, which appeals to my femaleness with such obviously lady-centric things as "smaller plates and portions," "a runway for fashion shows," "Cirque du Soleil-type performers," and most of all "cryogenic fog and rain curtains."  Gosh, I hope the rain is pink.  Actually, since I'm a lady and it's 1957 I'll just have a leaf of iceberg lettuce with some cottage cheese and a pineapple slice.  Thank you.

"WONDERFULLY...your gin drinks COME TO LIFE", grow to the size of water towers and take over the universe!  Why aren't these guys running and screaming?  Dudes.  There's a GIANT bottle of Seagram's and two mega cocktails right behind you.  And they're ALIVE!

Salem menthols.  Like a fresh mountain breeze.  During a forest fire.  Near a tar pit.  That they're attempting to put out with Listerine.

Can't say nothing bad about HoJo's.  And I'll just say here that I really enjoyed the Mad Men episode set there.

Oh, cute!  It's nice they're letting her drink some beer.  Although, really, she's just holding it aloft.  And it seems like he's kind of more into his beer than her.  Maybe things aren't so perfect under the surface.  Maybe she's handing that beer off to someone else.  Maybe she's about to pour it over his big dumb head.

I really like that lamp hanging over the dresser.  (Sorry to be all Brick Tamland "I love lamp"; I don't have anything else to say about this.  I only left it in because it was the only furniture ad that grabbed my eye, which is sad, because it is, like, 1957, right?)

Not as odd as the noir-ish Dan River Fabrics ad from this post...the ladies clothing shown here is great.  I especially love that wacky striped pants/hoodie number.

It's bean-time.  End.  Of.  Story.

Hey look!  It's the original nerd-spectacled, vinyl-loving hipsters!  (Oh, and also another disinterested boy.)

More.  Giant.  Booze.  I think all the sad ladies of the 1950s are swimming around in these huge dranky-dranks.

Geez.  Black Label is so low rent they can't even come up with a song.  Just a lousy four-word rhyme.

xo

K

a new look + an accessories update

It's the first shop accessories preview of the month!  A few of these are already in the shop; if they are, you can click the link under the photo to take you to it.

Also, I changed up the blog header.  Is it annoying that it's such a vertically huge photo?  Let me know.

1930s brown leather oxford heels, by Natural Bridge Shoes.

1950s metallic olive green strappy high heels, by QualiCraft.

1980s black Italian brogues with heels.

1920s black leather shoes.

1970s caramel leather purse.

1940s brown alligator (or alligator texture) oversize clutch.

1950s fur beret with grosgrain ribbon bow.

1950s polka dot clover silk scarf.

Mid century modern abstract print scarf.

xo

k

shop preview

This shop update has suede tulips, studded crepe, snakeskin corduroy (!), and an art nouveau print.  All coming to the shop over the next week.

Suede tulip cape.

1930s studded pumpkin crepe dress, with a FOGA (Fashion Originators Guild of America) label.

1960s art nouveau print top.

1960s autumn paisley print shirt dress, by Lady Bayard.

Hand woven red wool mother and daughter skirts from Madawaska Weavers of New Brunswick, Canada.   Madawaska Weavers was open until sometime in the 1980s, and all the skirts, ties, and other items sold were designed in house by Rollande Gervais, one of the daughters of the shop's founder, A.J. Gervais, and were woven by hand, in part by local St. Leonards, New Brunswick women, operating out of their own homes.  Click this link to read much more about Madawaska Weavers.

1950s sexy black knit dress, by Kimberly.

1960s snakeskin print corduroy tunic.

1960s colorful, wild print maxi dress by Alice of California.

1950s cropped raspberry jacket, designed by Stefan for Briarbrook.

1950s heathered ice blue sweater dress, by Bobbie Brooks.

xo

k

i spy

Game of Thrones-inspired fashion, 1930s delinquents, and Helen Mirren wrapped in the flag--just a few of the images that grabbed me last month.  I think I need to get a copy of W to see the rest of these "Dame of Thrones" photos.  I also cannot believe I've never seen Intermezzo, and must remedy that soon.  I adore both Ingrid Bergman and Leslie Howard, and the image of the two of them on the poster is so lovely.

1. William Morris Blackthorn wallpaper, 1892 / Metropolitan Museum of Art

2. 1922 dress by Madeleine Vionnet / Worn Through

3. "Dame of Thrones": Kristen McMenamy by Tim Walker for W, September 2012 / bienenkiste

4. Golden Grotto lipstick and perfume presentation by Lucien Lelong, ca 1935-1940 / FIDM Museum

5. Autumn Interlude by Charles Robinson, ca early 1900s / my delineated life

1. Two models in plaid skirts, photo by Sante Forlano, ca 1958 / Corbis

2. Intermezzo film poster / lesliehowardforever

3. 1930s teen delinquents / tothecabaret

4. French fashion photo, 1938 / Past to Present

5. I just love Helen Mirren; there's a series of these--click the source to see them all / vivarad

xo

k

an outfit

I have the lovely Teresa of Bess Georgette to thank for this outfit post.  She does a neat segment on her blog every so often about collecting certain colors.  She recently did one on orange, which made me wonder if I had any orange clothing in my closet.  This 1960s dress with its kind of Halloween-y orange and black rose print was the only item I could come up with.  And Teresa's post reminded me I hadn't worn it in awhile, so out it came!

Andy is wearing a 1950s gray cotton/rayon blend shirt with a hidden button placket, and 1950s Florsheim oxfords.

Happy September!

xo

k

labor day sale!

We passed the 2500 sales mark in the Etsy shop the other day, and decided to thank you, our wonderful customers, with our BIGGEST sale yet--25% off the entire shop, now through Labor Day, Monday 9/3.

Everything is already marked down, so start shopping!

xo

k