Is it possible to get enough of the 1920s? Not Really.

 



We added a lot of new inventory to Past Perfect Vintage yesterday. It was quite a day. I'm going to go a bit out of historical order and show you the 1920s additions first. I'll come back to the Victorian and Edwardian pieces on Friday. I think this is the best cross section of 1920s fashions we've been able to offer in quite a while. Dresses, an evening wrap, hats and purses, all from two

Past Perfect Vintage: The 1920s and 1930s Make a Return!

 



 It's been a long while since I posted here. And even longer since we added wonderful inventory to Past Perfect Vintage.  I have written here about my opera and ballet work which ate up all the time this past January through mid April. Satisfying work it was and remunerative, but it's so great to be back to a regular schedule. And that includes shopping for vintage clothing, getting it

It's On! The Past Perfect Vintage Christmas Sale

It's time to get caught up before Christmas catches me completely unprepared. First up, the Past Perfect Vintage Christmas Sale is underway! We have sale prices posted throughout the webstore,  up to 50% off. The sale runs through Dec. 28, so if you are one of the lucky ones who might get a little bit of green in your stocking, sale prices will still be available after Christmas. Just click

Back to Work at Long Last

It's been a busy autumn at Past Perfect Vintage. We had a great a shopping run through the Northeast, then came home to a time intensive costume project in opera. It was great, it was successful and now it's done. So the break is over, and we have added a lot of new inventory to Past Perfect Vintage this week. Let's look at some of the older fashions up now.  



First, a lovely,

Colonials, Victorians, Edwardians and Flappers, Oh My

 



I haven't written up a 'New at Past Past Vintage' post in weeks. But it was worth waiting for. We are offering a 1770s Silk Open Robe, and separately a 1770s skirt, both shown here, a large size 1900 Black Silk Tea Gown in the Grand Style, a stunning 1904 Wedding Dress and another larger size 1910s White Linen Walking Suit with fine cutwork and embroidery.



 



 

Past Perfect

bits and pieces, bits and pieces

  
First up , there's a great new resource for vintage clothing fans at the VFG. Maggie Wilds of denisebrain.com has been the catalyst for an ongoing fabric identification project, and now, after 5 years in the making, the Vintage Fashion Guild Fabric Resource has gone live. It's a great companion to the VFG Label Resource. You can look up a fabric term, you can look up fabric by fiber, by it's

I'm Seeing Blue

What is it about blue? My Blue Heaven, Blue Velvet,  Blue Suede Shoes, Am I Blue, Blue Skies,and other songs titles ad infinitum. And that's not even counting the patriotic songs or  the use of 'Blues' as a genre.It's a favorite color for a vast number people. And between the sky and the seas, it's a universal background to life.So I bring you the April tribute to Blue, Vintage style.     
 

The Twenties are Here

Well, here we are after an extended break. But we weren't lolling about eating bonbons on the beach while we were neglecting our blog duties. Not that there's thing wrong with bonbons or beaches. I would happily eat a bonbon, and beaches are a wonder. But,no - we have been busy here. An opera project, another opera project in development, a bathroom remodel, the attack of the Spring weeds, a

Meditations on 20 Years in the Biz

I just realized yesterday with a bit of a shock that 2012 marks 20 years in the vintage and antique clothing business for us. In 1992, we started with a 10" X 14" booth at the Art Deco Show in Indianapolis. We were not terribly sure of ourselves, but we made our booth rent back during set up, so that was a great reassurance. Later, we added the Elgin shows, then did vintage shows in Connecticut

We Have Brought The Pretty

Our blog posts have thinned down due to an opera project (The Merry Widow for the KY Opera Association, opening Feb. 17!) and will therefore be sparse for just a while longer. But we just updated the Past Perfect Vintage website with some pretty, pretty things and we couldn't postpone showing off  The Pretty, aka the Eye Candy. 
We have a really nice group of Victorian and Edwardian pieces added

Now Let's Look at Some 20s and 30s

 
I promised a post on our new 1920s and 30s  dresses two posts ago. I have been remiss and I apologize. I am behind enough that three of the December additions have already sold. But do not be sad - there are more to come in January. But today, let's look at one of the prettiest and most complex 1920s/30s chiffon dresses yet.    Glorious 1920s Print Silk Chiffon Dress in Pink, Black and Ivory 

Our Latest 1920s and 30s Acquisitions

This month, we were pleased to show so many wonderful pieces from the Victorian through 1930s eras. We featured the early pieces in a previous blog post, so it's time for the 1920s - 1930s to get a bit of the spotlight.  
These dresses are all from one private, discriminating collector with a fine eye for period styles. And this is just the beginning, we will be adding pieces from this

New Dresses from the 1920s and 30s

 
Do you like the fashion of the 1920s and 30s? You aren't alone. These silhouettes get revived every few years or so in some variation. The drop waist come sback in , as does the boyish look, and the figure conscious bias cut has almost never left. The 1920s very kind to the thinner, straight figure and the 30s were good for the curvy gal, who was toned, but didn't have a tiny waisted, hourglass

Le Potpourri du Vintage

For your viewing and shopping pleasure, we bring you a small potpourri of vintage. Two dresses and two hats. The dresses? 1920s. The hats? 1940s. The through line? None, except Pretty. First up, a 1920s net lace dress with period slip. We just happen to have the perfect slip in stock - we have been holding onto it for  over 10 years, and now we have the perfect dress.  Then a 1920s green satin

The Tastiest of 1920s Eye Candy

 
Couture Allure just added this exotic silk dress to their shop today and I just had to talk about it. I've been on an extended 1920s fashion kick lately, so this naturally struck me. It is one of the most fabulous combinations of color and beading design I have seen. The ombre dyeing is stunning and the shift from light to dark is carried through in the beading as well. Brilliant. I see

Harry Angelo, Models of 1923: Worth

Just a little eye candy tonight from the venerable House of Worth. I close this series with the last two plates from the Harry Angelo Catalogue.  It's been fun. Brushed up the research skills. Learned a lot about 1920s Paris fashion houses.  Looked at pretty pictures. And if we are indeed the sum of all our experience, I have added a few bits in the fashion section of life. Worth, like Patou, is

Harry Angelo, Models of 1923: Germaine

 

Germaine, 24 Rue Pasquier
 Let’s see: there’s Germaine Lecomte, Germaine Monteil, Germaine Krebs ( AKA Mme Gres), Germaine Bailly, L.S. Germaine Page. 
And then there is this Germaine. Not as well known, this was a short lived house. She was  located at 24 Rue Pasquier in the 1920s. The one label available online is in the Doyle New York Auction results, and it reads: : Germaine Couture/

A Fabulous Foursome

 
These four additions to Past Perfect vintage all come from one estate auction. There were 2 other dresses (we didn't get) and 2 hats (we did).  I love the story they tell. There were 2 young woman's dresses in the same small size from 1907 - 1908 ish, represented here by the one we purchased, a lace insertion dress in pale pink cotton. There was a much larger black beaded and sequinned gown

Harry Angelo, Models of 1923: Renee

 
Renee is a bit of a mystery. She dropped out of press coverage in 1931, most likely a victim of the Depression. However, she was a young woman only 34 years old. I do wonder if she joined another house as premier or directrice? Balenciaga's premier was Mlle. Renee d'Esling. I wonder.... If anyone knows more about her, please let men know!  After this: a tiny bit on Worth, and then Germaine.

Harry Angelo, Models of 1923: Miler Soeurs, part 2

I apologize for the late night post. The Easter parade today set me back a bit on my timing today. As research still continues on Germaine and Renee, who are turning out to be rather obscure French designers, here are the last of the Miler Soeurs dresses from the Harry Angelo 1923 Catalog. I think the embroidered parakeets in No. 4 may just win the Most Whimsical Dress Design Award of 1923. And