Vintage ABCs, Part 3

G is for Galanos
 

 



H is for Hattie Carnegie



 



I is for Irene

Let's Talk 50s.

So let's talk. The 1950s have been in demand for quite some time amongst the vintage people. I saw it really get going in the late 70s and early 1980s, when longer fuller skirts came back in style, along with belted waists. Plus it was 30 years old then, ( my parents wore this!) and that's old enough for nostalgia, i.e. Grease.  And then there's James Dean. And Elvis. And rockabilly. And

Vintage ABCs, part 2

 



D is for Dior







E is for Eisenberg (and Estevez) 







F is for Fogarty 







 

Vintage ABCs, Part 1

 



A is for Adrian



 B is for Blass 








C is for Chapman





All from the archives of Past Perfect Vintage.

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 Past Perfect Vintage:The Designers

1940s and 50s, and Meandering Thoughts Therein

 



I am hearing a rumor that people aren't buying 1950s vintage right now. Different periods of vintage clothing come in and out of fashion. But I have found there is almost always a market for any given period. There are niche buyers who want only 1920s, the steam punk people, the rockabillys, the Victorian collectors. I really believe the defining quality that makes a period piece sellable

Patullo-Jo Copeland

 


 Jo Copeland
I wrote a short bio for the Vintage Fashion Guild  a few years ago. Since posting up yet another great Patullo-Jo Copland dress, I thought it was time to talk about her work again. 
Jo Copeland, although somewhat unsung today, was a well-known ready-to-wear designer who shared a label with Pattullo. Born in 1899 in New York and a graduate of the Parsons School of Design, she

Designers,Designers

 



How do you feel about designer labels?  I must admit when I started collecting vintage clothing, I specialized in fashions of the 1920s and back, so designer labels weren't a factor for me. The labeled clothing of the those early eras is rather sparse here in the Upper South, and I didn't run into names like Worth, Vignon, Poiret, or Doucet. I did find an 1880s Worth right after I had

Ruminations and Party Dresses

The 1950s saw a real blossoming of the grand party dress before the 1960s and 70s swept away so much of the concept of formal dressing. A trend that continues unabated till this very day. Just this weekend the local newspaper had quite the piece on how variable the interpretations of 'black tie' had become for local formal events. We have become adept at dressing down almost any event to the

Catching up is Hard To Do

I have not kept up with featuring our new vintage pieces. I am already finished photographing next month's additions! So here is a small potpourri. The 1930s gloves are really lovely. They are by Perrin and are a soft tone pf pink kid with brown accents and ribs. Very ladylike. As was much of 1930s fashion. 

The dresses? The 1950s aqua blue strapless dress by Emma Domb is the kind

Building a Vintage Wardrobe - Summer Edtion, Part 2

 This is the second summer dress I acquired recently. I also found 3 winter and fall dresses, but we will have to wait to pull those looks together - it's way too hot still. This 1950s shirtwaist dress is white linen with embroidered yarn figures in a border of palm trees in bright,crisp colors. These bands are framed by rows of openwork. This is departure for me as I don't usually go for

Heat leads to thinking.

It's a hot Sunday here. Too many days in the 100's  to be energetic. So most of the efforts expended lately have been on restoration,i.e., sewing in front of a fan. Photography will not happen here until the high drops down somewhere in the 80s and the photo lamps can come on again. 



So many hours stitching has led to some thoughts on current attitudes toward sewing and altering

Vintage Clothing Does Come in Larger Sizes

One of the misconceptions about vintage clothing is that, without exception, It Is Tiny. Clothing for modern sz 0 -2. Granted, much is too small for the average American woman, who is taller than her predecessors, and correspondingly wider in the shoulders. And yes, the average size today is much larger than the average size of women in the 1930s - 60s, much less the Victorian and

A few Thoughts and new Vintage Fashions

 





Sometimes in the Vintage Fashion business, we can get too caught up in designer pieces and their labels. There are those who feel important designers of the 20th Century are the only thing worth buying. Now if you are buying investment grade only, then a case for that approach could be made. But of the vintage fashions I have personally acquired over the years, it wasn't the designer

Be Green While Wearing White

 



There's been a lot of coverage of designer wedding dresses lately. It is may, so that is to be expected. Lots of satin, lots of lace, still lots of strapless neckline, although there is a positive trend toward actual necklines, and even sleeves thank to a Royal Wedding. But  there is unexplored territory for the bride out there: Vintage. And not just actual vintage wedding dresses, but lots

Back to the 50s

 



     At long last, we are back to the blog. And we come back with a lot of great 1950s summer dresses in a rainbow of colors. This is a style I missed the first time around. At least the adult version. Always a bit sad about that. Not quite as sad as missing 1940s gabardine suits, but close, So close. 

This full skirted and fitted bodice dress is back in style. Of course- it's feminine,

New on the Website This April

New to Past Perfect Vintage, and all to be found at The 40s & 50s: 



   1940s Rust and Cream Print Crepe Dress Set NY Creation 

This is a nicely sized rust and cream crepe blouse and skirt set  with a button and loop front and nifty appliqued bands with a zig zag edge.







L. 1950s New Look Black Silk Taffeta Ball Gown  R., Brilliantly Colored 1940s Print Faille At Home Dress  

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.     
 

It's Monday. Eye Candy of the Galanos Variety is Needed

A friend who knows I like this sort of thing, just brought me these San Francisco Examiner clippings. Both of these are 1957, and feature early work from James Galanos. Some time ago, we handled a red chiffon Galanos dress from this era, and I am delighted to note that it had an identical back treatment to the top illustration. These are both glorious dresses, with bouffant skirts and show the

Designer du Jour : Galanos

 
Designer du Jour : Galanos
 
We added this great 1980s red wool dress by Galanos to the website recently. I am so glad it was offered to us. Every time I handle one of his dresses, I remember what was so special about them. James Galanos had a long and successful career. He designed and produced some of the highest quality ready to wear available in the US - as close to couture as clothing can

Designer du Jour: B.H. Wragge

Designer du Jour: B.H. Wragge

This was a NY ready to wear house, run by Sydney Wragge and active from 1931 to 1971. The clothes are referred to as ‘affordable’, usually the kiss of death when it comes to quality, but every piece I have handled with this label was beautifully made of fine fabric with a lot of hand sewn finishes. This would be a time when 'affordable' clothing did not bring up