Vintage Sportswear - 1936

A typical women's riding habit from the 1930s.

When you think of clothing in the 1930s, your mind probably conjures up an image of a tall slender woman wearing a slinky bias cut evening gown. Or maybe you picture her in a floral print tea dress made of a sheer cotton or rayon that floats over a slip. But sportswear was also an essential part of most women's wardrobes. Sweater knits were very popular, as were split skirts and ski pants. Here's a look at some sportswear outfits from 1936.

For hunting and fishing, women wore menswear inspired wool suits with split skirts.

Instead of boots, spats were worn over the shoes to protect the lower legs
when walking in the woods.

A typical ski jacket and pants in heavy wool loden cloth.

Heavy wools like this fell out of favor for skiwear by the 1940s,
as snow tended to clump and stick to the fabric.

That probably wasn't a concern if you could afford fur ski clothes!

Split skirts were also popular for skating, whether on the pavement or the ice.

Here, a suggested outfit for roller skating in New York consisted of a turtleneck sweater, plaid culottes, a matching hat and belt, plaid socks, and suede oxford shoes. Sounds like fun to me!

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Look Fabulous From Head to Toe - 1936

In 1936, if you found the perfect dress or suit, your ensemble wasn't complete without the right hat and the smartest shoes. Accessories can still make or break your outfit. Are you paying attention to the details?

Left: Franklin Simon fedora. Sold for $8.95 in 1936 (about $142.00 in today's dollar).
Right: Schiaparelli "Roly-Poly" cap. Sold for $10.00 in 1936 (about $158.00 in today's dollar).

Left: Pandora black doeskin shoe piped in black and gray. Sold for $12.75 in 1936 (about $202.00 in today's dollar).
Right: Stetson Shoe shop suede step-in shoe. Sold for $11.75 in 1936 (about $186.00 in today's dollar).

Left: McCutcheon's navy felt beret with grosgrain trim. Sold for $10.00 in 1936 (about $158.00 in today's dollar).
Right: Rilla Marie black velvet cap with feathers. Sold for $15.00 in 1936 (about $237.00 in today's dollar).


Left: Andrew Geller "Valora" black suede pump with black patent piping. Sold for $10.75 in 1936 (about $170.00 in today's dollar).
Right: Saks Fifth Avenue high cut pump with Cuban heel. Sold for $7.95 in 1936 (about $126.00 in today's dollar).

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Game Day Fashion - 1936

In 1936, women wore skirts and dresses to football games. I doubt football season lasted into February back then, but Fall can get pretty darned chilly for some of us. Featured here are some game day fashions that are warm and attractive at the same time. Let them inspire you to stand out at your next game! Shown above, a cashmere jersey dress in brilliant green with football shaped buttons down the front.

A tangerine wool suit is worn with a yellow turtleneck sweater and a wolf fur stole. Pin a huge spider mum to your lapel and don't forget your compact!
Sally Milgrim offered a wool boucle swagger coat lined in the same green angora/wool that fashions the dress. The coat's collar can be buttoned up tight around the neck. Take a wool blanket to keep those stockinged legs warm!

How about a burgundy herringbone wool suit with notched lapels and flap pockets worn over a blue wool knit blouse. A blue hat and gloves complete the look.

On the right - The green suede jacket sports wool tweed lapels that match the skirt.
On the left - Green plaid wool homespun fashions a "chest warmer" gilet with matching skirt. The same plaid lines the brown coat. Shown below is another view of the gilet or dickey, which is worn over a sweater and closes at the back of the neck and back of the waist. Clever!

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Vintage Coats - 1936

Judging by early sales of vintage coats from my website, you all are starting to think about the coat you'll buy for this winter. Today, and for the next several Wednesdays, I'll be presenting a look at vintage coats through the decades.

In the 1930's, garments were long (at least to mid-calf), lean, and fitted to the body. Fur trim was found on most fashionable coats of the time, and almost all were belted. Here are a few looks from 1936. Note the fun hats and the clutch purses.

This red tweed knee length jacket is worn over a matching skirt, so this is a suit jacket, not a coat, but could be worn as one today. Persian lamb fur at the collar. A Macy's copy of the Molyneux original, the suit sold for $60 in 1936 (about $921 in today's dollar).

Sable-dyed skunk fur swirls around the collar and across and down to the hem on this Forstmann wool coat. Sold at Arnold Constable for $98 in 1936 (about $1503 in today's dollar).

Sheared beaver fur forms a squared off collar on this Alpaca wool coat. Sold at McCreery for $65 in 1936 (about $997 in today's dollar).

Grey squirrel fur forms a double collar and the pelts form a chevron pattern on the front of this coat. The fur front forms a muff below the belt. Sold at Emily Shops for $65 in 1936 (about $997 in today's dollar).

Cross fox fur wraps close to the face, or the ends can be pulled down and tucked to form muff pockets. Sold at Betty Wales for $66 in 1936 (about $1012 in today's dollar).

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