Summer Cover-up Dresses - 1958
Showing posts with label 1958. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1958. Show all posts
Fun Stuff and Nonsense - 1958
Flipping through a 1958 magazine today, various things caught my eye. Rather than search for a theme to build them around, here is some random fun and nonsense.
Delightful fun! Oh, how I want this hat! John Frederics blue and white striped sailcloth with a blue plastic window to peek through. Sold for $7 in 1958 (about $53 in today's dollar.)
Sultry fun. The model in this image exudes sensuality with her tousled hair and come-hither glance. She wears a white silk shirt by Emilio Pucci. Sold for $35 in 1958 (about $267 in today's dollar.) Does anyone know who this model is?
Luxurious fun. I've never seen a mink jacket with such a brief cut, but I love it! By Bergdorf Goodman's custom furrier, Emeric Partos in white mutation mink. Sold for $2,420 in 1958 (about $18,441 in today's dollar.)
Outrageous fun! These ankle boots by Capezio were made of wool blanket plaid and black patent leather. Fringe falls over the top edge. Sold for $17 in 1958 (about $130 in today's dollar.)
And some nonsense. Harriet Hubbard Ayer offered Midas Touch spray on color to add streaks of shimmering silver or gold to your hair. It may have been fun for the younger set, but the the ad suggests it is great for gray hair! I think it just looks silly......unless it's Halloween.
Weekend Eye Candy - Emeric Partos, 1958
In 1958, Bergdorf Goodman's custom furrier Emeric Partos designed this mink coat to wear over your full skirted evening dresses. Notice how it ties at the waist with attached sashes. Let the cold winter winds blow!
Metlon Metallic Yarns
Aren't these golden cocktail ensembles from 1958 lovely? Adele Simpson made the brocade suit on the left and Hannah Troy did the lurex knit dress on the right. The fabrics used for both garments were woven with metallic thread made by Metlon, a Rhode Island company still in business today. Metlon began in business in 1947 by designing and building special machinery to slit fine gauge metallic fabrics into thin continuous strips of yarn or thread.
Later in the same 1958 magazine, this ad appears for an evening suit in turquoise and gold brocade by Bill Blass for Maurice Rentner. The brocade fabric was made with Metlon threads. Gorgeous, isn't it? And if you were lucky enough to find this suit today, I'll bet those gold threads would still be shimmering just as brightly as they did over 50 years ago.
Lee Claire Cocktail Dress, 1958
I love bubble dresses, and everything about this one is perfection. The strapless black velvet bodice encircles the bosom like a sash. White point d'esprit dotted lace poufs out to form a delicious and fun party dress. It looks like one big polka-dot and I love it! Dress by Lee Claire sold for $90 in 1958 (about $681 in today's dollar.)
So, did you notice? Every post this week showcased polka-dots. I've gone dotty since I posted the Pierre Cardin purple polka dotted coat last Friday! I'll move on now.....promise!
Sophie of Saks Dress, 1958
In 1958, when the "chemise" or "sack" dress style was making headlines, Sophie of Saks refused to follow the trend and gave her high end customers what they wanted - a slender waist. For Spring of 1958, she offered this silk taffeta full skirted dress with matching full coat. Set sold for $725 in 1958 (about $5489 in today's dollar.)
Mock Furs - 1958
In the late 1950s and into the early 60s, mock furs (or faux furs as we call them today) were promoted as a less expensive alternative to costly real furs. I think you can tell from these photos, however, that the quality of the mock fur fabrics available were far inferior to those we have today. But it is interesting to see the styles that were available and even more interesting to see how expensive these coats were!! These photos are all from 1958.
Above, a mock wolf fur pullover ski top by John Weitz in Borg Dynel shaggy faux fur. Top sold in 1958 for $55 (about $418 in today's dollar.)
Murry Neiman mock seal fur coat in Orlon faux fur. Coat sold in 1958 for $145 (about $1100 in today's dollar.)
Vera Maxwell mock mink evening coat made from Candalon "Wink" fabric. Coat sold in 1958 for $130 (about $988 in today's dollar.)
Custom Craft mock Persian lamb jacket made of wool. Jacket sold in 1958 for $40 (about $304 in today's dollar.)
Handelsman & Raiffe faux sheared beaver coat made from Candalon "Kissing Cousin" mock fur fabric. Coat sold in 1958 for $99 (about $753 in today's dollar.)
Vintage Fur Coats - 1958
I am a firm believer that if you chose to wear fur, you should always chose vintage. That keeps coats and stoles already in existence out of our landfills and at the same time doesn't support the unneeded slaughter of today's animals for fashion. In showing images of vintage furs on this blog, I hope to inspire you and show you how beautiful they can be for the modern woman. Enjoy these images from 1958.
Scaasi for Ben Kahn Russian Crown sable jacket with large collar. Lined in red and gold lamé.
Alixandre Empress Chinchilla stole.
Two Elsa Schiaparelli licensed Southwest African Persian Lamb jackets with mink collars.
Maximilian black Russian broadtail lamb completely lined in natural dark ranch mink.Mink also forms the bateau neckline.
Jonny Herbert Dresses - 1958
"Jonny Herbert does the Capri de Havana" So goes the title of a several page ad from a 1958 magazine. Jonny Herbert was a Seventh Avenue company that specialized in junior sized cocktail and evening dresses in the 1950s and 60s. The Hotel and Casino de Capri in Havana, Cuba, was built in 1957 and opened in November of that year. The 19 story hotel and casino had a rooftop pool and was built by mobster Santo Trafficante as a draw for vacationing Americans. The ad pages feature Jonny Herbert dresses in various shots taken in the hotel, casino, and the surrounding Havana neighborhood.
Above, a Chantilly lace dress that was available in white, pink, blue, and black. Sold for $49 in 1958 (about $373 in today's dollar).
Pin dot taffeta strapless dress with matching jacket came in navy, gray, and blue. Sold for $39 in 1958 (about $296 in today's dollar).
Rose printed silk surah dress with bows at the shoulders came in green, royal, and red. Sold for $39 in 1958 (about $296 in today's dollar).
Taffeta bubble skirt dress with buttons at the front came in navy or black. Sold for $35 in 1958 (about $266 in today's dollar).
I love the composition of this photo. The model wears a silk/linen sheath dress with matching jacket and is surrounded by Cubans. The suit was available in navy, black, blue, and beige. Sold for $55 in 1958 (about $418 in today's dollar).
By the way, the Hotel de Capri closed in 2003 and today sits empty and derelict. You can see the rooftop pool in the opening scene of the 1959 film "Our Man in Havana".
Sir James Dress - 1958
This dress ad stopped me in my tracks this morning. I need to find this dress by Sir James from 1958. Sir James was a California designer who specialized in classic shirtwaist dresses in fun fabrics. He used lots of cottons and silks, usually in pretty prints. The dress shown above, from 1958, is made of Riegel black cotton and has a huge rose applique on the side of the skirt. I want, I want, I want. The dress sold in 1958 for $30 (about $227 in today's dollar).
Passionate About Purple
Braemar purple cashmere cowl necked pullover and cardigan twinset. Set sold for $75 in 1958 (about $570 in today's dollar).
I've always loved the color purple. I would have fit right into the fashion mainstream in 1958-59, as purple was quite a popular color during that time. My summer garden is filled with purple flowers like irises, lavender, and violets. And of course, purple is associated with nobility and royalty because in ancient times, purple dyes were only affordable by the elite.
I would faint if I found the purple cashmere sweater set shown above. The color is incredible, don't you agree?
Christian Dior purple coat, 1958.
Finger and Rabiner wool suit from 1958. Sold for $70 in 1958 (about $532 in today's dollar).
Jacques Griffe purple suit, 1959.
Toni Owen, Sportswear Designer
Toni Owen was one of the best known designers of American sportswear in the 40s and 50s. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Owen taught for 2 years before moving to Orange, New York to become manager of a clothing shop there. Not satisfied with the sportswear on offer, she began to design separates and her career as a fashion designer began. She soon moved to New York City and started her own company, with headquarters on Seventh Avenue. Toni Owen received a Mademoiselle Merit Award for Fashion Design in 1947, and a Coty Award in 1949. In 1950, Vogue magazine named her as one of America's top 12 designers.
Owen was best known for her coordinated, interchangeable separates that were offered in a wide range of sizes, both women's and juniors. Here from 1953, is a group of cotton separates available in solids and a clover print. Tops, skirts and capri pants were all mix-and-match and came in dark or light blue, red, and putty.
Prices for the separates ranged from $6.98 to $12.98 in 1953 (about $58 to $107 in today's dollar).
In 1958, Toni Owen did a multi-page ad with General Foods to introduce their Gourmet Foods line. The lead line was "Because You're An Entertaining Woman". Here, a pleated skirt and a portrait collared blouse in pink moire. The pieces were also available in blue, white, and black. Blouse sold in 1958 for $13 and the skirt for $17 (about $99 and $129 in today's dollar).
Mix and match wool jersey top with a tweed full skirt that had an attached velveteen cummerbund in pink or blue. Top sold in 1958 for $10 and the skirt for $30 (about $76 and $228 in today's dollar).
Here, Owen pairs a wool jersey top with a floral print tweed full skirt in pink or blue. Top sold in 1958 for $10 and the skirt for $35 (about $76 and $266 in today's dollar).
Embroidered rayon separates in red or black to be mixed and matched as you desire. Prices from 1958: Cardigan jacket $23, skirt $30, blouse $12, and pants $25 (about $175, $228, $91, and $190 respectively in today's dollar).
By the way, the Gourmet Foods line included such canned delicacies as Green Turtle Soup, Lobster Newburg, Crepes Suzette, and Cherry Pickles. Yuck.
Vintage Designer Gowns in the Fine Print
When flipping through vintage magazines, you often see the most spectacular evening gowns in ads for other products. If you stop and take a moment to look beyond the product being offered, you'll see some incredible pieces, and the designer's name is often featured in the tiny print at the bottom or along the sides of the ad. Here are some examples from November of 1958.
This ad for Revlon Touch and Glow foundation shows a gown by Ceil Chapman.
This ad for Revlon "Fifth Avenue Red" lipstick and nail polish was a two page spread and featured this gown by Arnold Scaasi.
Cadillac worked with high-end fashion designers in the 1950s to produce expensive and exclusive garments to feature in their car ads. This one says, "Mother daugher ensemble designed expressly for Cadillac by Ines da Roma."
This ad for Intimate perfume shows a romantic image of a gown by Philip Hulitar.
Another Philip Hulitar garment, this voluminous blue satin evening coat was featured in an ad for Trifari jewelry.
The ads that frustrate me, though, are those for Modess feminine products. They featured a new and amazing evening gown every month, but the ads did not give attribution to the designers. Don't you wonder who was the genius that made this gold brocade gown with mink fur cuffs?
Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere - 1958
Judging by the ads and features in an October 1958 magazine, the bubble skirt is the style of the moment. Aren't they beautiful? So feminine and so graceful.....can't you imagine floating through a party in one of these?
Left to right:
- Whitney yellow silk satin brocade dress with bows. Sold in 1958 for $295 ($2,225 in today's dollar).
- Jane Derby black and white stripe with ostrich feathers at the hem. Sold in 1958 for $200 ($1,509 in today's dollar).
- Scassi lavender satin. Sold in 1958 for $350 ($2,640 in today's dollar).
- Samuel Winston red chantilly lace over orange silk lining. Sold in 1958 for $225 ($1,697 in today's dollar).
From left to right:- Talmack red and gold metallic brocade. Sold in 1958 for $255 ($1,924 in today's dollar).
- Harvey Berin emerald silk satin. Sold in 1958 for $125 ($943 in today's dollar).
- Ben Reig black silk taffeta with rhinestone pin worn at the hem. Sold in 1958 for $275 ($2,075 in today's dollar).
- Talmack violet silk taffeta. Sold in 1958 for $160 ($1,207 in today's dollar).
Harvey Berin by Karen Stark offered this silk satin bubble skirted evening gown.
Pattullo-Jo Copeland silk satin cocktail dress has the look of a huge bow at the back skirt. Sold in 1958 for $250 ($1,886 in today's dollar).
Jr. Sophisticates silk peau de soie bubble dress was offered in green, brown, black, or red. Sold in 1958 for $70 ($528 in today's dollar).
Here, an ad to sew your own bubble dress from a Suzy Perette original design offered in Advance pattern #8812. If you want to make this dress, I found one copy of the original pattern at Ruby Plaza.
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