The vintage fashion trend keeps gaining momentum, inspired by several movies and the Mad Men television series. Regular and high-end vintage fashion stores have been around for a long time, and are doing good business. The scarcity of clothing appropriate for today's sizes, however, has been a challenge. But now local designers and small-scale clothing manufacturers are making new vintage-look fashions in a variety of sizes. Classic films from the 1930s through the 1950s can serve as constant inspiration, and the movie star icons of that era can serve up vintage either hot or iced.
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Ava Gardner is shown above in the mid-1950s. With Ava's dark bobbed hair and her hour-glass figure she was the perfect model for the styles of the 1950s. Several colors suited Ava but she looked especially smashing in red. This gown's ruffled bodice is accentuated by her small corseted waist.
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Deborah Kerr is shown above in a halter-topped circle-skirt for the film From Here to Eternity, 1953. Kerr usually played the cool and reserved English beauty in Hollywood movies. In From Here to Eternity she played an unfulfilled wife sparked by her lover Burt Lancaster. The dress above plays with the forms of the circle with its inter-twined circle decoration.
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Donna Reed also played against type in From Here to Eternity, taking on the part of a call-girl. Her role of the tough-tender love interest of Montgomery Clift suited her well. This beautiful black halter-top gown with split skirt was designed by costume designer Jean Louis.
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Sophia Loren was all over the screen in the 1950s. Here she is shown in That Kind of Woman, 1959, with costumes by Edith Head. Loren too had the perfect look and figure for the fashions of the fifties. The cheerful use of polka dots in this simple dress was perfect. Dots can always be in style, whether in the 1950s or now ( see my post I See Spots ).
Elizabeth Taylor was another iconic beauty from the 1950s and 60s. Helen Rose designed the perfect dress for her in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The Grecian draped, decollete white silk chiffon cocktail dress was such a smash that Rose started her own line of clothing featuring the Cat dress. Although the late Helen Rose no longer has a fashion line, the Cat dress is still in demand, and only vintage copies are available.
The blondes rule the next few images, with Kim Novak leading the pack in a form-fitted white ribbed sweater. Though it may be too warm now to think of sweaters, the variety of looks achievable through sweaters should always be considered. See my post Sweater Girls
Gloria Grahame was a sweet-looking and sexy vixen that got pegged for a lot of hard-luck film noir roles. But she also starred in such films as Oklahoma and The Greatest Show on Earth. Here she is shown circa 1946 in a fetching outfit of black shorts and gingham blouse.
The classic bohemian look is always in style. Marian Marsh is shown above wearing a beret and short-sleeved blouse, accessorized with a belt and scarf. She was posing for the film, Crime and Punishment, 1935.
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Shirley Jones never seemed to play any naughty roles - she was always the girl everyone loved. She was unforgettable in Carousel, Oklahoma,The Music Man, and The Courtship of Edie's Father, with many later roles on TV. She is shown above in the mid-sixties in a pretty floral dress of pink carnations and green leaves.
The old Hollywood movie fan magazines always used to emphasize looking at the various movie stars to see which one was "your type" when it came to finding fashion inspiration. Perhaps these stars can still provide inspiration for vintage fashion.
In the L.A area, vintage is being re-created by Stop Staring and Queen of Heartz, while many cities have their own vintage resale shops or even "at-home shop" options. And even Banana Republic is joining in with a Mad Men inspired line designed by the show's costume designer Jane Bryant.
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12 comments:
Lovely. I have been following for some time now and thoroughly enjoy every post. Always informative and beautiful. I also have you book and it is a treasured possession.
I love vintage clothing and once owned a few pieces. Friday night I attended the San Francisco Symphony screening of "Casablanca" (with orchestra providing Max Steiner's score) and quite a few who attended were attired in '40s style. A nice touch, I thought.
Ava was such a beautiful woman. She could wear red better than anyone I can think of (and I'm thinking of Marilyn and Liz!). She looked fabulous in green, too, a difficult color to wear.
Kim Novak I always associate with her "Vertigo" wardrobe - the gown she worn to Ernie's, the gray suit and that amazing white coat with black dress and gloves. But I also have an eye for her wardrobes in "Bell Book and Candle" and "The Eddy Duchin Story." Lovely.
I'm a big fan of "Mad Men," one of the best series ever, and knocked out by the wardrobe work (among many things). I'm wondering if you've blogged about it...
Hi Lady Eve. That's great that you got to see Casablanca on the big screen - it's one of my favorite movies.And yes I'm a big fan of Mad Men - I've watched every season. Your question about blogging about it makes me think about doing that. Thanks for your comments.
Thanks for your comment FlickChick. I'm glad that you enjoy my blog. When I first started it I wasn't sure there was going to be an audience for it. So hearing from you and others is very gratifying. I'm happy you enjoyed my book too!
Another post with great beauty and interesting facts, Christian. You know, even with the gorgeous gowns of Ava, Deborah, Donna and Elizabeth, my favorite is the Bohemian look! I love that look! Shirley looked lovely, and Gloria is always just a doll. Kim is a sweater girl for sure, and I agree with Eve that her Vertigo outfits are pure magic. But I am not a polka dot person, and I didn't care for Sophia's outfit, although she could wear a potato sack and look good..LOL!
Thanks for your comments ClassicBecky. You're right about Sophia, and the others. I'm a fan of polka-dots (stripes and floral prints too). But I know they're not for everyone. Differences are what makes style!
I find the structure of "real clothes" so appealing. (Caftans are comfortable, but not exactly stylish.)
Christian, I had to come back and say something because I am still laughing at Caftan Woman's remarks. She does that to me a lot. She is so right. I used to have a beautiful figure, and always dreamed of wearing dresses like that, and actually did wear some similar knock-offs. As I said, I loved the Bohemian look, and dressed like that a lot. Now I'm older, and ....well, we'll just leave it at that! I just heard the dryer ding and I need to get my caftan out before it wrinkles. LOL!
ClassicBecky and Caftan Woman - I understand. I know the examples shown favored the small waist - a hallmark of the 1950s. The 1960s styles actually had a fairly straignt-sided look, but then again the skirts were shorter, as you no doubt remember seeing. The tyranny of the clothing manufacturers and designers targets the youthful. We should have attractive options available for all ages.
Your comments on the ladies of the 50's are right on the mark with one small exception.
Where Shirley Jones did indeed usually play the girl everyone wanted to take home to Mom, she also played the girl everyone took home, period. She won her Academy Award playing a prostitute in Elmer Gantry. Like Donna Reed before, her playing against type won her some of the best reviews of her career.
Right you are Jimbo. I was actually thinking of that unforgetable role when I wrote the blog post, but all those loving roles of hers seemed to blot this one out in my summary (she was also kind of the pursuer in The Courtship of Eddie's Father). Thanks for bringing this up.
This costumes have so much of craze these days.Most of the people especially women likes these costumes very much.These costume have became trend setters these days.
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