Suit-able for Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich was a major factor in making menswear looks popular for women. She wore a tuxedo and top hat in her first American film Morocco, made in 1930.



She continued to wear trouser suits off screen as well as on. Travis Banton designed many of them, which she would wear with a man's shirt and tie and a fedora style hat. No one but Marlene could manage to look so feminine in such severe styles.



We just listed this 1940's tuxedo style suit at our site. Certainly Dietrich worthy, it will look great with or without that shirt and tie!

See this suit and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion.

I Am in Love with Irving Schechter

And I don't know who he is! This 1940's suit jacket makes my heart swoon. The label says "Irving Schechter Original of California" and I can't find any information about it. But if you know Irving, please tell him I love him.

Air Conditioning - or Baby! It's Cold Inside!

Air conditioning - ahhhh. In my opinion, it's one of the 20th century's greatest inventions, but only when I control the thermostat. Here in Boston, we've been dealing with hot weather and unusually high humidity the last couple of weeks. I hate hot and humid almost more than the below-freezing artic winds we get in February and March. As long as my AC is set to 75 degrees, I'm happy.

But try going out to a restaurant or to the movies! I swear, corporate and retail America has no concern for the environment with thermostats set at what feels like 65 degrees. I have to carry a sweater or hoodie with me whenever I go out. It makes no sense!



That's why this 1950's dress is just so perfect. Made of lightweight rayon that has the look and texture of linen, it will be cool and comfortable out in the heat. And it comes with a cute matching jacket to throw on when you go indoors, so your shoulders don't turn into ice cubes.

See this dress and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion.

Introducing the New Couture Allure Website!

www.coutureallure.com

We've been working for months on our new website at coutureallure.com, and today we are proud to say, "Welcome!" This has been a true labor of love, and we hope it shows. We've been saving the "best of the best" of our vintage finds for quite awhile in order to offer you a wide selection of hand-picked vintage dresses, suits, coats, and accessories.



We've listened to your requests, and have made each category searchable by size and era. There's a handy Search Box if you prefer to shop that way. We now accept major credit cards through our secure server.



We'd love to hear what you think! Enjoy!



P.S. - That 1960's yellow beaded silk evening ensemble I posted last time? Here it is.

From Hanger to Heavenly

I went on a vintage buy the other day. I found this 1960's beaded evening gown - I've seen what seems like a million of 'em in my time as a vintage seller. Hanging next to it was what looked like a matching maxi vest. It seemed odd and was likely to be really ugly in that designer knock-off "trying too hard" way, but I bought it anyway. Today, I pulled it out and put it on the mannequin.

Did you ever have the experience while shopping that a dress has absolutely no appeal on the hanger, but when you put it on, it was magic? Take a look at this.



That's not a maxi vest - it's a cloak! A gorgeous, sophisticated evening cloak that takes the dress from simple to sensational - from basic to breathtaking.

Here's the hard part. It's not listed yet. But I promise it will be available soon!

Train Your Vintage Eye

Here's another vintage 1950's dress similar to the one posted yesterday in our Vintage Quiz. Can you see the difference? The length on this one is 46" from shoulder to hem and the hem is original. Compare that to the 38" length on the dress posted yesterday. To some people, those 8" don't make a bit of difference, and they'd be very happy wearing the second dress. I prefer authenticity, and in my opinion, a cut hem does affect the value of a vintage dress. How do you feel about it?

See this dress and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion .