What's Under That Vintage Dress?

I post pictures of gorgeous vintage clothing here on my blog and on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds daily.  The comments and questions I receive most often deal with the tiny waists or fit of the dresses shown.  In our modern world, where most of our clothing is styled to be loose or made with stretch fabrics, we find it difficult to relate to wearing a dress that molds to the body like this. The answer, of course, is what she is wearing under that gown.

Before the late 1960s, every woman wore control undergarments, whether they be girdles, corsets, or an all-in-one, as shown here.  Every woman, every day.  You just can't get the look and fit presented in that first photo without some kind of foundation garments. Period. 

Red dress with cape by Pauline Trigere.  All-in-one corselet by Warner's. Both photos from a 2-page ad for Warner's in Harper's Bazaar, 1961.

Cotton Suits for Spring - 1961

Cool, comfortable and certainly chic, did you know cotton tailors well?  Here are two great examples from 1961.

Above: Ben Zuckerman sheath dress and 3/4 coat in luscious pink cotton pique. Yummy!

Adele Simpson blue cotton jacket and skirt paired with a printed silk blouse.  The little jacket is lined in the same fabric as the blouse.  The giant buttons add just the perfect finishing touch.

Pierre Cardin - 1961

Here's another great idea along the lines of yesterday's fabulous hood.  In 1961, Pierre Cardin showed this hood that extends into a long scarf that you can wrap around your neck.  The tweed matches that of the coat so it looks like one piece, but the coat can be worn without it if you prefer.  So stylish!  I love it!

Weekend Eye Candy, June Bride 1961

June is for brides!  Wedding gown by couturier Michel Goma from 1961. 

Leonard Fashion for Hermes - 1961

Spring 1961

 In 1960, Daniel Tribouillard, Chief Executive Director of Leonard Fashion, invented a new printing process which allowed for knit fabric to be continuously printed.  In the early years of the fashion division of Leonard, the company made exclusive designs for other design houses.  Shown here today are two of their early sweaters for Hermes.

Fall 1960

Both sweaters were a blend of lightweight wool and Crylor acrylic.  How can you go wrong with ballerinas and butterflies?

Jean Desses Evening Gown - 1961

Electric blue silk evening gown by Jean Desses haute couture, 1961.  How I wish this picture were in color!

Weekend Eye Candy - Pierre Balmain, 1961

Red.  Giant black polka dots.  Coat.  Pierre Balmain.  1961.  Love.  That is all.

Summer Into Fall

Take a sleeveless summer sheath dress in black (or red, or blue, or.....) and add a popover jacket in plaid.  As the cool morning gives way to warmer temps in the afternoon, simply take off the jacket.  Dress and jacket by Larry Adrich.  Set sold in 1961 for $160 (about $1,228 in today's dollar.)  Hat by Lilly Dache.

Swimsuits - 1961

For the summer of 1961, the maillot was still the most popular swimsuit style.  That's not to say these aren't sexy though!

The tag line on this ad is "The name on the tip of her tongue is Petti."  Rather a provocative image for a 1961 women's magazine, and that's a rather provocative swimsuit!  Petti of Encino offered this cotton sharkskin suit in junior sizes.  The front lacing is adjustable and the suit had an inner bra.  Suit sold in 1961 for $17 (about $132 in today's dollar.)

Nothing mellow about this yellow!  Jantzen used a textured knit of rayon, nylon, Orlon and cotton for this bright maillot.  Suit sold in 1961 for $34.95 (about $268 in today's dollar.)

In an ode to la marinière, Catalina offered several colorful options of the classic white stripes.  Designed by Edith Stenbeck of Catalina in Helanca nylon and spandex knit.  Bathing caps were made in matching colors for Catalina by US Rubber.  Suit sold in 1961 for $23.95 (about $184 in today's dollar.)

Stripes are worked in the opposite direction in this high necked swimsuit by Jacques Heim.  I'll bet you anything the back plunges pretty low, though!

A Touch of Spring

I love pretty floral prints.  The dress and jacket ensemble shown here is by Harvey Berin and dates to 1961.  "Verdant leaf-green on white" is how the print is described.  Under the jacket, the sleeveless sheath can stand on it's own.  And if you're bold enough, top it off with a pouf of white blossoms and green leaves via the Sally Victor hat.  Nothing says Spring like a showy floral hat!

Nelly Don Dress - 1961

The Nelly Don Company was known from the 1930s through the 70s for it's stylish, yet budget minded dresses.  This sheer cotton blend dress from 1961 came in misses and half sizes.  Made even more special with the addition of a bright pink hat, don't you think?  Sold in 1961 for $18.00 (about $136.00 in today's dollar.)

Lanvin-Castillo Dress - 1961

Lanvin-Castillo makes evening sultry with many layers of sheer black silk marquisette.  The matching silk boa was a big feature in their line for Spring 1961.  This dress copied in America by Saks Fifth Avenue.

Mary Black Dress - 1961

Designer Mary Black made this stunning silk chiffon dress exclusively for Bergdorf Goodman in 1961.  Drapes drop from the shoulders and are attached to the skirt front.  The dress was available in avocado green, beige and navy and came in sizes 10-20.  Sold in 1961 for $215 (about $1628 in today's dollar.)

Patrick de Barentzen Dress - 1961

My oh my, I would not have guessed this dress was as early as 1961, but those Italian designers tend to surprise me quite frequently.  This dress by Patrick de Barentzen is fashioned of black and white silk shantung.  The back is held together with a black ribbon.  Originally came with a matching jacket (but of course!)  Even though the dress is backless, the woman who wore it would not have gone bra-less.  Not in 1961!  Either she is wearing a backless corset or the dress has one built into it.

What We Were Wearing - Fall 1961

50 years ago this month, this is what women were wearing.

Oleg Cassini

Perhaps the biggest influence on fashion here in the States, Jackie Kennedy personified the ladylike look most women tried to achieve.  Simple sheath dresses were very popular.

Jean Patou

Elegant suits had shorter and boxier jackets with 3/4 sleeves and big buttons.

Handmacher

Pillbox hats were the latest craze for the head, but hats were dwindling in popularity.  Long gloves were worn with suits and coats that had 3/4 sleeves.  Simple coats with fur wedding ring collars were everywhere.

Sue Brett

Full skirted dresses were having their last hurrah.  They were shorter in length and would disappear within a year or two.

Sweater by Braemar, pants by Geist & Geist

Skinny pants for casual wear were sometimes made of knits.  They were paired with sweaters or blouses.

Edward Abbott

Brocade was big.  Cocktail dresses were usually simple sheaths in opulent fabrics or full skirted styles in chiffon.

Pierre Balmain

Evening gowns usually had simple lines and were made of luxurious fabrics.  Brocades and heavy satins were most popular.  Every woman had or wanted a mink stole or jacket for evening.

Van Raalte

No matter what she was wearing on top, a woman in 1961 always wore a bra and girdle.  A slip was always worn under dresses and suits.

White Mink Jacket, 1961

Famous Parisian furrier Maurice Kotler designed this mink jacket in Emba Jasmine white mink fur in 1961.  Notice anything unusual?  The opening of the jacket is in the back.  You may wonder if the model is just wearing the jacket backwards for the photo, but I doubt the sleeves would fit correctly if she were.  It also looks like she may have her hand in a pocket.  Whichever way you wear it, though, it certainly is luxurious!

Simply Superb Sheaths - 1961

 Take a simple sheath and jazz it up with fabulous design details for an out-of-this-world look that never goes out of style.  The looks today are from 1961.  Which is your favorite?

Above:  Guy Laroche encircles beige wool tweed with a button-on belt of brown satin.

 Nina Ricci adds an attached sash at the hips.

 David M. Goodstein puts little pleated bows at the neckline and waist of this wool crepe dress.

 Turn silk plaid on the bias and add a bit of blouson to the bodice.  Saks Fifth Avenue private label.

Sophie of Saks adds embroidered circles to the front of this mohair/wool blend sheath.

Design Piracy is Not New

Fashion designers have long looked to historical garments and to Paris couture for inspiration.  But when one designer copies the work of another line for line, that is known as design piracy.   CFDA President Diane von Furstenburg is currently leading the fight to have Congress adopt the Design Piracy Prohibition Act here in the US.  In 2009, von Furstenburg settled a suit out of court with Canadian label Mercy when it was found one of her design assistants copied a floral jacket from Mercy's Spring 2008 line.  Von Furstenburg was reportedly devastated by the embarrassing incident, especially considering that the designer is herself suing Target for copying her own designs.

Design piracy is not a recent phenomenon, though.  It just didn't get exposed as often without the instant news we now get on the internet.  Take the example of the dress shown above by Claire McCardell from Spring 1958. The bias cut pale gray Irish linen dress skims the body and is accented with white piping at the neckline and pockets. This dress was included in the line that was to be McCardell's last, and much of it was designed by Mildred Orrick and Arnold Scaasi due to McCardell's ill health.  In fact, by the time the above photo was published in June of 1958, McCardell had already passed from colon cancer. 

Three years later, in 1961, the same fashion magazine featured this shell gray bias cut Irish linen dress that skims the body and is accented with white piping at the neckline and pocket.  The only thing missing is the little bow at the front.  McCardell?  No.  This dress was by Abby Michael, a division of Bobbie Brooks.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Swimsuits - 1961

Evidently, green was popular for the summer of 1961, as Harper's Bazaar did an entire issue of the magazine based on the color. Here, the look of swimsuits for the summer of 1961, all in shades of green.

Rudi Gernreich blouson swimsuit in rayon matte jersey. Sold in 1961 for $35 (about $257 in today's dollar).

Robby Len green floral print Lastex two-piece suit. The bottom has side draping. Sold in 1961 for $13 (about $96 in today's dollar).

Catalina lime green maillot with welted seams and a low-cut back in stretch nylon. Sold in 1961 for $20 (about $147 in today's dollar).

One piece green swimsuit by Stafford-Higgins with a blouson top with cap sleeves and an elasticized waist that ties with a belt. Sold in 1961 for $10 (about $73 in today's dollar).

Top, Rose Marie Reid cap-sleeved maillot in green floral print nylon. Sold in 1961 for $26 (about $191 in today's dollar).
Bottom, Cole of California stretch nylon maillot in two tones of green with lacing at the neckline. Sold in 1961 for $19 (about $140 in today's dollar).

Photos by Melvin Sokolsky for Harper's Bazzar

Luis Estevez - 1961, Part 2

What happens when you buy a multi-page ad in a fashion magazine? You get your dresses featured editorially, of course! In the same issue of Harper's Bazaar that featured the ad pages of Luis Estevez dresses in Mexico I showed you yesterday, the magazine features 2 full pages of Estevez dresses with a focus on lace for evening. You'll notice the same two-piece waistline inserts on two of these evening dresses that we saw on some of the day dresses yesterday.

At left, white lace dress with black silk bow at waist. Sold in 1961 for $100 (about $735 in today's dollar). Hat by Halston of Bergdorf Goodman (yes that Halston).
At right, black lace and white silk organza with a turquoise silk two-piece sash. Sold in 1961 for $125 (about $919 in today's dollar). Hat by Halston. Earrings by Miriam Haskell.

At left, strapless black re-embroidered lace with white silk organza and vibrant pink silk two-piece waistband. Sold in 1961 for $185 (about $1360 in today's dollar). Hat by Vincent Harmik. Earrings by Miriam Haskell.
At right, black lace one-shoulder dress with side draping. Sold in 1961 for $110 (about $808 in today's dollar). Hat by Emme. All gloves by Kislav.

I hope you've enjoyed our look at dresses by Luis Estevez this week. I always count him as one of my favorite designers. In a Life magazine article dated April 2, 1956, Luis Estevez said his wife was his inspiration for his feminine designs. "She likes her dresses to have sharp lines and to be as sexy as possible within the boundaries of good taste." I think he was still true to that mantra 5 years later.

Photos by Melvin Sokolsky for Harper's Bazaar.