Accessorizing with Scarves

Are you bored with the same old coat, suit, or dress? Do you need some color now that the winter doldrums have set in? How can a gal change her look on a budget? Scarves are your answer! A pretty scarf can be wrapped, draped, and tied in several ways to update your look. And if you're thrift shopper, you can often find beautiful silk scarves for a couple of dollars. Did you know you can have your favorite silk scarves dry cleaned? It's the best way to maintain their bright colors and soft, fluid drape.

Here are some ideas for wearing scarves from 1956.

Vintage Cocktail Dress - More Lace

Ooh la la, another use of Chantilly lace - this one from 1949 by Henri Bendel Young-Timers. The photo is in soft focus, so you may have difficulty making it out, but the dress is fashioned from black taffeta with the lace covering the bodice and forming the sheer cap sleeves. The scallops at the edge of the lace extend beyond the taffeta for an alluring neckline.

The dress was originally sold in brown, red, navy, and black and retailed for $69.95 (that's $634.00 today!). The model wears a black velvet bandeaux hat and a rhinestone bracelet. She carries a tiny clutch purse. This ad appeared in the November 1949 issue of Glamour magazine.

In other news, you may not know this about me, but I volunteer at the MSPCA dog shelter in Boston. Meet Lucky and Calvin.

Lucky the Chihuahua and Calvin the Cairn Terrier were surrendered to the shelter because their owners could no longer care for them. The two dogs have always been together and the shelter would like to place them together in a new home. I worked with these boys yesterday, and they are sweet as can be. If you are in the Boston area and are interested, or know someone who might be, please contact me or the Boston MSPCA.

Vintage Sweaters - Dalton Cashmere and Mitin Mothproofing

Dalton Cashmeres was founded in 1951 in Willoughby, Ohio. They were soon known for their high quality cashmere sweaters, which are still sought after today by lovers of vintage clothing. Dalton also made co-ordinating separates, such as skirts, pants, and blouses.

This ad for Dalton Cashmeres appeared in the August 1956 issue of Glamour magazine. "Forward and aft views of Sandra, turtleneck triumph with a rib-bib in 100% imported cashmere, magnificently mated wtih Dalton's own superb skirt of doeskin flannel, or Stroock's pure cashmere or cashmere blend."

This sweater is one piece that looks like two, with the squared off faux opening that accents the ribbed turtleneck. It has 3/4 sleeves and buttons up the back. They've shown it tucked in or out, and given the option of two skirts, one in wool and one in cashmere.

In tiny letters at the bottom of the ad it says, "All Dalton Sweaters and Skirts are durably moth-proofed my Mitin."

I've never heard of Mitin, so I did some research. Mitin FF is a pesticide that works by killing the moth larvae when they ingest and digest the wool protein, which means if you do ever get moths in your closet, they won't be able to do a lot of damage. The chemical is added to the yarn in the dye bath at the same time as any coloring that is being added to the yarn. The mothproofing agent adheres to the yarn in a similar way as the dye does. Mitin FF is relatively harmless if not ingested, and has been used as a pesticide in the United States since 1948 exclusively by the textile industry for mothproofing wool. Laboratory tests have found the chemical to be "low to moderately toxic" and to have "low mammalian toxicity." The use of Mitin FF was outlawed in the UK in 1994 due to environmental concerns about the chemicals present when the dyebaths are disposed of.

Want to read more? Here is the EPA documentation about Mitin FF.

And to learn more about how to store your woolens safely without the use of chemicals, check out About.com's page about storing wool.

Vintage Dresses - in Black Velvet

I love the waist detail of this dress from 1956. 4 rows of satin cording with bows visually accent the tiny waist compared to the flare of the hips and bust. This dress was featured in the August 1956 issue of Glamour magazine and shows St. Louis debutante Jean Hamilton wearing a dress by Doris Dodson Juniors. The dress was about $18 in 1956 ($142 today). She wears a Therese Ahrens bandeaux hat and carries an Ingber purse.

You'll see the same waist accent in this early 60's velvet cocktail dress available at www.coutureallure.com. No bows, but this one's got the added allure of a large satin rose set off to the side. Click the picture to see the details.