Oscar de la Renta Dress - 1967

Here in Boston, we've been blessed with relatively mild temperatures for the past couple of months.  (Did I just jinx it?)  That doesn't mean I don't long for tropical temperatures and warm ocean breezes.  This 1967 dress by Oscar de la Renta is perfect for enjoying those fantasies.  And a long orange beaded necklace as an ankle bracelet?  Why not?

New York Fashion - 1973

You can clearly see here the inspiration for recent runway looks by many designers.  Will you be adding 1970s inspired looks to your wardrobe?  Or will you choose to wear the originals that are now vintage?  Here, fashion out of New York, 1973. 

Oscar de la Renta silk blouse, wool pants and fluffy alpaca cardigan coat, all in pink.  Worn with a long scarf, a pink cloche hat and Herbert Levine platform shoes.

Christian Aujard cream silk trenchcoat, blouse and pants.  Sold for $220 in 1973 (about $1,695 in today's dollar.)  Check out that huge Bottega Veneta clutch purse and the fedora hat by Don Marshall.

Beverly Johnson models a green and white spiral striped acrylic sweater with white polyester pants by Giorgini.  Sold for $98 in 1973 (about $488 in today's dollar.)  Love the Charles Jourdan green and white spectator shoes!

Bill Blass Blassport cotton poplin trench coat and glen plaid pants worn with a Bottega Veneta shetland wool sweater.  Sold for $220 in 1973 (about $1,097 in today's dollar.)

Lauren Hutton wears an Oscar de la Renta vanilla wool suit with a white crepe de Chine blouse.  Sold for $445 in 1973 (about $2,218 in today's dollar.)

Oscar de la Renta - 1968

Today, I want to share one of my latest finds with you. On November 11, 1968, Mrs. J. F. Schoellkof ordered this Oscar de la Renta evening gown with matching opera coat from Bergdorf Goodman's Custom Salon.


Bergdorf Goodman would order sample garments from various designer and couture houses, and then have them custom made for their customers. They did the final fitting and tailoring in-house.

This stunning set by Oscar de la Renta is fashioned of metallic brocade in pink, brown, and cream with gold threads. The opera coat has a mink fur collar and cuffs.

The coat opens to reveal a matching dress.

The dress alone is a knock-out, but when you add the coat, that takes it into the stratosphere.

The coat has huge elaborate frog closures in metallic gold with rhinestones, pearls, and chains.

The dress is trimmed with gold braid, rhinestones, gold beads, and bell shaped metal rings.

This is, quite simply, one of the most amazing garments I've ever found in my years in this business. I wish I could have met Mrs. Schoellkof. She must have been quite a woman!

For more details, see the listing at Couture Allure.

Soft 70's Hand-Painted Prints

As fashion trended away from the structured lines of 1960's Mod, we find a move toward softer, more feminine lines with lots of loose, flowing fabrics, ruffles, and draping. Many women were either going bra-less or wearing a soft knit "barely there" bra with these fashions. Shown here - gorgeous hand-painted prints from 1975. As always, click the photos for a larger view.

Halston's 3 piece evening pyjama in silk chiffon. The tunic, pants, and cape are hand-painted with yellow flowers. Sold for $950.00 (about $3,856.00 in today's dollar)

Bill Blass uses a hand-painted design on a silk crepe tunic and matches it with silk crepe de Chine pyjama pants. Sold for $620.00 (about $2,517.00 in today's dollar).

Zandra Rhodes was famous for her use of her own hand-painted prints. Here a peach design on cream silk chiffon floats over a layer of cream jersey. The one-shoulder dress has a handkerchief hem. Sold for $895.00 (about $3,630.00 in today's dollar).

Holly's Harp creates a tiered silk chiffon evening coat to wear over a pistachio matte jersey camisole and long skirt. Sold for $645.00 (about $2,620.00 in today's dollar).

Oscar de la Renta offered this one-shoulder dress in bias cut silk chiffon with a hand-painted draped shawl wrap that tied at the shoulder. Sold for $615.00 (about $2,500.00 in today's dollar).

One other note - you can see clearly in these photos a make-up trend from the mid 70's. Dark bronzer or blush was used to sculpt a dramatic cheekbone. Blush was applied from the hairline down under the cheekbone and right to the apple of the cheek.

From the same time period, Couture Allure offers this gorgeous hand-painted silk evening dress by American designer Pauline Trigere.

New at Couture Allure - Vintage Evening Dresses and Designer Suits

New this week at Couture Allure, lots of shimmer and sparkle for evening and a fabulous suit by an important designer, Philip Mangone.

Mangone was one of the best suit and coat designers from the 1920’s to the 1950’s. Always exquisitely tailored, his suits are becoming very hard to come by. This early 1940's suit is fashioned from purple wool gabardine.

This 1960's metallic brocade cocktail suit consists of a dress with matching coat trimmed in black mink fur. Trés chic!

This 1960's cocktail suit by Adolphe Zelinka is fashioned from one of the most unusual fabrics I've ever seen! Grey mohair wool is woven with gold lamé in a Mod geometric pattern. More trés chic!


Even more sparkle and shine, this time in black sequins on a late 1950's cocktail dress by Jay Herbert.

Need a little something to jazz up your favorite evening dress? How about this 1960's opera cape worked in a metallic jacquard?

Last for today, but far from least, is this early 1970's metallic gold and beaded silk evening gown by Oscar de la Renta. This dress was from one of his earliest collections bearing his own label.

Vintage Evening Gowns - Ted Shore, Rappi, Oscar de la Renta, Sophie of Saks

November 1949 - Ted Shore long sheath dress with a sweeping overskirt in brocade. The dress sold for $45 ($410 today) at DePinna. The model wears long white gloves and rhinestones at her ears and neck.

December 1959 - At left, a pale green satin sheath with floating panels at the back. The wide waistband is of glittering brocade. Dress by Cameo Evening Fashions sold for $125 ($925 today). The model wears a rhinestone necklace as a tiara and statement rhinestone earrings. Long formal gloves and satin shoes by Herbert Levine complete the look.

At right, a pink silk peau de soie ball gown with shimmering crystals decorating the bodice. Dress by Rappi (remember her?) sold for $145 ($1075 today). The model wears rhinestones at the wrist and long rhinestone chandelier earrings.

We have a very similar lilac satin ball gown available now at Couture Allure for $145.00.

October 1964 - Oscar de la Renta exclusive for Elizabeth Arden sky blue silk faille with crystals embroidered at the wide waist and hem. This much sparkle only needs pearl earrings by Marcel Boucher and a statement coiffure.

October 1963 - crystal encrusted pink satin strapless evening gown with matching stole by Sophie of Saks. The model wears white formal gloves and white satin shoes. One doesn't need jewelry with this much sparkle!