Adele Simpson Ensemble - 1964

You know I love Bergdorf ads.  But it's the outfit here that catches my imagination.  From 1964, the Adele Simpson rayon sheath dress with interesting seaming is set off with a matching capelet.  The cape was lined in contrasting silk and the set came with a leather tie belt in the same color as the cape lining.  The color combinations were wonderful: navy with vivid green lining and belt, sea green with turquoise, gold nugget with black or black with gold nugget.  The set sold for $160 in 1964 (about $1220 in today's dollar.)

Which color would you choose? 

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.

Adele Simpson Convertible Dress - 1956

A seemingly simple dress and jacket set by Adele Simpson from the spring of 1956 takes a surprising turn.  In the small photo at the left, the dress appears to be one piece.  But remove that little bolero....and is that a strapless dress now?  Why, yes!  I believe it is!  3 looks in 1!  The ad calls this ensemble the "Important 'peel off' costume."  Made in imported Italian silk by Chardon Marche.

Photo from a full page ad for Adele Simpson that appeared in Harper's Bazaar, 1956.

Adele Simpson Dress and Capelet - 1964

I always enjoy these ads from Bergdorf Goodman.  The artwork is superb and the wording is beautifully descriptive.  Today, "The Capelet Costume" from February, 1964.  Sold for $160 (about $1,170 in today's dollar.)

"The Capelet Costume...full-of-flair and elegant bravado.  Watch this shape-in-the-news sweep South and into Spring '64, a beautiful balance of crisply-controlled width and eased slenderness.  Adele Simpson flings the breezy little silk-lined cape over a dress of matching rayon Fibranne, its waistline lashed with a sliver of leather.  Navy with vivid green lining and belt, sea green with turquoise, gold nugget with black or black with gold nugget.  Sizes 6 to 16.  From our Plaza Collections, Fourth Floor."

I do think I'd have to choose sea green with turquoise lining and belt.  How about you?

Adele Simpson Dress - 1954

No description other than stunning!  It looks like this dress is made from a jacquard weave fabric and it has sparkling glints of something.  Perhaps metallic threads, perhaps rhinestones, perhaps sequins or beads.  By Adele Simpson in 1954.

Adele Simpson Dress and Coat - 1956

What could be better than a dress by Adele Simpson?  How about one with a matching coat?  Spatter print silk in Delphinium blue makes the dress and lines the blue wool coat.  Sold for $275 in 1956 (about $2,289 in today's dollar.)

Adele Simpson's Turkish Delight Collection, 1963

Designer Adele Simpson, shown above, was age 60 when she designed her Turkish Delight Collection for spring, 1963.  Having just returned from world-wide travels, Simpson designed the collection around her time spent in Istanbul.

The collection included prints and embroideries inspired by treasures the designer purchased while in Turkey.

Fine silks, cottons, linens, and wools were used and evening gowns were elaborately beaded.

But all was not exotic.  Simpson was also inspired by her travels to create a collection of basic pieces that could be mixed-and-matched and worn for more than one occasion.  Above, a short tan coat of Moygashel linen is worn with a matching wrap skirt over a black silk matte jersey dress.  The dress is worn here as a shell, but can emerge from under the coat and skirt and be worn for cocktails or dinner later in the day.

Here, a 3-piece travel suit by Simpson in Barbacane, a newly introduced fabric from Staron that was a blend of silk and cotton woven to look like linen without the wrinkles.

Metlon Metallic Yarns

Aren't these golden cocktail ensembles from 1958 lovely? Adele Simpson made the brocade suit on the left and Hannah Troy did the lurex knit dress on the right. The fabrics used for both garments were woven with metallic thread made by Metlon, a Rhode Island company still in business today. Metlon began in business in 1947 by designing and building special machinery to slit fine gauge metallic fabrics into thin continuous strips of yarn or thread.

Later in the same 1958 magazine, this ad appears for an evening suit in turquoise and gold brocade by Bill Blass for Maurice Rentner. The brocade fabric was made with Metlon threads. Gorgeous, isn't it? And if you were lucky enough to find this suit today, I'll bet those gold threads would still be shimmering just as brightly as they did over 50 years ago.

Bergdorf Goodman Ads

Fashion writers have such an enviable talent. They can make a dress desirable with the choice of a few words. Ads for Bergdorf Goodman showcased this talent at its best. While Bergdorf's ads often featured fashion photography, I think their ads with beautifully drawn illustrations spark the imagination in a better way. Can't you just see and feel what these garments are like based on the verbal imagery?

September 1965 - "Fur Doubles the Dash of this new suit shaping, echoing the close-fitting cut of the trim jacket as well as the deep-tobacco color of the crisp gabardine. Under the jacket lies a neatly curved, sleeveless over-blouse and a front-gathered skirt that slopes gently into walking ease. By Marquise in yarn-dyed tobacco brown worsted wool gabardine edged with brown-dyed deep-curling Afghanistan lamb." $395 (about $2717 in today's dollar).

September 1965 - "Wool - Afloat Under Fur...Watch it skimming along the boulevards this Fall with a graceful awareness of figure and a bouyant ripple of hemline. Its special drama: a great, wide fur boa whipped into a dashing bow and flung over the shoulder. The deeply sculptured grey wool from Italy comes with a boa of natural grey Afghanistan lamb; also in navy with black-dyed nutria boa." Dress alone, $275 (about $1892 in today's dollar). Dress with fur boa, $735 (about $5055 in today's dollar).

February 1964 - "The Capelet Costume...full-of-flair and elegant bravado. Watch this shape-in-the-news sweep South and into Spring'64, a beautiful balance of crisply-controlled width and eased slenderness. Adele Simpson flings the breezy little silk-lined cape over a dress of matching rayon Fibranne, its waistline lashed with a sliver of leather. Navy with vivid green lining and belt, sea green with turquoise, gold nugget with black or black with gold nugget." $160 (about $1100 in today's dollar).