Orange was a Hot Color in the 1930s

I listed this gorgeous 1930s burnt orange velvet bias cut velvet dress for sale on my website yesterday.  The color is so striking and unusual compared to most 1930s velvet dresses I find in black, navy and burgundy, that it piqued my curiosity.  That sent me on another research adventure.

Color fashion photography was not common at this time, so we have to rely on artist's renderings to see clothing in color.  But some fabric manufacturers did go to the expense of having color photographs done of fabric swatches so women could see the fabrics and colors that would be popular that year.  These are both from the fall of 1935.

And here are the fabrics that Mme. Chanel was using for her fall line in 1935. 

Here are velvets from 1934.  Notice the stand-out color in each?  Orange.  Orange shows up in fabric swatches from about 1934 through 1939.  This tells me the velvet dress I showed you above was the height of fashion in the mid-to-late 1930s.

Below are some artist renderings of orange used in fashion in the 1930s.

Dress by Jodelle, 1935.

Suit by Madeleine de Rauch, 1938

Black hat with orange bird of paradise feather by Chanel, 1935.

Evening gowns by Vionnet, 1935.

Have a Vintage Halloween!

If ever there is a day to wear orange, it's Halloween! This gorgeous suit was shown in the December 1957 issue of a fashion magazine. The magazine calls this color "golden apricot" - um, OK. Orange. The suit is by Handelsman & Raiffe and is trimmed in lynx fur. It was available at Henri Bendel for $185.00 ($1420.00 today) I can't find any references to "Handelsman & Raiffe" anywhere, and the label is unfamiliar to me, but isn't the suit yummy?

My impression of this photo? Love the suit, but the model is way too thin! If you thought super thin, anorexic models were a modern phenomena, think again. This gal is so thin, the back of the skirt is sagging because her non-existent derriere can't fill it out. Perhaps a little trick-or-treating would help!

Have a fun vintage Halloween, watch out for ghosts and goblins, and play safe!

Vintage 60s Mod Orange Coat

I am over-the-moon in love with this coat. It's vintage mid to late 1960's and completely Mod. And it's orange. How could you not love an orange coat?


Narciso Rodriguez showed a bright burst of an orange coat in his Fall/Winter 2008 line. Ralph Lauren, Nina Ricci, and Prada also showed bright orange for fall.



Take a look at the details of that 1960's coat. The strong geometric seams are accented with topstitching. And those buttons? They have hot pink centers. Pair this coat with hot pink tights and you've got an eye-popping and eye-catching outfit that is true vintage but fits right in with today's style trends.

See this coat at Couture Allure on EBay. Click the top photo to see the details.