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.

Meet Tammy and Jen

 Meet Tammy!  She purchased this 1960s Victoria Royal dress from Couture Allure and wore it for her anniversary dinner that was celebrated in Las Vegas.  Doesn't she look beautiful?  The dress compliments the glow of love shining from her smile.

 1960s Victoria Royal dress from Couture Allure.

 You've met Jen before on this blog.  A lover of vintage fashion, Jen is the author of The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May.  Jen snatched up this vintage 40s suit by Philip Mangone to wear for her more formal business meetings.  It's a timeless classic that suits her to a T, don't you think?

1940s suit by Philip Mangone at Couture Allure.

Jen purchased several vintage sundresses to wear for her book signing engagements this summer.  I think this bright stripes dress from the 1970s is perfect for her, don't you?

1970s striped sundress from Couture Allure.

Goodbye Betty Ford

Betty Ford official portrait October 2, 1974

Former First Lady Betty Ford died this past Friday, July 8,2011, at age 93.  Ford was thrust somewhat reluctantly into her role as First Lady after Richard Nixon resigned as President in 1974.  But she is fondly remembered by this blogger as a champion of women's rights and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Less than two months into her husband's presidency, Mrs. Ford discovered she had breast cancer.  Her openness and honesty about the disease played a key role in helping women learn about breast cancer and the importance of early detection.

The stresses of her daily life and the lack of medical oversight common for the times led to Mrs. Ford's combined addiction to alcohol and pain killers as early as 1965.  Her family intervened in 1978 and she voluntarily entered the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center at the Long Beach Naval Hospital.  After successfully going through treatment, Mrs. Ford joined with Leonard Firestone in founding a rehabilitation center specifically to meet the needs of women in Rancho Mirage, CA.  She remained actively involved there, serving as Chairman of the Board of the Betty Ford Center until 2005.

State dinner in honor of Egyptian President and Mrs. Anwar Sadat. October 27, 1975.

 Betty Ford had a wonderful fashion sense.  Before her marriage, she was a fashion model for Grand Rapids department store Herpolshiemer’s.  She worked her way up at the store to become a Fashion Scout (today known as a buyer), often traveling to New York to find the latest styles for the store.

Official portrait, December 24, 1975. Gown by Frankie Welch.

Mrs. Ford preferred a more formal tailored style, but also one that was affordable.  She often wore vibrant colors that were popular at the time.  Her preferred designers were Frankie Welch, Luis Estevez and Albert Capraro.

The Fords with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, July 7, 1976.

 Much of Betty Ford's clothing is housed at the Ford Library Museum.  The museum mounted an exhibit of some of her clothing in 2010.  You can see photos of some of the garments in the museum's Flickr photo feed.

Mrs. Ford dances with Prince Philip at the State Dinner, July 7, 1976.

"I do not believe that being First Lady should prevent me from expressing my views …  Why should my husband’s job or yours prevent us from being ourselves?  Being ladylike does not require silence." 

~Betty Ford

All photos from the Ford Library Museum.

New at Couture Allure - Hats! and Vintage Designer Goodies

This week at Couture Allure I've added some fabulous vintage hats and belts and some gorgeous vintage clothing.  Be sure to check our What's New pages to see all the latest additions to the site!

1940s wide brim hat with feathers.

1990s Yohji Yamamoto jersey knot dress.

1970s Hermes wool and black leather wrap skirt.

1950s Harvey Berin lace over silk cocktail dress.

1950s Toni Todd taffeta party dress.

1970s sheer silk chiffon floral dress.

Weekend Eye Candy - Valentino, 1991

From Valentino's Spring-Summer Boutique collection, a coral colored crepe toga worn over a bustier top and pants in white crepe entirely embroidered in sequins, beads and shells in a coral branch pattern.

Photo by Steven Meisel.

Priscilla of Boston and White House Weddings

Priscilla Kidder holds the hand embroidered message that was sewn into the hem of Julie Nixon's wedding dress.

Priscilla Kidder, owner of Priscilla of Boston, was one of the most famous makers of wedding gowns in the US in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.  After coming to prominence in 1956 when she designed the bridesmaid gowns for Grace Kelly's wedding to Prince Ranier of Monaco, Kidder went on to design bridal gowns for three White House weddings in 6 years.

 In 1965, Luci Baines Johnson married Pat Nugent in this structured A-line gown that featured a 9 foot long Watteau train made by Priscilla of Boston.

Julie Nixon was married in December 1968, one month before Richard Nixon took office as President.  Julie was offered a White House wedding, but she and her fiance, David Eisenhower, preferred a private ceremony and reception in New York.  Julie wore this puffed sleeved wedding gown with long train by Priscilla of Boston.

In 1971, Tricia Nixon married Edward Cox at the White House in this sheer English net gown set with hand pieced French Alencon lace by Priscilla of Boston.

Dina Merrill in the Latest Fashions, 1960

In 1960s, model and actress Dina Merrill posed for a series of photos taken by Milton H. Greene.  The photos are styled to duplicate the work of various artists.  Merrill wears some of the newest American fashions for Spring, 1960.

In the style of an odalisque painting by Henri Matisse, Merrill wears a silk lounging jumpsuit by Pembroke Squires.  Sold for $45 in 1960 (about $344 in today's dollar.)

Posing as one of George Petty's pin-up girls, Merrill wears a pink velvet evening coat with white fox fur collar by Arnold Scaasi.  Sold for $975 in 1960 (about $7,443 in today's dollar.)

As John Singer Sargent's Madame X, Merrill wears a simple black evening gown by Luis Estevez.  Sold for $125 in 1960 (about $954 in today's dollar.)

Merrill emulates Goya's Don Manuel Osorio de Zuniga wearing an orange wool pantsuit by Arnold Scaasi.  Sold for $275 in 1960 (about $2,099 in today's dollar.)

As a John Held, Jr. flapper girl, Merrill wears a striped knit tank top and pleated wool skirt by Jax.  Set sold for $95 in 1960 (about $725 in today's dollar.)

Manet's Nana is re-created here.  Merrill wears Jane Derby's white cotton dress adorned with lace and pink ribbons.  Sold for $365 in 1960 (about $2,786 in today's dollar.)

How to Get the Look: 1950 Eye Makeup

One eye is made up to show what a difference eye cosmetics can make.

At the Paris couture shows for Spring 1950, models wore exaggerated eye makeup, even with daytime clothes.  Cosmetics manufacturers were quick to offer products for this previously untouched area of the average female face. Short hair had already hit the streets in the U.S. and women adopted the doe-eyed look as a seductive balance to their boyish haircuts.  In the photo above, the model is wearing eye makeup on one eye to show the difference cosmetics can make.

Here, from 1950, a step-by-step tutorial on how to get the doe-eyed look:

1.  Apply shadow on the lids from the center of the eye out concentrating color towards the temple.  A lighter shade of shadow can be blended up to the brow.
2.  Dark eye pencil is used to line the upper lid from the inside corner.  Fan the pencil out and up at the outer corner to look like an extension of the lashes.

3.  Use a dark brown (preferred over black) pencil to draw a narrow line under the lower lashes from inner corner out to meet the liner on top.
4.   Darken and shape the eyebrow with pencil.  Add mascara to balance the entire look.

The finished look topped off with a beauty mark for added allure.

Here's an eye makeup tutorial from 1960, also from Paris.

Designer Polly Hornburg and Calypso Shops

Designer Polly Hornburg wearing one of her own dresses, 1952.

Polly Hornburg was a Bermudian and former model who started designing play and resort clothes in the early 1950s.  She got her start in the business after seeing a movie which featured an African chief wearing a brightly colored cotton toga.  After finding that the cottons were made in England for African trade, Hornburg placed an order with the fabric manufacturer.  She was surprised to receive 10,000 yards of various native prints and her Calypso Shop was born.  She eventually added exotic silks from Siam, batiks from India and other ethnic fabrics from around the world to her selections.  By 1957, Hornburg had 6 Calypso Shops in Bermuda and Jamaica and was also selling her clothing throughout the US both in boutiques and department stores like I. Magnin and Bonwit Teller.  She designed everything from simple shorts and tops to evening dresses, along with swimsuits and diving gear.  Hornburg died in October, 2010 at age 94.

I've shown a few garments by Polly Hornburg over the years, but never anything that I am more in love with than this blouse and skirt set from 1954. Made of African Khanga cloth the bold design is used to great effect here.  Bright turquoise is the main color.  Sold for $35 in 1954 (about $294 in today's dollar.)

Also from 1954, this black and white Khanga cloth blouse and skirt is a wonderful use of a border print.  Sold for $34 in 1954 (about $286 in today's dollar.)


From 1955, this top and pant set is fashioned from an Indian cotton batik print.  The set sold for $48 in 1955 (about $391 in today's dollar.)

 Another Khanga cloth blouse, this time paired with simple black pants.

Happy 4th of July!

Today in the US, we commemorate Independence Day with parades, picnics, and fireworks. Happy 4th of July! Celebrate like you used to when you were a kid!

New at Couture Allure - Victorian, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s

This week at Couture Allure we added some older items to the site including garments from the Victorian era right through the 1950s.  Be sure to check out the wonderful vintage scarves, including two Hermes men's pocket squares, that were added too by taking a look at our What's New page!

1930s silk and gold lame evening gown in a larger size!

1930s silk and lame evening coat

1940s brown wool gabardine suit

1950s Fred Perlberg black evening gown with bustle

1950s black taffeta party dress

Victorian silk mantel with elaborate passementerie.