Weekend Eye Candy - Legroux Souers - 1952

It's Kentucky Derby day, so it's only appropriate to show  you a Derby-worthy hat.  This straw beauty by Legroux Souers, Paris dates to the spring of 1952.  Don't forget to wear your diamond 4-leaf clover pin for luck!

Hermes Trompe L'oeil Dresses - 1952

For Spring 1952, Hermes Paris devised these wonderfully simple dresses that have anything but a simple effect.  Plain lengths of fabric were screen printed with painted details like lapels, buttons and pockets.  The fabric was then cut and sewn into the clever dresses shown here.

The dresses were copied with permission in the US by Herbert Sondheim later in 1952.  The Sondheim dresses were made of rayon that was woven to look like linen and, due to the screen printing, they were dry clean only.  Each dress style was made available in 4 colors: white, navy, black and copper.  The Sondheim copies sold for $29.95 in 1952 (about $259 in today's dollar.)

Another style available from Sondheim, this dress has 3/4 sleeves and a flowing scarf printed on the bodice.  Sold for $39.95 in 1952 (about $346 in today's dollar.)

And another version, this one with painted top-stitching along the lapels and pockets.  Sold for $29.95 in 1952 (about $259 in today's dollar.)

Meanwhile, back in Paris, Hermes applied the same technique to raincoats.  The buttons and pockets are screen-printed and the coat closes with a hidden zipper in the front.  As far as I can tell, the coats were not copied here in the US.  The coat sold for $100 in 1952 (about $866 in today's dollar.)

Trompe l'oeil hood painted on the back of the coat.

All photos by Gordon Parks for Life Magazine, 1952.

One Incredible Dress - 1959

Isn't it beautiful?  This ad for Supima Cotton appeared in January 1959.  Rather jaw-dropping, isn't it?  The long column of a gown is overtaken by a huge sweeping train at the back that falls from the upper edge of the bodice.  The dress appears to be strapless, but actually has a sheer nude color yoke.  Black ribbon bands edge the top of the floral fabric and the neckline edge of the sheer yoke.  The dress is fashioned of sheer cotton voile that has been hand-screened with this incredible rose print.  The designer?  Luis Estevez.

Mad Men - Oh The (60s) Clothes!

I always love a good party scene on Mad Men, as it affords us an opportunity to see some fabulous vintage clothing.  Episode 7 of Season 5 aired this past Sunday and not only did we have a formal gala, we had a client dinner, Megan's French mother Marie (played to perfection by Julia Ormond), and shopping!

For the Heinz client dinner, Megan wore this fabulous silver and gold cocktail dress with a beaded collar.

It wasn't until she and Don get into the car after dinner that we see a glimpse of the matching coat with beading on the sleeves!!!!!  I've always had a thing for these 60s dress and coat sets and grab them for the website whenever I can. 

Right now, I have this gorgeous 1960s silver, gold and copper metallic dress and coat set available for purchase at Couture Allure.  It is very similar to the set Megan wore on the show.

In this scene, we see Megan, Marie and Sally returning from a day of shopping.  I think this is the first time we've seen Megan wearing a hat.  Both Megan and her mother wear gorgeous dress/coat ensembles in wool plaids.  Love, love, love!

I sold a very similar 1960s dress/coat set last year to a very lucky customer!

In the past, I've bemoaned the demise of the evening coat.  Here we see two fabulous examples as everyone prepares to leave for the American Cancer Society gala.  Marie wears a black brocade full length coat with a huge portrait collar that floats away from her neckline.  Megan is wearing a velvet coat in a rich coral red that has beading at the sleeves.  It matches her gown which you'll see in a second.  Everyone has turned to look at......

....Sally!  Sally looks so grown up in her silver mini dress and white go-go boots!  It's hard to tell from this photo, but she is also wearing fishnet tights. Check out her silver evening bag.  Don says "no" to the boots and make-up before they leave for the gala.

Finally, a look at the evening gowns.  Megan's has a velvet beaded bodice and the skirt is chiffon with floating drapes at the sides.  Marie's gown is black velvet with a sheer nude color inset at the yoke topped by a band of silver beading.  Oh, I do love a good party scene. 

Here's Jen Again!

You've met Jen Miller before on my blog.  She is a freelance writer and the author of The Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May.  Jen also pens the blog Down the Shore with Jen.  Jen is a lover of vintage clothing and has been a frequent customer of Couture Allure since finding me on Twitter.  She also is a smart lady in that she plans ahead and knows to buy a vintage dress that will work for her when she sees it, even if the event she needs it for won't be happening for months.

Jen snapped up this early 1960s cocktail dress at Couture Allure months ago as she knew it would be perfect to wear to her brother's wedding this past weekend.  She chose to wear it without the belt and reports that she got loads of compliments.  She tweeted that it is "one of the nicest cocktail dresses I've ever owned."  That's vintage for you!

Swimsuits - 1961

For the summer of 1961, the maillot was still the most popular swimsuit style.  That's not to say these aren't sexy though!

The tag line on this ad is "The name on the tip of her tongue is Petti."  Rather a provocative image for a 1961 women's magazine, and that's a rather provocative swimsuit!  Petti of Encino offered this cotton sharkskin suit in junior sizes.  The front lacing is adjustable and the suit had an inner bra.  Suit sold in 1961 for $17 (about $132 in today's dollar.)

Nothing mellow about this yellow!  Jantzen used a textured knit of rayon, nylon, Orlon and cotton for this bright maillot.  Suit sold in 1961 for $34.95 (about $268 in today's dollar.)

In an ode to la marinière, Catalina offered several colorful options of the classic white stripes.  Designed by Edith Stenbeck of Catalina in Helanca nylon and spandex knit.  Bathing caps were made in matching colors for Catalina by US Rubber.  Suit sold in 1961 for $23.95 (about $184 in today's dollar.)

Stripes are worked in the opposite direction in this high necked swimsuit by Jacques Heim.  I'll bet you anything the back plunges pretty low, though!

New at Couture Allure - Vintage Dresses and Earrings

New this week at Couture Allure are more vintage dresses for spring and summer, a fabulous fur stole and loads of vintage earrings.  Be sure to check our What's New pages to see all the latest listings!

1960s DePinna cotton roses dress with back drape.

1960s cotton pique polka dot dress.

1950s cotton stripe full skirt dress.

1960s Patullo Jo Copeland orange silk dress.

1950s luxurious fur stole.

Vintage 60s beaded dangle earrings.

Weekend Eye Candy - Christian Dior, 1948

Christian Dior concocted this perfect dress for a summer's evening in the Spring of 1948. Le sigh......

French Swimsuits - 1948

Rather swoon-worthy, aren't they?  At left:  Andre LeDoux animal print cotton suit with removable straps.  At right:  Jacques Griffe blue and white striped rayon two-piece.  Do you have a preference?

Federico Forquet

1966

Italian designer Federico Forquet had a short but spectacular career as an Italian couturier.  Born in Naples in 1931, he studied piano at the Naples Conservatory.  As a young man, he liked to create costumes inspired by the great operas that were playing in Italy at the time.

1966

In 1953, Forquet met Balenciaga by chance on the resort island of Ischia.  Balenciaga hired Forquet to work in his atelier in Paris.  Forquet stayed for 2 years and learned the craft of couture alongside Andres Courreges.

1967

After returning to Rome, Forquet worked as a designer for Fabiani and Galitzine before opening his own atelier in 1961.  His debut runway collection was shown to the press in 1962 to great acclaim.  He was labeled "The Italian Dior."

From the collection of the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute, ca. 1969-71

Forquet had a great eye for architectural lines, colorblocking, and ingenious use of geometrical seaming.  His choices of fabrics to support those design sensibilities was simply superb.

Cocktail dress covered in glass beads and paillettes, ca 1967

Forquet retired from the world of fashion in 1971 when he closed his atelier.  Since then, he has devoted his talents to interior and garden design.

1970

Forquet designed patterns for the Vogue Couturier Design line of home sewing patterns for several years.  You can see many of those patterns at the Vintage Pattern Wiki, where you will see his ingenious seaming in the line drawings.

Meet Kristel!

Meet Kristel!  She recently purchased this cute 1960s cotton shift dress from Couture Allure.  I really like the way she added a simple cardigan to make this dress wearable on a chilly spring day.  It's also a great way to tone down the print a bit.  Thanks for sharing Kristel.  You look fabulous!

I've listed lots of cute 1960s cotton shift dresses this season and they are selling out very quickly.  There are still a few to choose from on the site.  Shift dresses are so easy to wear.  Every gal should own at least one!

My Mad Men Moment

If you watched this week's episode of "Mad Men", you saw Roger and Jane attend a dinner party.  After dinner everyone retired to the living room where they proceeded to "turn on" by taking LSD.  The young blonde woman is wearing a blue dress with beaded decorations on the sleeves.  When I first saw her sitting at the dinner table, the deep blue silk and the peek of the sleeve immediately got my attention.  Could it be?

Then, as the scene continues the dress is shown very clearly as the actress stands to say goodbye to another couple and then as she crawls around on the floor high as a kite saying, "I wish I could die."  And that is my Mad Men Moment, a moment I've been waiting for for 5 seasons of the show.

I have the identical dress for sale on my website!  Well, I did until I posted about it on my Facebook page.  The dress sold last night to a very lucky gal who will have her own "Mad Men" moment when she wears it.  She has promised to send photos when she does wear it and I'll be sure to post them here for you.  But if you'd like to see photos of the details of the decorations on the sleeve and hem, click on into the listing.  This dress is amazing!

I love my job.

Gilbert Adrian Suits

Striped insets are expertly matched to form diamond patterns at the shoulders and sleeve cuffs.

Gilbert Adrian was Hollywood costume designer who gained great fame at MGM studios in the 1930s.  But as the war loomed and the film industry was forced to cut budgets, the designer became frustrated and left to form his own fashion house in 1941.  The business was an immediate success and Adrian designed some of the best clothing ever put out by an American designer.    In fact, his designs were so popular, they were copied line for line by many 7th Avenue manufacturers.  Adrian became so paranoid about others copying his designs (and who can blame him?), that he rarely allowed publicity shots or sketches of his clothes.  For his advertisements, he only used designs with extravagant and intricate details that would be nearly impossible to copy.  Some of those outrageous suits are shown here today.  These all date to the war years of the 1940s.  Which one is your favorite?

Shimmering beading and a teardrop cutout adorn this suit.

Outrageous pointed peplum.  Note the seam in the skirt that matches the line of the peplum.

The cutting and matching of the stripes here is an engineering marvel.

The precision required by a seamstress to match stripes like this is mind boggling.

A sweeping striped cape is made from the same fabric used for the sleeves on the suit.

New At Couture Allure - Vintage Full Skirt Dresses

This week at Couture Allure, we've added several full skirted cotton dresses from the 50s and 50s-style full skirted dresses from the 80s.  Stay cool this summer!  Visit our What's New pages to see all the latest listings.

1950s Jonathan Logan white cotton dress

1960s pleated floral full skirt dress

1950s cotton full skirt dress with butterflies

1980s 50s style full skirt cotton roses dress