Fantastic Floral Hats from 1954

Evidently French milliners had decided 1954 was the year of fanciful floral confections, judging by these marvelous hats from that year.  Some are stunning, some are silly, all are striking.  Which one is your favorite?

Gilbert Orcel

Gilbert Orcel

Svend

Reboux

Paulette

Paulette

Legroux Souers

La Vigna Vicuna Trench Coat - 1954

Thinking about your winter coat yet?  You can't go wrong with a classic trench style like this one by La Vigna from 1954.  La Vigna was a coat and suit manufacturer based in New York that was best known for their use of vicuna and vicuna blend fabrics.

The underdown of the vicuna is the softest and most luxurious in the world, and the warmest for its weight.  So popular was this fiber in the luxury market, the poaching of the animals in the high Andes Mountains led to vicuna being listed as endangered in 1974.  In 2002, the rebound of vicuna allowed the classification to be changed to threatened in certain countries of South America and the fiber is again being used in manufacture under strict requirements.

In 1958, Fred La Vigna formed the "Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Vicuna", as he was very concerned about the poaching of these animals.  His company only used fabrics made from vicuna fibers collected in the wild during the once-yearly natural shedding process.  It takes the fleece from about 40 vicuna to make one coat.  Pure vicuna fabric sold for $75 a yard in 1958 (about $620 a yard in today's dollar,) and a pure vicuna coat sold for around $1000 (about $8,245 in today's dollar.)

As for the coat shown above, it is made of "Vicunaire", a fabric made by Einiger of 90% imported wool and 10% pure vicuna.  It sold for $110 in 1954 (about $974 in today's dollar.)

How do you make a classic coat more classic?  Add the touch of a leopard print scarf at the neck, of course!

A Rare 1954 Documented Jacket by Claire McCardell

When I found this Claire McCardell jacket, I recognized it immediately as being featured on the cover of the May 1954 issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine, a magazine I have in my archives.

While Bazaar calls it a bateau-neck shirt, this garment is really a kimono styled jacket that is open in the front.  I can just see Diana Vreeland telling the model to "put in on backwards" for the photo shoot! Perfect to wear over a swimsuit or with a simple black dress or pants, this piece bears the rare Claire McCardell Pieces label and was originally sold at Lord & Taylor.

The jacket is ingeniously cut in parallelogram shaped pieces and there is a 6" gap between the front opening edges when it is laid flat. The fact that McCardell juxtaposed the very angular geometric shape with polka dots delights me! If it didn't have the labels and the documentation, I'd swear the jacket was from the 1980s.  That's how forward-thinking McCardell was.  She made simple, unfussy clothing in great fabrics.  All of her garments are still relevant and completely wearable today.

Now that you know the shape of the jacket flat, look at the cover photo once again.  As the model is posed, the jacket is completely gaping open in the back!  It can't be clipped or pinned together.  If it was, the bottom hem wouldn't flare out as it is.

This rare Claire McCardell Pieces jacket is now available at Couture Allure.  Check it out to see lots more photos!  For another interesting perspective on the styling of this jacket for Vogue, check out Jonathan's post about it on his blog Kickshaw Productions.

Incredible Use of Gingham - 1954

I am always amazed that designer Jerry Parnis doesn't garner as much recognition today as her sister Mollie.  Jerry did incredible things with cotton, her favorite fabric.  Here she uses black and white gingham check to great effect.  I hope you can see the details of the curving bands appliqued to the skirt and accented with gathered bows.  And what could be a design that is too "girly" is heated up with a deeply cut neckline.  Do you love it as much as I do?  Dress by Jerry Parnis, 1954.  Hat by John Frederics.

Photo from a full page ad for Mooresville fabric in Harper's Bazaar, 1954.

Rose Marie Reid Swimsuits, 1954

Tired of winter?  Here's a bit of relief.  This ad for Rose Marie swimsuits is from November of 1954 and featured two jewel-toned suits for tropical vacations during the winter of that year.  The suits are incredible, but note the matching scarves that were designed specifically to coordinate by Rex.  And then note the addition of the rhinestone starfish brooch on the pink scarf.  Love!

"Pouf go those winter winds! Blaze goes the sun...and from Trinidad to Tuscan, Majorca to Miami, you're part of the fun!  Smart girl, if you're a second-vacation traveler, revitalizing for the rest of the year. Lucky girl, if your first flight is in fashion...a new shape that says you've arrived!  The shape, a feather boned sheath.  The suits, "Court Lady," left, $19.95. "Beau Catcher," right, $17.95." (That's about $173 and $156 in today's dollar.)

Photo from a full page ad appearing in Harper's Bazaar for Rose Marie Reid, 1954.

Dior Sundress - 1954

I usually think of opulent and magnificent ballgowns and cocktail dresses when vintage Dior comes to mind, but the house did cute cotton sundresses too, as evidenced by this photo from 1954.

Photo from L'Officiel, 1954.

Paul Parnes Suit - 1954

Photographer Gleb Derujinsky worked as a fashion photographer for Harper's Bazaar in the 1950s and 60s.  In 1954, he was given an assignment to photograph tweed suits for an editorial spread.  His inspiration was to pose the models in front of the polished granite of a New York building.  The tweed juxtaposed with the granite gives interesting texture to all the photos.  Shown here is the best one of the bunch.

Paul Parnes designed this tweed suit.  The jacket is edged and decorated with black braid and the decorative gold buttons add just the right touch at the unusual closure.  Suit sold for $145 in 1954 (about $1,265 in today's dollar.)  Hat by Emme (and likely designed by Adolfo.)

Gleb Derujinsky and his wife died in a tragic car accident in their home town of Durango, Colorado in 2011.

Photo by Gleb Derujinsky for Harper's Bazaar, 1954.

Ceil Chapman Evening Gown - 1954

This full page ad for Lurex from 1954 features an evening gown by Ceil Chapman and jewels by Harry Winston.  The gown is white taffeta woven with gold Lurex threads.  I would love to see this gown shimmer and shine in person!

Eva Marie Saint, 1954

Richard Avedon shot this photo of Eva Marie Saint in 1954, just before the release of the film On the Waterfront.  Her performance as Edie Doyle was her debut on the big screen and garnered her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress that year.  Here's one of her most memorable scenes from the film.



Photo by Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar, 1954

Gloria Vanderbilt Wearing Christian Dior - 1954

The pages of my vintage Vogue and Harper's Bazaar magazines are often graced with images of well-known socialites, royalty and actresses of the time modeling fashion.  Our fascination with celebrity goes back many, many years. 

The caption for this 1954 photo says, "Mrs. Leopold Stokowski, whose career as an actress is off to a flourishing start, is chairman of the Patron's Committee for the Little Orchestra Society's series of Holiday Concerts for children, which are to benefit the St. Luke's Hospital Building Fund.  She wears a challis coat and trousers, flowered in brilliant red and green; and a chiffon blouse of the same creamy white.  By Christian Dior-New York."

Mrs. Leopold Stokowski is none other than Gloria Vanderbilt, whose acting career and marriage to the famous conductor would be over within the next year.  She likely made the plug for the hospital building fund  a condition of her posing for the magazine.  Vanderbilt would build a fashion empire with her famous jeans in the 1970s.

I do like this lovely little at-home ensemble by Christian Dior-New York.  It's a lot less formal than the clothing we usually associate with this label.  The set sold for $210 in 1954 (about $1,828 in today's dollar.)

Photo by Louise Dahl-Woolfe for Harper's Bazaar, 1954.

Weekend Eye Candy - Madeleine de Rauch, 1954

Imagine walking into the room and unbuttoning the full length coat to reveal this gown!  Entire ensemble by Madeleine de Rauch, Fall/Winter, 1954.

Weekend Eye Candy - Jacques Fath, 1954

Each year in June, I devote my Weekend Eye Candy posts to brides.  Today's wedding gown was designed by Jacques Fath in 1954.  Flat in the front and very full in the back, I really like the technique where the couturier has used a curving seam in the center of the skirt in back, where even more fullness is gathered into the train.

Mad for Plaid

There's something about wearing plaid on the cold blustery days of late autumn that feels so right.  I love the look of this simple jacket worked in a large scale plaid worn over a pair of jeans and a tee.  It's by Juniorite and is made from a traditional tartan wool in blue and brown.  Love that collar!  Sold for $25 in 1954 (about $215.00 in today's dollar.)  If you could find it, I'll bet the quality of the wool and construction would mean this jacket was still going strong 58 years later.  That's one of the reasons I love vintage. 

Weekend Eye Candy: Balenciaga, 1954

White lace over blue poof.  Balenciaga, 1954.

White Lace by Givenchy, 1954

This photo was taken to feature the nylon stockings, but all I can focus on is the glorious, billowing lace of Hubert de Givenchy's couture evening gown from 1954.  Look how he took such care with the inner skirt so what you see exposed behind the high hemline matches the outer skirt.  The white satin pumps were made by I. Miller for Givenchy.

Another view of the same gown.  Quite stunning, isn't it?

Ben Zuckerman Suit, 1954

My life is feeling rather out of control lately.  If you follow Couture Allure on Facebook, you know I've been hard at work on a kitchen remodel which seems to have taken over the entire house and has required most of my concentration and energy of late.  When circumstances make you feel a bit bashed about, nothing says "I am in control," or "I can do anything," more than a vintage suit.  Take this example from 1954 by Ben Zuckerman, master New York coat and suit maker.  Doesn't she appear capable of handling any of life's slings and arrows?  You bet.  Crimson tweed suit worn with a bright red silk scarf tucked into the neckline.  Sold in 1954 for $200 (about $1,720 in today's dollar.)

Want to see more by Ben Zuckerman?  Go take a look at Louise's blog, Vintage Ben Zuckerman.

Photo by Derujinsky.

Dan Millstein Suit - 1954

Dan Millstein, Inc. was a high end suit and coat manufacturer in New York which first became successful during WWII when the company made civil service and civilian uniforms for the US government. After the war, Mr. Millstein was one of the first manufacturers to visit Paris, where he began to work with Christian Dior and Pierre Cardin. He would purchase items from these designers, bring them back to New York, and make copies for the American market with the designers' approval. Later, he would attend the shows with the buyers from Lord & Taylor, who would advise him as to which garments to buy to make copies for their stores.

During the 50s and early 60s, Millstein (and others) would pay a cover charge of several thousand dollars to attend the couture showings in Paris with the understanding that he would purchase several of the samples. His designers would sit in the front row making sketches of the garments as they came down the runway. Calvin Klein got his start in the business by sketching for Dan Millstein.

The above ad for Miron brand wool from 1954 shows a Dan Millstein suit in wool tweed accented with black velvet at the collar and pockets.  The black velvet hat is by Mr. John. 

Weekend Eye Candy - Worth, 1954

There is no reference to the type of fabric this ensemble is made of, but it looks like velvet or velveteen.  The floral print is quite abstract and sumptuous.  How I wish this photo was in color.  House of Worth, Fall 1954.

Wear a Fur Muff with Your Vintage Suit - 1954

Note: I am a firm believer that if you chose to wear fur, you should always chose vintage. That keeps coats and stoles already in existence out of our landfills and at the same time doesn't support the unneeded slaughter of today's animals for fashion. In showing images of vintage furs on this blog, I hope to inspire you and show you how beautiful they can be for the modern woman.

Christian Dior suit with a fox fur muff and wide brimmed hat.

There's something about the look of a fur muff when worn with a vintage suit that adds just the right finishing touch. All of these images are of couture suits from the fall of 1954.

Chanel suit with sable collar, cuffs, hat and muff.

Pierre Balmain plaid suit with a Persian lamb collar and muff.

Nina Ricci suit trimmed in Persian lamb fur and worn with a Persian lamb muff.

Prefer to not wear real fur?  There are lots of vintage patterns available to make your own muff out of faux fur, but you don't really need a pattern.  Here's a great tutorial on how to make a muff at home!

The Perfect Look for a Hot Summer's Day

July is coming to a close and the dog days of August are almost upon us.  Summer is speeding by.  Instead of complaining about the heat, I am determined to enjoy it while it's here.  The best way to do that is to dress appropriately for the weather.  Back in 1954, here is how one woman achieved cool perfection.  Her simple sheath dress by B.H. Wragge is made of linen.  She tops it off with a little straw hat that has a brim to shade her face.  She keeps jewelry to a minimum, but adds accessory flash with a well made handbag, this one by Josef.  As I said, perfection.