Mid-1950s Hair-Dos

Let's look at cute hair today! Every face deserves a becoming hair-do, and I wish my hair would look as wonderful as this beauty. :) The following charming coifs are from 1955.

 

A Hair-Do for Short Hair

If you have short hair, this might be the 'do for you! Front hair is swept away from temples, then brushed forward in side wings.

The back fits the head smoothly and has just a hint of wave.

 A Hair-Do for Medium to Long Hair

If your hair is medium length or somewhat longer, this hair-do has some wave for body and manageability.

The back can be brushed to fold smoothly under or fluffed into curls.

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Fitting the Frock for the Stout Figure

Okay, for any of you who have "bulges", Ruth explains how to ensure that your figure too can have long, loose lines. 1920s fashion may have favored the slender or "average" figure, but Ruth finds a way for those with less-than-ideal figures to "look inches taller and pounds thinner".  Sound familiar? It's the goal of many women throughout the decades!

Originator Sketch - Spring 1946 - Fringe & Pleating Accents

From the Spring 1946 "Originator" (Volume V) is this design inspiration for trimming with fringe and pleating.

For myself, I like the pleating more than the fringe. The 3/4-length sleeves of the jacket are rather chic with their French buttoned cuffs.

The Background

The Originator is a rare series of booklets that describes itself as providing "unique fashion hints, modern trends, and ideas with variations smartly and practically applied." Fashion editor for this volume is Florence Hort.

The company (Originator Publishing Company) was based in New York and began in the fall of 1945, lasting until the early 1950s. It provided current fashion sketches and prided itself on forecasting fashion trends and being a handbook of new ideas. The company did go on to publish sewing patterns, which are even rarer than the booklets.

That is all I know, and this is the only volume that I own, but I am happy to share! :)

Miss Lillian's Postcards - Vintage Tweets from the 1900s: Miss Lillian Has a Job!

Postcard 011

Sender: Miss Tillie Lange
Addressee: Miss Lillian McQuire [sic], c/o Luyties Hom. Phar., Laclede & Vanderventer Ave, City
Postmark: St Louis, MO
Date: March 27, 1907
Image: Teacher's College, St Louis, MO
Message:

Thank you very 

much for [the] pretty card.

I remain,

Miss Tillie Lange

3545 Nebraska Av

City

 

Looking very brand new, the Teacher's College began offering in-service education for St. Louis white teachers as early as 1906.

The Teacher's College

The Teacher's College building is still standing and in use (but no longer a school) in St Louis, and is listed on the National Historic Register. Here are two images of the building I snagged from Google Maps  (which is located at 1517 S Theresa Ave in St Louis).

Working at Luyties Homeopathic Pharmacy

Equally interesting is that the post card is addressed to Miss Lillian not at home but at a work address!  Now, Lillian was born in 1882, so she is about 24 (almost 25) at this time. Since she has not married, it is interesting that she is working at Luyties Homeopathic Pharmacy, at the intersection of Laclede and Vanderventer Avenues (just across from St Louis University today). Perhaps she was a clerk?

Below is the building at intersection of Laclede and Vanderventer Avenues (aside from a public storage building and St Louis University grounds), and it was built in 1896! Called the Gerhart Block, it is also on the National Register of Historic Places. So this is most likely a place that Miss Lillian either worked in, or (if the building she worked in has since been demolished) she saw every work day at this point in her life.

Miss Tillie Lanage

And with this postcard, we meet Miss Tillie Lange, who sounds quite formal in her thank you. She must be a relatively new acquaintance, because she misspells Miss Lillian's last name. Since she provided her address, I looked it up too on Google Maps, and found this charming home. It was built in 1897!

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Choosing a Dress for a Tall Slim Figure

In an earlier post, Ruth Wyeth Spears tackled the challenges of a person with a full figure when wearing the new slim lines. In this post, Ruth addresses the tall, thin figure, a type that also needs careful dressing choices. I wouldn't have thought it necessary, but as usual, Ruth makes her points clearly! The bottom line? Avoid the "gaunt" look by softening the joints and bones.

So pay close attention, those of you who are skinny - aim for soft lines that produce grace and rhythm. :)

1920s Foundation Garments - The Tunic Dress Foundation Slip

Think "skirt to be worn with a tunic-length top" and you have the essence of the 1920s tunic-dress foundation slip. This type of foundation slip is needed for what is called a tunic dress (tunic dress example). The slip top is a modification of the camisole top, while the slip bottom is a wide band of the dress fabric deep enough to prevent the upper part of the foundation slip from showing when worn.

To create a tunic-dress foundation slip, start with a plain slip pattern with a camisole top. Take in excess fullness at the hip line with darts (as at a in the image below). Use French seams under the arms and finish the neckline with lace edging. Cut the slip at the length the dress fabric is to be attached. Sew the dress fabric to slip and hem. Voila! You have a tunic-dress foundation slip.

And this concludes my series on 1920s foundation garments! I hope you found it informative and useful. :)

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - A Lovely Frock with Draping

In this tip, Ruth describes a marvelous technique of artfully adding graceful panels and an elegant draped band ("girdle") at the hips to add beauty to a plain slip-over frock. As always, yardage and detailed, illustrated instructions are provided and make this look simple. Love it!