Treats, not Tricks, for Eye-Candy Friday!

Delicious candy for Halloween (but not the kind you eat!) from the "ghoulish gals" of Vintage Reflections:

Navy blue moire' coat from After Dark Vintage



Monet modernist demi-parure from Glamour Girl Vintage



Faux leopard coat from MyVintage Cocktail


Tweed pollbox hat from After Dark Vintage



Post WWII aluminum demi-parure from Glamour Girl Vintage



Herringbone wool suit with matching pinup sweater from MyVintageCocktail

Back to Fiber Basics: Woven vs. Knitted

The “Fabric Junkie” mentioned in her last blog that she would at some point address “how” raw materials are turned into fabric. Which is a basic that every seller and buyer of vintage apparel should know. So, here we go:

The two main ways that fibers—synthetic or natural—are turned into fabric are by weaving or by knitting.

Woven fabrics are made by interweaving two sets of threads or yarns at right angles to each other. Think of when you made potholders when you were a kid—you used a square “loom,” and wove the fabric loops in a repeating under and over pattern. This is what a weaving machine does—on a much larger scale, of course! The lengthwise yarn or thread strands are called “warp,” the crosswise ones are the “weft.” The yarn or threads can be in single strands or more, and the fabric can be woven into different textures and patterns. The three basic weaves are plain, twill, and satin. Other types of weaves are variations of these. One of these is the jacquard weave, which is made on special looms to produce damasks, brocades, tapestries, and matelasse’. Additionally, once a fabric comes off the loom, it can be finished or treated to achieve different effects.

Woven wool:



Knitted fabrics are machined in much the same way as hand knitting, to achieve a fabric that is held together by looping around itself, running in only one direction. Initially knitting machines more or less imitated hand knitting, but, today, can produce fabric in a huge variety of textures. Knit fabrics can be either warp knits (running lengthwise) or weft (running crosswise). The most common knits are jersey (a single weft knit), double knit (two interlocking weft layers), sweater knit (made of bulkier yarn to mimic a hand-knitted effect), and tricot (a single warp knit). Knitted fabrics are stretchy, to varying degrees, and generally wrinkle resistant or nearly so, making them very popular with those of us who don’t like to iron!

Polyester knit:



There are also non-woven fabrics, but we’ll mention these only briefly. These are compressed or bonded fabrics. The ones you’ll come across most commonly are wool felt, pellon interfacing, and fabrics made by bonding fibers to a backing (such as ultra-suede). Then there’s lace, but I’m not going there….

The biggest thing to realize is that almost any fiber can be made into a knitted or a woven fabric. E.g., polyester is not always a knit, and wool is not always a woven. I’m so frustrated when I see a listing for polyester dress, and there’s no mention of whether it’s a woven or a knit. If it’s not clear from the photo or the description, I’ll write the sellers to ask. Too often, the reply is, “I don’t know.” They just don’t understand the question. Which makes me crazy.

Here we’ve shown some examples of woven, knitted, and non-woven items we have available in our shops:

1940’s Novelty Weave Suit at Vintage Baubles Too




1980’s St. John Sweater-Knit Dress from CatseyeVintage




1960’s Blue Woven Wool Suit at AlleyCatsVintage on Etsy




1930’s/40’s Rayon Jersey Dress at MyVintageCocktail




1940’s/50’s Jacquard Taffeta Party Dress from CatseyeVintage




Royal Blue Wool Felt Hat at Alley Cats Vintage on Ruby Lane

It's Eye Candy Friday for Vintage Reflections. Here are some of our 1940's selections.

Vintage 40s 50s Big Button Off White Textured Wool Hip Length Jacket. Size Large

Catseye Vintage on Etsy

Vintage 30s 40s WWII Era Silk Cheongsam Wiggle Dress XS

Vintage Baubles Too on TIAS

Vintage 40s 50s Glenhaven Blue Tweed Town Suit Nipped Waist B34 Size Small

Alley Cats Attic on Ruby Plaza

<

Vintage 40s Variegated Blue Boucle Knit Hand Beaded and Embroidered with Prong Set Rhinestones -- Cardigan Sweater and Skirt Suit Ensemble

Catseye Vintage on Etsy

Vintage 1940s Art Deco Loran-Sim Gold Filled Earrings

Vintage Baubles Too on TIAS

Vintage 1940s Navy Blue Velour Bicorne Hat Trimmed in Rhinestones by Petite Modes

Alley Cats Attic on Ruby Plaza

Gene Tierney Star of the Silver Screen

One of Hollywood's most acclaimed beauties of the Silver Screen was Gene Tierney. Born in Brooklyn NY on November 23, 1920 to affluent parents, she was educated in private schools, even spending several years in a finishing school in Switzerland. At age 17 she was noticed by director Anatole Litvak and she turned down a contract offer from Warner Brothers on her father's advice.

She studied acting with Benno Schneider at a small studio in Greenwich Village, her eye on the stage. By the time she was 18 she had several small parts on Broadway and was always mentioned for her beauty. Her father realizing she would have a future in acting set up a corporation to fund and promote her acting career.

In 1939 while under contract to Columbia she met Howard Hughes. Being unimpressed with his wealth as she herself had grown up in a rather wealthy family, she refused to date him. However, they did become lifelong friends.

Her first marriage was to famed fashion designer Oleg Cassini in 1941. They separated after the birth of their first daughter and she began a romance with John F. Kennedy. Their romance was short lived as he could never marry her because of his political ambitions. She reconciled with Cassini and they had a second daughter. This marriage lasted until 1952.

By this time she was suffering severe mental problems, most likely bipolar disorder. At one point in time she went to the Institute of Living in Hartford CT for treatment. After many shock treatments she managed to escape but was caught and returned. She became an outspoken opponent of shock treatment therapy due to the fact it destroyed a significant portion of her memory.

In 1960 she married Texas oil baron W. Howard Lee. They lived happily in Houston for many years. She returned to films for a few small parts mostly in television but mainly remained retired. In 1981 she was widowed when Lee died. She lived until 1991, dying shortly before her 71st birthday in Houston Texas where she continued to live after the death of Lee.

During her long career (1940-1964) she appear in many wonderful movies, winning the academy award for my favorite film Leave Her to Heaven. This particular movie showcased her beauty and of course a fabulous 1940s wardrobe.

If you get a chance pick up this wonderful old movie. I promise you will love it! Below are a few pictures from the film displaying her wonderful wardrobe.

Love Plaid? Take a Look!

Winter's not far away, and one of the most delightful things about it is the chance to wear all of our pretty plaids. Here are some of our favorite plaids for fall and winter (and we didn't forget accessories!), presented in an Etsy treasury, Time to Break Out the Wonderful Winter Plaids!

EYE CANDY FRIDAY - OCTOBER 15, 2010

EYE CANDY FRIDAY --

The members of the Reflections of Vintage seller's network are pleased to offer the following beautiful items currently available in their shops.

Vintage 30s 40s WWII Era Designer Louise Mulligan Chocolate Brown Silk Semi Sheer Dress with Accordion Pleating and Lace Trim - Size Small from CATSEYE VINTAGE

Vintage 1970s Two Piece Mini Dress and Jacket Oatmeal by Act I B34 W25 from ALLEY CATS VINTAGE

Vintage 40s 50s Cay Artley Shirtwaist Dress, Lg XL from VINTAGE BAUBLES TOO

Vintage 60s Silk Floral Brocade Navy Blue Cheongsam Wiggle Dress - Size Medium or Large from CATSEYE VINTAGE

Vintage Madmen Peggy Olson Hat White Straw Breton from ALLEY CATS VINTAGE

Vintage 70s Designer Ruffled Sun Dress Small or XS from VINTAGE BAUBLES TOO

Vintage 50s 60s Navy Blue Angora Blend Cardigan Jacket Embellished with White Glass Beads Size B33 XXS or Extra Small from CATSEYE VINTAGE

Vintage 1960s Claralura Black Clutch Formal Coat Fur Trimmed B42 from ALLEY CATS VINTAGE

Vintage 40s Whiting and Davis Beadlite Mesh Bag Purse from VINTAGE BAUBLES TOO

Vintage Pink - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month which was started by the Susan G Komen for the Cure network. The network has designated pink as their signature color.

The Reflections of Vintage sellers network are pleased to present the following pink vintage items currently available in their shops.

Vintage 60s Mad Men Multi Strand Beaded Pink Choker Bib Necklace from MY VINTAGE COCKTAIL

Vintage Frank Olive Pink Straw Bucket Style Hat from ALLEY CATS ATTIC

Vintage 50s Deep Rose Pink Full Skirted Ball Gown Dress Embellished with a Large Bow from CATSEYE VINTAGE

Vintage 40s Pink Rayon Half Slip w/Ivory Lace from VINTAGE BAUBLES TOO

Sweet Vintage 40s Sheer Pink Nylon Blouse by Darryl Dame Original from ALLEY CATS ATTIC

Vintage Vintage 60s Designer Lilli Ann Pink Faux Fur MOD Coat from CATSEYE VINTAGE

Eye Candy Friday at ROV!

Here are some of our favorites--some fancy, some fun--to share with you today. We have dresses and suits galore, oh my!


1960's Carol Craig Cocktail Party Dress from Alley Cats Attic:



Cole of California Leopard-Print Dress from Catseye Vintage:



1940's Checked Gabardine Suit from Vintage Baubles Too:



Coral Leaf Cheongsam from Alley Cats Attic:



Angora Blend Beaded Jacket from Catseye Vintage:



Raspberry Pink Orlon Acrylic Dress from My Vintage Cocktail:



1980's Pia Rucci Beaded Evening Dress from Alley Cats Attic:



Men's Red Smoking Jacket from Catseye Vintage:



1960's Raw Silk 2-Piece Dress from Vintage Baubles Too: