It's Transition Time

While it's still technically summer, it's starting to feel like fall already. Vacations are over, kids are going back to school, and the casual sort of lifestyle we enjoy in the summer is slowly coming to an end. But, instead of bemoaning that, there is much for we vintage-loving folks to celebrate! Fall is a wonderful time to break out great vintage clothing and accessories to wear to work or school. A sheath dress and sweater for the office, a dinner suit, some nice leather handbags and shoes, fall-themed vintage jewelry.... It's a perfect season to break out your very wearable vintage wear!

We at Reflections of Vintage have some great items to help you transition from summer to fall in style!

From Alley Cats Vintage comes this quintessential work-to-dinner ensemble, a Vintage 1950s Andrew Arkin Royal Blue Two Piece Dress and Jacket, B42:



And this versatile dress, for work, school, or luncheons, Vintage Knit Form Fitting Nelly Don
Dress, B38 W26:



Here's the perfect blouse to wear with a suit or to top off a skirt, a Vintage Taupe Silk Tabak Blouse, Sz 10 B38



At My Vintage Cocktail, we have the ultimate three-season secretary dress in this Vintage 70s Atomic Novelty Print Secretary Dress, Pussy Bow, Sz Sm:



This tan dress is perfect for summer-to-fall, can be accessorized to fit almost any occasion, and is very likely a one-of-a-kind item: Vintage 50s 60s Designer Mad Men Shapely Linen Sheath Dress, Sm 4 6



These Vintage Mad Men 50s 60s Leather Stiletto Spike Heels Pumps, Sz 6 are so stylish:




Catseye Vintage presents this fantastic ensemble that's just right for work or a weekend special event: Vintage 1940s 40s Cardigan Sweater and Skirt Suit, Set, Hand Beaded, Blue, Boucle Knit, Size S, M



This "go-to" dress goes shopping, to school, out for lunch, just about everywhere; pair it with a wide belt for even more versatility: Vintage 1970s 70s Catherine Ogust Shirt Dress, Penthouse Gallery, Color Block, Size M, L




And this sophisticated dress is timeless, and yet another perfect "work-to-dinner-or-cocktails" piece--Vintage 60s Dress, Shirtdress, Day Dress, 1960s, Mod, Grey,Gray, Wool, I Magnin, Georgette Trilere, Size S, Small

Not Just for Cinco de Mayo - Vintage Hand Embroidered Mexican Dresses and Blouses

Although Cinco de Mayo is a wonderful time to wear a Mexican hand embroidered dress or blouse, they are currently very popular for everyday or lounge wear as well.

Most of these dresses and blouses are made of cotton or cotton blends and are meticulously hand embroidered with flowers, birds, flower baskets and people. Each design is unique and up to the ladies who sit in the circles in the Mexican villages of Oaxaca or Puebla and visit while they stitch.

According to Mexican legend, the embroidered dress originated in the early 17th century when a girl named Mirrha came to Mexico from an Eastern country. Mirrha brought her beautifully embroidered dresses and blouses with her and refused to wear anything else. Soon the fashion caught on and Mexican women were sewing their own embroidered clothing.

Puebla and Oaxaca are cities in Mexico that are known today as fine centers for traditional Mexican handcrafts, including embroidered cotton dresses and blouses which feature short sleeves, a loose fit and beautiful embroidery.

In the 1940s and 1950s, the embroidered Mexican dress first became worn in the United States when Latin themes because popularized by the movies and music of the era. Additionally, all things 'Latin' had been romanticized since the Jazz Age when posh U.S. nightclubs featured Latin themes, and Jazz music began to incorporate musical elements from South America and Cuba.

It was a short trip from Hollywood to Mexico and many movie stars and entertainers vacationed and brought back hand embroidered dresses and blouses which they were pictured wearing.

Influences like these became a part of the American consciousness and all things 'south of the border' were imbued with an air of sun-drenched mystery.

The embroidered Mexican dress became popular again in the late 1960s and 1970s due to the demand for comfortable and natural clothing.

Today, these dresses are back in style with vintage examples such as those shown below being highly desirable.

Vintage 1970s Multi-Color Embroidery on Burgundy Mexican Peasant Dress recently sold by CATSEYE VINTAGE on Etsy

Some Information Courtesy of The Mexican Dress.com

Not All Polyester Is Evil!

I am a fabric junkie. I love the look, feel, and textures of fabrics of all kinds. In fact, I think that part of the reason I collect, wear, and sell vintage clothing is for love of fabric. The right fabric makes a good design better, and can turn a mediocre design into a masterpiece.

We “vinties” love our silks and rayons, don’t we? But today I’m going to talk about polyester. Yup, that omni-present synthetic “stuff” that appeared en masse in the mid 60s and seemed to be all anyone made clothes out of for about the next decade.

Alas, polyester has a bad rep—in some cases. In others, its reputation as an evil fabric is deserved. Many buyers, sellers, and collectors of vintage apparel shudder at the thought of polyester. I assume they associate all polyesters with the cheap double-knit polys we saw in the “old-lady” pantsuits and outlet-store clothing of that era. Often it was spongy and “saggy,” and when you bent your knee, it didn’t bend back with you. So you walked around all day with knee molds in your slacks!

However, polyester was/is a very well-rounded fiber that lends itself to a variety of fabric types: single-knit jerseys, better-quality double knits, wovens, and pile fabrics. It also blends well with cottons, linens, and rayons—its better characteristics offset the less-desirable ones of those fabrics. For example, a cotton/poly blend won’t wrinkle or shrink like 100 percent cotton will. Linen will drape better and wrinkle less, and rayon is more readily washed and stronger in a blend with poly.

Polyester can be made to mimic many other fibers—we all know today’s smooth, lightweight polys that feel almost exactly like silk, but yesterday’s could be just as nice. I worked in a fabric store in the 70s, and we had high-end polyesters in shantung weaves, crepe-backed satins, drapey jerseys, soft double-knit crepe, fabulous jacquards, etc. Polyester opened up a world of easy-care clothing for the busy working woman: Most everyday fabrics were washable and didn’t need ironing. Throw them in the washer, toss in the dryer, hang, and wear. One could say that if polyester had not been introduced for commercial use in clothing, women would have been even more harried as they embarked upon the modern “Superwoman” path.

And polyester was not relegated to the world of cheap and moderate ready-to-wear fashion. Many, many high-end labels and famous designers used it back then, and still do so today. So, if you think of vintage poly as being the low rung of the fabric ladder, think again! We have here from the 60s and 70s some examples of “good” polyester fabrics. If we can find some of our memorable “bad” polyester items (such as butt-ugly wide ties), we will post them next time!

Recently sold by MyVintageCocktail: Late 60’s/early 70’s psychedelic print dress by Mr. Dino, who was noted for the use of very fine polyester jersey.






Trevira polyester maxidress by Goldworm, another maker that used wonderful knit fabrics in its apparel.

And, from Catseye Vintage, this 70’s men’s Lilly Dache polo shirt, typifying the wild prints we saw in that era.