Paper Doll Girls Latest News

It's been a long time since I've had time to blog, but my New Year's resolution is to start blogging again and sharing our vintage finds!

I've been in Paris since November 25 on a buying trip for the shop, and I'll be returning to Australia on January l with HUNDREDS (not kidding) of lovely vintage French fashion ads!  I can't wait to share them with my customers in our etsy shop, Paper Doll Girls.

Here's just one of the beautiful 1920's Art Deco front magazine covers of a woman in a gorgeous pink dress.  This is an exceptionally large magazine with a heavy embossed card cover which could be beautifully framed.  It will be listed in the shop the first week in January.  Stop by and have a look at all our news ads that I will be adding over the month of January. 

Apologies for the quality of the photo, but it had already been wrapped in plastic for shipment home.  I will scan it when I get home and the listing will do it justice!

We've just made a Facebook page for the shop, as well, Paper Doll Girls, so please stop by and LIKE us!

L'Illustration 1928

Patty

Blue checked shoes

What was the well-dressed woman wearing in April, 1951?  Take your pick of the beautiful shades of coral pink, navy blue, green and beige or gray and violet.

 Vogue UK April 1951

Etsy Listing # 74639741

 Vogue UK April 1951 

Etsy Listing # 74639741

 Vogue UK April 1951

Etsy Listing # 74639861 

 

 

Vogue UK April 1951

Etsy Listing # 74639861

I would SO love to own those blue gingham checked shoes! 

Sally Jane Vintage

Check out the lovely post today about our Paper Doll Girls  Etsy shop at Sally Jane Vintage.   

Here are a few of the ads I got listed yesterday, both from February 1947 Vogue UK.  I just love the illustrations of these elegant suits!

 Etsy Listing # 74507201

Etsy Listing # 74495937

Etsy Listing # 74494487

Etsy Listing # 74495512

I'd wear every single one of these gorgeous suits!  Of course, I'd either need to shed a FEW pounds to have a waist small enough to do them justice or buy a super-duper waist nipping girdle...

Pink for your Pinkies

Last night I ran across not ONE, but THREE ads for pink gloves in a 1947 UK Vogue magazine that are now listed in the shop.  I guess PINK was the "in" color for gloves that year! How could you ever be in a bad mood wearing any one of these beautiful pink beauties?

Looking at these gloves reminds me of being five or six years old, and rummaging through the chest of drawers where my mom kept her myriad pairs of gloves.  All the different colors and lengths.  What a treat! 

Pink Crescendoe Gloves by Superb

Vogue UK 

February 15, 1947

Etsy Listing # 74398399

Dawnelle White & Pink Trimmed Short Gloves

Vogue UK

February 15, 1947

Etsy Listing # 74397839

Wear-Right Cocktail Length Pink Gloves

Vogue UK

February 15, 1947

Etsy Listing # 74398594

Mellow Yellow

I'm trying to cheer myself up now that winter seems to have made an EARLY appearance here in Sydney.  I changed my featured items in the shop,  to bring in some sunshine. 

 Lanvin Satin & Velvet Evening Dress

Vogue UK

December 1951

Etsy Listing # 74060937 

Bourjois Beau Belle Perfume

Harper's Bazaar 

October 1949

 Etsy Listing # 72908103

Selincourt Mustard Yellow Wool Coat

Harper's Bazaar UK 

October 1947

Etsy Listing # 72767741

  

 Neiman Marcus Dallas Shoes

Vogue USA

June 1, 1936

Etsy Listing # 65964039

I especially love the fashion illustration by Eric.  He's caught the real essence of this beautiful satin and velvet evening dress, don't you think?

Peep Toes Need a Good Home

I found these gorgeous 1940s French peep toe heels a couple of years ago and have been holding onto them.  I've decided I've just got to let them go and I'm hoping someone will see them in my Etsy shop and decide they can't live without them!

I can still remember how my heart started racing when I found them.  They were French and in exactly my size--it seemed as though fate had made it happen!  But, I rarely ever wear high heels anymore and I'd love to find them a new home.  Have a look in my Paper Doll Girls shop if they're "calling your name".  Free postage to anywhere in the world!

Here's all the important details about these beautiful shoes:

 

 Etsy Listing # 68953869

This gorgeous pair of 1940s WWII peep toe heels is in excellent vintage condition. The brown suede and leather are still very soft. These shoes must have been very special to the owner because they were obviously well taken care all these years since the war.

The label inside the shoe reads: Pinot, Bottier, London and Anvers, with two seals, one of which is stamped "Brussels" and the other is marked "London". The inside of the shoes is tan leather. The sole is leather, and of course, has wear, but is still in very good condition. The tip of the toe and the bottom of the heel still have the original metal taps to protect them. The leather in the sole is embossed with "Roberts 744", which I assume is the style name and number.

Each shoe features a small leather bow at the peep toe and small arrows of leather interwoven in the suede along to top of the shoe from the bow to the back heel.

There is a small scuff on the suede of the outside of the left shoe near the top of the heel and a small scuff on the outside of the right shoe, plus a tiny nick in the leather of the sole at the point of the right toe. Aside from these small imperfections, these shoes are absolutely fantastic. I have never personally seen another pair of vintage 1940 shoes in as good condition as these shoes are.

I wear an Australian size 7 shoe and these shoes fit me perfectly. I would suggest that they might be more suitable for someone with a slimmer foot. Please check the measurements below to assure fit:

Insole length 9-1/4 inches (measured inside shoe)
Width at widest part under shoe 3 inches
Heel height 3 inches

I like to imagine that a very stylish gal back in the 1940s spent time swing dancing with these beautiful shoes on her feet!

Knit One Purl One

Today I thought I would blog about my other etsy shop, Vogue Vintage Knits,  which focuses on vintage 1930s-1950s knitting and crochet patterns.  I'm afraid I'm really a woeful knitter and crocheter, but that doesn't stop me from coveting some of the items in the shop!

 1930s Crochet & Knit Evening Dress

Etsy Listing # 31495987 

One of my customers purchased this pattern to make for an early autumn wedding dress for herself.  I think that it would absolutely gorgeous dress for the occasion.

Poodle Sweater

Vogue Knitting 1951

Etsy Listing # 53727557

Of all the patterns available in my shop, this one is my absolute favorite.  I think this woman looks spectacular with her poodle sweater and long black gloves.  The net tied on her head really adds some pizazz!

1940s Jack London Crochet Handbag

Etsy Listing # 60502938

I love this handbag by Jack London.  There is a very nice selection of these handbags in the shop, and each one of them is the epitome of 1940s chic! 

1953 Vogue Shrug

Etsy Listing # 13856367

Now, this is about the extent of what my knitting skills allow me to make.  I did make a couple of these last year and they are really so simple, even I can do it!

 1950s Little Girls Bolero Sweater

Etsy Listing # 56205828

And last, but not least, this is just the sweetest little pattern! 

There are lots more vintage patterns in the shop, so please stop by! 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

When I saw the following five ads for Swarovski crystals, I thought of a hundred twinkling stars.  

The first one is a double-sided ad featuring the crystals before they are made into jewellery.  The reverse side of the page are the magical results of arranging them into something beautiful!

 Swarovski Crystals

French Vogue

May 1961

Etsy Listing # 73621301 

 French Vogue

May 1961

Etsy Listing # 73621367

 French Vogue 

May 1961

Etsy Listing # 73622125

 French Vogue

September 1961

Etsy Listing # 73622444

 French Vogue

September 1961

Etsy Listing # 73622499

Daniel Swarovski (October 24, 1862 – January 23, 1956), formerly Daniel Swartz, was born in northern Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). His father was a glass cutter who owned a small glass factory. It was there that a young Swarovski served an apprenticeship, becoming skilled in the art of glass-cutting. In 1892 he patented an electric cutting machine that facilitated the production of crystal glass.

In 1895, Swarovski financier Armand Kosman and Franz Weis founded the Swarovski company, originally known as A. Kosmann, Daniel Swartz & Co, which was later shortened to K.S. & Co.  Wattens, Tyrol (Austria), to take advantage of local hydroelectricity for the energy-intensive grinding processes Daniel Swarovski patented. The company established a crystal cutting factory in Wattens, Tyrol (Austria), to take advantage of local hydroelectricity for the energy-intensive grinding processes Daniel Swarovski patented.

To create crystal glass that lets light refract in a rainbow spectrum, Swarovski coats some of its products with special metallic chemical coatings. Aurora Borealis, or "AB", is one of the most popular coatings, and gives the surface a rainbow appearance. Other coatings are named by the company, Crystal Transmission, Volcano, Aurum, and Dorado. Coatings may be applied to only part of an object; others are coated twice, and thus are designated AB 2X, Dorado 2X etc.

Whatever they're called, the result is absolutely amazing!



 

Killer Shoes

Have a look at one of the ads I've just listed in the shop.  These gorgeous shoes were designed in Paris by Roger Vivier for Christian Dior.  Aren't they absolutely to die for??  I would so wear them today if I had a pair!

 Black Patent Leather High Heel Shoes

French Vogue

September 1961

Etsy Listing # 73622187 

Roger Vivier (1907–1998) was a French fashion designer who specialized in shoes. His best known creation was the Stiletto heel.

Vivier has been called the "Fragonard of the shoe" and his shoes "the Fabergé of Footwear" by numbers of critics. He designed extravagant richly-decorated shoes that he described as sculptures. He is credited with the design of the first stiletto heel in 1954. Stiletto heels, the very thin high heel, were certainly around in the late 19th century as numerous fetish drawings attest, but Vivier is known for reviving and developing this opulent style by using a thin rod of steel.

Ava Gardner, Gloria Guinness and The Beatles were all Vivier customers, and he designed the shoes for Queen Elizabeth II for her coronation in 1953.

Vivier designed shoes for Christian Dior from 1953 to 1963. In addition to the stiletto heel, he also experimented with other shapes including the comma. He used silk, pearls, beads, lace, appliqué and jewels to create unique decorations for his shoes.

In the 1960s Vivier also designed silk-satin knee boots outlined in jewels, and thigh-high evening boots in a black elastic knit with beads. His most iconic design, the Pilgrim pumps with silver buckles (worn by Catherine Deneuve in the film Belle de Jour) received international publicity and many imitations.

Vivier's shoes are on display at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Musée du Costume et de la Mode at the Louvre.

French Chic 1960s Style

This will be a short little post today as I am up to my ears in a couple hundred French Vogue ads from the early 1960s.  Lots of scanning and getting ready for TOMORROW when I actually get to start listing them in the shop.  Here's one of my favorites from the group to give you a little tease of what's coming in the next few days.

 Rose Marie Reid Yellow Swimsuit 

Striped Beach Jacket

French Vogue May 1961
Etsy Listing # 73543852 

If you'd like to know more about Rose Marie Reid, there's a great biography and company history by April Ainsworth at Vintage Vixen.

I seem to be continuing my "happiness" theme from the past couple of days because this yellow swimsuit and multicolored striped beach jacket really makes me smile!  We're just starting into winter now here in Australia so it's an especially bright spot in my day.

Everything is just rosy!

I wanted to continue with the smiles and happiness I, hopefully, generated with my sunny yellow blog last night.  Today, everything is just rosy!

LOTUS peep toe high heels 

Harpers Bazaar UK

 March 1947

Etsy Listing # 72786281

Pauline Trigere Aubergine Wool Coat with Leopard Muff & Helmet Cap

Harpers Bazaar

October 1949

Etsy Listing # 72883147

 Nettie Rosenstein Dinner-at-Home Dress

Modelled by Jean Patchett

Harpers Bazaar

October 1949

Esty Listing #73168371 

I love the way this dress is labelled -- "a dinner at home dress".  I can't imagine what life would have been like if this was what you were expected to wear for dinner at home!  That's just a wee bit more formal than it is at OUR house.

In the 1920s American fashion business, imported fashions by named French couturiers were considered the best to be had. At this time Nettie Rosenstein's designs were sold by stores under their own labels, though purchasers were told that the dresses were in fact by her. Through word of mouth, Rosenstein earned name recognition and her own-name label became a valuable commodity. Her clothes were retailed around America, but only one store in each city was permitted to carry fashions bearing Rosenstein's label.  

In 1937, Rosenstein was described by Life Magazine as one of the most highly regarded American designers.  She was one of the first recipients of the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award on its launch in 1938. In 1940, Rosenstein clothing was sold out of 92 shops and department stores across the USA, at prices ranging from $98 to $500.  Whilst these prices were beyond the range of most consumers, Rosenstein's designs were so widely copied that she still influenced the average American woman's wardrobe.  One such design was the "little black dress" designed to go from day to evening with low-cut evening necklines combined with daywear silhouettes and materials.  Her designs also included printed dresses with gloves to match, and she was also known for her accessories and striking costume jewellery. She was also the designer responsible for First Lady Mamie Eisenhower's dress for the 1953 Inauguration Ball.

 Aubergine Satin Evening Coat with Fur Trimmed Hood & Fur Muff

Harpers Bazaar

December 1938

Esty Listing # 65234107

 Wolsey Pink Ban-Lon Nylon Cardigan

Harpers Bazaar UK

December 1958

Etsy Listing #65234107

Oh, so pretty in pink!  Are you smiling yet?

 

Sunny Day

Tonight I was looking through my ads to get some inspiration for my nightly blog and here's what I came up with.  I just smiled when I looked through these sunshine yellow ads and I hope you will, too.

 Selincourt Yellow & Black Wool Coat

Harper's Bazaar

October 1947

Etsy Listing #72767741

Yellow Fleece Shirt

Vogue USA

January 1956

Etsy Listing #69440325

Yellow Linen Sheath Dresses

Vogue USA

January 1956

Etsy Listing #69440103

Love in Paris!
DC 7 Airplane Ad

Holiday Magazine

July 1955

Etsy Listing #66142367

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Since I've been reading about World War II fashions in the Forties Fashion book I mentioned in the previous post, I took another look at a couple of the patriotic fashion illustrations in my collection that I'd like to share with you.  Both of these were in a 1940s edition of Vogue USA.

Patriotic Fashion Illustration by Rene Bouet-Willaumez RBW
Vogue USA
February 1940
Etsy Listing #70376724

Holeproof Hosiery

Vogue USA

February 1940

Etsy Listing #70374079

 

 

Forties Fashion

I just wanted to share with you a fabulous book I have recently added to my reference library.  I feel really lucky that the university where I work has a College of Fine Arts and, therefore, our bookstore has a very good selection of books about fashion. 

This 208-page softcover book is entitled, Forties Fashion From Siren Suits to the New Look, and it's published by Thames & Hudson.  (ISBN number is 978-0-500-28897-9).  It has 250 illustrations, 196 of which are in glorious color.  It's just chock full of the history of clothing during and after the war years, some of which I had never read anywhere before.

So, if you're a Forties kind of gal, treat yourself to this one!  It's an excellent source of images and information.

The front cover shows a group of French women in 1945 who were sporting dyed hair for the first time since the War began.