d r e s s, part two
t r o u s e r s & s t o c k i n g s
The 1964 Paris collections introduced the trouser suit to the world, which became an instant universal hit. It could be worn anywhere, any time, in any fabric, and by any age. Tweeds and corduroys were popular fabrics of choice, as was twill and Lurex jersey. The double-breasted look with a sweater underneath was particularly flattering.
In 1960 the advent of the circular sewing machine meant that the seamed tights of the 1950s were no more - seamless tights became the norm. In 1965, Germany introduced "hold-ups" which eliminated the need for suspenders, and they were introduced in the UK in 1967. Also at that time pantihose, seamless tights with a waist, became popular and, by 1968, were a staple in every closet. In the mid-60s coloured tights, introduced in 1958, grew in popularity as did patterns and textures such as mesh, which complimented mini-skirts perfectly.
s h o e s
The prevalent shoe of the late 50s was the winklepicker
(a very very pointed toe)
with a stilletto heel. Low heels or pumps were only worn as
casual shoes. In 1960,
Paris and Italy showed the chisel toe as an antidote to the
painful winklepicker and by
Autumn 1961 it was the shoe of choice. In 1963 a slightly
rounder toe was introduced,
paired with a Cuban heel, and ankle and calf-high boots
became the rage, particularly
black leather boots. By 1965 the chisel-toed slingback was
the most common dress shoe
(often with tongues or buckles) and appeared in bi-coloured
models, models with two or
more materials, or patent leathers of various colours. 1965 was
also the year the white
mid-calf kid boots were introduced, which came to be known
as go-go boots. Additionally,
it was in 1965 that boots reached above the knee to
compliment the ever-shortening skirts
of the time.
f a b r i c s
The 1950s and 1960s fabrics were all designed with easy care in mind - crease-resistant, crisp, and comfortable. Most clothes were made of synthetic fabrics, usually a blend of Nylon, "the miracle fabric". 1959 brought Bri-lon, Ban-lon, and Acrilan, and 1960 brought stretch fabrics such as Crimplene. Courtelle was used as an easy-care wool imposter, and double knits were very popular, as were crepes, from 1962/3 onwards. Tweeds and corduroys were popular with all ages, but novelty fabrics were popular with teenagers. Lurex, from 1961, provided a glitter knit look, while PVC, from 1962 became the staple of 1966’s pop clothing movement.
6 0 s c l o t h e s f o r a 9 0 s g i r l
It is reasonably easy and affordable to recreate a nice 60s look
30 years later.
A well-stocked wardrobe should have a mix of current items
and retro items that can be
worn together. For a proper 60s look, vintage dresses are the
best, as the patterns
(i.e thick stripes, pop art deisgns) and fabrics (brocade,
satin, knit) are not often used in
current fashion. Most vintage stores will have several variations of shift dresses in
enough sizes and colours that finding good ones should be
quite simple. Recently the
shift dress has made a comeback in newer shops, but they
tend to be one colour and the
fabric isn’t as thick or textured as the vintage versions.
If you’re very lucky, you
can score a dress with a matching suit jacket or overcoat.
Vintage skirts are usually hard to find and not worth the effort unless you’re looking for a particular pattern. Any decent current clothing store will have a big selection of skirts of various lengths, knee-length skirts can be found anywhere and shorter minis are in the more trendy shops.
Shirts and sweaters can be from any era, as there are plenty of
attractive designs
available in new stores as well as vintage stores. Retro
sweaters are fairly common, but
are susceptible to holes (especially in the shoulders from being
stored on hangers) and
missing buttons (if you pop a button on a vintage sweater you
usually have to re-button
the entire thing...). Newer stores also have nice, but simple,
designs and are a good place to buy turtlenecks or light t-shirts
(which weren’t popular 30 years ago and hence hard to find.)
Vintage coats are best if you’re looking for something to get
dressed up in, but for casual daywear it’s hard to find good 60s
coats, with the exception of Levi’s denim jackets.
Vintage shoes are a questionable buy as they can be in awful condition and moulded to someone else’s feet, but there are some great designs in materials that are hard to find in new stores. For simple shoes in one colour, a new store is the best place to go, but for a pair to match your pink and silver Lurex sweater-dress, vintage is the only way to go. The same goes for handbags and other accessories - for sheer variety in materials and colours, vintage stores have the best selection. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, and have access to a sewing machine, you can sew your own outfits. If you have the skill, you can design your own patterns based on ideas from old fashion magazines or tv shows, but if you haven’t the time for that, old pattern books form the library are a good resource, and old patterns can be bought in some stores as well as over the internet (check out Rusty Zipper and their links)
t i p s o n v i n t a g e s h o p p i n g
There are two sacred rules to vintage shopping that should always be kept in mind: #1 - TRY IT ON. Sizing in the 60s is not the same as sizing today - if it says 8 and you’re a 2 but it looks like it might fit, try it on. The straight, shapeless cuts can be deceiving too, that shift dress you have your eye on may look like a suitable scooter cover, but try it on. If what you have your eye on is sized by the store staff, try it on, as they’re often wrong about sizes, especially when dealing with shoes (I wear a 7, and bought a pair of silve r slingbacks sized at 8.5 which ended up being painfully too small, for example...) Remember that most items can be tailored to your specs, and lots of stores will even do the alterations for you while you wait. Found a pair of great trousers with huge bell-bottoms? You can have them tapered for a small fee or do it yourself in 30min. #2 - CHECK 4 SPOTS/HOLES/DANGLY THREADS/TEARS BEFORE YOU BUY The easiest way to detect a hole or tear is to hold your treasure up to a light (this also points out threadbare areas that might give you some trouble). Some holes (i.e smaller that a pencil eraser) are fixable at home (dark fabrics conceal fixit-jobs better than light fabrics), while some should be done by a tailor and some are just not worth the effort at all. You should also check for nasty spots and stains. New stains or deodorant tracks come out easily but old stains are set in for good, and washing can damage the fabric. If it’s a small spot or is tucked away in a place where it can’t be seen, go ahead and buy it. If it’s a huge blot down the centre of the dress that looks like a 35 year old tea stain, there’s no hope. If the outfit isn’t marked "as-is", point out the spot to the store owner and they might give it you at a much cheaper price. I bought a beautiful cream satin brocade late 50s sleevesless party dress with a pleated skirt for $7 because there was a small pink paint stain inside the lining where it couldn't be seen...
i n d e x