Vintage Dresses from Harper Bazaar 1936

I love getting to the Southern Oregon University library and scanning these vintage magazine photos. Here are some lovely dresses from Harper's Bazaar 1936, starting with this beautiful brocade.

Harper Bazaar Sept 1st 1936, beautiful and so classy! Would love to see it in color, but most of the magazines really didn't do a lot of color until the 50s and 60s.

A great pair of lounging pants, love the painted Koi, Harper Bazaar July 1939.

Coat has hand blocked brillant fish on natural pongee, Hawaii. Harper Bazaar July 1939 from Gumps.

Love the draping and details on these dresses, Haper Bazaar July 1939.

And a few more lovey draping with very petty detail on these dresses, Haper Bazaar July 1939.

Haper Bazaar July 1939, I so do not want summer to be over. and would love to wear this dress not only for summer but for other days too, unfortuanally I can't with winter coming.

The caption on this photo shoot reads, 'Mrs. John C. Wilson wears striped tie silk, red and white for the dress, green and white for the full little jacket.' Harper Bazaar July 1939

Almost all white print splashed with bright red cherries and bright green leaves, Harper Bazaar 1939. dress at Bergdorf Goodman.

Schiaparelli dess from Harper Bazaar July 1939, bleeding hearts on black with fuchsia hearts and yellow wings.

Coming up are some photos from Mademoiselle May and June 1952. If you want a sneak peek, they have been posted on my Facebook at Oso Victoria Vintage go to photos to see them, lots of great vintage photos there. Until then....

How to do Fagoting for a Vintage Look

I really love this fagoting technique, it gives the dress an alluring appeal and adds beautiful detailing. This method may take a steady hand when sewing down the wrapped bias strips. I haven't seen a Yarn Craft Guide, not sure if thay make them anymore. It was a tool sold by white sewing machines and used for making rugs, pot holders, tufted bedspreads, and fringe. I searched the web for this tool or something similiar and could not find anything practical. If you know of a similar tool or how to make one I am sure everyone would love to know, I know I would, thanks!

These techniques are from a 1950s sewing guide for White sewing machine attachments. The newer machines also come with attachments so it shouldn't be a problem adaping these techniques with your machine. To make your own bias strips you would sew the strips through the binder attachment. Get creative and sew away!

This pattern at Penelope Rose vintage would look great with the fagoting along the princess seams.

By adding fagoting to the sleeve or hemline on this dress would give it a very unique look also from Penelope Rose

Fagoting along the the top of the bodice and edge of the sleeves would and some addional charm pattern from Penelope Rose

Now if only I can find an easy to make tool to wrap the bias tape so it can be stitched down. I do know a person who has plastic making machinery, maybe it is time to re-invent this little tool. And,then again maybe with a seam guide and iron I can press the bias into just the right angle and shape ;)

Coming up next is more tucking...edgestitched tucking...

Vintage Mademoiselle 1951 and 1952

I was able to get out to my University's library this week and scanned some vintage dresses from the periodical resources they have on hand. I started with Mademoiselle Dec. 1951- April 1952 issues.

I chose the smallest binder of magazine for my scanner, although it worked great for the larger binders too. Love my scanner, it is 8 x11" screen size, compact and only needs to be plugged into my laptop to scan or copy, so portable. I was in the 30 minute free parking space (otherwise you need a permit), but that was plenty of time to capture a few good pages. It is usually quiet up in the periodicals and since school doesn't start until the end of September I was able to grab a study room to set up as my husband peruses other topics.

Below are two bridemaid's dress and for an after five dinner dress, on left silk organza orginally priced at $39.95, on right nylon and rayon orginal price $29.95.

Here is a taffeta rayon dress and jacket for the holidays and into Spring, sleeveless dress with bolero jacket in black or navy, $20.

Cute striped dress with matching bolero, on the cover of Mademoiselle Jan. 1952. nice touch of red (hat).

Below from Mademoiselle Feb. 1952, very interesting sleeves for this time period, they remind of the Colonial-Victorian era, pretty bouses, the descriptions are nice if you can zoom in on them.

Mademoiselle April 1952, love the cut of these dresses and the prints too.

Coming up are some photos from Harper Bazaar September 1936 and July 1939. If you want a sneak peek, they have been posted on my Facebook at Oso Victoria Vintage go to photos to see them, lots of great vintage photos there. Until then....