Byline: bargain hunter Don Rodgers
ITEMS of 20th century vintage costume can represent excellent value for money. Ladies' dresses are probably the most sought after articles, along with a range of accessories such as hats, handbags, gloves and of course shoes.
The formality of Victorian and Edwardian clothes, with their stiff corsetry, gave way after World War I to more comfortable clothing with more flowing lines.
Banquet handbag Fake HandbagsMaterials could be opulent and details intricate, as in the beadwork and sequins found in the "flapper" clothes of the 1920s and 30s.
The Second World War ushered in a period of austerity and rationing in clothing, as it did in food. Once the war was over, it was understandable that women were ready for brighter, more feminine fashions that didn't look like versions of war-time uniforms.
This was provided for them by Christian Dior's "New Look", launched in 1947, which introduced the cinched waist, with full, calf-length skirts and matching jacket.
Skirts could be made fuller still by the addition of petticoats or even by the 1950s' version of the Victorian crinoline for the complete bouffant effect.
The New Look dominated fashion for most of the 1950s, when the black chiffon dress shown here was made.
The 1950s also saw the rise of the teenager as a force in fashion - before then, young people had dressed like their Monogram Perforation Replica parents.
The 1960s wer to see all that change for good.
Post-war vintage clothing can be both affordable and very wearable.
The dress pictured here came from a charity shop in Bath, complete with its original slip and a vintage strapless bra by Kayser Bondor (also shown).
In fact, the bra might have been made in Wales, as Kayser Bondor opened a factory in Pentrebach near Merthyr Tydfil in 1945.
embroidered patches The most valuable dresses are those with designer labels, such as Chanel, Pucci, Ossie Clark, or Vivienne Westwood. Also desirable is clothing that reflects a particular style, like the "street fashion" of the 1960s, or 1970s punk.
Condition is important, although some tears may be deliberate, particularly in punk clothing!
Prices for vintage garments vary hugely, from pounds 5 to four-figure sums.
My wife bought this 1950s dress several years ago to wear at a New Year party. It only cost "a few pounds," she tells me, although you could easily pay pounds 30-pounds 40 for it to
CAPTION(S):
Left, A dress from the 1950s and above, a vintage bra
Other articles:
http://www.cnshanzhai.com/Blog/View/?870
http://www.sjskw.com/Blog/View/?145