Helene Scott - Maternity Designer

Helene Scott started in the fashion industry as a model.  When she became pregnant with her first child, she started designing her own maternity clothing.  She received many positive comments about her designs and decided to start her own business.  These photos are from a two page advertisement by Celanese in 1956.  Scott used Celanese acetate fabrics to make adaptations of European fashion for the American maternity market.   This is how the fashionable woman who was expecting dressed for evening in 1956.

Above:  Scott's adaptation of a suit by Miguel Dorian of Spain.  The silk/acetate blend cape suit is matched with a striped blouse.  Sold for $60 in 1956 (about $500 in today's dollar.)

Scott's adaptation of a design by Simonetta.  Acetate satin dress with back pleats and belt.  Sold for $50 in 1956 (about $417 in today's dollar.)

Scott's adaptation of a Givenchy evening gown in acetate satin.  Sold for $70 in 1956 (about $584 in today's dollar.)

Scott's adaptation of a Sybil Connolly tiered dress in sheer acetate/nylon chiffon.  Sold for $50 in 1956 (about $417 in today's dollar.)

Scott's adaptation of a Norman Hartnell cocktail dress in black acetate crepe with white lace.  Sold for $40 in 1956 (about $334 in today's dollar.)

Choices, Choices

 Why can't we have choices like this anymore?  In this 2 page ad from 1956, Garland Orlon sweaters were offered in 6 styles.  Each style was made in 9 colors.  That's 54 possibilities to choose from.  There is something for everyone to love here.

Top row left:  "Put it atop your separate skirt, tuck it into your suit skirt - a sweater for all around the clock."
Center:  "The V neck classic that goes nicely over tailored shirts or with the separate collars you like to wear."
Right:  "Casual, flattering and completely versatile for skirts or suits.  Wear with or without your own costume pin."

Bottom row left:  "Pert sweater with collar that buttons as high or as low as you like."
Center:  "A three-way collar cardigan; button it higher, button it lower, leave it as is."
Right:  "The classic sweater set in harmony of line and color.  Match or mix the pullover and cardigan colors."

Which sweater in what colors would you choose?

Behind the Scenes of Marketing - 1956

I was thumbing through an issue of Glamour Magazine from 1956 when I came across a six page advertising spread that prominently featured the name Janet Norwood.  Hmmmmmm, never heard of a designer named Janet Norwood.  Who was she?

In looking closer at the ads, I notice that the clothes featured are by several different manufacturers including Donnybrook, Jerell Juniors, and Modecraft.  Hmmmmmm, does Janet Norwood design for many different companies?  No.  Is Janet Norwood the name of a store?  No. Each ad features a list of stores at the bottom where you could buy the featured fashions.

Time to dig deeper. In my search, I found several newspaper ads for stores that mention Janet Norwood with the symbol "Value Approved".  These ads include the wording "As seen in Seventeen" or Mademoiselle or Glamour.  Finally, I find the words above in a large newspaper ad for People's, a store in Wisconsin.  "Janet Norwood, famous merchandising expert."  Ah-hah! 

And in tiny letters at the bottom of the photos below is a line that says, "If your favorite store is not listed write:  Janet Norwood, c/o Steinberg-Kass, ... New York.  Who is Steinberg-Kass? Steinberg-Kass in New York was a buying group offering merchandising services to stores nationwide.  Steinberg-Kass would make recommendations to those stores based on fashion and color trends, and would sell the stores pre-selected merchandise pulled from the many clothing and accessory manufacturers they represented.  They would then back up those recommendations with advertisements in national magazines like those shown here today.  Smaller stores and chains would use buying offices like these if they could not afford a staff of buyers who would travel the country to purchase clothing for the stores.

Was there a real Janet Norwood?   Possibly.  If so, she was a glorified stylist who pulled clothing from the specific manufacturers that Steinberg-Kass represented and put together outfits for the fashion ads featured here.  Kind of like an early Rachel Zoe.

Left:  Jerell Juniors black silk/cotton blend dress with plaid bolero.  Sold for $25 in 1956 (about $208 in today's dollar.)
Right:  Jerell Juniors cotton plaid dress.  Sold for $25 in 1956 (about $208 in today's dollar.)

Left:  Donnybrook wool tweed coat reverses to waterproofed corduroy.  Sold for $50 in 1956 (about $416 in today's dollar.)
Right:  Donnybrook wool tweed clutch coat with plush collar.  Sold for $60 in 1956 (about $500 in today's dollar.)

Left:  Brownie's fur-blend sweater worn with Jackfin's matching wool flannel skirt.  Sold for $28 in 1956 (about $233 in today's dollar.)
Right:  Fairfield's Orlon sweater with tweed trim worn with Eton's wool tweed skirt.  Sold for $17 in 1956 (about $142 in today's dollar.)
These outfits show an example of how Steinberg-Kass would have two different manufacturers work together to make co-ordinates that could be sold together.

Left:  Modecraft chinchilla blend jacket.  Sold for $30 in 1956 (about $250 in today's dollar.)
Right:  Rojay's wool jersey blouse and skirt trimmed in knitted panels.  Sold for $14 in 1956 (about $117 in today's dollar.)

Left:  A. Davis wool tweed clutch coat.  Sold for $75 in 1956 (about $625 in today's dollar.)
Right:  A. Davis wool tweed slim coat.  Sold for $75 in 1956 (about $625 in today's dollar.)

Little Black Dresses - 1956

Project Runway's Anya is getting on my nerves.  She has a great eye, but without the schooling in design, she clearly can't construct a garment that can be worn right from her sewing machine.  Granted, I'm sure there are plenty of designers who aren't great seamstresses.  But you have to have some idea of how a garment is constructed so you know what fabric will and will not do.  And the wearer has to be able to get in and out of it without glue or scissors!

How about a look at some little black dresses from 1956?  Here's how you take some raven black fabric and make something that can actually be worn.

Balenciaga

Hanna Troy

Elfreda-Visioni

Herbert Sondheim

Adele Simpson

And aren't these dresses a hundred times more feminine?

Rosalie Macrini Evening Jumpsuit - 1956

Yes, 1956!  Are you surprised?  I was!  Many of you were very close in your guesses and Casey was spot on! Harem legged jumpsuits like this one were more popular in the mid-to-late 60s as at-home hostess or loungewear, so I was taken aback to see this photograph from 1956.

The designer was Rosalie Macrini.  Macrini began designing in 1930 for the Barbara Costume Company in New York.  She bought the company sometime in the 1950s.  Her specialty was cocktail and evening wear.  Macrini was a master at hiding figure flaws.  Many of her dresses featured the floating chiffon drape as featured with the harem jumpsuit above.  The drape could be wrapped in many ways to hide bulges.  Her clothes always featured full boning so the bodice didn't sag.  Here are some more of Macrini's designs from the 1950s and early 60s.

1957

1957

Late 1950s

1959

1963.  This harem-legged jumpsuit was designed to coincide with the opening of the film Lawrence of Arabia.

Franklin Simon Cashmere Sweater

I've told you before how much I hate shopping at "The Mall".  I used to enjoy shopping at department stores, but now I avoid them like the plague and will only step foot in one if I am desperate.  Franklin Simon was one of the original department stores in New York.  The main store was established in 1903 at Fifth Avenue and 38th St.  Other store owners laughed at Mr. Simon's choice of opening so far uptown where "no one would shop."  Mr. Simon's goal was to import as much of his merchandise from Europe as he could for his discerning customers.  The Franklin Simon chain of stores closed in 1979.

The ad shown above is from 1956.  "Franklin Simon translates the relaxed refinement of American living with elegant simplicity....turns separates into a magnificently integrated costume!"  The cashmere sweater wtih contrast bands came in yellow with gray, champagne with white, or gray with white in sizes 34- 40.  Sold for $32.95 in 1956 (about $274 in today's dollar.)  The wool flannel skirt came in gray or champagne and was available in sizes 10-18.  Sold for $19.95 in 1956 (about $166 in today's dollar.)

If I knew I could walk into a department store today and find this coordinating sweater and skirt displayed together and in the high quality fabrics used in the 50s,  I would not hesitate to hand over my credit card.  Alas, I know it is not to be.  If I find a cute cashmere sweater, the quality will be crap.  And I will have to search through the entire store for any skirt that I might possibly find to go with it.  Ugh.  No thanks.

Vintage Dresses with Bolero Jackets, 1956

I've always liked these dress and jacket sets from the 1950s.  You know the ones that have a fitted sheath dress with a darling short bolero jacket.  You get two looks in one with these sets and I always grab them when I find them for Couture Allure.  They are great for those early fall days when you can't decide if you need a coat or not.  Wear the jacket when you're chilly and take it off when it's warm later in the day. The examples shown today are from 1956.

Above, a Paul Sachs Original gray wool sheath dress with a coordinating jacket in black and gray stripes.  Note how Sachs has used the striped fabric to form a border at the edges of the jacket.  Also note how the stripes are perfectly matched at the sleeve seam.   Set sold for $50 in 1956 (about $415 in today's dollar.)

Daryl Creations wool jersey short sleeve dress in autumn rust comes with a bolero jacket in black with rust dots.  Set sold for $30 in 1956 (about $249 in today's dollar.)  I have to say I am coveting that Morris Moskowitz suede handbag.

Masket Bros. navy wool doeskin sheath dress with matching jacket.  Brass buttons set off the simple lines of this ensemble.  Set sold for $55 in 1956 (about $456 in today's dollar.)  Black alligator handbag by Milch.

Chestnut Hill brushed rayon sheath dress and bolero jacket.  Note how the button placket on the jacket becomes a decorative element with the curved extension.  Set sold for $30 in 1956 (about $249 in today's dollar.)  Spotted fur bag and ascot by Winter Furs.

Daryl faille dress and jacket were available in black, red, green, gray, taupe, slate or brown.  Ribbed faille is a fabric that can go from day to evening with ease.  Love all the buttons!  Set sold for $25 in 1956 (about $207 in today's dollar.)

Bare Legs Were a No-No in the 50s

 "We thought everyone knew........

....a lady's not dressed unless her legs are too."

I got a giggle out of this two-page ad for nylon stockings from 1956.  The two pages appeared side-by-side and the ladies in the top photo are shocked that the woman in the other picture is not wearing stockings.  This seems especially timely given the fact that Kate Middleton is making such an impression because she wears pantyhose with everything(!)  So much so, that pantyhose are flying off the shelves in the UK.


Stockings...pantyhose....that's all well and good, but what about those HATS!!!!!!  Aren't they yummy?

Dresses for the Heat of Summer - 1956

Air conditioning was not mainstream in 1956.  Some public buildings offered it, but at home window units were expensive and uncommon.  Women tried to stay cool by wearing lightweight fabrics, although slips, bras and girdles were still de rigueur.  Today, summer dresses from 1956 that were made to beat the heat.

Pink and white checked cotton lawn is criss-crossed with insertion lace for a light airy effect.  Larry Aldrich.  Sold for $110 in 1956 (about $914 in today's dollar.)

Cotton voile in black with copper colored dots.  Oleg Cassini.  Sold for $70 in 1956 (about $582 in today's dollar.)

A sweet cotton poplin playsuit gets dressed up for town by wearing a co-ordinating floral skirt over it.  Both pieces by Pat Premo.  Sold for $40 in 1956 (about $332 in today's dollar.)

Semi-sheer cotton voile in a cool champagne color fashions a simple shirtwaist dress.  Vera Stewart.  Sold for $95 in 1956 (about $789 in today's dollar.)  Mr. John lace hat.

White pintucked cotton batiste with rows of insertion lace layered over pale yellow lining.  Harvey Berin.  Sold for $175 in 1956 (about $1454 in today's dollar.)

How do you dress to stay cool in summer?

Gigliola Curiel, 1956

I've told you a little bit about Italian couture designer Gigliola Curiel in the past.  This dress was featured in a Bergdorf Goodman ad from spring 1956 announcing the arrival of Curiel's first collection for the store.

"Here in all their beautiful glory are the polished, elegant, very cosmopolitan clothes which this talented Italian designer has created for us alone in the whole United States.  Done in the finest tradition of the Italian couture, in magnificent imported fabrics and executed with bold, dramatic strokes, these clothes are not for the timid or unsure, but for the worldly and the very wise.  Shown, Curiel's white silk organdy dance dress bordered and embroidered with clusters of gold French beads centered with rhinestones, its own floating white silk organdy stole.  $975."

$975 in 1956.  That's $8,062 in today's dollar.  I would assume that Bergdorf's only sold a handful of this dress, if that many.  Chances of finding it today, are slim to none, but isn't it beautiful?

Greta Plattry, 1956

 I've done a few posts about Greta Plattry in the past.  You can see some of her work from 1955 here and from 1954 here.  Her sportswear always looks so comfortable and fun while remaining on the cutting edge.  The garments shown today are from 1956.  I am in love.  Don't miss the gold metallic mules worn throughout.

Above:  Madras plaid cotton embroidered with gold and silver threads.  The sundress features a bra top and wide waistband.  Sold for $40 in 1956 (about $325 in today's dollar.)  A bare back halter top is paired with Punjab pants inspired by those of India.  Set Sold for $43 in 1956 (about $350 in today's dollar.)

The pieces above are made from a black and white mini-check cotton printed with gold stripe bands.  The camisole top sundress has a very full skirt.  Sold for $25 in 1956 (about $203 in today's dollar.)  The swimsuit is worn with a matching beach shirt.  Set Sold for $28 in 1956 (about $228 in today's dollar.)

Suits for Travel - 1956

On Friday, I asked my Facebook fans what they'd like to see on the blog this week. Eleanor requested a post about vintage spring and summer suits for travel. They were so elegant! I'm with you Eleanor. I like to people-watch in airports and I'm always pleasantly surprised when I see a woman traveling in a suit. She looks so much more sophisticated than the majority who are wearing sweats and flip-flops. For your inspiration today, suits for travel from 1956.

Above, Handmacher gray flannel sheath dress with matching bolero jacket accented with a white linen collar. Sold for $70 in 1956 (about $570 in today's dollar.) Hat by Emme.

Davidow wool and mohair tweed suit with matching tasseled scarf. The jacket is belted. Sold for $150 in 1956 (about $1,220 in today's dollar.) Saddlebag styled purse by MacArthur.

David Crystal pale gray glen plaid suit in a rayon/Dacron blend. Dacron? That's polyester. This suit would resist wrinkling and be perfect for those long train trips. Sold for $40 in 1956 (about $325 in today's dollar.) Handbag by Josef.

Mr. Mort lightweight wool sheath dress in buttercup yellow paired with a plaid bolero jacket. Sold for $50 in 1956 (about $407 in today's dollar.) Bag by Maxwell Schill (me want!)

Swansdown wool suit with a bloused-back jacket for more ease during long trips. Sold for $60 in 1956 (about $488 in today's dollar.)

How do you dress for travel? Do you go for chic or do you prefer comfort?

Spring Coats - 1956

On Friday, I asked my Facebook fans what they'd like to see on the blog this week. Honore requested a post about spring coats. Whatever happened to spring coats anyway? I'm so tired of my gray heavy wool winter coat and my leopard print down jacket. It's time for something different, but my waterproof rain jacket just won't do.

Vintage spring coats are usually made of lighter weight wool or cashmere, cotton poplin, or rayon gabardine. They are often in lighter and brighter colors than the heavy blacks, browns, and grays of winter. 1950s clutch coats are perfect for spring, as they have no buttons and can be worn open on warmer days. The examples shown here are all from 1956.

Above, a bright daffodil yellow clutch coat in lightweight Worumbo wool.

Lilli Ann made this swing coat in lightweight turquoise wool. What a great color for spring!

Bergdorf Goodman exclusive lightweight wool coat tailored with just 2 buttons up high. Came in beige, red, or navy. Perfect to wear over a spring dress!

Warren of Stafford raincoat with a loose back and big buttoned pockets.

Clyde cashmere clutch coat has push-up sleeves that work well with long kidskin gloves. Love that bag!

I've been inspired to store my gray wool winter coat and pull out my vintage 1950s pale pink cashmere clutch coat. Thanks, Honore! What about you? Do you have spring weight coat in your closet?