Joyce of California Shoes 1940 - 1950

A decade of shoes from Joyce of California.


November 1940


September 1941


January 1942


May 1943


May 1944


January 1945


August 1946


December 1947


August 1948


October 1949


August 1950

Perfect Day

No work today, just sitting in the garden with a Shirley Temple
watching the bees do their thing........







Shirley Temple

2 dashes of Grenadine in a tall glass filled with ice cubes,
pour Ginger Ale on top.

Screen Fashion Parade 1933

From Film Weekly magazine.


Click for full size.


Click for full size.


Click for full size.

Brandy Alexander

If there is any cocktail which can be said to be 'comforting' then it is the Brandy Alexander. The combination of taste, texture and scent make this one of the smoothest cocktails ever conceived.



2 measures Brandy (cheap is good)
1 measure Creme de Cacao (dark or light)
1 measure double cream
grated nutmeg

Mix brandy, cream and cacao in a shaker full of ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Grate the nutmeg on top

Fashions 1934: Belisha Beacons

Belisha Beacons were introduced to Britain in 1934, they designated pedestrian crossings on busy roads.



Casualties on British roads in the 1930s were very high so the Minister for Transport Leslie Hore-Belisha introduced these and other novel road safety measures such as speed limits and warning signs. In 1935 he even introduced a driving test! On the road there were metal studs (just seen on the right of the photo) to
indicate the crossing zone, after the war blue and yellow and then black and white stripes were applied to the road surface for extra visibility and in addition to the beacons became known as zebra crossings.


The Belisha Beacon was a very popular icon in the 30s there was a card game, novelty items and many advertising promo items.


Match Striker

Oh yes, some fashions from 1934 too.


McCalls pattern for a yoke dress with pleated bodice and fancy sleeves.


Stunning Knitted wedding dress, pattern available on ebay


Weldon's Ladies Journal Portfolio of Fashions


Swedish Evening Gown Patterns pattern available on ebay

Quick & Easy Summer Wardrobe Patterns 1948

Four lovely summer items from Woman & Beauty July 1948. Easy to make.
You will need squared paper to make the patterns.


Bra Top and Skirt. Click for bigger picture and instructions.


Short Swagger Coat. Shirred Dirndl Dress. Click for bigger picture and instructions.


Gored skirt and Tied Bolero. Click for bigger picture and instructions.

1920s Paris Couture

I was trawling my bookshelves last night and came across a catalogue from The Western Reserve Historical Society, Ohio. It is a booklet of about 20 pages all of which are photos of costumes in their collection ranging from about 1840-1970. But to my mind these are the most exciting of those photographed.


Louise Boulanger c1928, Callot Souers c1925, Paquin c1928. Click for full size.


Chanel c1929, unknown Paris Original c1925, Lanvin c1924. Click for full size


Vionnet c1930.

Normally I would have no hesitation in choosing a Vionnet over all-comers from this period, but honestly, in this selection I think it would have to be the Lanvin, though the Callot Souers runs in a very close second.

Can you choose?

Visit The Western Reserve Historical Society Website

Summer Shoes on Sale: Retro styles for less.

Red & Black Open Oxfords


Cork Wedge Sandals


Pure Disco


20s Mary Janes


Pin Up Platforms


80s Pastels


Miss Sixty Does 40s

Holiday Packing

From Eve's Journal July 1938


Lightweight undies. Click for full size.


Luggage. Click for full size.


Beach and swim wear. Click for full size.


The inimitable Schiap.

June Bride: Molyneux Wedding Dress 1948

What do you wear if you are marrying a couturier?

Pat Cunningham married Charles Creed in 1948 in this stunning Molyneux
silk gown.


Pat Creed went on to become Accessories Editor at Vogue then Fashion Editor.
See here for a potted bio.

There is an hilarious (and harrowing) account of the wedding in Charles Creed's autobiography
'Maid to Measure' though apparently, most of the book is fiction according to Mrs Creed. It is
very enjoyable whether true or not.

Flaming June

I thought of several pithy titles for this post as I stumbled around
Lincoln Antiques Fair in the mud and rain.....





However, lots of dress patterns, a heap of fully fashioned stockings and
a bag full of silk flowers made up for the foul weather.

We should get some really nice weather soon according to averages. (haha)

Beach Holidays

Oh for the days when an English beach holiday was glamorous.
Well, at least in the railway posters.

Like its 1970

One of the enduring songs of my childhood.

Anne Murray - Snowbird

War Time Corsetry

It was still considered healthy to wear corsets back in the 40s. Many adverts for girdles stressed their importance in preventing spreading hips, (if only that were the cure!). All these adverts are from summer 1940 and the Picture Post article is from March 1940. Shortly after this elastic fabrics and webbings became very hard to get due to the needs of the war machine and adverts for corsets and bras became as scarce as the real thing.













Picture Post March 2, 1940

Click for full size.


Click for full size.


Click for full size.


Click for full size.