Molyneux September 1950

The tunic line, but just look at those buttons, fabulous. AND an acid yellow bow!


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1940s Hollywood Stars in Colour #4

Number four in a series of colour photographs

Rita Hayworth




Cover Girl


Cover Girl

Glovelies 1946

This knitting pattern is actually from a spring Everywoman magazine, but March seems to be too late for getting out the gloves. Each style has a name that links with the instructions.


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Wool Coats and Suits for Autumn

Wool wins hands down over any synthetic fleece for warmth and with another hard winter looming its time to get some inspiration for cosy coats and chic suits.


Rust red suit with fur collar and cuffs by Lelong autumn 1937


Marjorie Dunton sports suit with divided skirt and leather hat November 1937



Wool housecoat with leopard belt and buttons by Lydia Moss November 1938


Braemar herringbone suit autumn 1939


Otterburn tweed suit by JK King October 1939, this style would get you right through the war.


Marlbeck check wool suit spring 1945, not that different from the tweed suit above.


Spring cape coat by Rodex March 1947


Suit with cutaway jacket and SLIGHTLY longer skirt winter 1947

War Weekend Outfit

My mothers cousin has kept a lot of her vintage sewing patterns and gave me this one a couple of years ago. I finally got around to making the jacket last month just in time for the war weekend at Pickering.



The wool is quite lightweight and I think it would have come out better using coating, but I didn't want a heavy jacket, I lined it with an old rayon floor cushion cover


Hat - Hemswell
Coat - made by me fabric from Ebay
Earrings - Ebay
Jumper - 50s 60s Vintage
Skirt - Sand Flannel from a 30s dress pattern, made by me

1940s Hollywood Stars in Colour #3

Number three in a series of colour photographs

Martha Raye from Pin Up Girl

1950s Modern Furnishing Fabrics

David Whitehead November 1953


Grafton Fabrics March 1954


Heals September 1954


Grafton Fabrics October 1954


Grafton Fabrics November 1954


Grafton Fabrics March 1955


Heals April 1955


Heals April 1956

Cloche Hat Project

For several months I have been looking for a good navy felt cloche hat to no avail. In the end I decided the only way I was going to get one for THIS winter was to remodel an old hat.  I found this 1980s plain oval hat with a curled in brim on ebay for £3.



Unfortunately I didn't take any in progress photos, but firstly I unrolled the brim and cut off the wire edging. Then I thoroughly steamed the hat over a kettle to loosen up the shape a bit and also stretched the bottom part of the crown. Then I cut a template for the shape of the new brim, deep at the front and narrow at the back. and stitched the pleat into place. Finishing off with double sided velvet ribbon around the edge and a chrysanthemum trim.






To be worn with my accidentally fashionable navy & red houndstooth 60s Mod coat.

Roger Moore 1953

The Same But Different

One of Edward Rayne's amusing mid 70s adverts using a legal blurb. I don't know the exact date of this one but about 1975.



I like variations of the same shoe, here is the velvet version from the advert above and silver lame. Presumably there is a black satin version too as the bag is satin.

I don't often buy bags separately but i got this one to go with the rhinestone encrusted heels from the late 50s here. Which it does even thought there is a good 15 years between the 2 items.

1940s Hollywood Stars in Colour #2

Number two in a series of colour photographs

Ginger Rogers
I think this is from "Lady in the Dark" 1944.