Delightful 1930s worthy Peter Pan collar top

✯ Day 234 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

The fashions of the 1920s and 30s enchant me. They encapsulate of a curious mix of casualness and elegance, channel a current of freedom, and speak of an age when prêt-à-porter wear was really starting to take off.

Luxurious fabrics mingled with work-a-day materials, lengthy strings of pearls sat beneath bobbed hair, cloche hats and newsboy caps topped heads everywhere, and skirt lengths rose and fell like the tide.

Though not the decades that my own vintage wardrobe hails from (alas, my petite, hour glass frame just doesn't work well in a gamine-worthy flapper dress), I admire the artistry and tailoring of the period of immensely.

Perhaps no one amongst our ranks captures the spirit of this era - and translates into the most wearable, appealing version your could imagine - better than the Vintage Baroness, whose blog I've fawned over and admired greatly since its inception.

And so it was of our lovely Baroness that I first thought when I spotted the delightful shirt below. At first glance one might perceive a Mod era element, and while I'll grant this this top could have passed muster in the swinging sixties, I sense a much more powerful 1930s vibe.

 

From the darling Peter Pan collar to the timeless colour palette, the lovely bow to the three-quarter length sleeves, this cute top radiates classic thirties charm.

Just as I could see it as a piece the Baroness might gravitate towards, so too I can envision it working in decades beyond the 1930s. Partner it with a crisp skirt suit and it takes on a non-nonsense WW2 years sensibility. Skin right capri pants or a full skirt and you're suddenly telegraphing a delightful 1950s Audrey Hepburn feel.

Made from soft, stretchy jersey, this lovely vintage inspired top (which would be perfect for the change in temps as we transition into autumn in the coming weeks) looks so comfortable, but also timelessly pretty. It's available for $39.00 from Plasticland in ladies sizes small to 2XL (and measures 23" inches long, which means that unless you have a very lengthy torso, it should hit you nicely around the hips).

So, while I might not be able to slip into a 1930s ensemble and look the part, I think that I could pull off a versatile, playful Peter Pan collar top like this, weaving it into a 50s outfit, but thinking - the whole time I'd be sporting it - of those daring style mavens of the roaring 20s and wild 30s.

Lovely, very rare colour film clip of 1930s fashions

✯ Day 67 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

While there is undeniable much to be said for photos (and illustrations) of vintage fashions (and indeed, I love such things with an immeasurable passion!), it's also fantastic when you get a chance to see video of clips of yesteryear clothing, too.

Fashion show film clips provide a tantalizing look back at how vintage clothes appeared from all angles, how they draped on the wearer's figure, and (often, assuming the model walked around) how they looked when someone was moving about.

I find vintage fashion show clips to such a stellar glimpse at the past. The models in such films usually sported very au courant hair and make-up styles, in addition to the latest garments, hats, shoes and accessories - which means that they can be the perfect source of inspiration if you want to very accurately recreate a vintage look from a certain decade or even, in some instances a specific year.

Today's clip is definitely a winner for many reasons. Not only does it show an array of beautiful 1930s fashions, it features commentary by each model on the respective outfit she's wearing, and perhaps most delightfully, it's in colour. Colour (Hollywood) movies were fairly rare in the 30s, and film clips of fashion shows from that era (especially the early part of the decade) true are an uncommon site to behold.

This engaging two and a half minute 1930s fashion show film is sure to appeal to fans of the decade, as well as to vintage clothing lovers in general, as it really does feel like you're right there with the models as they describe their pretty (and may I add, entirely wearable) outfits (many of which would be perfect for the spring and summer season we're heading into now).