Gorgeous Shoe Fashions ( Vintage Film 1936 )

 1930's Shoes for Women - Archive film

"Gorgeous fashion in 1930's footwear. A Rainy Morning, but no rubbers, but sure footing in shoes
of gleaming water-proof patent leather - with the new pearl luster finish. A shining example for the new year.
Oxfords and Pumps hold their own during the rainy season.And now with clear afternoon skies, it is time to wear the more formal high heel shoes.These exhibits are designed by Dan Porter.These white oxfords are for cocktails.Evenings bring the high heeled sandals with open toes. Dance, be merry and keep pace with the times with slippers fit for Cinderella."



The 1930's, despite the Depression - brought an amazing variety of beautiful shoe styles to women.
Gone were the simple ankle straps of the 1920's Flapper and in came the heel. This unique archive film
showcases the 'latest' women's shoe fashions of 1936.

Popular shoes included pumps, slip-on, lace-ups, buckles, two tone and spectator designs. With outdoor fashions becoming more and more popular for in the leisure woman, you saw more sandals - not just on the beach but the high heeled version for evening wear too.

Fashionable colors included white, black, two tone white and black, brown and wine shades.
The standard evening shoe to wear with your dress included asymmetrical trimmed court shoes, sling backs and of course - peep toes.
With skirt hems getting lower during the 1930's, women's shoes became all the more exotic with decorations being the order of the day [ it was the Art Deco era after all ! ].

Cutouts were seen on pumps and the standard Oxford shoe became much more decorated with perforated hole designs and so on.This vintage film showcases womens shoes for street wear, rainy days to evening sandals and heels. Gorgeous.

Download beautifully restored 1930's Beauty Guides from Vintage Make-up Guides

Vintage Fashion Fair in Eden

Just reminding any vintage fashion enthusiasts out there in the area of Eden in High Wycomb in beautiful Buckinghamshire and beyond, that there will be a great Vintage Retro Fashion Fair on Saturday and Sunday the 22nd and 23rd of October. Over 30 stalls packed to the brim with bags, broaches, skirts and scarves and oodles of collectable gifts and accessories.That's Eden’s Vintage Fashion Fair. Sadly I can't be there, but hopefully will post some photos following the event. Good luck to all the participating stalls and congrats to the organisers.

Edwardian Fashion - Restored Two Tone Color Film

By the 1910s, womens fashion moved away from the Gibson Girl corsetted s-bend silhouette look of Edwardian Fashion, to a softer more flowing look with the new popular asian and oriental styles of the likes of Paul Poiret. A tunic over a long underskirt became the norm until the advent of the 1920's. This little film, restored in two tone color, displays the fashion of designer: Lady Lucille Duff-Gordon, who survived the Titanic along with her husband Cosmo.Thanks to Mark Green for this information.

Those Dancing Flappers

This archive video features some stunning dance routines from the 1920's like the Charleston and Black Bottom dance. This was the disco dancing of that era. These social dances were essentially Jazz dances.

Another favourite of this blog is this video by Aaron1912  of Youtube.His channel is possibly the best resource for all things 1920's !




Support Glamourdaze and purchase these gorgeous vintage fashion calendars - link below.

Vintage Fashion - The History of Hemlines

The History of Womens Skirt Lengths

The rise began during the First World war as designers raised hemlines to above the ankle with the new 'Crinoline' . It was more practical and suited women who were working in increasing numbers in war production. In the years following the war, skirt lengths continued to rise, till the late 1920's
when they were above the knee. By the 1930's, hemlines began to fall again to above the ankle and remained there till the 1940's. In 1942, clothing rationing brought about actual regulations on womens clothing ! The UK had their 'Utility Clothes' regulations, and the USA introduced Regulation L85 which set skirt lengths to 17 inches above the floor. Interestingly, the Evening Dress has stayed near to or at floor length over the decades. It is often said that hemlines were only of concern to the working class, as wealthy women could afford the luxury of longer dresses in their lifestyle.

Christian Dior Measures for the future ! 1945

The Hemline Index

Do Womens Skirt lengths really rise and fall with the Stock market ?

In 1926 professor George Taylor from the University of Pennsylvania invented the hemline index.
It has proved incredibly accurate over the decades. The theory was that womens dresses rise and fall with stock prices in the modern age of Capitalism.. The stronger the economy, the shorter the skirts, the weaker the economy, the longer the skirt !


1920's - Huge rise in stock prices, and the shortest hemlines in history for women.

1930's - The crash also brought womens skirt lengths down to a more conservative height.

1940's - With the war and subsequent production boom that went with it, womens skirt lengths began to rise again.

1950's - Skirt and dress lengths remained at knee length during this decade, which reflected the conservative era and recovering economy.

 1960's - The boom brought us the Mini skirt !

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Adorn your walls in 2011 / 2012 with beautiful Vintage Fashion calendars - Download Instantly

The Powder Room - 1950's Makeup and style tips

1950's Fashion - Makeup Tips - GlamourDaze

The Powder Room
The sultry secretary style and makeup looks of the 1950's that Madmen Joan Holloway epitomizes is showcased in this beautiful original archive film from the 1950's . The whole film glows with that peaches and cream hue of the 1950's. These women would still turn heads today. That could be Peggy Olsen lighting a cigarette !
We see the women calmly touching up their makeup, nails, fixing hair and stockings in the powder room
while some old grouch, probably from accounts shakes his perplexed head.
It's a priceless snapshot of vintage 1950's womens fashion



 1950's make-up and Beauty Guides.

For the original 1950's look, you can download instantly these beautifully restored 1950s makeup and beauty guides.

 More images from The Powder Room

The real Peggy Olsen

" Did I file those TPS reports for Mr Halliday ??"

copyright Glamourdaze 2010

Other useful 1950's fashion links:

Famous Fashion Designers of the 1950's

1940's Fashion - Vintage Evening Dress show

1940's Fashion - Vintage evening dress show

" You look so desirable in your new dress !" Yes, it was all about impressing the men those days! Funny how all the men were called Charlie. Still, this film displays some lovely evening dress examples of the 1940's.
We see a waltz time skirt with black lace inserts. " Look at the spunky shoulders ! Jane has a new dress too, her skirt is made of layers and layers of pink and grey net ! The waistline is longer for evening too. All very pretty and gay.No skimping on fabrics this season. Gloria wears a stunning Carmen Miranda number, with bare midrif and bright sashes." Also featured are a dress of red and white Candy stripes, another with a long flowing cape." Martha wears a gaudy print dresses, topped by a yellow jacket, doesnt it fit like a dream, and just look at the hood !
You're all prepared for a romantic stroll down the beach.This is certainly a gala evening !"

And  Groucho Marx might have added " Well a gal an evening is all I can handle, will you marry me ? did your husband leave you any money ?  Answer the second question first !"

See also A 1940's Womans Daily Routine

1940's Fashion - Vintage Summer Dress show

1940's Fashion - Vintage Summer Dress show

When a woman went on holiday in the summer during the 1940's, her wardrobe consisted of morning, afternoon and evening wear. Featured in this film are typical rayon afternoon dresses snoods and hats of the period. Bodices and wide brim hats were everywhere ! Of course there's an engagement in the air! More tea anyone ?





Copyright Glamourdaze 2010

1940's Fashion - A womans guide to Posture

Learn how to be glamourous, 1940's style with correct posture

Its interesting to remember that Pilates, now a hugely popular guide to posture was developed in the 1940's and named after Joseph Pilates.
Women of the 1940's simply had to master correct posture. There was no option.
Corset makers like Spencer did their bit to help, but there is no better alternative than simply learning how to stand, walk, and sit like a lady.

On our Youtube channel, Miss Ratherly Stern pops back in her time machine from the 1940's  with her advice on good posture.



Her finishing school for girls is a good example of what was considered important for women then. As antiquated as it appears, it's always worth grabbing the useful advice that was dished out to young women in the 1940's, as they still apply when it comes to being glamourous.

Also do visit Gerties new Blog for better Sewing, for her take on this subject

Street Fashion in small town America

The street fashion and hairstyles of everyday women in the 1930's from a unique film by Ivan Besse shot in the small South Dakota town of Britton in 1938
The Wall Street Crash had a huge impact on womens fashion in the 1930's.
Lots of women took up sewing and the Womens Institute became famous for it's sewing manuals and in particular those of the famous Mary Brooks Picken.
Everyone had a Singer sewing machine in their house as thrift was the name of the game. This film shows typical late 1930's fashion and hairstyles of normal everyday women. Hollywood fashion now had a huge influence. All the latest designs were draped over the female stars of the day like Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Myrna Loy It's interesting to see the extensive wearing of furs, capes, coats, stoles, and wraps of all kinds.
Hats had to be worn at a jaunty angle ! The famous Cloche was replaced by the Beret, Pill Box and
the newer brimmed hats, and the turban .Hangbags were of the beaded or mesh variety and personalised clutches were hugely popular with women. 1930's shoes were pumps, flats and ankle strap.
Dresses were made from easy washable fabric and synthetics were becoming more and more prevalent.



copyright glamourdaze 2010

1940's Fashion - A young womans wardrobe plan 1947

A typical yearly clothing plan for a 19 year old San Francisco woman in 1947 for 1940's dress, hats, underwear, shoes, stockings, gloves,handbags etc. The chief fabric is the new Rayon !

See also:
1940's Fashion Wardobe Plan - How to dress Accurately
1940's fashion in the War Years
1940's Fashion after the War

Other great posts on other aspects of a 1940's woman.
A 1940's Housewifes Daily Routine
1940s' Makeup Guide
Vintage MakeupTutorial Film

 And the definitive guide [ instant download ] for 1940's Makeup styles.

So now, on to our typical 1940s woman's clothing plan ,It's an interesting insight not only into the normal clothes a fashionable young woman of moderate means would wear in the post world war two years, but of the actual cost !
Even with the limited budget, a 1940's woman still managed to be glamorous

Hats and Coats

2 Felt hats
1 Straw hat
1 Winter coat
1 Summer coat

 Dresses

1 Evening Dress - rayon
2 Afternoon dresses - rayon
2 Street dresses - wool
2 street dresses- rayon
2 house dresses - cotton

Paris Evening Dress - 1946 [ not made from Rayon of course ! ] Many women of a sewing disposition would attempt to copy these with patterns,

Typical Street Dresses from 1947

Underwear

2 Slips - rayon
2 Girdles
3 Brassieres
3 Panties - rayon

1940's Shoes

2 Pairs of Street shoes - Oxfords
1 Pair of Dress shoes

Henry Fonda started out his film career as a shoe fitter to Barbara Stanwyk !

1 Bathrobe - cotton
3 Pajamas - cotton
3 Pair of Stockings - rayon
1 Pair of Slippers - leather
1 Pair of Galoshes
2 Set of Gloves - leather
1 Handbag

Total purchase cost annually - $ 112.00
Annual maintenance costs

Cleaning and pressing - $ 2.20 total
Heels - 5 replacements at $ 1.35 total
Toe Tips - 5 replacements at $ 1.70
Half soles and heels - 1 replacement $1.37

Clothing budgets is not a term that modern women in the developed west tend to think about these days, but back in the frugal post depression and war years, it was a necessity. These budgets for women were usually published in magazines by budgeting experts and were for anything from one year up to three years.That's all !
Original source material - Clothes for Girls -1927 by Elizabeth Todd
copyright glamourdaze 2010

The 1940s Make-up & Beauty Guide

See also 1940's Fashion - Womens Dress code in the War Years

1940's Fashion - A Vintage Guide to being glamourous

1940's Womens Fashion Guide to being Glamourous

A womans guide to being glamourous in the late 1940's by
the infamous Miss Ratherly Stern.The latest 1940's Vintage Fashion Guide !

Learn first hand from a womens etiquette expert, how to possess the
mysterious quality known as vintage glamour!
A little touch of seasoning that makes a dish just right.
Suppose you get too much seasoning ? Glamour is just the same !

Poise and charm are personality traits, so what do they have to do with clothes makeup and hair ?

Well - poise, as you know is simply a state of mind !
It comes as a result of confidence in the way you look .
If you know you look well, your clothes are right and your
makeup natural, your hair neat ... the assurance of all these things
brings a woman that elusive poise !

Charm is the ability to make other people comfortable and happy
in your company.
That means you must forget yourself and concentrate on putting
the other person at their ease.
No woman can do this successfully if she's worried about the way she looks
and is asking these following sorts of questions.
" Is my lipstick on straight  or have I a run in my stockings ? "
" Is my hemline even ? "

The way we look exerts so much influence on the way we feel
and on the way other people feel about us, that it really is very important.

1940's Dress, Hairstyle and Makeup

When I talk about good appearance or looking your best, it's natural
to think it's about clothes, hairstyle or makeup.
Well, believe it or not, these are just the trimmings - like the icing on a cake.
If the cake is no good, then you soon lose interest in the icing.

Basically, good health and physical care are the foundations of beauty.
We all want a lovely skin, shining eyes, a beautiful smile and loads of pep, but we can't have them, except in a clean and healthy body.

There's no substitute as a daily bath for the groundwork of
daily glamour !
Brilliant teeth need brushing !
Clean hair means frequent and thorough shampooing !

A good nights sleep comes next to cleanliness as a beauty base.
I've seen lots of sparkling eyes and good complexions suffer
from listening to swing records at bedtime !!

There's a lot of wisdom in that old expression - beauty sleep !


Let's remember what we were tought in home economics about
a well balanced diet.

Meat, cheese,eggs or fish, milk,butter, bread, fresh fruit, especially
citrus fruits, green and starchy vegetables, and of course some sweets! But please go easy on fried food.

Beautiful skin, vitality, sparkling hair all begin with a balanced diet.
So watch it girls - it pays big dividends.
Then there's excersise !
Try and spend some time every day, outdoors developing the grace
that comes from toned up muscles and a complexion that goes
with good circulation.




copyright Glamourdaze 2010