1940s and 1950s

Late 1940's Blue and White Medallion Print Silk Dress with Portrait Collar, Small

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Description: This is a sharp looking sleeveless silk dress from the late '40s, with a beautiful large portrait collar. The collar is edged with dark blue velvet, and the decorative buttons down the front are velvet, too. The dress closes with a side metal zipper. Unlined silk in a geometric medallion print in blue, white and black. No tags or label. Estate item from a woman of means, with fabulous taste in clothing, from Hanover, NH area. 

Condition: In very good condition, with just a little bit of yellowing inside the collar, which does not affect wearability.

Size: Small. The bust is 36 inches, the waist is 24, hips are 42. Length is 41 inches.  

Price: $110.00

1940's Gray Wool Ladies Pinstripe Skirt Suit, Small

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Description: This is an amazing ladies gray wool pinstripe skirt suit from the 1940s. The jacket is slightly asymmetrical  as it crosses over more with each button toward the bottom, and the skirt has wonderful details like the inset of striped fabric going horizontally down the center of all those vertical stripes! It's tailored and classy with a real art deco twist! The jacket closes with 4 gorgeous shell buttons, and it has 3/4 length sleeves, shoulder pads, and is fully lined. The unlined skirt is an A-line shape with no pleats or vents, and closes with a side metal zipper and button. No labels. But excellent workmanship!

Condition: In very good, clean wearable condition, with a couple of small holes in the surface fabric of the back of the jacket, and a slight discoloration on the top of the right shoulder. There is also a little stain and a hand repair inside the jacket lining - please click on the image above to see all detailed photos.

Size: Small. On the jacket: The bust is 32 inches, the waist is 30, shoulder seams are 14.75 inches, sleeves are 20  inches, length is 25.5. On the skirt: waist is 24 inches, hips are 36, length is 26.5 inches.  

Price: $185.00

1950's Vintage Brown and White "Henry Rosenfeld" NOS Dress, Large

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Description: This is a New Old Stock 1950s dress by "Henry Rosenfeld" in a large size. It features a whimsical brown and white abstract circle print, with 4 big round fabric covered buttons at the top. It has a hook and eye at the waist and a front hidden short metal zipper below the waist. The dress comes with its matching belt. It's never been worn and still has its two original paper hang tags. One says "Mr. Henry, Division of Henry Rosenfeld, for the Best Dressed Women in the World, size 20." The other tag says "Crepe Cara Mia by Joyce, featuring Arnel Triacetate (84%) and Fortrel Polyester (16%), hand or machine washable, quick drying." The fabric has a crisp, crepe-like hand.

Condition: Pristine unused and clean condition.

Size: Large. The tag says (vintage) size 20. The bust measures 42 inches, the waist is 32, hips are 42, shoulders are 17 inches, sleeves are 6 inches, bodice length is 18, total length is 46. 

Price: $75.00

1950's Brown Cotton Botanical Print Blouse, Medium

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Description: This is a sweetheart of a 1950's lady's shirt, in a bold print featuring botanical drawings in large white "frames" on a brown background. Made of 100% "drip dry" cotton, it closes with 5 white buttons and has cuffed elbow length sleeves.  Label is "Lady Manhattan."

Condition: Excellent clean condition.

Size: Medium. The bust measures 38 inches, the waist is 34 inches, shoulders are 16, sleeves are   13 inches cuffed, and total length is 25 inches.

Price: $54.00

1950's Navy Blue Eyelet Dress with Angled Pearly Buttons, Medium/Large

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Description: Fabulous mid-50's day wiggle-style day dress, in navy blue cotton eyelet with cuffed short sleeves and big hip pockets accented by diagonal pearly white buttons. The rows of pearls repeat on the bold angular collar. The dress closes with a metal zipper in a hidden front placket. No labels.

Condition: Excellent, clean, no flaws to note.

Size: Medium/Large, the bust measures 40 inches, waist is 32, hips are 42, shoulders are 15, bodice length is 17, total length is 42.5 inches.

Price: $49.00

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Description: This is a beauty! A superbly soft little 50's shrug in that great Fifties seafoam or aqua color, with a rounded bolero shape and elbow length sleeves. It closes at the throat with a single pearl button. Accented all over the front by a sprinkling of faux pearls and rhinestones! The label says "Fine Yarn, Billie Knit, Medium." Could be orlon, not sure, but it's as soft as a lamb!

Condition: Pristine, and probably unworn, there's just a teeny little pinkish smudge on the left sleeve.

Size: Small to Medium, the bust measures 38 inches, length is 17 inches. Slightly stretchy.

Price: $68.00

1950's "Lee Mar" Blouse with Blue Roses, Black Stripes and Rhinestones, Large

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Description: Great looking blouse here from the late 1950s! It's super soft cotton in white with vertical black stripes and lush blue roses. It has cuffed elbow length sleeves, a nipped in waist, and the bust and collar are embellished with numerous white prong-set rhinestones! It closes with three clear plastic buttons with rhinestone centers, and one plain button below (which would have been tucked in). The label says "Lee Mar of California, Wash N Wear."

Condition: In good vintage condition with a couple of issues, namely there's some soiling inside the collar at the back of the neck, which does not show when worn, and an area with a pale yellowy tint on the front, by the button, this is hard to see in most lighting situations but I captured it in a photo (see close-up pics by clicking on the one above). No storage odors, holes or any other issues. No, it's not perfect, but it's a 7 out of a 10, I'd say. Still quite adorable!

Size: Large. The bust measures 40 inches, the waist is 34 inches, shoulders are 15.5, sleeves are 12 including the cuffs, or 13 with the cuff folded down. Length is 22 inches.

Price: $48.00

1950's Turquoise and Black Chevron Striped Cotton Full Skirt Sundress, Small

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Description: This is a fabulous authentic 1950's sundress in a brilliant print of variegated width chevron stripes in turquoise blue, black and white. A true sundress, it has wide shoulder straps, plus a dropped waist and full skirt. This could look pretty fab over quite a few crinolines! Closes on the side with a metal zipper. No labels or tags.

Condition: In excellent, clean vintage condition with no flaws.

Size: I'd call this a Small. Bust measures 31-32 inches, natural waist is 28" maximum, dropped waist is  32 inches. Hips are free beyond 70 inches. Bodice length is 20.5", total length is 44, hemsweep is 100 inches.

Price: $125.00

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Description: This piece has great style! A beautiful Asian motif blouse for that Fifties lady who knew how to lounge. Pair it today with a little black pencil skirt or your favorite broken-in jeans. It's made of a thin, crisp fabric that may be rayon, in black with coral red trim, and gold metallic leafy and geometric designs. Doublebreasted effect with double spaced tiny gold color plastic buttons. It has a high Mandarin collar and a small chest pocket. The label says "Lady JoAnn."

Condition: In excellent, clean vintage condition, no flaws.

Size: Label says size 36. Will fit a Small to Medium and is meant to fit loosely (shoulders are small). The bust measures 42 inches, the waist is 42, shoulders are 15.5 inches, sleeves are 7, total length is 24 inches.

Price: $55.00

1940's Navy and Wine Rayon Floral "Mums" Print Dress, Small/Medium

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Description: This is a very nice 1940's day dress that is carefully styled to flatter and fit you so well. It was custom made for the original owner, who served as Secretary to General Douglas MacArthur. The fabric is navy blue rayon with bursts of pointsettia or mum like blossoms, strategically highlighted here and there with sprays of white and gold metallic paint. Very artful! Deep pleats below the waist hold two full hip pockets. There is a deceptively simple V neckline with pleated bodice, and 3/4 cuffed sleeves. It closes with a side steel zipper and the dress retains its original matching belt.  No label. Most likely tailored in the late 1940s in Europe.

Condition: In excellent, clean condition, no flaws to note.

Size: A Small to Medium. The bust measures 40 inches (it's meant to be drapey, not tight fitting), the waist is 28 inches, hips are 44, shoulders are 16 inches, sleeves are 18 from the shoulder seam. Bodice length is 18 inches, total length is 47.5 inches.

Price: $78.00

Ceil Chapman 1940's Black Moire Skirt Suit, the "Winged Black Tailback"

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Description: This is an extraordinary 1940's ladies suit by legendary designer Ceil Chapman! An early suit of Ceil's is a truly rare find, and it's a classic 40's silhouette that looks just as fresh and figure flattering today! The fabric is rayon moire faille, with a delightful black-on-black pattern of stars of varying sizes.  The jacket closes with 7 fabric covered buttons and a hook & eye at the top. It has a peter pan collar and large padded shoulders sewn into the lining. It has a nipped-in waist and deep pleats at the back of the waist.

The matching skirt is long and lean, with a side steel zipper, hook and eye, two short slits at the hem, and pinked seams inside. In the jacket's side seam is the classic large black label with white script: "Ceil Chapman."

The ad ran in January, 1947 in the New York Times. It was an ad for Russeks on Fifth Avenue at 36th Street. It said: "WINGED BLACK TAILBACK... Ceil Chapman does you a suitdress in black rayon moire that gleams like watered silk. She whittles it close at the waist, wings a rounded shoulder with a new deep sleeve and nips a trio of neat pleats at the back. Fasten it high on little clothed buttons--step out 'round the town from luncheon until midnight! Fully lined, too! (It sold in 1947 for $49.95.) 

Condition: Excellent. No flaws and appears to have been rarely worn.

Size: Small to Medium. Jacket, the bust measures 36 inches, the waist 29, hips are 38. There are no shoulder seams but the sleeves are 23 inches long from the end of the shoulder pad to the wrist, and the wrist openings are 9 inches around. End of shoulder pad to end of shoulder pad across the upper back shoulders is 18.5 inches. The jacket's length is 28.75 inches from the highest point of the shoulder near the collar to the bottom front hem. On the skirt, the waist is 29 inches, the hips are 39, the skirt length is 32 inches.

Price: $625.00

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Description: This is a beautiful 50's coat in super soft grey pure cashmere; it has sweet details that make it special - like pintucks at the collar and wide swing style sleeves with crimped cuffs. It closes with 7 gray pearly early plastic buttons. Lined inside with satin. The label says "100% Cashmere, luxury loomed by Einiger, designed by Luckman."

Condition: In excellent condition, recently cleaned, with a couple of teeny tiny spots that are hardly noticeable, one near the pocket edge, one near a button and a couple inside the edge of the coat that do not show when the garment is buttoned.

Size: I'd call this a Large or Extra Large (XL). I wear a modern 14/16 and this fits me fine. Shoulders have no restrictive seams and are roomy. The bust measures 48 inches, waist is 46, shoulders 22, sleeves approx. 22-23, length 44.5 inches. (Remember to leave room for your street clothes underneath.)

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Price: $325.00

1940's Green Gabardine Jacket, "Whitley-ette," size Small/Medium - SOLD!

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Description: You can never go wrong with a stylish tailored 1940's ladies jacket in classic wool gabardine! This one is especially lovely because of the deep dark hunter green color. Nice princess seams and front darts, scalloped collar, cuffed sleeves and angled tucked-away pockets. Substantial and weighty, good quality, not flimsy. Fully lined. It closes with 5 sculptural green buttons. So much style! Try pairing it with a pencil skirt, or your favorite pair of jeans. Outstanding! Label says "Whitley-ette."

Condition: In excellent clean condition with no flaws to note.

Size: Size Small/Medium. The bust measures 40 inches, waist is 32, shoulders are 16.5. Sleeves are 22 inches, length is 26.

Price: $75.00 - SOLD!

1950's Gray Dress with Red and Black Leaf Print, Small - SOLD!

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Description: This is a fabulous 1950s day dress in a light and dark gray with black and red leaf print. It features small triangular cotton shoulder pads, a full skirt, and black plastic buttons (some have rhinestone centers - see condition report below). The short sleeves have winged turned back cuffs - and the original matching belt is amazing, with the dress fabric set into the black shiny part! A shirt dress, it buttons all the way up the entire front, and there's a snap to secure the waist.  The fabric is a crisp cotton weave with a bit of a crosshatch texture.

Condition: In excellent clean condition, the only flaw is that 9 of the 12 buttons are missing the rhinestones. No holes, stains, fading, odors or other issues. It looks pristine, even the belt looks unused, and I feel this is likely New Old Stock. Probably the glue in the buttons just dried over the years.

Size: Small. Tag says (vintage) size 14. The bust is 34 inches, the waist is 28, hips are free to 62 inches, there are no shoulder seams but the width between the shoulder pads' outside edges is 16 inches, bodice length is 18, hemsweep is 108, total length is 47.5 inches.  

Price: $90.00 - SOLD!

1940's Vintage Purple and Black Swirly Print Rayon Dress, size Small, tall - SOLD!!

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Description: This 1940's day dress has a fabulous print in chippy purple, black and white swirls, circles and lines! Made of a thin sheer rayon, it is slinky and drapey and everything you want a 1940's dress to be! Short sleeved, and with a metal zipper on the side and 5 black buttons on the front, it has two faux pocket flaps dropped below the waist seam that give it a peplum-like effect. Vintage Lot/Size tag, no labels.

Condition: In excellent, clean vintage condition with the only small flaw I see being a pale discoloration inside the collar. Hardly noticeable. Click on the photo above for more detailed pictures.

Size: Small. Vintage size tag says 14 but this is not a modern 14. The bust measures 34-36 inches, waist is 28, hips are 40. There are no shoulder seams but natural shoulders are approx. 17 inches, bodice length is 18, total length is 46. Great for tall gals!

Price: $88.00 - SOLD!!

 Early 1940's Blue and White Cold Rayon Day Dress, size Small - SOLD!

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Description: Such a sweet baby! This little late-1930s-early-1940s cusper is perfect for swing dancing! Darling white flowers are scattered on a Prussian blue silky cool fabric that feels like early cold rayon. You know, the good stuff! The squared off neckline and short sleeves are edged in white chemical lace. There's a keyhole opening with a glass button at the back of the neck, and a metal side zipper. The dress has its original waist sash! Beautiful pleating and tucks and gathers everywhere make this special.

Condition: In very good clean vintage condition with a prior hand sewn repair under the left sleeve, slightly clumsily done, and some light fading, particularly on the sleeve edges, but not bad. Click on the picture for more detailed shots.

Size: Small. Bust measures 34 inches, waist is 28, hips are 38, shoulders are 15.5, bodice length 16, total length is 41.5 inches.

Price: $85.00 -  SOLD!

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