Vintage Tuesday: Mad Men Fashion
January 27, 2010
I’ve just finished season 2 of Mad Men. While I could go on and on about how very little has changed in the ad industry since the 60s but this post is all about the fashion. Oh my – I wanna watch that whole season all over again just for the clothes. Is it just me or was there so much more effort put into appearances in the 60s? I’m the kinda girl who has to warn hairdressers that I will never be able to achieve the “styling” that their haircuts require. I don’t wear make-up often. This used be smiled upon as going natural… sadly now I think a little spack filler and concealer would go a long way!
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Anyway, I came across this 1961 Women’s Weekly Dressmaking special with Lucille Rivers. It struck me just how much attention to detail individual figures got and how amazing the tailoring was back then. Now we just tend to wear our “size” in whatever we pick up off the rack. Back then they used to adjust patterns – this booklet details how to adjust for a “flat derrier”, “large pelvic bones” and a “high abdomen” amongst every other alteration you can imagine. Incredible.
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There is but one giggle in this Vintage Tuesday – Lucille Rivers endorses “Bri-Nylon”…
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“BRI-NYLON…. easy washing… quick drying….
no ironing… plus, of course, the glamor of
Australia’s own top-quality Nylon”
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Oh the glamor! I can’t wait for season 3!
PS: Sorry I’m a day late… can we call it fashionably late?
Vintage Tuesday: The Moncho
January 19, 2010
I have dubbed this little gem The Moncho. Much like ManFlu (see ManFlu youtube video here) the poncho has a devastating effect on any male it comes into contact with. I found this little gem in an op-shop in Woodend, Country Victoria on the weekend. Oh how I wish this photo was in colour – I like to imagine that the yarn is a mustard yellow. The whole patten book is shot with these two guys playing pool and I can only imagine that they were told it would be a laugh – a few beers in a pub and a couple of photos. I have serious doubts that this man was warned he would have to don a poncho. What do you think was going through his mind as that shot was taken?
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Now I promise that not all Vintage Tuesdays will be from the seventies – I also found a fabulous fifties Womens Weekly dressmaking supplement that I might share next week. But truly that poncho was just too good to wait.
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Got a great vintage crafting pic to share? Email it to me and I’ll feature it - claire [!at] craftschmaft {dot} com
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Is it just me or is it hot in this vintage?
June 13, 2009
Another gem from my ridiculous vintage craft library. This one features a belted jacket with side vents which, of course, are absolutely essential during “hello sailor” moments. *sigh* perhaps I was simply born after my time.
Look at you and your poodle too!
June 5, 2009
I have always had a strange obsession with Vintage. For some reason I’m drawn to anything pre-1980… I’m like a moth to the flame of retro. On an op-shop trip this week I found myself looking at books and discovered an entire craft section. Yep, you read that right… there were vintage craft books and patterns from the sixties just begging to be taken home.
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I was pondering what my excuse to my husband would be for filling our tiny flat with yet more crafty pieces when it struck me… I’m going to start a vintage craft library. Someday I’m going to have a house big enough to have a creative space and to dedicate a wall to vintage craft books and patterns. It’s quite the lofty dream but I’m sticking to it.
So in light of this I’m going to start sharing my vintage finds on the blog. First one is a 1961 Villawood Autumn-Winter handknits pattern book. I LOVE the photography. I can’t knit to save myself but if anyone is interested in making the dress and matching poodle coat drop post a comment and I’ll send you the pattern.
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Oh.. and BTW… my library dream also includes me lounging in a garden while my husband freshens up my drink and my son plays like an angel in a toy car.
The renaissance of English jelly.
April 23, 2009
That is probably one of my more bizarre blog titles. There’s a company in London called Bompas and Parr who create bespoke Jelly moulds. They write that English Jelly is enjoying a renaissance across the country thanks to the slow food movement and molecular gastronomers (blimey say that 10 times fast!). Apparently the victorians used jelly as centrepieces – I’ve always used it as a vehicle for vodka myself but there you go. I love that all the old school things are staging a comeback. Spectacular imagery.
Found via Wee Birdy – an Aussie blogger in London.
Retro-fying my blog.
March 26, 2009
I’ve been having a play with new a new blog theme this afternoon – it was time for a change from my ultra-minimalist blog style. This one is a little bit retro and a lot clearer I think. Anyway we’ll see how it goes.
I’ve become obsessed with a 1960s font called Pastilli Roman – mostly used in magazines. It doesn’t exist in a digitised format so I’ve been looking for similar fonts… I’m not quite sure where my obsession with retro comes from but I’m drawn to it in graphic and interior design as well as crafting at the moment. Here’s the font and my favourite vintage stash…
A little vintage inspiration…
April 8, 2008
I’m loving the vintage crockery that seems to be all over the net at the moment. The folksy patterns and colours scream 70s and remind me of cake making afternoons and visiting my nan when I was little.
White elephant are having a massive vintage pyrex sale over at etsy (courtesy of print & pattern), Skinny laMinx has gorgeous new tea towel designs from vintage mugs and Rosehip are doing wonderful prints on notebooks and cards.
Project in progress
March 28, 2008
Not too much crafting for me in the past couple of weeks, I’ve been sick with a cold 
All better now though and I thought I’d mention my next project. My brother/sister-in-law are expecting a little boy in July. He’ll be the 10th baby to sleep in the cradle my grandfather built in the 70′s and I’m making a set of sheets and quilt for him. I’m using Lightning Bugs “goldfish” fabric which I looove and have some chocolate linen that I might throw in as well. Hopefully I’ll get time to make an owl or moopy to go with the whole set too… or perhaps a little sock dog with matching shorts. Ahhh… there’s nothing like the promise of little feet to get crafty inspiration flowing.
Oh and I haven’t forgotten about the Around the World in 80 Toys project, but I have gotten a little sidetracked. Back to it soon I promise.
Domestic Goddess Moopy
January 4, 2008
Oh how I love to make Moopies. I think it’s something about choosing the fabric and adding a little personalisation to each. This one is for my god daughter Chloe whose birthday party I’ll be going to tomorrow. I really agonised over the colour of the apron tie and think perhaps I should have gone for the yellow tie instead. Decisions, decisions! The fabric is a mixture of new and a fantastic vintage seersucker (legs and backs of ears). I love the combination of green and navy, so retro.
something for moi
December 17, 2007
The fabric for Oscar’s Xmas Stocking still hasn’t arrived so I’ve moved onto other things. I thought about making little pilchers/bloomers for him… then I thought about making more mini moopies for babies that are on the way… and THEN I stumbled across this fabric that has been in my stash for about six months. Glorious vintage fabric that I’ve been meaning to make a simple dress out of. Something for moi.
I’m breaking all the rules.
I’m not using a pattern. I’m just copying a simple tie top that I have and just extending it into an a-line skirt. I have been warned about this kind of thing by Amy Karol in her book (and whose blog I’ve been reading and loving every day lately), but I’m doing it anyway. I can’t believe I’m doing this with vintage fabric but something about have a 5 week old baby and limited windows for sewing just made me do it on a whim. I’m feeling reckless.
Fingers crossed.
Hello. My name is Claire. I have a sock toy addiction. It began two years ago when I was pregnant and nesting. At first I dismissed it. I hadn't sewn in years. "Craft Schmaft" I said. Well it seems this crafty thing is here to stay. This blog brings you the delights of making sock softies, fabric finds and crafty inspiration from round the interweb.
