Latest Posts

Early 1950s fashions & fabrics in Japan, Part 5 of 5

This is it.  The last few pages of my catalogue of early 1950s sewing patterns and fabrics for the Japanese market.  No I guess I’m going to have to start making some of them up!

There is actually a little story to these photographs that I haven’t told you.  I went out one afternoon, bought lots of delicious things at the Asia Gallery, got given the patterns, was having an absolutely fabulous day.

Then I got home.

And realised I didn’t have my key, and the house was completely locked up.  Blast!

Mr D would be home from work in an hour or so, and it was the middle of summer, so light and warm, so I decided to wait it out.

Felicity came out of her cat door and meeped at me while she tried to work out why I wasn’t coming inside.  And I tried to find something to occupy my time.  I realised I had my camera (I always have my camera) and the catalogue to look at.  So all of these photographs were taken outside on my front steps on a late summer afternoon while I waited to get inside.  Irritating at the time, but a charming memory in retrospect!

I wonder what secrets the two on the left are sharing?

Love the massive flowers and cunning belt of the 2nd from the left!

Three charming but practical dresses

I think the one on the left is my favourite dress in the whole book! It's soooo darling!

Smart wear for shopping

More cute fabrics

Doggie and duckie stuffed toys for the little ones

I love this leaf fabric, and its in my favourite colours

Flowers? Seashells? Abstract squiggles?

Music and birds...this seems familiar!

Strawberries! Sometimes the vintage cliches are true!

Cat Nap

Oh dear.  I’ve been dreadfully busy, and a dreadfully lax blogger, and have missed a few posts.

And I’m still busy!  Busy having an AWESOME time in Melbourne of course!

But I am going to try to be a good little blogger anyway, with the last of my posts on early ’50s fashion in Japan tomorrow, and Rate the Dress on Tuesday (because I never miss Rate the Dress!).  And on Wed I’ll tell you a little about Melbourne.  And when I get back to NZ it will be sewing galore, because I’ve been doing so much.  And some exciting new projects.  Good fun!

For now, here are a few images of Felicity being her cutest as she naps in her favourite sunny spot on the corner of the couch.

When politicians advise on fashion

The debate between the aesthetics of fashion and the health and practicality of garments is never more pointed than when it comes to the matter of corsets.

In 1904 the argument had one last great fling in New Zealand, with a series of international specialists visiting the country to declare the ill-effects of the garment.

The anti-corset movement saw a surge in popularity, and the politicians, ever after a chance to see their own popularity surge, jumped on the bandwagon, not always wisely, as this period cartoon shows us: