I love coats, I really do, but at Circa we currently have more than we really need.

So – we’re going to have a Coat Sale – all coats are $80! They’ve all been dry cleaned, most have been repaired although at this price some may have damage to the lining or the occasional moth nibble. Most are from the 1950s, some are ’40s, ’60s or ’70s. I love colour so there are quite a few to choose from – we also have all kinds of wools from llama, mohair, camel, velour, boucle, gabardine and tweeds.

There are men’s coats as well as ladies coats, some are full length, some hip length, some the short “car coat” or “topper” length. All are in very wearable condition and looking for happy new and appreciative homes.

We have a rack full of them and as they sell, I shall bring some more in – here’s a selection of what we have right now (with thanks to my wonderful model Fiona).

How long will the sale last? As long as our stocks last. Please note that sale is for overcoats only, not evening coats, afternoon coats, opera coats or jackets. All coats are one offs and it’s first come, best dressed.

Recently we received posters for two movies – I thought it would be nice to do a window with the theme of “My One and Only” but then realised that the poster for “A Single Man” is similarly stylish and features the same colour scheme.

I like to alternate styles in the window – if we have day dresses in one week, it’s nice to have evening dresses (or ballgowns or cocktail frocks or playsuits etc) the next so as last week had brightly coloured late ’50s-early ’60s dresses in pinks, purples and aquas, an elegant scheme of black and gold seemed like it might work.

Victoria and Carly put this window together on Saturday – the chaps* are wearing late ’50s-early ’60s dinner suits with shirts and bowties, whilst Marlene and Fay are frocked up in early ’60s evening gowns. For extra panache, Tim let me borrow his art deco cocktail shaker, martini glasses and a deco serving tray.

* Yes: chaps! For a few years now Clarke has had the ladies to himself but as both films feature predominantly men rather than women, I thought we should introduce a new character. He’s a brooding bloke, and a shorter (more vintage) height than hunky Clarke. If you have any suggestions, he needs a suitably old-fashioned name, preferably one shared with a movie star from the Golden Years. Our latest addition is the one in the hat. Click on the images for a better look.

Speaking of “My One and Only”, don’t forget to enter the contest for some free tickets. Entries close on Wednesday.

Carly, our wonderful new Circa lady has started this week so I’ve been quite busy and have fallen a bit behind in posts but thought you might like to see three new 1960s dresses that have recently come in.

1960s black and gold cocktail dress – Fiona is modelling a knitted dress made of pure wool and pale gold metallic yarn. This dates from the mid-1960s.

1960s linen shift – This mid-60s shift makes good use of the stripey fabric and features subtle shaping. Great for summer as is, or in winter, it could be worn with a blouse or skivvy underneath.

1960s black polyester knit day dress -

Fiona models a “fit and flare” dress with polka dot gores under the box pleats. This very flattering style dates to about 1967 and be great for winter with knee high boots. Note the longer hem length, as the mini-skirt begins to dominate less.

The weather is so lovely today, perfect for catching up on some laundry for the shop. As you know, everything at Circa is cleaned before it goes in, and for most items of vintage clothing that entails hand washing.

Today I’m tidying up all the bits and pieces that haven’t fitted into previous wash days and that includes a big bag of gloves. I collect them throughout the year and every few months, do a big wash – this is a smaller one than usual.

Here’s a pic from an earlier Glove Day. I bought the local shop out of pegs before doing this one:

Today I divided them into plains and coloureds – plains are the whites, the creams and the beiges. Most vintage gloves come in these colours, and as unexciting as they are to our modern eye, they were the perfect companion to an outfit back in the day. And, of course, they usually matched her shoes and handbag.

These are the plains – the coloureds are next. I’m excited about some of those: there’s a long pair of ’50s gloves in candy pink and another in royal blue. I love coloured gloves.

This seems like a good opportunity to say a few words about vintage gloves. I believe that there is no easier way to glam up an outfit than to add gloves – it’s an accessory that whilst being essential in the past (every lady would put them on as she left the house) is rarely seen these days, out of very formal occasions like weddings and balls. Like the hat, they’ve been mostly relegated to history.

The vintage lover will find gloves where ever she turns – but if she chooses to wear them, she will soon encounter a size issue: our hands (much like our heads and our feet) are larger than our grandmothers. In the past, gloves came in sizes and the size was your shoe size. The most common sizes are 6, 6 1/2, 7 and 7 1/2. Whether you can fit your modern hands into them depends in part on the style and the fabric. For ladies with either broad hands or a foot larger than size 8, Circa stocks a range of new gloves alongside the vintage gloves. They’re made of stretchy polyester. They don’t come in the variety of styles, colours and fabrics that their vintage sisters do, but they will fit.

Most vintage gloves come in cotton or nylon, occasionally in rayon or silk. All can be a bit stretchy depending on the weave – knits are best. Most of the vintage gloves we find in Australia are from the 1950s or 1960s – during the latter decade their use gradually declined although older ladies still wore them because they were used to it (it must have been a shock when young ladies started going without. This is of course a big reason why Jean Shrimpton was so shocking in 1965 at Derby Day).

Ladies would have large collections of them – when I buy an entire personal wardrobe I often find that there are twenty or more pairs stashed away. One lady had 74 pairs, all in cream! They used special glove soap to clean them (nowadays, I just use hand washing liquid).

The length of the glove worn was dictated by the style of sleeve and time of day:
- wrist and bracelet (half way up your lower arm) lengths suited day dresses and ensembles, usually worn in plain white, cream or beige.
- below the elbow was for an evening event with a short sleeve (eg, party dress)
- above the elbow suits a sleeveless dress (eg cocktail dress)
- opera length, the longest, almost come up to your shoulders – was best for a strapless gown.

During the early 1980s when sophistication made a comeback via the New Romantics, gloves came back into vogue. That was when I first started wearing them and my favourites were a pair of 50s opera length gloves in an intense cobalt. They perfectly matched one of my 50s party dresses, and I wore them to a 21st where upon I drank too much and ripped apart some garlic bread without taking them off.

Later, the birthday boy declared it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen…my gloves might have been ruined but it was worth it for my Dolce Vita moment.

Hi all,

I’m organising a group to see Loel Thomson’s Costume Collection.

Loel is a private collector who has dedicated her time and resources to the collection, preservation and display of two hundred years of Australian fashion. Many of her pieces were included in my book Love Vintage. I’m sure that she has the best collection of Australian fashion in the country, as well as jewellery, accessories and lace. There’s also an impressive tea cosy collection!

When: Wednesday 17th February at 7pm.
Where: The Costume Collection, 39 Greenaway Street, Bulleen.
What: Tour and talk on 200 years of Australian fashion.
Cost: $5 which Loel donates to a local nursing home.
Bookings: call Circa on 9419 8899

For those who are interested in social history, the history of fashion or just beautiful clothes, I thoroughly recommend this visit. Numbers are limited and RSVP is essential.

Here are some links to photos that I took on previous visits – please note that Loel often changes the displays so you might see some of these but you’ll probably see others from her collection of over 3,000 pieces:
Early 19th century dress.
Victorian era.
Edwardian era.
1920s dress.
1930s dress.
1940s dress.
1950s dress.
Swimwear.

1950s swimwear from Loel Thomson’s Costume Collection.

UPDATE 8th Feb: As sufficient numbers have been received to fill the group, we’re now taking names for any one who might be interested in a second tour, hopefully in the next few weeks. Please call the shop on 9419 8899. Thank you.

I’m a bit behind with things at the moment – mostly I’ve been in the shop, so there hasn’t been as much time as I like for getting new stock ready, or answering emails or catching up on various things – I still haven’t finished setting up my new stockroom after moving last November.

In the meantime, I thought you might like to see some lovely 1960s photos by John French of Jean Shrimpton – after Twiggy, perhaps the most successful face of English fashion from the elegance of the early ‘sixties to the Mod era of Carnaby Street. Personally, I love her fresh face, fine bone structure and thick hair.

Jeannie holds a special place in Australian fashion history – in 1965 she shocked Melbourne society by turning up on Derby Day (during the Spring racing carnival) in a mini dress with no hat, no gloves and no stockings. It was a small thing, and she didn’t intend to ruffle feathers, but it was a big step in our evolving fashion styles.

Apparently she didn’t care much for fashion, and perhaps that’s why she wears clothes so well – she looks as much at home in an evening dress as she does in a simple shift. Aged 67 now, I’m sure she still looks fabulous.

A new exhibition of ladies vintage fashion is opening on Friday night:

From exquisite party frocks to warm woollen coats and even the odd fancy dress costume, this is a rare opportunity to view original garments hand-made by Mrs Dorothy Hart of Benga House. Mrs Hart, who together with her husband Dr Ian Hart designed and built Benga House, was an accomplished seamstress.

The original dresses and clothes were all handmade by Mrs Hart between the 1940s and the 1970s.

What: Hart & Hand – Stitching together the private and public lives of Mrs D. Hart.
When: 13 January – 10 March, Wed to Fri, 10am to 4pm and Sun 12pm to 4pm.
Where: Benga House, Heritage Hill Museum and Historic Gardens 66 McCrae Street, Dandenong 3175. Phone phone 9793 4511.
Cost: Gold coin donation

Further information is available at the Heritage Hill website. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of related talks, including two by Patricia Begg and one by me. I’ll post about those soon.

I had the opportunity to view some of the gowns, to help with dating and I can report that they are very good examples of a highly skilled seamstress – the standard of Mrs Hart’s work would nowadays qualify as couture. In particular I was impressed by her structured 1950s ballgowns (an early example of which can be viewed above). The clothes have been well preserved by the museum and this is the first time they have been displayed for the public.

Wintersun, Australia’s leading rock & roll nostalgia retro event is held annually in Coolangatta – from the website:

Wintersun 2010 starts on Friday 4th June and ends with the huge Best of Wintersun Concert on Monday 14th June. Featuring almost 1500 Hot Rods, Custom and Classic Cars, more than 100 bands and performers, dancing, movies, and competitions. The festival is held in the border coastal towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads on the New South Wales & Queensland border. Many events are free, some are in the streets while others are in the local clubs and shopping centres.

I’m excited to announce that in collaboration with the Lindy Charm School for Girls, Circa will be presenting a vintage swimsuit fashion parade.

What: The History of the Bathing Suit – a retrospective parade.
Where: Stage 8, Goodwin Park, Wintersun Precinct – Coolangatta, Queensland.
When: 2pm Saturday 12th June and 2pm Sunday 13th June.
Cost: free

Poster design courtesy Karlee Slater – click on image to see larger.

Now here’s where you can help – we’re looking for volunteers to help us with the parade. We need models (men and ladies), dressers and hair and make up artists. If you’re going to Wintersun and would like to be involved in this fun event, please email me at nicole@circavintageclothing.com.au

Thank you!

I buy a lot of vintage clothing but it’s a special treat to buy it from the original owner – a personal wardrobe reveals a lot about a woman and her life. It holds together with a consistency and is often more than the sum of its parts.

Audrey Hepburn, one of the great beauties and style icons of the 20th century was also the muse of Givenchy and a woman of exceptional grace and elegance. A couple of days ago Kerry Taylor Auctions in London had the privilege of auctioning a collection of her personal gowns.

Covering the decades from the 1950s to the 1970s, they show a continuing sense of elegance. Their simple but feminine shapes effectively convey the woman we knew and loved – and they show how strong her sense of style was despite all the rapid changes of fashions during the late ’60s and early ’70s when she continued to wear the sort of dresses and gowns she wore in the earlier time.

It’s an exceptional collection – here are some highlights:

I’m pleased that the oldest piece in my personal collection is now on display at the City Museum for an exhibition on womens dress.

Details:
What: What Women Wore: Fashion at a glance 1820-1960
When: October 2009 – February 2010
Where: City Museum, Treasury Building, Spring Street (top of Collins Street) Melbourne
Cost: Adult $8.50 Concession $5

I acquired this in 1989 from a Sydney private collector, the crimson silk gown dates from the late 1820s – for twenty years I had thought it was the 1830s but when I recently unpacked it from the hundred or so layers of acid-free tissue paper in which I bedded it down in 1991, I looked at it with new eyes. I now consider that it is a bit earlier – it has the very full sleeves of the 1830s but not quite full enough and also a higher waistline and slight bustle at the rear formed by tightly stitched cartridge pleats.

Pre-dating the sewing machine, the entire gown is hand stitched and trimmed with piping. The lining is a fine linen and it secures up the back via hooks and eyes. Apart from a small bit of silverfish damage (which arrived before we met) and a fraying hem (suggesting it was too long for it’s last wearer) it’s in excellent condition. I have a few gowns from around 1860s-1880s and they haven’t fared as well as this one, which I find remarkable. The gown itself is both small and tall for the time – I suspect it was worn by a tall adolescent as it has very little bust shaping, it may have gone on to be worn by a second wearer, who was less tall. It’s currently displayed on a mannequin sized for a five year old child and it’s too small to do up properly at the back.

I’m still stunned to find such an early garment in Australia – even now with the wonders of collecting via the web, these items are hard to find. This is the first time it’s been displayed and I shall be keeping an eye on it – although the exhibition goes for six months, this gown will be evaluated for light fading and may not stay for the whole exhibition.

Next up in the small but striking display is an amazing blue and silver gown from the 1860s – this is from the wonderful collection of Seams Old. I love the strong colours of this one, and the condition is remarkable, almost perfect. It stands in glorious contrast to the simpler gown of the earlier time. Then we have an oyster silk gown from the late bustle era, 1880s. The detailing is wonderful, and it reminds me of the paintings of Tissot – this one too is from Seams Old, as is the 1890s silk mourning gown that you will see next.

In the next room you will see some gowns of the twentieth century – a silk devore from the ’20s (as featured in Love Vintage book) and a hand-embroidered Chinese silk coat. I wore this to the opening of the NGV’s Black in Fashion exhibition last year, where it caught the esteemed eye of Zandra Rhodes.

The 1950s are represented by one of my personal favourites: a couture silk twill polka dot dress from local fashion house Le Louvre. This dress is also featured in Love Vintage and has impressive quality and construction. I suspect it originally came with a matching belt – I love the way that pieces of spotted fabric are centred over buttons, and it has a self-cravat (which can be tied in a small bow or left loose like this).

As for the 1960s, you’ll have to pop down to the City Museum to see what’s in store!

As well as Circa having some gowns on display, the Love Vintage book will be available for sale at the gift shop and I will be doing a couple of talks about vintage – Friday February 19th at 6pm and Thursday February 25th at 1pm. More news about them will follow as details are finalised.