Vintage Accessory Round Up

The last of the new Past Perfect Vintage Clothing website updates, AKA Accessory Round Up. This time we have a hat, a belt and a pair of shoes. That sounds pretty dull. Let's try it this way:
A unique 1950s silk toque covered with multi-colored leather flowers from a Louisville studio. A fabulous 1920s black glass bugle beaded belt with roundels and asymmetric tassels.
A pair of sharp 1950s cinnamon leather fancy lace up oxfords in a size 8 1/2.

Yes, that's much better.

1950s Cinnamon Leather Oxford Shoes

Fabulous 1950s Leather Flowers Toque Hat

Flashy 1920s Beaded Belt
for price and size information click Past Perfect Vintage

The Suits of September

It has finally(!) cooled off here after a record high in the 90s on the first day of autumn. I can look at vintage wool and think about wearing it at long, long last. This summer was good, but it was very hot and it went on a very long time. And I feel so much more season appropriate with my vintage inventory update posts now that the weather has cooled.

So today it's Vintage Suits in September Day. We have a gorgeous 1960s red tweed from Handmacher with forest green velvet collar and cuffs in the Chanel style, a 1960s gold, blue and red plaid wool from Davidow and a 1980s navy blue and white Louis Feraud wool.
As always, for size and price information: click here: Past Perfect Vintage

Bold Red 1950s Wool Tweed Suit by Handmacher

1960s Ladies Who Lunch Davidow Suit

1980s Blue and White Louis Feraud Suit

Tres Parisien, part 2

For our second installment of eye candy plates from Tres Parisien, we bring you a charming blue floral dress named 'Pompadour', a white evening dress 'Passe-Partout' and a bright red plaid coat 'Sportive'. My limited research suggests this publication started in 1920s, but these certainly look more 1919 styles, especially 'Passe-Partout'. Am I crazy?

A 50s Assortment

Day 2 of our September Updates at Past Perfect Vintage, and it's a 1950s assortment pack. We have a red rose print in silk from Tabak of California, a royal blue and white hand embroidered Chinese made robe from the post war years, a navy blue silk Oleg Cassini dress with ecru frog details and a black silk Anne Fogarty cocktail sheath dress. Silk, Flowers and Frogs! There was a theme, I knew there was.

1950s Red Roses in Silk
Post War Chinese Robe with Hand embroidery
Navy Silk Oleg Cassini Dress

1950s Black Silk Satin Cocktail Sheath Dress
For more size and price information, please click here: Past PerfectVintage

New at Past Perfect: 1860s Waist, Teens Beaded Tunic & Brocade Stilettos

We have just posted up 17 new additions to Past Perfect Vintage, and they are selling fast. So take a look quickly while you can! We will feature more in the coming days:beautiful Anne Fogarty and Oleg Cassini dresses, Davidow and Handmacher suits and more shoes.
1950s Eye-catching Brocade De Liso Debs with original box in a sz 9!
Glorious c. 1910 Edwardian Beaded Net Tunic or Overdress
1860s Deep Coral Silk Swiss Waist

Signs of the Times: Levy Bros and Spaghetti

Levy Bros. was a long time Louisville department store and institution founded by Henry and Moses Levy, who opened their store in 1861 at the NE corner of 3rd St. and Market in a corner room of a 4 story building. They prospered during the Civil War as suppliers became the nation's largest supplier of Confederate for reunions and encampments. In 1889, they purchased the land and started construction in 1892 of the landmark Levy Bros. Bldg., which they completed in 1893. This building still stands and features the ca. 1908 electric lights outlining the exterior. They carried a full line of men's golf and tennis wear, ladies and children's shoes, plus men's and boys clothing and hats. They started carrying womenswear in 1940s. The Levy family closed the Third and Market flagship store on Oct. 10, 1980. The suburban stores all closed by 1987.

This downtown building is on the National Register, and now houses the Old Spaghetti Factory Restaurant and loft apartments. The restaurant moved into the first floor in the 1980s, as I recall when I was working around the corner at 3rd and Main. They still light the building it up, too and it is still a quite the landmark.
These two painted signs are on the back of the building and are visible from 3rd Street. With only the mention of men's and boy's clothing, I presume they pre-date the 1940s when Levy's added women's fashions.
For more history and photos, please visit our entry on Levy Bros. here: A Short History of Louisville Stores.

Levy Bros. Good Clothes for Men and Boys Levy Bros./the Old Spaghetti Factory

Tres Parisien : La Mode, Le Chic, L'Elegance

I introduce you to one of my treasures. I have two sets of these Tres Parisiens, vol 1 and vol 2 with loads of plates. These sets of tissue paper pochoirs ( the process involves hand place color, stencils and lithograhs) date from 1920 - 1936, so I presume these are from the first year. Some are credited to a specific couture house, others are given a name. Some of the cations are actually about the clothing, others tell a story. Or at least that is what my French friend tells me. My French is nonexistent.

Enjoy the pretty.

Cover, Vol 1

Creation LUCILE

Hardi

Creation BEER

Salute the Suits!

It's September. That means it is time to think abut wool suits. I don't care that it was 89 degrees today. It's time. Fashion Week is showing Spring lines. Is that not crazy? I haven't bought my fall and winter clothes yet. I've barely looked for them. The real world is a topsy turvy place. But as I only dip my toe in occasionally, I can handle it in short bursts.

So let's review what we have in stock in fall and winter suits.

Grey Tweed 1959 Pauline Trigere 3 pc Winter Suit & Aqua Wool Blue 1960s Davidow Suit


Black Wool 1960s Suit by Zelincka*Matlick & 1960s Hannah Troy Brown Wool Herringbone 3 pc. Winter Suit


1950s Bobbie Brooks All Season Suit & Black Silk 1960s 3 pc Suit

For more information including price and size click here: Past Perfect Vintage

Signs of the Times: The OK Corral

If you have driven in downtown Louisville, you know this sign. As in, 'turn right at the OK Storage Building'. It's very large and quite the landmark at the intersection of E. Broadway and Barret as Broadway leaves 'downtown' and heads into the Original Highlands toward Bardstown Rd. Or at least it was until it was covered up by a temporary vinyl banner.There's more under the Kindred Hospital banner, too. This is a very busy intersection, hence the car window shot. This is apparently the home now of Louisville Office Furniture. And there was once a large scaffold sign on the roof, now gone, alas.
I know there is a case to be made for discreet signage. A trip down Shelbyville Road helps make the case. It's cluttered and unsightly. But there are times when, wandering office parks, lost among glass box buildings and the now ubiquitous stucco big box buildings, that I miss a business that proclaimed itself in big letters for all to see. I know - I'm hard to please. But surely there is a middle ground.

OK Storage First In Size Safety and Service Use Allied Van Lines

1100 E. Broadway and Barret
#1 and #2: East side #3 West side

Vintage Shoes Can Be Comfortable. Really.

Don't let anyone tell you vintage shoes can't be comfortable and wearable. Well, pointy toe stilettos excepted. Those aren't comfortable if they are 1950s, 1990s or 2010s. You just have to hunt a bit. And these 4 pair are proof. Our Test Team tried them all on and pronounced them surprisingly comfy. Our Test Team regretted they are sized 8 1/2 to 9 as said Team member wears an 8.
Myself, I'd wear these with pants and great socks. Or maybe knee socks/leggings/heavy tights and a skirt if I wasn't on the far/wrong/happy to be here/ side of 40. Make that 50. Knee socks and skirts just don't fly any more for me. But they can for you.

1940s - 50s Navy suede oxfords with stitched details

1940s - 50s brown suede and alligator lace up oxfords with decorative vamp

1950s - 60s Navy Suede Lace up with leather trim

1960s Black Suede modified bar strap shoes