Party, Party!

New to the site, we have 3 Party dresses. 50s? Yes. 60s? Yes, indeed. 70s? Of course. The 1950s butter yellow taffeta party dress is a hard to find larger size with a V waistline, puff sleeves, flared skirt and pouf. The 1960s dress is a lovely quality black silk chiffon with rhinestone and bead encrusted yoke and cuffs. And the 1970s is a gold and black sequin tank style dress has a flared full skirt and a black chiffon over blouse with matching collar and cuffs. 

Party On!

1950s Butter Yellow Taffeta Formal Gown Larger Size

 

1960s Black Chiffon Evening Dress with Jewels and Beading

Glamorous 1970s Gold and Black Sequin Party or  Evening Dress  

all to be found @ Past Perfect Vintage The Dresses

It's Summer Sale Time at Past Perfect Vintage, the Etsy Division!

 

It's summer, so it's time for the annual Summer Etsy Sale at Past Perfect Vintage. We have the entire shop - womenswear, menswear, accessories - everything- on sale at a whopping 50 % off. This is a one week only event, ending July 5. Then we will restore prices, or remove items from the shop. So now is the time!

Here's few items to tempt you - head on over to pastperfectvintage.etsy.com to see them all.

Signs of the Times: More from the West

More signs, more neon. Can there be too many? I think not. Motels, bars and cafes. 

Shelley's Cowboy Bar and Golden Spur Cafe in Afton, WY

It's a dining room, a cafe, a bar, a package liquor store, and of course, that is a spur with rowel between the cafe and bar signs. Not a lot of neon, but a fine sign nonetheless.  

 The Rawhide Motel, Jackson,WY

I didn't get it lit up,but a fine sign, yes? The steer head is of course outlined in neon.

The Antler Motel, Jackson, WY

Can you believe with this sign, there was a vacancy?

The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, Jackson, WY. 

Neon and bulbs galore, plus a bucking bronco. 

Mac's Motel, Heber City, UT

A nice streamlined 50s style sign, very clean.

 

The Apache Motel, Moab, UT

They don't do these signs anymore either - '4 blocks then turn right'. Plus the arrow fletch at the top of the pole. Wonderful.

Le Potpourri du Vintage

For your viewing and shopping pleasure, we bring you a small potpourri of vintage. Two dresses and two hats. The dresses? 1920s. The hats? 1940s. The through line? None, except Pretty. First up, a 1920s net lace dress with period slip. We just happen to have the perfect slip in stock - we have been holding onto it for  over 10 years, and now we have the perfect dress.  Then a 1920s green satin dress I was sure was going to be dressmaker made, but found a Prosanis label inside. This early label dates this dress rather clearly to 1924-1929. And shows it was professionally manufacture in "healthy, clean  safe and fair" working conditions approved by the Joint Board Sanitary Control of New York. 

1920s Green Satin Dress Beaded in Pink and Gold 

1920s Wedding Worthy Hand Embroidered Net Lace Dress

 

 for more details:Past Perfect Vintage The 20s & 30s

 Now, to the hats! two 1940s hats, the first very tailored in a black felt top hat style with yellow and green feather aigrette. And the second? A fantastic blue feather doll hat in the percher style with a bluebird, or more likely a painted bunting in the blue feather 'nest'. 

1940s Black Felt Tilt Hat Topper with Plumes

1940s Brilliant Blue Feather Bluebird Tilt Hat  

for more details: Past Perfect Vintage The Hats & Accessories

Signs of the Times: Movie Theatres

Small town theaters. Or neighborhood theaters, if you will. These have all but disappeared in our area. The multiplexes ate them. We do still have the great and grand Palace Theatre on 4th St - and it is fabulous. But the neighborhoods? Long gone.  AS we travel, my personal measure of the health of a small town or city has long been: is there still an old 1930s - 50s movie theater in the downtown, and is it actually showing moves?  

  

I love the style of these structures. They were sometimes glamorous, sometimes sleek. Always special. I wish I had gotten to see these lit up at night. But we did our driving in daylight on this trip, so it wasn't to be. 

The  El Morro Theatre,c. 1928  Gallup NM and still showing films, bless them

 The Price Theatre, Price, UT, c. 1938 and  showing Pirates of the Caribbean, like most of the US this spring 

 The Crown Theatre, Price UT. Now a Resturaunt, but still standing and still in use. 

 The Avon, Heber City, UT, also in business.

The Teton Theatre,c. 1941 in  Jackson, WY. Ah yes , more Pirates. Western Ranch Deco.

New in June at Past Perfect Vintage

Our June additions at Past Perfect Vintage included these summer dresses in cotton, linen and rayon from the 1940s to 1960s.  Also new to the site? A lovely 1920s net lace dress, vintage hats from the Teens and 1940s, and four vintage combs we will feature here in the coming days. Plus even more, as usual! 

 

Early 1940s Cream Crepe Dress with Red Print Sash and Hood

1950s New Look Cotton Multi-Color Print Dress in Summer Colors  

Kelly Green Linen 2 Pc Dress Set by Boykoff 

1960s Pink Irish Linen Day Dress  

 Boldly Printed 1960s Cotton Summer Dress in Blue, Pink and Green   

all available @ Past Perfect Vintage

Signs of the Times: The Rte 66 Edition, Part 2

 

In no particular order, but all on Tucumcari Blvd/Rt 66/Bus 40 in Tucumcari,NM we saw this great array of signage. And there were more - I didn't begin to get them all. Plus I missed the Odeon, a 1930s movie house that is still open.  I found photos of it online - and I am sad to have missed it.

Except for Tepee Curios, these were all taken early in the morning light from a moving car. I expect they are fabulous at night. 

 The Palomino Motel where the rates are certainly tempting.

 

 

The Apache. In a lot of online photos, this sign has a black background. I wonder when it was changed?

  Tepee Curios, all lit up , and I sure wish I had gone inside now. If nothing else to compare it to the famous Wigwam Village Inn in Cave City, KY, a local landmark

 The Americana Motel. In this lineup, it's the subdued design.

 

The Thunderbird Lounge, which was open for breakfast. But we had already eaten at Kix on 66, so that's another opportunity gone.

Next edition - old movie theatres. 

Signs of the Times: The Rte 66 Edition, Part 1

Just back from a great road trip of the American West. No vintage fashions to report on, but Fantastic scenery, both natural and man made. I had not planned on documenting great old signage, but there were too many great designs.I couldn't help myself, especially along old Route 66 through New Mexico. Many of the old businesses are derelict along the roadside. But those in Tucumcari, NM were looking pretty darn good, and mostly open. 

The c. 1959 Motel Safari  is beautifully restored and yes, we stayed there. We ate at Del's - and it was tasty. The Blue Bird Motel was doing open and doing business.And there were more 50s era motels and shops in varying states of wear. Even the closed gas stations are being painted with 50s style murals and signage to dress them up and add to the streetscape.  

And why did they get rid of the No Vacancy/Vacancy signs for motels? They are so handy when you are on the road. I guess they aren't refined enough for the big chains. Another loss.    

 

The 1959 Motel Safari,  Night and Day. The camel is a slightly later addition - early 60s. I enjoy the details of amenities advertised on the signs. Today, it's all assumed services.   

The Blue Swallow Motel, Day and Night  with "100% Refrigerated Air"

  

Del's Restaurant - what it lacks in neon, it makes up for in Cow. And there was indeed a  gift shop.