Lulu's Top Ten Vintage Clothing Website Awards (Plus Hats, of course)

 

It's that time of year:

The Lulu's Vintage People's Choice Top 10 Vintage Clothing Website Awards voting is now open.

 

Just click on the graphic to vote for us in the comments for the People's Choice. You can list up to 10 of your favorite vintage clothing websites in your comment, but you only get one comment, so use it well!

And now, today's pretty for the hat lovers amongst you: 

 1930s Black Wide Brimmed Straw Hat with White Rosettes  

 1930s Red Straw Hat with Pheasant Aigrette  

1940s Asian Inspired Brown Felt Brimmed Hat

G. Howard Hodge, American Milliner

 

Another day lost to research, but here is the result.

G. Howard Hodge

G. Howard Hodge was one of the best known American milliners of the mid 20th Century. Born in Woodland,Ca. outside of Sacramento in 1891, he was the son of a farmer turned grocer. As a teenager, he moved on to San Francisco, working as a stock clerk at Mueller and Rans millinery factory. Prior to WWI, he had become a traveling salesman for the firm. After the war, Hodge started a factory at 15 Stockton St. in San Francisco. He launched the Catallan line of hats from a later factory on Market Street. By 1928, he was established in New York with G. Howard Hodge Hats, Inc. and was chairman of the Millinery Quality Guild by 1937. The Guild later changed their name to the Millinery Creators Guild. His label in the 1950s shows 711 Fifth Ave. as the business location. His daughter Dorothy Hodge Ennis was a sale executive for the firm.

Hodge applied for design patents for hats in 1943 and 1948. National newspaper and fashion press coverage of his new styles started in 1928 and was extensive until 1963. He died May 13, 1966. His designs were inventive and well made for the higher end of the market. Hodge did also manufacture licensed adaptations of Paris lines.

1950s Black and Red Straw Hat with open back currently available at Past Perfect Vintage

And from our archives:

 Soft Crown 1950s Straw Hat

1940s - 50 Wide Brimmed Black Beaded Felt with open back 

 1940s Veiled Felt Hat with rhinestones and pearls 

Later 1950s in ombre straw and grosgrain ribbon

Vintage Clothing Does Come in Larger Sizes

One of the misconceptions about vintage clothing is that, without exception, It Is Tiny. Clothing for modern sz 0 -2. Granted, much is too small for the average American woman, who is taller than her predecessors, and correspondingly wider in the shoulders. And yes, the average size today is much larger than the average size of women in the 1930s - 60s, much less the Victorian and Edwardian eras. 

This blog isn't the place for a treatise on obesity in America - there are certainly no experts on that here. But after 30+ years in the theatrical costuming business and 20 years in vintage clothing, I do know younger people are bigger than they used to be. It's not just people adding pounds as they age. 

That said - there are still slim folks who want clothing, and vintage shops are great for that. Far better than thrifts and consignment shops, where the small size selection is getting leaner and leaner. But here's the message for today. Not everyone was a 32 "- 34" bust and a 24 - 25 " waist, even in the Victorian era. Over the years, I have carried a number of ladies and even a few mens garments in larger sizes. The scarcity today is a result of fewer of those sizes being manufactured, and more of them being worn out by the original owner, or subsequent wearers. One memorable dress from the 1890s was tall enough for a 6' tall woman and had a 44" bust. 

Now if a woman has a bust over a 38" and a waist over 30", she may have to hunt a bit. But good things are out there. My one strong recommendation is: If you wear a large size in vintage, and find something that fits - Buy It. You really won't find another. Some periods are better than others for larger sizes- the late Teens and 1920s, the loosely fitted 1930s and early 40s, and the softer draped styles of the early 50s. 

Let's take a look at some of our new offering in June that aren't Tiny. Granted, they aren't XL either, but they sure aren't Sz 2s.

  

 c. 1902 Edwardian Flecked Black Wool Walking Suit 

Bust: 38" , Waist: 29", Shoulders: 17" with skirt waist: 27.5" 

 

1918 -1919 Teens Navy Silk Crepe Dress with Ethnic Embroidery 

Bust: 40", Waist: 32" , Hips: free

1930s Black Velvet Evening Jacket with Shirred Cuffs 

Bust:approx. 42”- 44” Waist: 42"

Classy 1950s Black Crepe and Lace Cocktail Dress 

Bust:38" , Waist: 29" , Hips: 40"

Glamorous 1950s Gold Satin Dinner Dress 

Bust: 38", Waist: 28", Hips: 42"

  

1950s Strapless Lemon Yellow Net and Taffeta Formal Evening Dress 

Bust: 38" , Waist: 30" , Hips: 48" 

all currently available at Past Perfect Vintage Clothing

A few Thoughts and new Vintage Fashions

 

Sometimes in the Vintage Fashion business, we can get too caught up in designer pieces and their labels. There are those who feel important designers of the 20th Century are the only thing worth buying. Now if you are buying investment grade only, then a case for that approach could be made. But of the vintage fashions I have personally acquired over the years, it wasn't the designer labels that had the highest return when it came time to part with them.
I'm just sayin': buy what you like in the best quality and condition you can. Labels are fun to find and even hunt for, but they don't have to be the be-all and end-all of the business. Each designer's work comes in and out of favor, even in vintage. But well designed, even if anonymous, pieces of good quality and condition will always be of interest.
In that vein, we did not add any major names designers to the website this month. But we do show some very nice vintage fashions. 

To whit:

A really pretty c. 1860 Victorian Gauze Print Dress with Plaid Ribbons:

1950s Black Gauze and Lace Evening Dress, from the old Louisville store Jenny Lind:

1914 Teens Cream Silk, Net and Lace Wedding Dress with Hobble Style Skirt:

all currently available at pastperfectvintage .com

How I Spent My Spring: No Vintage Clothing in Sight

 

I have been remiss in updating the blog this month. But there is a reason. It's spring, and now it's getting into early summer. And this takes time:  

 

  

Don't worry - we went out on the Vintage Patrol this week, and new inventory will go on the site in the next couple days.But the garden has sure been fun this year.