Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Way We Were - Vintage Magazines

A little while ago, I came across quite a magnificent find: an original copy of The Australian Home Journal from 1954! (click on the images to make them larger)
I just adore real vintage magazines. They are a true snapshot of not only the fashions of the day, but of the societal attitudes and cultural norms - so fascinating!

This one edition contained so many interesting stories, articles and advertisements that I want to share with you, kittens, that I have decided to do a series of posts on the "Way we were" topic.

The magazine was also a reinforcement of the fashion cycle theory - that past era styles come back into fashion every so often and that some are always in vogue (and thus, 'classics').

For example: The shirt dress:
First seen in the 1940's the shirt dress has been a staple fashion classic ever since. Above, we see the 1954 take, including the belted waist and flared skirt, as well as a more tailored look.


Here are two examples of the modern shirt dress, from Spiegels in the US and Dorothy Perkins from the UK.

What styles do you think never go out of fashion, Kittens?

2 comments:

Ms. B @ Millie Deel said...

The classic white shirt and a well made cashmere twinset are indispensable to a wardrobe and will never leave fashion!

That magazine is such a find!

Rosie Unknown said...

Wow, that is so cool!