Ermine Fur Jacket - 1963

While you normally think of ermine fur as being white, the ermine's coat actually changes with the seasons.  It is a soft beige with a white belly in summer and pure white in winter.  In 1963, Sarmi designed this summer ermine fur jacket that has a decided casual feel to wear for day or evening.  Big buttons and a herringbone cut to the pelts give this jacket it's sporty look.

Suits Illustrated - 1963

Department stores often used illustrations instead of photographs in high fashion magazines and newspapers as it was less expensive to hire an artist than it was to hire a fashion photographer, a model and a studio.  Some illustrators were on staff at the stores, come worked for the advertising agency, and some were self employed with contracts to provide drawings for the store. Only well known artists were allowed to add their signature to the drawing.  These illustrations are all from one magazine in August of 1963. 

I. Magnin & Co.  "A look of elegance, a look of opulence...three-piece costume of Anglo's lacy-textured wool tweed with natural Canadian lynx 300.00...from our Manor-Bourne Collection designed exclusively for I. Magnin".  (about $2221.00 in today's dollar.)

Bonwit Teller, illustration by Kenneth Paul Block.  "From Ben Barrack, magnum houndstooth checks in a costume of brushed mohair and wool.  Unexpected tour de force: the opulent peau de soie bodice.  Pink, amber or white-checked with black, bodice and scarf in black.  $145.00."  (About $1074.00 in today's dollar.)

Best & Co.  "Bardley blends the perfect ensemble....of imported wools.  Well-bred wools are a Bardley byword and as you can see here they know just how to mix texture and color and line ot a connoisseur's taste.  Both in cranberry, pebble beige, loden green or French blue.  Coat with set-away collar of thick, airy, silky wool tweed.  $125.00.  Suit of needlepoint wool.  $90.00."  (About $925 and $665 in today's dollar.)

Saks Fifth Avenue  "Our own Sophie's town suit prophecy in French wool tweed - the attenuated jacket jersey-framed at the neckline to match the shell beneath, $395.00."  (About $2924.00 in today's dollar.)
 

Lord & Taylor, illustration by Dorothy Hood.  "High casual - new turnabout of suit with buttons up the back, scarf all around - the easy mood of Monte-Sano and Pruzan, in black and white windowpane wool from France.  $290.00."  ($2147.00 in today's dollar.)

Skinny Pants - 1963

Today we call them skinny jeans, leggings, tights, what have you.  But narrowly cut pants are nothing new.  Neither are leggings.  With the advent of the new "miracle" knit fabrics in the early 60s, knit stretch and stirrup pants were all the rage with young women.  Make note, though, that pants like these were strictly for casual wear and would not have been worn to work, to a meeting with a professional or to a restaurant.  Many women wouldn't even wear them for shopping or to class.  Today's photos are from 1963.

Above at left:  Davenshire rayon/nylon stirrup pants came in 8 colors and were offered in short, medium and tall lengths.  At right:  Davenshire wool worsted plaid skinny pants, fully lined of course.

Tiger brand pants and coordinating blouses.  Left:  Black wool flannel pants (fully lined) worn with a printed acetate blouse.  At right:  Wool/nylon stretch pants with stirrups worn with a cotton blend blouse.

Koret of California introduced jacquard textured skinny pants in Permathal cotton knit.  Supposedly, the pants were tough enough to be tackled by football players!

 What did one wear with skinny pants and leggings?  Flats and only flats!  Shoes with heels would have been considered too "trashy".  Cute flat shoes and ankle boots were called for and the style choices were plentiful.  Above, 9 styles of flat shoes and booties, all by Sandler of Boston.

Three menswear style boots, all in leather.  At the top, Pappagallo buckle boot.  In the center, a laced bootie by Sandler of Boston.  At the bottom, A loafer extended into a boot by Trampeze.

Adele Simpson's Turkish Delight Collection, 1963

Designer Adele Simpson, shown above, was age 60 when she designed her Turkish Delight Collection for spring, 1963.  Having just returned from world-wide travels, Simpson designed the collection around her time spent in Istanbul.

The collection included prints and embroideries inspired by treasures the designer purchased while in Turkey.

Fine silks, cottons, linens, and wools were used and evening gowns were elaborately beaded.

But all was not exotic.  Simpson was also inspired by her travels to create a collection of basic pieces that could be mixed-and-matched and worn for more than one occasion.  Above, a short tan coat of Moygashel linen is worn with a matching wrap skirt over a black silk matte jersey dress.  The dress is worn here as a shell, but can emerge from under the coat and skirt and be worn for cocktails or dinner later in the day.

Here, a 3-piece travel suit by Simpson in Barbacane, a newly introduced fabric from Staron that was a blend of silk and cotton woven to look like linen without the wrinkles.

Easter 1963

When I was a child, my mother would dress me and my sisters all alike on Easter.  We would always make a big impression at church, especially after we had had our fill of chocolate eggs and jelly beans.  Here I am with 3 of my sisters (the youngest wasn't born yet) in 1963 or 64.  I'm the tall one in the back.  The dresses were blue gingham with white lace around the skirt.  We had to wear them with itchy scratchy crinoline slips.  And of course, we all had matching white patent shoes and ankle socks.  I think mom let us each choose a different white patent purse that year.

Happy Easter to you all, especially to my family!  Ah, the memories.

Teal Traina - 1963

I love these ads from Bergdorf Goodman. Whoever was writing their copy at the time (1963) had a wonderful way with words. "The Quick Black Costume....It says "news" almost before you can blink. It dashes its way into summer free of sleeves, and full of the brio a costume must have this season. The crisp Swiss-cotton ottoman was clipped and carved for us by Teal Traina with a back-flashing jacket that swings on over the easy, camisoled dress. In brisk black, frosted mocha, and a very newsy white." Perfection.

Teal Traina was Anthony Traina's nephew. Anthony Traina was Norman Norell's financial partner. Geoffrey Beene was a designer at Teal Traina from 1958-63, so it is likely this delightful outfit was his. I have a similar Teal Traina ensemble in cream silk that is currently at the cleaners. Coming soon to Couture Allure! BTW, this outfit sold for $145 in 1963 (about $1033 in today's dollar.)

Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy Eveningwear, 1963

Yesterday, we looked at Audrey Hepburn in daywear from Givenchy's line for Spring, 1963. Today, she wears evening gowns from the same collection. The wonderful and imaginative hair designs are by Alexandré. The first photo is one of my favorites of Audrey.

Hepburn poses with her husband Mel Ferrer in a pink tulle confection.
The tulle cocoons intricate beading and embroidery.
A gossamer white silk tulle stole adds another layer of fantasy.

Blue cloqué silk déshabillé that falls in loose folds to a slight train at the back.

White lace with appliqued mauve, pink, yellow and blue silk daisies, then beaded and embroidered in gilt thread and sequins. Don't you wish this photo was in color?

Vivid yellow silk shantung with woven-in dots. The strapless neckline blooms like a flower.

Pink cloqué silk wrapped gown that exposes a bit of leg in front and has a tiny train at back.

All photos by Bert Stern.

Audrey Hepburn Wears Givenchy, 1963

White with black tweed suit with a black silk twill cowl neck blouse and white hat.

Just before beginning filming of "My Fair Lady", Audrey Hepburn posed for these photos in clothing from Hubert de Givenchy's line for Spring 1963. Hepburn wore Givenchy exclusively after he designed the costumes for her 1954 film "Sabrina". Before meeting the designer, and before her career exploded, the actress said she still wore homemade dresses.

Hepburn's normal wardrobe consisted of 3 day suits, two in beige or gray and one in black, coats that would last for several seasons, and several late-day and evening dresses for use when she was working. At home in Switzerland, she wore pants and sweaters. After work, she wore a déshabillé, or dresssing gown, to relax in.

Whether for day or evening, Audrey Hepburn had a sure eye for fashion, and she had a thorough understanding of proportion and of her image in Givenchy designs. Here, her choices for daywear from the line. Tomorrow, we'll look at eveningwear. All clothing by Givenchy, Spring 1963. Hair by Alexandré.

Pink tweed suit with a deeper pink linen overblouse and wide belt.

Beige jersey dress with a pseudo-overblouse that is cut on the bias
and fastens with buttons at the sides.

9/10 length white gabardine coat shaped close to the body in front
and loose in the back is worn over a brown silk linen dress with cap sleeves.

Short dinner dress in yellow silk with beaded clusters.

All photos by Bert Stern.

The Look of Evening Gowns - 1963

Today, exquisite evening gowns, all from the Fall of 1963. Enjoy!

Silver metallic brocade gown by Jr. Theme.

Malcolm Starr white satin gown with green beaded bodice.

Minuet cotton/silk blend ottoman gown with simple princess lines.

A young Candice Bergen wears a Minuet white silk/worsted alaskine
gown with button-back jacket.

H&H white silk satin evening cape.

Photos by Milton H. Greene

Tweeds and Woolens - 1963

Fall is on the horizon and many of you are dreaming about the change of season and the resulting change in your wardrobe that will soon take place. In 1963, the fashion forward woman was adding a suit or two to her closet. Tailored to perfection, these suits were fashioned of wool tweeds that were woven with chunky threads in a myriad of colors and textures, or of heavy solid wools that held their shape. The suits were made to last, and they are far superior to anything you can buy today. A suit like this was an investment, and women would often wear them for several seasons.

This Monte-Sano and Pruzan mohair tweed 3 piece suit was available at Bergdorf Goodman. Their in-house milliner, Adolfo, made the matching tweed tam.

Ben Barrack houndstooth check suit in brushed mohair and wool. Came with a black silk peau de soie top and scarf. Sold for $145.00 in 1963 (about $1041.00 in today's dollar).

Monte-Sano and Pruzan black and white wool tweed suit. The jacket buttons up the back and has an attached scarf. Sold for $290.00 in 1963 (about $2082.00 in today's dollar).

Bardley suit in chunky wool was matched with a tweed coat with a stand-away collar. Set sold in 1963 for $215.00 (about $1544.00 in today's dollar).

Handmacher wool melton suit with coordinating cape. Note how the jacket is styled like a polo with a button placket. It pulls on over the head. Set sold in 1963 for $130.00 (about $933.00 in today's dollar).