What's What in Vintage Fashion

Have you ever wondered what vintage sellers are talking about when they speak of corset covers, camisoles, chemisettes, chemises and so on? Have you wondered why tap pants are called tap pants, and whether they're the same as French knickers? And what is a guimpe, for Heaven's sake?

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The National Trust Vintage Clothing Sale at Como House - 2018

I blogged about this last year but it's so great I'm blogging about it again. The trials, tribulations and treasures of the National Trust sale.

Read about it here:

1950s dirndl dress with organdy sleeves

Night Life

A while ago now I took a long weekend and ventured down to Winchelsea to Barwon Park Mansion to view the National Trust's Night Life exhibition of formal wear from the 1920s and 1930s. It was certainly well worth the trip and a good excuse for a short break.

The mansion was built by Thomas Austin in 1867 when he learned he was to host the Prince of Wales during the next Royal visit. He was too embarrassed to entertain royalty at his modest homestead, so built the mansion. He died six months after it was completed. Austin is also credited, or rather blamed, for introducing the rabbit to Australia so they had something to hunt besides kangaroos.

Barwon Park Mansion

It provided a fitting setting for the National Trust exhibition. The lighting was necessarily dim to conserve the garments, so please excuse the lack of light in the photos.

The 1920s garments were divine. There were, of course, the elaborately beaded flapper dresses but in some ways I found the other garments more interesting, probably because I've seen so many photos of beaded dresses. This dress is one of my favourites - earlier than 1920s, about 1919 I think. I have discovered a passion for tassels.

Beaded Cocoon Coat

This dress of pearl and silver beads is so heavy that the weight of the beads has torn the fine netting to which they are stitched. These heavily beaded garments are displayed flat in cases to minimise stress to the already stressed pieces. It must have been a challenge to dance the Charleston in some of these dresses. This garment is described as an evening gown but wouldn't it have made a lovely wedding dress!

My other favourite piece in the exhibition is this Assuit shawl. In the wake of Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 everything Egyptian was the rage. This fabric, named after the place in Egypt where it was made, combines net fabric with metal strips in an ornate design.

Assuit Shawl

The 1930s moved away from beading and ornamentation. Dresses were longer, and cut on the cross of the fabric (or bias) to cling to the body's curves. There were several beautiful silk florals on display.

 One of the problems I had at the exhibition was not touching the fabrics. These fabrics are so foreign to what we are familiar with these days. When a fabric is described as glazed silk I want to touch it, but I did manage to refrain.

This interesting 1940s cotton lace dress was the youngest dress in the exhibition.

There were many other beautiful and interesting pieces that I just couldn't photograph properly in the dark, such as a fabulous piano shawl, and a cape with an amazing Art Deco lining.

An interesting section of home made garments made a detour, and visitors could  practise doing tambour embroidery in a hoop if the volunteers were there to instruct.

One day I hope to go back just to look at the mansion as much of it could not be seen due to the special exhibition. I was most fascinated by the servants' areas.

And by the nursery.

The doll's house furniture was fascinating, made with such care in amazing detail. I was reminded of Beatrix Potter's book "The Tale of Two Bad Mice".

Little wood burning stove. I put my bag there for perspective.

Tiny little ironing board and spinning wheel.

The Night Life exhibition dates  were extended but it was moved to Rippon Lea mansion in Elsternwick, Melbourne, where it is a bit more accessible to most visitors. It finishes on July 30, so be quick. There are also a series of spin off events, including a fashion parade and ball.

Night Life at Rippon Lea

50s Frocks on Stage - Ladies In Black

Last week my partner and I gritted out teeth and fronted up to the first play of the Melbourne Theatre Company's 2016 season, Ladies In Black. Why gritting our teeth, I hear you ask. Because we both dislike musicals, especially my partner. Then, why were we going, I hear you asking again. Because this show is set in the dress section of a department store in the 1950s. How could I not go? It was bound to be a frock fiesta. Would they go vintage or costume? Yes, we had to go for the frocks. Geoff was very gracious and promised not to complain, although he reserved the right to sleep.

 Ladies In Black is based on a novel "The Women in Black", by Madeleine St John. Director Simon Phillips has brought Carolyn Burns' play and kiwi Tim Finn's (Split Enz) music and lyrics alive for Melbourne audiences. It is a quintessentially Australian play. Finn and Burns did an excellent job of capturing the Australian idiom, and they certainly appealed to the Australian sense of humour.

As our seats were very close to the front, you'll be relieved to hear that Geoff neither snored nor slept. In fact, I think he quite enjoyed the show "for a musical". I enjoyed it very much. The performances were all excellent, and every single cast member could really sing.

Opening scene

The story follows 16 year old Lesley on her first holiday job after completing high school. The first thing she does is tell everyone at work that her name is Lisa, because she wants "a girl's name". As someone whose middle name is Lesley, I wholeheartedly agree with her. There are lots of funny, witty lines in this show - in both the dialogue and the song lyrics.

Christen O'Leary as Magda

So what about the frocks? The store scenes are either in the cocktail dress department, where Lisa (Sarah Morrison) works with Faye (Naomi Price) and Patty (Lucy Maunder), or in "Model gowns", the couture dress department, with sophisticated continental Magda (Christen O'Leary). Young Lisa falls in love with one of the couture dresses, coincidentally named "Lisette".

Lisa (Sarah Morrison) and Magda (Christen O'Leary) admiring Lisette.

I did enjoy looking at the frocks, and I greedily eyed the rack of vintage cocktail gowns on the set, which I guessed were authentic vintage gowns. Surely they wouldn't pay for elaborate costumes just to form the setting. I'm guessing that most of the gowns worn by the cast would have been costumes made for the play, certainly the matched colour numbers with hats in the opening scene were.

My favourite garment in the play was not one of the couture gowns or cocktail frocks, but an amazing red and white halter neck swimsuit worn by Magda in one scene, sadly no photos. I also liked the ordinary cotton house dresses worn in the home scenes, they were probably vintage too. None of the "model gowns" thrilled me.

And Rudi could really dance (Christen O'Leary and Bobby Fox)

Tim Finn's debut performance as a musical playwright is a very successful one. And the band were fabulous.

The highlight of the play for us was a song called "He's a bastard", performed by Patty (Lucy Maunder) with her mother and sisters, after her husband leaves her. How many words can you rhyme with bastard? (Remember, this is Australia. It's "Barsted", not "Bassted"). Try, in familial sequence, "He's always getting plastered" (extremely drunk, for our international readers), "He couldn't cut the mustard", "He simply can't be trusted", and on and on. Very funny.

Magda (Christen O'Leary) and Lisa (Sarah Morrison) with a Model Gown.

So, I whispered to Geoff, "nope, not vintage", "nope, not vintage", "hmmm...maybe vintage", or "probably vintage". "How can you tell?" he asked. "Zip in the back, costume." I whispered. He looked at me quizzically. Yes, I was prepared to admit later, they may have been vintage if it was set after 1957. Before then, zips were in the side. "Why?" he wanted to know. I explained that a costume needed to be got into and out of very quickly and a zip in the back is much better for this. Have you ever worn a fitted dress with a zip in the side? It goes over your head and then it's a slow progress towards your feet as you wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. So why were they ever in the side in the first place, Geoff wanted to know. Because it looks better, I replied, fabulous at the front and fabulous at the back, closure hidden in the side. He looked at me in disgust, only women, he thought, would suffer inconvenience and discomfort to look good.

Ladies in Black is highly entertaining. It's on stage at the Sumner Theatre in Melbourne until 27th February.

Photos:
Melbourne Theatre Company: http://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/season-2016/ladies-in-black/
ABC: www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandarts/mtc's-ladies-in-black/7121778