A Closer Look - Melbourne Autumn Dress

This was one of the few vintage items I bought at Melbourne on my trip there last December.  The store I bought it from was not on my shopping itinerary and it was only by luck that I saw it as I left the Windsor Station onto Chapel Street.  I think the name of the store was 'Treasure Trove' but I can't find any web presence for them.


The two gents running the store were lovely and they had some fantastic stock including a gorgeous 50s skirt and top set which sadly didn't fit across my bust/back.

Melbourne Autumnal Dress

Bought from: Treasure Trove, Chapel Street (Near Windsor Station), Melbourne
Paid:  $80
Era:  1960s or late 1950s.
Fabrics: A polyester (possibly Dacron) synthetic fabric with very little texture with a slight sheen, in dark blues, olives, orange, browns and dusty pinks.

Interesting facts:   The dress was in nearly perfect condition when I bought it.  I thought "This is so close to new that it's almost deadstock!"  After wearing it a few times, I understand why!   The stiffness of the fabric and the way it moves when I walk causes it to puff up like a little t-pee around my belly in a really odd way.  If it did the same thing to the original owner, I am not surprised that it only got worn a few times!  I've tried wearing a petticoat underneath to try to solve the problem but with no luck so far.  I might consider trying to weight the hem in some way...

Worn in oufits: here and here and here.

A Closer Look - Blue & Yellow Summer Frock

I was moving through the stalls at the Love Vintage Show in Brisbane 2012 and my eyes fell on a rack with a sign above it "All items $80".   I pawed through the rack and saw this pretty floral frock.

Blue and Yellow Summer Frock (60s?)

Bought from: A stall (it became one big shopping blur) at the Love Vintage Show, Brisbane 2012.
Paid:  $80
Era:  1960s or late 1950s.
Fabrics:  Sky blue, sunny yellow and taupe flowers on a white ground in a textured synthetic fabric.

Interesting facts:   Initially I thought that this dress was from the 1950s however with a bit more experience I now think that given the style and fabric this is more likely a 60s number.

Worn in oufits:  here and here  

A Closer Look - 30s Celluloid Brooch

I like roses, a great deal actually.

So when this little brooch came up for sale on the 'classifieds' email group at my work I snapped it up zealously!

30s Painted Celluloid Roses Brooch

Bought from:  a private seller from work.
Paid:  $15
Era:  1930s  
Materials:  Painted celluloid with the original brass pin on the back.
Size:  It is tiny - only 2.5cm x 1cm in size.  This means that it's good for wearing on collars, ties or scarves but when I wear it on the bust of a blouse it looks a little lost.

A Closer Look - 60s Green Princess Dress

It has occurred to me that the way I do my outfit shots doesn't allow you to see all the details of the clothes or accessories that make up the outfit.   This is a real shame because it is those little details that make vintage pieces beautiful.

This is a new series of posts which show one of my vintage wardrobe pieces in detail with closeup shots and other details I can provide about it.  For these posts I will be using photos without a filter so you can see the true colour of the items.

The first item on display is one I call my '60s Green Princess Dress'.   I call it this because one day when I wore it to work one of my colleagues told me she thought my dress was very 'princessy today'.  The seller had it marked as being a 60s dress

Green 60s Princess Dress

Bought from: Cassie's Corner stall at the Brisbane Vintage Fashion Fair (Bris. 2012)
Paid:  $76
Era:  1960s
Fabrics:  Mint green plissette (?) cotton and white cotton lace.  The fabric is rather sheer (you can see through to the coathanger in the photos below.)

Interesting facts:  I thought the length of the dress was a little short and that the hem looked recently done.  Later I found the exact same dress for sale on Etsy (seller daisyandstella) but with the original full length.  This not only proved my theory about the change of hem length but also showed that it wasn't a home-made piece as I had thought.

Worn in oufits:  here and here and here.