Summer Fashion picks, courtesy of 1936

I love old mail order catalogs like Chicago Mail order and Bellas Hess. If you ever see one for sale, they are great to buy. It's fun to look at the great vintage styles, and the cheap prices from way-back-when, and they also usually have a few a pages of household items in them too. They are also good researching sources for studying vintage clothing too, I'd love to be able to use some of today's money to buy at 1930s prices. But, sorry, I'd be buying for my own wardrobe though, not for resale!

Here are some scans from a 1936 Bellas Hess catalog. Kind of a fashion forecast for what I'd like to be wearing this Summer. Click on the images for larger views.
Novelty prints - I love fun novelty print cotton dresses for this Summer. Not too bold or too obvious prints, just something to make someone take a second look to see what the print is, maybe something a little funny. To the left is a Polo player print.
Lightweight cotton dresses - to the right is a dotted swiss dress, read the ad - do you 'Dote' on dotted swiss?

Wide legged pants - I know, everyone wants these. 1930-40s pants are one of the most requested items that I hear about. I want them too! I've probably only had about 5 pairs for resale in the past 8+ years. My own personal problem with wide legged pants are that they are usually very high waisted, which bugs me, because I don't like anything high on my waist. But last year I did find a pair of Liz Clairborne wide legged cropped pants at Ross. They had a lower waist and they had the buttons down the sides, kind of sailor style. I just bought a pair of really wide legged cropped pants with a wrap/tie waist from Newport News that are pretty cute too. I know, I know, I'd really rather be wearing the real vintage thing too, but if you can't find it vintage, you gotta buy it new.

Swimsuits - I don't think that I've ever had a swimsuit body. I was underweight and very skinny for most of my life. I didn't feel too selfconscious about it until I was in my 20s, then I stopped wearing swimsuits in public for over 10 years. Now I feel better because I've gained weight in the past 2 years, but I can't find the right swimsuit! These 1930s swimsuits look perfect, cute but modest with all vital parts covered. But wool? No, how about a nice lightweight cotton, then I'd take all 3! And Summer sandals, you can never have too many Summer shoes. I really love cheap Summer shoes, they are fun to buy and to wear - by cheap I mean under $10. I have this big green metal tub that I keep by my backdoor, and I throw all my flip-flops and sandals in it, and decide which to wear as I go out the backdoor. Summer fun.

Here are the pants that I bought at Newport-News, cute huh? I am worried that the tie at the waist is going to drive me crazy though. Below are a pair of shoes that I also bought from them. Not exactly cheap, these were about $18, which is more than I usually like to spend on Summer shoes, but these will go with a few 1950s dresses that I have.

OK, so that's all for now, Carol