Junk Love: Caped Crusader

Our shop

We recently acquired a huge haul of vintage clothing, and among the group was a fabulous 1970s cape, which I immediately had to try on (sadly, it didn't fit right, and gave me T. rex arms). It instantly brought back memories of my childhood, when I was given my mother's hand-me-down capes from the 1960s to wear to church. I loved them, especially a wool plaid one with metal buttons. Not only did it make me feel elegant, like a 1950s movie star, but you can do all sorts of things with your hands under the cape, like tear the church program into tiny bits of confetti, and nobody can see your shenanigans.



When I wore that colorblocked cape in the driveway, it suddenly made me want to add a cape to my legendary coat collection. The universe listened, and a few weeks ago, I came across a 1940s wool nurse's cape, navy with red lining and a monogram on the left arm, for an outstanding price. Here is a similar one for sale on Etsy:

Buy it here

And even though I got my own cape, I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. There is nothing like putting on a pair of bracelet length gloves, a vintage cape, and sunglasses, to make a girl feel like Hollywood from head to toe. So, here are some of the greats that Etsy has to offer right now. Who knows, maybe some of these will come to live with me, like this super groovy 1970s number:

Here

Or, if it's got to be plaid....

Here

Here

Here

Here

Or fluffy!

Here

Or just plain cool....

Here

Here

But here is my favorite. Sequins and cashmere, anyone? And, maybe a date with Rock Hudson?

Here

The Skinny -- Winter Coat Fashion of 1935

So, we bought Seventeen magazines from the 1970s, as I shared with you a few weeks ago.  But we also bought a stack of Ladies' Home Journal magazines from the 1930s at the same time.  In the October 1935 issue, I was struck by their fashion spread with winter coats.  

Of course, I was.  We are bleeding hearts when it comes to vintage coats.  We buy them whenever we find them abandoned in a thrift store or at an estate sale.  People have even just given us their vintage coats they don't want anymore; they know we will love them unconditionally.  One of us Blackbirds (who shall remain nameless, ahem...) has a collection of coats.  She specializes in Persian lamb coats, but loves them all in their turns.

I know she will appreciate this post -- and that she will try them all on in her mind.  The text included is by Julia Coburn, and the photographs are by Fowler-Bagby.  I hope you enjoy a trip back to the fall of 1935!

The Question of Color for Your Winter Coat

It's perfectly true that a black winter coat is the most practical thing you can have.  No matching problem on accessories, and a great choice of colors in dresses, if you don't want all black.

Black is distinguished; it is sophisticated and it can be young, like the coat on the left.  A smooth soft fabric, buttoned down the front, with a turn-down collar of Persian lamb, and a soft flare to its skirt.  But would you like to try your hand with color?

Brown is, of course, the first thing you think of in the way of color, the time-honored alternate for black.  Nice with green dresses, gold dresses, rusty reds, as well as matching brown.  Beautiful with beaver or mink collar, for an all-brown coat.  The one at the right on the opposite page (photo below) uses cross fox with all its varied tones, to lend interest to the coat.  Long-haired furs are very fashionable -- the favorite silver fox, cross fox, light foxes, and very light-colored lynx and wolf, giving contrast to deep winter shades. 

In the brown coat note the tiny flecks of color in the brown, like pin dots.  They are made by colored mohair woven into the fabric.  The coat fabrics have interesting weaves this fall.  Note the sleeve fullness, coming from the back; the way the coat wraps way over to the side, held by a belt of the fabric; and the easy flare to the skirt, worn about two inches shorter than last year.  All these are new fashion points to consider when you buy a winter coat, if you want it to look really new.

If you're bored with brown, look at the gorgeous copper shade on the girl who is stepping up.  Nobody could possibly mistake that for last year's coat.  First its color, which blends beautifully with brown accessories and yet in itself is so much more exciting.  Can't you imagine it with deep auburn hair?  Think of a gray dress with it, matching the fox.  Or almost any shade of green.  Or a pinky beige.  Now look at its other points of newness: The slightly bloused back; the collar of fox mounted on fabric, adjustable, and giving a becoming softness.  Belted in the fabric, as the brown coat is, and again with a generous lap to the side.  Fortunate you are if you can find brown suede step-in pumps banded in calf in just the copper color of the coat, like those in the picture.  For shoes this year can have interesting color effects, and still be in the best of taste.  Experiment a little with shoe colors too.  Green, green and brown combined, and wine red are some of the interesting new shoe ideas to be found in the better shops.

To show you on of the wonderful new wine reds for this winter, we have chosen the perfectly stunning suit worn by the lady with the dachshund.  This type of suit is definitely a luxury, and for the woman who maintains a varied wardrobe.  The coat is long enough to wear over a frock.  The blouse and lining of the coat are of a wool shell-knit fabric in a shade of blue that looks shimmery because two different tones are used.  The coat and skirt are made of a rough soft woolen, just formal enough for the mushroom collar of beaver.  Note how the coat buttons from below the collar to well below the waistline.  Before long we may be having coats with as many buttons as shirtwaist dresses.  If you want to see a new and perfectly stunning pair of gloves, look at those she is wearing with this suit.  They are of suede, with palms, binding and lacing of the gauntlet cuffs of calf.  This year there are some happy mediums in gloves between stark simplicity and overfussy trimming.  In the case of gloves, as with so many of the things you will buy this fall, it would be wise to go shopping with an open mind.

There is one more exhibit in the coat-color family -- green.  For sports coats, you will find gay, vivid greens, a color that makes vivid contrast for fall's browns.  For the all-purpose winter coat, you will probably be more likely to choose an olive shade, of which there are darker and lighter versions.  The one worn by the girl in the center on this page has kolinsky collar and -- big fashion news -- fur cuffs.  Put together, they form a very convenient muff.  The definite flare in this coat is very important.  The flared coat, if worn short enough, is very young looking.  And you can get one in which the flare is put in at the side seam in such a way that it's a simple operation to have it taken out, if you should tire of it.

With all the new ideas there are in winter coats this year, you certainly owe it to yourself to get one that looks new.

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We don't have currently have any coats in the shop from the 1930s, but we do have this amazing fox fur collar coat!

Available here.

The Skinny -- Fur Facts: Mouton

Marlene Dietrich in her mouton ensemble

OK, so everyone might not agree with us about this new series of The Skinny posts -- information about different types of fur. We've wanted to know more about fur for a while now, and we thought we could all learn together. We know people tend to have strong opinions on the subject.  And while furry love may not be politically correct, we can't help it -- the glamor, the feel, the old-Hollywood-ness of it all just gets us every time.  If we see fur, we have to touch it...But we do restrict ourselves to vintage fur!

Today is all about mouton (pronounced MOO-tawn) furs.  The word ‘mouton’ comes from the French word for mutton.  They are made from lamb/sheep pelts.  Mouton coats reached the peak of popularity in the 1950s.  They are made from a high-grade lambskin that is manufactured to capture the look, feel, density, and luster of sheared mink or beaver fur.  The fibers of a mouton are thick and straight, not curly, like Persian lamb (what we Blackbird girls call curly lamb).  It is sheared to an even ½ inch depth, and it is super plush, with a shimmer and luster to the finish.  The fur has a sheen with natural highlights and lowlights to the color that changes in different lights.  High quality mouton pelts can quite easily be mistaken for more expensive types of fur.  The pelts are most commonly found in deep, chocolate brown, but can be dyed in many shades.

When we're out and about looking for inventory, we most commonly find short, cropped mouton coats. But as you can see in some of the vintage advertisements included in today's post, long and mid-length styles were popular, too.  And as Marlene shows in the photo above, hats and other accessories were made from the fur as well.  Yet another common use for the mouton fur was as collars on men's coats. 

If you are someone who doesn't condone or like fur, you can always get a faux mouton coat.  They can be really well made, with a very similar sheen to the finish and a similar density to the fibers.  And you get the added benefit of a cheaper price!

Now, enjoy these images of luscious mouton fur...

Our newest addition -- available in our mini-boutique in Brightside Gallery in Asheboro!

On the Radar -- Hot Under the Collar

High Tech Fur collar by Emerson Fry

We Blackbird girls have a dirty little secret. And I'm going to spill it right now.  We LOVE fur.  We know it's wrong, but it just feels sooooo good!  Mink, fox, Persian lamb...you name it, we've got it (or, at least we've lusted after it when we see it!).  However, the majority of fur we can afford, own, and wear, is in collar form.

We've always worn our vintage fur collared coats, so I didn't really pay attention to just how many designers did them for their fall lines.  It wasn't until we sold three fur collars in under two weeks that I thought, "Hmmm....what's up with that?"

Turns out everybody did their own version of a fur collar this fall.  And I mean EVERYBODY.  Michael Kors, Marni, Derek Lam, Elizabeth and James, Louis Vuitton....and you know our fave, Alexander McQueen.

Derek Lam, Fall 2012

These collars don't have to be just for coats and jackets.  You could wear one with a sweater or dress to cozy it up.

It doesn't have to be formal either.  I love the casual-luxe feel of this:

From Le 21eme

You can even go for different colors!

Moncler Fall/Winter 2012

And while I pine for all of these fur pieces, I know that the best bet is to buy vintage or handmade.  They are more affordable, one of a kind, and no animals were recently harmed in the making of the collar.

From our shop! 

Or you could be a good girl -- buy faux fur, like this pretty handmade collar -- and still be fashionable.

From imali on Etsy