40s Turbans and Head Wraps for the Practical

As an admirer of 40s turbans and head wraps, I really did not see myself sporting one anytime soon simply because I believed that it was simply not my taste (just because one likes it does not mean one should wear it right?). But, I have experienced a change in attitude when I realized how wonderfully practical they are keeping ones hair out of the way and hiding hair that is simply un dressed. As a result, recently I have begun to adopt turbans and head wraps into my wardrobe very gradually and slowly starting with them for work wear to keep my hair out of my eyes. So far, I have been using them for more practical reasons but hope to add them in for fashion wear before too long. Before I go showing off my interpretations, I thought that it only makes sense that I offer some of my research first and my inspiration.

 

 

 

What I managed to find was that period turbans and head wraps could be fashioned out of scarves of silk of cotton or else a wonderfully knitted creations. They could be simple or elaborate depending on the skills of the wearer. I found too that these were popular for both American and German women which I will feature more specifically later.  . . .in the meantime are these not smashing? I hope to make more use of this very practical accessory in the future.

40s Turbans and Head Wraps for the Fashionable

 Not only were turbans and head wraps were practical, but they were made into fashionable accessories too. Above, is an example of a series of fashionable turbans made out of a variety of materials such as velvet, colorful rayons and cottons, and even straw! The reasons why these were so popular as fashionable accessories in both America and Germany was because they were not rationed like clothes and other wearable goodies. These could also keep a woman looking glamorous when she lacked the time to do so otherwise (perfect for this ugly dame right?). Anyway, like I did for the more practical turbans, I thought here would be a good time to offer the other more fancy versions that continue to capture our imaginations today:

This one is possibly my favorite . . .the tulips are a great touch aren't they? They add interest to an otherwise dull suit and add a pop of color in an unusual way.

 

Adding a brooch or a piece of jewelry to a rather simple wrap can add a great deal of interchangeable interest.

A Suit for Chicago . . .Well, More Than One Really. . .

Over the blueberry season, my mom, sister, and I needed to have some much needed girl time with my aunt. The result? An incredible trip to Chicago organized by my aunt (thank you! I had so much fun!). Hearing of heading down to a city, this farm girl and ugly dame wanted to head down in style. So what does style mean to this girl? A whole suitcase full of suits of course! Suits for all occasions, oh and a dress too, to fashionably work this trip.

To start the two night trip, I chose this original 40s suit from a friend (thank you!) that I have just started to wear much more often. What prevented me from wearing it before was that I had no idea what to wear with it!  Sooo . . what do I wear with it? Well, after much strife, I have started to wear it with dark brown and green (of all colors). Such a casual, easy suit to wear! There are many details that I love about this suit such as the pleats in the back of the jacket that add in a great deal of wearing ease and detail all in one swoop. The buttons on the sleeves are a nice touch too.

Due to the ease of this suit, I thought it was just too perfect to start the trip with a stop in Michigan City for shopping and arriving at the hotel.  Later that evening, we changed for dinner and a live show. My outfit of choice was my favorite navy wool suit, cobra skin pumps, and simple pearl jewelry. I really love this suit! It too was a gift from a friend and is from the late 40s and possibly early 50s. . .believe it or not it's a junior suit.

The next day consisted of some serious shopping. For day two, I went with my navy blue wool dress, a Lutterloh make of course which I will talk more about later. With this dress, went my little black felt hat, T strap pumps, and my black hand bag. While Shopping, we walked the entire Magnificent Mile, and hit the Randolph Street antique market where I hit the vintage mother load!! I ended up taking home with me three suits, a felt hat, and an original 40s bra. The suits and hat were all made in Chicago making them a marvelous souvenir for this vintage lover.

Day three we headed home. . .I chose to wear my black and grey suit from Kriegsende Militaria . .. a complete impulse buy that I do not regret. With it, my little black hat, bag, and my pumps. I adore the pockets and the velvet piping on this suit.

What a trip! I had so much fun and the hotel was beautiful. I used the staircase a lot for my pictures as you can see because it was truly stunning. . more so in person than in picture. The city was wild. Just wild. The towers, the people, and the surroundings as  a whole. I regret to say that I did not take more pictures but Chicago must truly be experienced in person I think . . and this was actually my first time ever on the big city! What an experience.  . . that's all for now.  . .time to recover.

A Diamond Dress for Chicago

For day two of our Chicago trip, shopping at the Magnificent Mile and at the Randolph Antique market was in order. For my shopping outfit, I did not wear a suit but chose a navy dress in wool which was a 1940 Lutterloh pattern. I loved the look of this dress because of the diamond in the middle of the bodice holding the gathers and pleats of the bodice together. the sleeve was also rather interesting too I thought. Below, the original illustration.

For my version of the dress, I omitted the detailing on the diamonds and left off the diamonds on the skirt all together. Mine buttons down the back with brown buttons matching the decorative belt buckle. For the center front diamond, I hand stitched it to the rest of the bodice and then prick stitched it for strength and to add a little texture. I prick stitched the faced sleeve edge too.

To accessorize this outfit, I wanted to keep the accessories rather simple so I chose my black felt hat, simple necklace and copper screw back earrings in a leave shape for fall. I chose T- strapped pumps to round out the outfit.

Overall, this dress was pretty easy to make after I figured out what order I wanted to assemble the bodice. For the skirt, I kept it really simple and used the skirt pattern from this dress which you can see here.  Personally, I really love this dress! Oh and the backdrop (silly me, how could I not mention that?) The hotel lobby was gorgeous and I could not resist getting a picture with one of the pillars and the staircase. There was such a luxurious vintage feel that I was just attracted to.

A Draped Dress in Teal

I made this frock awhile ago but now, finally, have an opportunity to show it off . Made from a 1940 Lutterloh pattern, I knew I wanted to make this one up out of something soft with a good drape. A rayon challis in a medium to dusty blue teal was just the ticket. Below, the original illustration.

What attracted me to this one the most was the bodice and the sleeve. I loved the soft folds of the drapes on the asymmetrical bodice and flow of the sleeve. The contrasting look given in the illustration was interesting but I opted for a more solid dress. Making up this pattern was rather complicated in that there were a few different ways this one could be assembled. . .finding the most efficient and clean way to do so was tricky. One change I made to my pattern was that I added more fullness to the pattern to make the drapes on my bodice look more full.

To complete my look, I went with dark brown and cream accessories with a subtle splash of color. By hand bag and shoes are dark to bring out the streak of brown in the cream gloves  and my hat and coat are in a cream. For the color, a small corsage of flowers with hints of green and orange. My jewelry was simple: pearls. My hair was kept in place with an invisible hairnet.  . .what would I do with out it?

I think I need to wear this dress more often as I don't wear it enough. Would I make the pattern again? Possibly but it is rather unique.

Turbans and Headwraps According to Der Goldene Schnitt

Popular in Germany as well as in the U.S., I thought it only fitting that I do a segment of According to Der Goldene Schnitt on turbans and head wraps. Worn for almost all occasions from private to public, head wraps can be seen throughout 1940 - 1942 in Der Golden Schnitt. Here, are some of the examples that I found to be worth sharing:

A head wrap for keeping ones hair and pin curls tidy while sleeping . . . .

 One for playing sports . . .

A turban for shopping, going out,  or dining. . .

 Although not an elaborately wrapped confection, a simple scarf tied under the chin works wonders on a breezy day . . .

 Another option for working  . . .

 A more elaborate turban for going out and paired with an interesting piece of outerwear.  . .

Fancy or plain, turbans and head wraps were a wardrobe staple for a variety of reasons from fashionable or practical. For a fashionable reason, turbans were an excuse to be creative and to make a form of head wear that was practically functional. On the other side, turbans kept ones hair out of the way, kept the hair clean, and hair away from potentially dangerous machinery.

A Gathered Collar

Today, I offer you a simple post and an even simpler pattern to play with. This collar is incredibly easy to not only scale out but to sew together too. To make this collar, you will need the ruler and the instructions on how to use the system too if you are unfamiliar with it. Those can be found here. 

Once you have this collar scaled out, place the edge labeled 'H.M.' on the fold. That is your center back. Next, do a small hem either by hand or machine to finish the edge. Make the hem go all the way around. Finally, where the little wiggle line is on the middle of the pattern do small running or gathering stitches and secure them using any method you like. To finish and wear, tie the front with a knot where the other wiggle line is near the tip. That is how I made mine but you can make yours up any way you like.

A Most Lovely Suit in Grey

While in Chicago, I picked up three incredible vintage suits and a hat to wear with them. This is one of them and I am so thrilled about it. From the  40s/ 50s, based on the styling and length of the skirt (which I am in love with). According to the lady I purchased these suits from, these garments had a very interesting history. Apparently, their original owner was a model for Sears and after a shoot was given the option to buy the suits at a discount. This lady had so many suits that many were never worn and still had their tags. This suit was one of them, and yes, it still has all of its original tags. Best part is that all of my suits, this one included, was made in Chicago (so was the hat)

I love the skirt on this suit the most, it is all pleated! Is that not incredible! The craftsmanship of this garment is lovely and it fits like a glove (almost like it was made for me). Paired with this suit are my original 40s pumps in snake skin, brown suede gloves, and my new hat .  .which just so happens to match my gloves perfectly. For jewelry, I kept it simple with a pair of pearl drops.

How could I forget the tags? Below are the original tags depicting the fiber content and the size of the suit.

Glad to be in Plaid

This is another fantastic suit that I picked up in Chicago and I love this one. In fact, this one might be my favorite. From the 40s, and possibly the 50s, the original owner of this suit was a model for Sears in the 1940s and well into the 1950s. She was also an avid clothes collector who did not wear all of her collection.

Personally, I think the most fantastic thing about this suit is that all the plaids match up perfectly. On the skirt, the jacket, the sleeves, the collar, everywhere - a true piece of evidence depicting talent and craftsmanship. If you look closely, the details in this suit and never ending. The little loops mimicking pockets, the dainty cuffs on the sleeves, and the buttons. You will note that not all the buttons are the same - some are darker and some lighter to correspond to their location on the jacket. The skirt is a narrow pencil skirt, no back vent.

To accessorize this suit, I chose my brown felt hat, matching suede gloves, and original 40s cobra skin pumps. I chose simple brown accessories this time simply because it is fall. I could even wear red with this suit too if I wanted too due to the subtle red in the plaid. You can't see them in the pictures of the garment itself but I wore my silver acorn and leave screw back earrings - perfect for fall, yes? Below, you can see them much better. To me, they look like they were meant to be worn with this suit.

Frauen - Warte 1944-1945

The final instalment of the Frauen- Warte pages! Oh my! Well, to round off the fashion spreads from the war years here is 1944 and 1945 from  the Frauen - Warte. By this time, the Frauen -Warte and the Nazi regime was in its twilight years and the pages of this magazine dwindled significantly particularly in fashion spreads. Below are the fashion images from the Frauen Warte from the years 1944 -1945. Here, there are not many pages featuring original fashion but instead ideas on how to make  do with what was available. For the most part, the mages advised on knitting small winter items and simple accessories instead of full dresses or looks. There are only a couple of pages concerning redoing full dresses.

That's all from the pages of the Frauen Warte!

Did you miss all of my previous installments? Don't worry, here they all are:

1941-1942 part 1

1941-1942 part 2

1942-1943 part 1

1942-1943 part 2

1943-1944

A Suit in Red

For my Grandpa's 80th birthday party, I decided to dress up a little bit in my cherry red suit.
I found this late 40s, early 50s suit in an antique mall in northern Michigan, fitting considering the northern Michigan area is known for cherries and this is a cherry red suit.  When I first saw it, I actually passed on it and then purchased it almost four months later. I have to say, I am very thrilled that I have it, I think every girl ought to have a red suit anyway. The overall lines of this particular suit are pretty simple and straight forward. to really add a unique touch to this suit, the shawl collar adds some detail to it and so do the little bits of sparkle on the collar and faux pockets. The material is a fine wool.

Paired with this look, I choose my original 40s pumps in brown leather, simple pearl jewelry, and a hair flower to spunk up my new hair style. Oh, and of course some seamed stockings.

 

I have admired this look for I don't know how long and have struggled with trying to achieve it for almost a year. It was so frustrating! Then, I found the answer through experimentation one day. To achieve this style is so deceptively easy! All I did was put my hair in pin curls, focusing them on the front and top of my head. Next, I pulled the pins out in the morning, pushed the curls upward, and secured with pins. Viola! I did not pull the curls out too much although I did tease them a touch. For a little extra I added a pink and white flower.  So easy to do!