Foofoogal said:
It has a RAU fastener so I know it was made after 1912. I love history. lol
It's a great find.
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Foofoogal said:
crazydaisy said:look at that hat and dress!
Pink Dahlia said:If I can interject as a fairly new 1920s collector, my collection started with patterns. They are much cheaper and they can give that authentic 20s look without the massive cost and wear and tear. I own exactly 3 authentic 20s dresses all from eBay (one I disassembled and made a pattern out of since it was just too ruined to wear). They are very fragile and were somewhat costly. Maybe Mo can advise that 20s garb is cheaper over there! (Maybe not.) I have a bunch of stuffs in my blog but I'm no expert!
Mojito said:Very pleased blushes here, Celia and Tomasso - thank you. Celia, you are so very lovely to compare me in any way to Phryne - she's my secret guilty fictional indulgance, and I adore the character (clothes, food, flirting (and a bit more than flirting), living well...oh yes, and the odd mystery.
Celia, Pink's idea about patterns is a good one particularly if (as I am not) you are talented in that way. I'm hoping to break down one of the dresses I wore in Napier into pattern elements, as it felt so fabulous on - unfortunately the light silk was already on the point of failure and had undergone many repairs before I bought it, knowing it was deeply flawed but loving the colour. I was hoping it wouldn't collapse completely while I was wearing it, but fortunately it held up for just that one wear.
When you're collecting pieces, I think it's all too easy to fall into the same mistake that many new collectors in many areas do - they go for more of the cheaper pieces. In my case, I bought virtually anything that would fit me, regardless of style, quality or condition. Rather than do that, I'd recommend that you save your money on several of the cheaper pieces and invest in something that is in better condition and of better quality.
Don't turn your nose up at a bargain, though - I've bought many dresses for less than $40 - 50 USD, including this brown lace dress that is a favourite:
Same with hats - you'd be surprised what you can find on eBay that has been poorly photographed, poorly displayed, and perhaps needs a touch of steaming. I bought a pretty little I Magnin straw cloche (unfortunately I don't have a photo) for less than $20.
Go for versatility and durability if you intend to wear them - a beaded tabard on a netting base can be worn over a variety of coloured slips to achieve different effects.
Be aware that you would be wise to resew at least the underarm sleeves on long sleeved garments - I heard this tip from a vintage clothing dealer, and she was spot on. And be careful of beads - the base fabric may be strong, but the beads may shed with a horrible tinkling sound with every step you take. My mother is wearing a tabard in this photo that she had to virtually entirely resew - as soon as she'd touch a thread, it would disintegrate. She was able to stabilise the beading, and I think hardly lost a bead all night when she wore it (need to find a better photo - she's hiding herself with that awful big tote in this photo, and you can't really see the dress):
You may want to specialise in the first or second half of the decade, as they were quite distinct (personally, I just love them all).
