Can you help me date this item??

[Lauren]

I am pretty clueless when it comes to dating sweaters or knitwear... this was listed as 50s, but the label looks older to me for some reason, though I could be mistaken. Any ideas on age?

 

[Foofoogal]

ooh, I saw that cardigan. It is so cute. I say 1940s and possibly 1930s even. :eusa_clap
I will stick with 1940s.
Dry Clean label is odd on this but interesting.

 

[Marla]

Just my own opinion here, but I think it's too fitted through the torso to be '30s. The shoulders appear to be roomy (especially near the top where the shoulder seam meets with the sleeve) so it's possible that that allowance is intended for shoulder pads, which would make the sweater 1940s. I couldn't tell for sure though without examining it.

The dry cleaning tag is really interesting, and makes me think that it must be later than '40s. 1950s could be pretty accurate, actually. Kitschy sweaters caught on in a big way during that decade.

 

[Sunny]

I agree, the label at least looks very 40s. The design otherwise could be very 50s, except like Marla points out, it's fairly fitted. (Unless it's clipped to the mannequin, of course.) Most of the 50s cardigans seem roomier in the body, whereas in the 40s cardigans seem more like sweaters that happen to button up, but not necessarily worn over a shirt or dress.

 

[cherry lips]

I love the pattern! It made me gasp!

I am pretty clueless when it comes to dating sweaters or knitwear... this was listed as 50s, but the label looks older to me for some reason, though I could be mistaken. Any ideas on age?

 

[Foofoogal]

The VFG has 2 very similar labels for Catalina as 1940s.
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what do I know though. I cannot even make anyone understand Homecoming mums were a vintage Homecoming staple as far back as for sure 1960s.

 

[Miss sofia]

sorry lady, i can't watch any youtube clips as my computer is still on the blink, so i'm saving for a new one at the moment.

I'm no expert but i thought the label on the cardi looked very forties too, aside from the drycleaning label. The script used looks very forties comaring it to forties labels i have at home. It's so pretty though Lauren, i'm in awe!

 

[Miss Sis]

I couldn't say for sure but I'd say late 40s/early 50s. I'm not that up on American knitwear labelling, but I'd say I'm sure it could be hand washed!

 

[crwritt]

The VFG has 2 very similar labels for Catalina as 1940s.
---------------
what do I know though. I cannot even make anyone understand Homecoming mums were a vintage Homecoming staple as far back as for sure 1960s.

I googled "Homecoming Mum" since I had not heard of them. I read that they have been a tradition in Texas and other southern states since the 1930's.
From what I read, they have become increasingly gaudy as time has passed.

 

[Foofoogal]

Thank you for that information. I appreciate it.

 

[MaryMary]

Can you help me date this hat?

Hi ladies!

I bought this hat in a vintage shop today - I just loved it because it has a very 30's feel to it, when you wear it tilted to the side. It came with a feather in the ribbon, but it came loose, I will have to reattach but I included a pic of that too. Even though it reminds me of 30's, I don't think it is. All of the 30's hats I own have been "soft" and this one is a hard shell type, if you know what I mean? What do you all think? Also, is it right to wear it how I have it balanced on the stand, like tilted to the side?

Front

Back

Feather

Label inside

Thanks as always

Mary

 

[Lauren]

Just want to say thanks so much, ladies, for helping date the sweater for me! I'm really excited about it, and very thankful for the help!

 

[Sunny]

Hi ladies!

I bought this hat in a vintage shop today - I just loved it because it has a very 30's feel to it, when you wear it tilted to the side. It came with a feather in the ribbon, but it came loose, I will have to reattach but I included a pic of that too. Even though it reminds me of 30's, I don't think it is. All of the 30's hats I own have been "soft" and this one is a hard shell type, if you know what I mean? What do you all think? Also, is it right to wear it how I have it balanced on the stand, like tilted to the side?

Front

Label inside

Thanks as always

Mary

That is a really cute hat! I think it's an excellent retro design from either the late 70s or the early 80s. My mother lets me wear one of hers that is very similar, and she bought it sometime in 1980-1983 when she was working at Tandy.

Hers is more of a 40s shape because it has an angular crown (not rounded) and a wider brim all around, but it's also the same harder wool felt, it has the same shelf-like curving indent around the crown, and it's also stamped inside the crown. (The stamp is a simple one saying more or less "100% wool," and there's a Betmar label as well.)

Yours is a little more cloche-like with that smooth round back. That may indicate an earlier date than my mother's - the 70s tended more toward 30s retro, while the 80s were more 40s retro - but it's just a guess.

Absolutely wear it tilted to the side! My mother's hat is also asymmetrical, with the brim tilted up on one side and down on the other, and I instinctively exaggerate that tilt a little bit. It's a very cute hat.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

Lauren, my ex has men's sport shirts by Catalina with the same label, and they were late 40s!

 

[Valya]

I found this hat in an antique shop. I'm almost certain it's 50s, but I'd like some confirmation, and I was wondering how exactly you are supposed to wear a hat like this?

The pictures aren't great, but the label say "Flah and Co." (I think)

 

[Nomanolo]

We (the girls from my work and I) need help dating this (gorgeous) coat. We can't seem to agree.

It also has a matching waistbelt

 

[Lauren]

Wow- that one has me stumped. It looks almost 60s in the front but the back is cut more late 40s [huh] I'd be interested to hear what others think as well.

 

[Nomanolo]

Wow- that one has me stumped. It looks almost 60s in the front but the back is cut more late 40s [huh] I'd be interested to hear what others think as well.

That's exactly the discussion. I think we should look at the labels closely, they look more '60 to me.... but I'm not a label expert at all

But then a collegue sent me this:

Look at the sketches in the bottom of the drawing (its from 1946)

 

[Drappa]

We (the girls from my work and I) need help dating this (gorgeous) coat. We can't seem to agree.

It also has a matching waistbelt

They are a really famous and expensive German fashion shop. Here's their website: http://www.woehrl.de/unternehmen.html

It says they were founded in 1933. To me the label looks 40's, but maybe you could even email them and ask when they used those labels? Let me know if you want me to do it in German.

ETA: There's no email address, just a form and I am not sure how to add those photos on there?

 

[~Kate~]

What do you ladies think about this dress? I bought it at an antique show but silly me, I forgot to ask how old it was. The label is very badly faded but I think it reads "Winnie Mae Frocks" (but I can't be quite sure). Sorry, not the best picture but it was the only one I had. It looks almost floor length in the picture but it actually hits me about mid-calf. Any ideas when it is from?