Glamorous Loungewear from 1949

It's been a long day at the office. Due to cut backs and layoffs, you're doing the work of 2 1/2 people, putting in endless hours as just another cog in the wheel of commerce. You trudge home, put on the same oversize t-shirt and sweatpants you've been wearing in the evening for the last three years. And in the back of your mind, you hear Peggy Lee singing, "Is That All There Is?".

When is the last time you felt like a woman? When is the last time you pampered yourself? When is the last time you indulged your glamorous side?

In the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, at the end of the day, a woman would don luxurious loungewear, and spend the evening feeling feminine and beautiful. She didn't wear it for her man (although it didn't hurt), but for herself. Why not give it a try, and see if it boosts your mood? And if you've never had the pleasure of feeling vintage rayon satin against your skin, you're in for a treat. There's nothing today that feels quite so sultry and delicious.

Above, a Dorian lounge robe in wool jersey with rayon slipper satin skirt, collar, and cuffs. Sold at Neiman Marcus and Best and Co. for $35 in 1949 ($317 today).

A champagne rayon slipper satin lounge robe styled like a trench coat by Raymodes. Sold at Saks Fifth Avenue for $20 in 1949 ($182 today).

Left - Textron hostess gown in red, blue, or green taffeta with black plaid, adorned with black buttons and a black leather belt. Sold for $25 in 1949 ($227 today).

Right - Robert Rosenfeld black rayon pajama jumpsuit with a rayon taffeta overblouse in copper with black stripes. Sold for $35 in 1949 ($317 today).

Lounge robes and pajamas from the 40's are becoming harder to find, but here's a great set from Robin Clayton Vintage that has a short robe with matching wide leg pajama pants. When searching online, you can also search the term hostess robe to bring more results.

For fun, here's the captivating Jean Harlow in some over-the-top lingerie from 1933's "Dinner at Eight".

Henry Rosenfeld - Designer for the Budget Minded

1949

Henry Rosenfeld started his career as a shipping clerk in Manhattan's garment district. He worked his way up the ladder at Bedford Dress, Inc. before striking out on his own in 1942.

The war years were a difficult time for the garment industry due to government restrictions on fabrics and designs. Rosenfeld had contracted to buy fabrics for his line just before the OPA (Office of Price Administration) was preparing to set ceiling prices on fabrics to control inflation and help the war effort. Many garment manufacturers cancelled contracts to purchase fabrics in order to take advantage of the new, lower prices. But Rosenfeld was smart. He honored all of his contracts at the agreed-upon prices that were set before the ceilings went into effect. In later years, when fabric shortages affected the industry, grateful fabric manufacturers gave Rosenfeld first choice.

1955

Elizabeth Hilt was the designer for Henry Rosenfeld, which was a budget label, with dresses ranging from $10.95 - $19.95 in 1946 ($121 - $221 today). Yet the dresses were well cut and simply tailored, which gave them an expensive look. In 1945, Rosenfeld grossed $8,000,000 on sales of 2,000,000 dresses to 12,000 stores.

One of those stores was Lord & Taylor, which featured a Henry Rosenfeld dress in this ad for Glamour magazine in November 1949. This dress was sold in Lord & Taylor's Budget Shops for $17.95 ($163 today). Fashioned of rayon lamé in silver, gold, or gun-metal grey, it has a velvet sash at the waist.

Thank you to Rosenfeld's nephew for pointing out these photos that were featured in a Life magazine article about the designer and his company in 1951.

Vintage Cocktail Dress - One Last Illusion

We just have a peek of a dress in this 1949 ad for Coro Pearls, but what a peek it is! The dress, by Martini, has an off-the-shoulder neckline that reveals a glimpse of an attached red bustier that accents the decolletage. This gives the illusion that madame's racy red undergarments are showing, but it is part of the dress. I love the addition of the red hat. Just another way to entice without revealing too much.

Vintage Cocktail Dress with a Jacket

Here's another way to make an impression. This dress looks rather covered up for evening. But presto, chango:

Take off the jacket and you've got a strapless bombshell of a dress. Interesting how the buttons on the jacket match the buttons on the dress, so you have the illusion (there's that word again!) of one piece, when it is actually two.

This dress by Saks Fifth Avenue is from 1949. The ad states:

"Sheila Lynn's beautiful change-of-costume. Jacket on at the restaurant table, nude shoulders when the music begins."

Now if we only had a fancy restaurant around here that had dancing after dinner, I'd be all set. Love those strappy shoes!

Vintage Cocktail Dress - More Lace

Ooh la la, another use of Chantilly lace - this one from 1949 by Henri Bendel Young-Timers. The photo is in soft focus, so you may have difficulty making it out, but the dress is fashioned from black taffeta with the lace covering the bodice and forming the sheer cap sleeves. The scallops at the edge of the lace extend beyond the taffeta for an alluring neckline.

The dress was originally sold in brown, red, navy, and black and retailed for $69.95 (that's $634.00 today!). The model wears a black velvet bandeaux hat and a rhinestone bracelet. She carries a tiny clutch purse. This ad appeared in the November 1949 issue of Glamour magazine.

In other news, you may not know this about me, but I volunteer at the MSPCA dog shelter in Boston. Meet Lucky and Calvin.

Lucky the Chihuahua and Calvin the Cairn Terrier were surrendered to the shelter because their owners could no longer care for them. The two dogs have always been together and the shelter would like to place them together in a new home. I worked with these boys yesterday, and they are sweet as can be. If you are in the Boston area and are interested, or know someone who might be, please contact me or the Boston MSPCA.