Vintage Clothes

Vintage clothes are some of the most fun things to collect. Nothing pokes holes in today’s fashion conceits as well as seeing yesterday’s fashion conceits!

In this group of shirts, the one at the far left is a cotton Enro Shirt-Jac with adjustable side-tabs (USA). The rayon one in the middle’s tag reads “Produced by Peppermint Marajuku.” The fabulous yellow Buenos Liberto shirt is from Italy. Vintage shirts of this era are increasingly difficult to find. I found this yellow one at a flea market. The seller was wearing it and sold me, literally, the shirt off his back. The wonderful June Cleaver dress here has no tag so its maker is unknown, but it’s clearly from the mid-1950s and a delight to the eye I’m sure you’ll agree.

The crazy yellow Atkinsons Lido Boat Pants (California, USA) are fine, thin cotton and the white striped cotton/poly pants are from Farah (USA). Clothes almost never bear the date of their manufacture, but clearly most items here are the same vintage as the neckties, late 1950s. The Farah slacks, however, I would estimate as 1970.

In the group of neckties, from the left, the first three are untagged. The red square-end is a Van-Cali (“a Van Heusen original”) and is mostly wool. The wonderful white pleated tie is from Wormser “Hatters To Men.” The gray with wavy lines is untagged. The skinny red & black pattern is from Lefohn’s Store for Men, Hollywood and the gray silk with the line down the center is a Don Loper of California. The next is unmarked, and the last, a wool tie is marked “The Cabrillo.” All are c.1959. Older 1930s and ’40s ties are wider, wilder, and much more collected, but there is something appealing to me about these slim, “mid-century modern” neckties.

A gentleman always carries a handkerchief. Here's a goofy boy’s football handkerchief followed by five of the most stylish examples of this classic men’s accessory.

This little sailor suit is tagged Petit Jouet and was made in France. The child’s cowboy shirt is cotton flannel and untagged.