Hello dearies! Exciting things are happening over here at the Boyer Family Singers studio! Not only for us singers, but also for the blog! Just to give you a wee hint at what that exciting blog thing might be, I thought I would share with you all some 1940's fashion magazine scans. I don't know about you, but flipping through the pages of a 1930's-50's magazine always makes me sigh for the old days...
Could you imagine having a $1 a day budget? In today's money that would be approximately $16.53 a day! Phewee! I'm glad if I have that much to spend a month! Oh, and the top picture is out of this here Glamour magazine. If you want to see what that $1 a day budget would buy you back in 1941, you can scroll down and see that at the bottom of this post.
Isn't that jumper and bolero set just divine? The page is from the March, 1940 edition of Mademoiselle Magazine. I can just make out the description for the bolero set to say:
"That childlike look is a jumper suit of wool and Crown Tested rayon with a baby bolero and a set of two blouses – A white organdy (left), and a peppermint striped cotton. $22.95, Bloomingdales"
$22.95 is equal to a whopping $379.32 in todays cash! Just think of the quality of the items back then! And we only want to pay less than $10 for a dress? What else should we expect but poor quality from such a price? (unless you're at Goodwill ;)
I wish we had a zoom function on our blog, or that I had enough space to write out this whole page. It compares the styles of Paris and New York for the year 1940. Again this page is from the March 1940 edition of Mademoiselle. You all will have to satisfy yourselves with these brief excerpts:
From the lefthand page:
"Paris Sets You Straight...
The Bloused Silhouette is the big news in Paris. You see it hovering in rose over this page.... If you like the fitted and the flared, Paris says you can have it, with less flare. But no exaggerations at shoulders, at elbows, at the hemline. You can keep on showing off your little waist, accenting it with contrasting corselets and belts. Let your waistline settle lower, and watch this trend of the 20's."
From the righthand page:
"New York Narrows You Down...
Notice Please all the neat little, trim little dresses and suits scattered throughout this book. The clothes that America likes best. That take us right into spring with a bounce. Everything has a sparkling, fresh boomps-a-daisy look. Even the accessories are slick and neat.
The Torso Silhouette is the big news in New York. It all started from the new long-torso corset just designed by Mainbocher. It's much more of a phenomenon, so far as figures are concerned, than the wasp waist. It's as though you had done an Alice-in-Wonderland and stretched your waistline, vertically, by innumerable inches. It gives you a higher bosom, a neater rib-line, and a longer and, therefore, lower waistline. This is New York's way of beginning to set you straight, and you see it here in this yellow silhouette, and elsewhere in this issue.
Wait a second, they're talking about the wasp waist as being a past phenomena? It's only 1940! They haven't even seen the meaning of a wasp waist yet! And bringing back the trends of the 1920's? I thought going back just two decades for style inspiration was a new thing. Apparently not!
And here are those two different styles displayed for the reader! The Paris style of a more boxy, practical silhouette is on the right (doesn't look very 20's to me), while the slimmer, fitted style of New York is on the left. Remember, this article was from 1940, when the war was just beginning, and because of that, American designers were beginning to gain more prestige over Paris in their home country.
This is a fun little page. Would you look at that round saucer hat? And such a cute, practical shirt-dress. Again, this page is from the March 1940 edition of Mademoiselle. Which blouse would you wear from the selection on the left?
Oh, and here we have the "$1 a day budget" from the September edition of Glamour magazine which I mentioned above. So, $1 a day, $365 a year... What would that be, approximately, in today's cash? $6,032.83!!! Sheesh! I don't know about you, but I do not have that much to spend per year! But I suppose I would have to spend approximately that much if I had to get an entirely brand new wardrobe. What would $1 a day buy you in a 1940's wardrobe? (Today's prices put in [here])
"Fall: Sports Coat, $17[$280.98]; Dress Coat, $30 [$495.85]; Tailored Dress, $10[$165.28]; Tailored Dress, $6[$99.17]; Suit, $20[$330.57]; Afternoon Dress, $15 [$247.92]; Afternoon Dress, $13[$214.87]; Evening Dress, $17[$280.98]; Accessories – Hat, $5[$82.64]; Shoes, $5[$82.64]; Bag, $3[$49.58]; Gloves, $3[$49.58]; Hat, $3[$49.58]; Shoes, $5[$82.64]; Bag, $3[$49.58]; Gloves, $2[$33.06]; One set of Jewelry, $5[$82.64].
Winter: 4 slips, $8[$132.23]; 3 girdles, $12[$198.34]; 3 bras, $3[$49.58]; 3 panties, $3[$49.58]; 3 gowns, $6[$99.17]; Robe, $5[$82.64]; Year's stockings, sheer and service weight, $25[$413.21]; Pair mules, $2[$33.06].
Spring: Jacket dress, $15[$247.92]; Suit, $20[$330.57]; Evening dress, $10[$165.28];
Spring hat, $5[$82.64]; Shoes, $5[$82.64], Sweater, $4[$66.11]; Bag, $3[$49.58];
Gloves, $3[$49.58]; Blouse, $4[$66.11]; One set of Jewelry, $3[$49.58].
Summer: Two-piece dress, $6[$99.17]; Cotton dress, $6[$99.17]; Cotton dress, $6[$99.17]; Shirtwaist dress, $6[$99.17]; Playsuit, $4[$66.11]; Bathing Suit, $4[$66.11]; Short coat, $8[$132.23]; Big Summer hat, $5[$82.64]; Little hat, $3[$49.58]; Dress Shoes, $5[$82.64]; Play shoes, $3[$49.58]; One set of junk jewelry, $3[$49.58].
That was one wealthy lady who could afford all that! Golly! But, the model of what you could buy to have a well rounded wardrobe is a useful diagram to have, and I think I may just take some inspiration from it. Oh, and just think, when you see a 1940's dress on Etsy.com listed for $100, you would be paying approximately the same price as the lady who bought it back in the 40's! Now that's a neat thought!
On a completely different note, have any of you heard of Chronically Vintage's first ever Vintage Secret Santa? I've signed up! I love the idea of giving a present to someone you don't know who could be all the way across the sea, or as close as in your home country. Not to mention receiving a present from someone far or near as well :). I remember we girls used to do Secret Santa's with our cousins. We would each draw one of our names from a hat to figure out who would give who a gift. It was SO much fun!
So, there are two hints in this post for the exciting blog event I was talking about at the beginning of this post. Can you figure out what it is?
Are you going to participate in Chronically Vintage's first ever Vintage Secret Santa?
What would you do with $6,032.83? Buy clothes, or do something else?
Can you guess what the secret event is going to be?
Blessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
CREDITS // Author: Brigid Boyer; Magazine Scans: Glamour, September 1941 & Mademoiselle, March 1940
I really enjoyed this post, Brigid; it was very interesting to see the money comparisons of then and now. Imagine having all that money to spend! :) Great post. -Ashley
ReplyDeletethriftytoppings@blogspot.com
Oh my goodness! This magazine is just stinkin' adorable - I can't bear it! Do you posses such vintage magazines? If so, where did you find/get/buy them?
ReplyDeleteAs for the 'exciting event' - maybe you're giving away vintage patterns? :-)
Naomi,
DeleteThese scans are actually from some magazines that our local historical society museum has in their possession. We got to borrow them for a few weeks and scan whatever information we wanted out of them (SOO nice!). Currently I only have some 1920's needlework magazines and a 1957 Harper's Bazaar in my collection. I found the 20's magazines at a booksale for, I think, $0.50 for the whole box. The Harper's Bazaar was about $6 at a local antique store.
It's my dream to one day own an actual 40's magazine... Someday! :)
Oh, and you are close with your guess, my dear, but not quite right... ;)
Blessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Wow - lucky you! :-) Me too, I'd love to possess a 40's magazine. I have a fashion plate (not a whole magazine, just one or two pages) of that era - I found it in my great-grandma's attic - always a good place to find stuff. :-)
DeleteOh, so I was close, was I? Good. I'm curious! :-)
Oh my goodness, Brigid, that magazine is absolutely divine! Old magazines are my favorite things to collect. I mean, collecting other things like gloves or jewelry is fun and all, but old magazines give you a full 30 minutes at least of entertainment not to mention they are often useful and great to come back to if an article becomes relevant to something you are doing. I didn't know about the secret santa until you said and now that you said it I totally will sign up! That sounds like a lovely way to make a new friend. If I had six thousand dollars then every ounce of me would want to make a real 1940s wardrobe out of it but I'm afraid it would have to be saved for the future. :P Does the secret event involve your singing?
ReplyDeleteHannah,
DeleteI know what you mean! When we were allowed to borrow the magazines the scans are from, I spent every afternoon pouring over every page. Lovely!
No the secret event has absolutely NOTHING to do with our singing! ;)
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Is the exciting event something to do with starting a business? Are you finally going to be selling your beautiful dresses? (Pleease?! :)
ReplyDeleteNo, Hannah. I wish it was, but unfortunately blogging and singing is enough of a business as it is. ;) Though I will say the event does have to do with pretty vintage dresses...
DeleteBlessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
These pages are so great! I think it would be really interesting to try and reproduce that "$1 per day" wardrobe plan, except to keep it truly on such a budget today. Honestly, $365 in a year would go quite a long way, what with thrift shopping and being able to make and exchange clothes ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWhat a genius idea Kira! That would actually be a fun, long term, blog challenge to do! And an excellent exercise in budgeting. What do you think?
DeleteBlessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Oh how fun!! :) This is adorable.
ReplyDeletewoah! I had no idea how much more $1 was worth in the 40's! I would probably spend a little bit of $6,032 on clothes, but the majority of it would go towards a camera upgrade. :) I'm looking forward to the secret event, and all I can guess is that it has something to do with dressing vintage. :)
ReplyDeleteNuala
You have the closest guess yet Nuala!
DeleteI too had no idea about the HUGE amount of inflation until just last year, I think, and I was absolutely shocked! And just think, if $1 back then is equal to approximately $16 today, $0.25 for a sewing pattern, back then, is equal to about $4 today. Still cheaper than today's money, but still it's insane!
Blessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
Ooo! I have a guess-are you going to start designing beautiful vintage-inspired patterns to sell? You absolutely should, if that isn't what the surprise is!
ReplyDelete