The woman in the gray flannel suit (1950)
A suit is the best beginning for any wardrobe, especially a small one. In any season, the gray flannel is the most wearable fashion, with great latitude for accessories.
In the fall, it takes to a velvet scarf or fairs; in the spring, to pique and fresh flowers. It goes with a brimmed sports hat, beret, feathered toque or velvet pillbox, with sweaters or silk shirts. It goes with all colors.
Worn here with silk carnations, navy felt hat with feathers by Joe Cohn, $14.95; calfskin bag, $10.95. Suit by Alvin Handmacher, $60. Suit, coat and dress total around $190.15. The lapin stole like moleskin, $49.50.
Actress Jane Russell in a pink suit (1950)
Actress Jeanne Crain in suit and gloves (1950s)
Suitgems crisp checked suit of worsted and rayon (1950)
Vintage style: Woman in green suit dress and grey kid gloves
Vintage Alvin Handmacher suit (1951)
Receptive to changes, adaptable to many hours and seasons, this timeless oxford-brown flannel with the cut-steel buttons could well be your only suit. Worn here as a monotone costume with Mr Alf’s velour hat. $8.95, brown plastic alligator bag, $5.00, taffeta scarf, beige cotton gloves.
You can wear it with taffeta, velvet and furs, or with sweaters, walking shoes and a soft felt cloche. Try a taffeta or shantung blouse in gold. olive green, silver gray… a cashmere sweater or jersey shirt in mauve, black, brown, beige. Wear it with a brown velveteen vest for warmth, plus fashion.
Give it a Paisley wool or a taffeta scarf. Wear its wonderful six-gore skirt as a separate with wool tops, a leopard or a broadtail belt. Suit by Alvin Handmacher, $75.
Salt and pepper tweed suit (1951)
Salt & pepper tweed suit is an old favorite enjoying new popularity in the fabric field. It is a substantial fabric which tailors well. Our suit had two details worth special mention: a new notched collar, and pockets over the hipline. Vogue design #7438.
Daytime suit worn with off-white gloves
Handmacher lightweight suit (1954)
Cotton suit – The freshest, most satisfying summer fashion… Cool, crisp and every so lightly ribbed, and tailored with flair. (John Frederics hat.)
50s woman in a purple skirt suit (1951)
A very feminine suit made in a sturdy fabric… especially nice in pretty shade. The shaped collar and double-breasted effect look new. A taffeta petticoat to math the lining improves the shape. “Easy to make” Vogue design #7460.
Superbly-fitting unlined Rayon suits for women (1957)
Handmacher tailors these superbly-fitting unlined suits in fabrics that owe more than half their composure to Avisco rayon fibers.
Although their textures are totally different, each fabric has been tested. It dry cleans perfectly, resists wrinkles. You know this is true when you see the Avisco Integrity Tag on the suit you buy.
LEFT: Newly belted in Firenza, by Triplex, with a worsted look. Avisco rayon, acetate and silk. Aqua, pink, toast, lemon, navy, cloud, blue or brown.
CENTER: Close-curving, shawl collared-in Earl Loom’s Angela, crisp, lustrous Avisco rayon and acetate. Beige, caramel, pearl, black or navy.
RIGHT: Blouse-back, with snug hip band-in Earl Loom’s Bouclaine, a textured, flecked weave of Avisco rayon, cotton and acetate. Navy, silver, mocha or beige.
Vintage ladies’ suits made of a rayon blend (1957)
Avisco Rayon, blended with silk or dacron, has a soft, lightweight touch which is so enjoyable in the summer. The porous construction of rayon and blends enables the fabric to breathe, so that air may circulate.
In this way, moisture isn’t trapped, as it may be in other man-made fibers, and clothes never feel clammy next to the skin. Another plus value of rayon is the lack of static electricity, so they will not cling to the wearer.
Woman in suit and cream-colored gloves
Red Christian Dior designer suit (1956)
Vintage Chanel womens suit from 1956
Early suit by fashion designer Yves St Laurent (1958)
Navy-blue jersey Chanel suit (1958)
Trimmed with white braid, and worn with a chalk-white crepe blouse
Model Suzy Parker in Chanel tweed suit (1958)
A loose, easy jacket with bow collar and slim skirt (1958)
Blue green mixture tweed by Alvin Handmacher
White wool tweed suit with gold buttons – Leonard Arkin’s copy of Chanel (1959)
Woman in a royal blue vintage 1950s suit by Nettie Rosenstein (1959)
Beige tweed suit by Dan Millstein with schoolgirl collar of matching mink – Hermes bag (1959)
Belted tunic suit in charcoal gray flannel by Jablow – Sable collar by John Frederick (1959)
Fuchsia tweed suit by Adele Simpson with long gloves in pale brown (1959)
Pleated skirt with slightly fitted jacket in graphite gray checked wool by Dan Millstein (1959)
Sand-beige shadow-checked suit by David Kidd of Arthur Jablow (1959)
