Wards Fall Winter 1947/1848 // Cataloging Catalogs
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- Today we're flipping through Montgomery Wards Fall Winter 1947/1948! I actually own two copies of this season, and the first was falling apart, which actually made it far easier to scan. The other which we will flip through today is a gorgeous copy in a hard backed cover that I received as birthday gift this year and will cherish!
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First, a disclaimer: So many of you have kindly offered to send me things, including vintage items you may have inherited, and I am so honored you would think of me and of course I do adore vintage treasures, however, unfortunately I only have so much storage space currently! So there is a chance that if something just wont work for me, or doesn't fit me etc, that I may not be able to keep all of your lovely things. Please only send things if you are okay with the possibility that I may donate items I just cannot keep. If you would prefer I put things that I can't keep into the TCH Etsy shop to help raise funds for me and the channel, please specify this in a note or letter in your parcel. Thank you so much!
Bianca Esposito
PO Box 632177
Highlands Ranch, CO 80163
Thank you for watching!
What a lovely offering! 1948 just happens to be the first year my grandmother was allowed to buy a wool coat instead of making everything herself, and she and her sister debated for weeks to pick just the right ones. They came in Ward’s fabulous boxes, which were what our family Christmas ornaments were then stored. If I remember correctly they both preferred Ward’s to Sears because their extremely petite frames required basically children’s clothes that mimicked adult’s. Ward’s boxes were also great for sledding!
What a perfect companion story to this video!
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for such a lovely memory.
That was a big treat/investment at these prices and I would have deliberated for ages I'm sure! ❤
I like to think of these videos like the adult version of “Reading Hour” for little kids.
Gather round on the colorful rug, grab some animal crackers, sit criss cross apple sauce, and check out the outfits ✨
@@TheClosetHistorian I see tucks & I see darts, and I see floopies and moths!
I always appreciate fashion lectures with professor Bianca McSpooky-Glam
MCSPOOKY-GLAM!!!!! I love it.
I love these videos. I get to sit with you and browse through history, especially with the way you explain everything.
And about the quality, just the way the seams are laying flat and the edges of the collars are so smooth and symmetrical, it baffles me how it compares to modern day "high quality" garments.
I think it’s a matter of not using the heritage factory machines we have, but actually having to build copies of those machines new so they operate at their best.
My Mum was a Sales Rep, in the 80s and had a huge clothing budget from it. Through watching your vids, I've realized that soooo much of her wardrobe was 40s-inspired and EVERYTHING matched. I can't help thinking of you when I remember a certain silk chartreuse blouse with a huge bow at the neck.
Goodness that blouse sounds most excellent!
That was awesome "DARK VIOLET?!?!?!" **heavy sigh**
I love watching these videos.
My heart genuinely does a little happy skip whenever you upload these!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
"Cataloging Catalogs" are some of my favorite videos. They are so interesting. I love hearing how styles and the social commentary of the day often go hand-in-hand, through your explanations.
Thank you Kelli!
It's so interesting to see garments from that transitional time between wartime and New Look! I agree with you about the peep toe shoes. the smaller opening is so much prettier, and the edges of the larger modern more-than-a-peep hurt my toes! We need a name for those awful things.
They're more like a toe gape than a toe peep! I quite like sandals that go across the arch, but the court shoes (pumps) that expose extensive toe cleavage really weird me out - I know they're supposed to be "sexy", but they honestly just look like they don't fit properly?
Literally screeched when i saw you uploaded this! I love watching these videos while sewing or leading into bedtime. Thank you for this awesome content!
I also watch (and re-watch) these before bed. So many details to pick up, and i love hearing B explain the story and context behind the catalogs that you just cant get from the pinterest scans alone.
I often pause the video on designs that i like, screen shot them from B's pinterest and pop them into procreate for later design ideas and inspiration.
Thank you Kaylee!
Yes to bringing back amazing-looking slippers! As well as housecoats and swooshy floor length nightgowns.
I always enjoy these videos so much! It's just a little peek into a completely different era, and you of course notice things (about the construction/style lines) I would never have noticed myself!
Also, that price conversion really puts things in perspective. It really explains why home sewists were so much more of a thing in the past, because clothes were expensive and being able to make/mend your own clothes is much cheaper!
Thanks Joelle! Some things do seem randomly inexpensive too, every once and a while, like some of the hats, and I think "wish I could get them for that price now!!"
Yes, a cup of Folger's coffee with a touch of milk, and away we go to peruse the lovely late '40s designs. Ah, Thank you for this lovely jaunder through history. 😻 How awesome you were able to actually date the bubble necklace, you already have! 😻 The late '40s do portray a very strong, professional appearance. Wonderful, informative tour. Great Job!!! 😻👍👍
These are some of my favorite videos, love listening to your commentary.
Definitely agree that modern snow suites are shapeless and unflattering. Would love to see a drafting tutorial so that we may all potentially acquire beautiful vintage-style snow wear! ❤️
I would absolutely wear that just around my snowless backyard, playing with my doggo.
If I move to the northeast (aka "omg but the winters there are horrible!!" ville) It may become a necessity 😂
Love looking at these vintage catalogs and swooning right along with you! I adore working with crepe fabrics. The hand is just so soft and beautiful. And once again the tailoring of the garments is exquisite. The use of the plaids and stripes as design elements is amazing especially considering if you buy a ready-made striped or plaid garment today you would be extremely fortunate if they even bothered to match the fabric at the seams.
Lack of pattern matching is a PET PEEVE!!!!!
I worked at Montgomery Ward in the late 70's, early 80's. We were instructed to never say Montgomery Wards as the name had no s attached and Mr. Ward was his name. But everyone did it anyway 😆.
This is like Joanns now, which is Joann Fabrics, but everyone just says Joanns 😅 My mom still calls it Monkey Wards, so really the s isn't the worst problem Wards has got and they're not even around
Love this one, this was the year my mother graduated. Spring of 1948.... lovely ❤
You know the secret to the perfect hair? Some of them are wearing hairnets like snoods. But these nets were very fine and the color of their hair. I had some myself.
They used to be marketed as invisible hairnets.
Though I have seen some with tiny tiny confetti or very subtle sparkle and I WANT them 🤩
I’m SO excited, things have been crazy and I’ve been eyeing my fallish fabric stash, dreaming about getting to play with it, and also realizing I have no inspiration at the moment. So this video could not have been more perfectly timed. Thank you for sharing these treasures with us!!
I love these so much for keeping me company while cooking dinner and washing dishes.
Thank you for showing these catalogs. This green suit is ❤
I'll race you for the Glen Plaid suit. And definitely lamenting the lack of quality today. Not to mention this whole Leisure wear fad to be out in public! What ever happened to actual Style! Can't list how many of these suits and garments I love. It's easier for me to say I just love that you bring the needed quality, style and elegant sensibilities to my life and to our world in general.
I was always mildly disappointed by people wearing sweats and gymwear for non-athletic activities, and leggings and jeggings 🤢, but it wasn't until I started seeing PYJAMAS (the bedtime kind) in public that I died inside
@@rd6203 you went where I dared not go, but so grateful. There should be some kind of extended moratorium on such things!
@@kaytiej8311 I should probably now admit that I mostly wear loose linen pants and tank tops. I live in the desert, so it makes sense, though 😅
@@rd6203 KaytieJ, thats a whole different story to cheap polyester in questionable cuts. I live in a hot climate and a nice cotton/linen outfit is an almost year-round essential, i'm with you.
P.s. @R D, i wholeheartedly concur with your entire comment!
I love how many of these could possibly be future drafting videos. It’s interesting how “boxy” was clearly the style but there were still fitted options available.
Yes the nice thing about these is that I will never run out of styles to demo 😂✨
Loved the scarf dress you lingered over. Thanks for another great video!
such profusion of styling through details and the quality of fabrics! WOW
IKR! 😍 The amount of extremely detailed appliqué, beading, sequining etc was pretty remarkable in this one. And even though the prices per piece would've entailed a decent investment (both now and then), it feels like you'd really have to go to actual couture or fancy label fashions to find that degree of quality decoration these days...? 🤔
As Bianca noted, it also makes one very curious about who was doing that work, and with what tools!
Definitely need some replicas made of those dresses...soon!
And at 61 I definitely rate as matronly!
I will never get tired of these videos. Never!
I love looking at these old catalogs so much class in these clothes.
Like all your videos, this is another pleasure to watch. I have a hot tip regarding sewing supplies, When you are out thrifting, pick up the sewing supplies. I got the perfect pins! They are the 1 inch lenght and strong and smooth. They are what my mom and grandma used. The longer quilting pins are too long 1 1/4 inch long. They always poke me. the shorter ones don't. And they don't bend as easily. The old pins are just made better. The needles are a dream to work with. Smooth and strong with good points. Even easier to thread because the eye is smooth too.
You explain so well that is a joy whatch this catalogs show and tell. I would love to see a tutorial for shoulder pads making! Thank you for the amazing content Bianca!
Thank you Iara!
These tours through catalogs are always a delight. I was just in NYC and went to a Balenciaga & Dior exhibit at the FIT Museum. There were two gorgeous early ‘50s suits on display and of course I thought of you.
So funny seeing these 1940s catalogues that include everything from high-fashion dresses to chickens & bicycles!! 😂 Really makes one wonder what their shipping warehouses were like, but I guess maybe they were just on-selling for various other firms...? The equivalent of our online shopping world, far'before the internet was a thing!
As you noted, it's really interesting to see how each fashion line is offered not just in a range of colours, but also in a variety of fabric qualities? I guess these days you'd have to go to multiple different stores/designers to achieve a similar breadth of choice?
Ah, it's my "coo like an owl hour". Wonderful stuff
I LIVE FOR THESE. I am knitting in my car as I listen to this and saw that butterfly knit and thought, "I NEED TO MAKE THIS."
Agreed!! 😄 I don't quite understand how they managed to make it look so cute, rather than veering towards a kind of twee "Christmas sweater" look, but it seems like maybe it has to do with using a very fine yarn and high stitch count...? Never seen anything at all like that available in modern styles alas!
@@annastevens1526 Definitely a light weight yarn with tiny needles if it were to be handknit. I am.working on a piece from a vintage pattern book from the 40s right now, and I'm knitting with size 4 needles and yarn used for socks. And 4 is on the larger side of the tiny knitting spectrum. It's gonna take me 5 years! 😭
As you started showing the handbags the question popped into my head had you ever turned a page and gone "I have that!" and then a few minutes later you do! I was at a sewing show last year and the Royal School of Needlework had display frames of work over the centuries and in one case was beaded purses one of which was virtually identical to the one I've inherited from my Gran. The case said 1940s but my Gran's has her maiden name name tape in it so it has to be from when she was away at college 1926-1929 so quite a while earlier. Just goes to show that even professionals get dating wrong sometimes! And yes, I have also restrung a pearl necklace backwards! 😄
I still wear twins sets. I also wear a lot of cardigans with a coordinating or contrasting top.
Watching your videos on 1940s catalogs make me insanely aware of what I loved about the 80s. The mix and match suiting page reminded me of several favorite work outfits I had between 1987 and 1989.
Same for the blouses. 1980s blouses rocked...because they were definitely 1940s callbacks!
I know this isn't generally something you cover on your channel, but when you mentioned the Dior New Look, I went down the rabbit hole. If you ever wanted to do a deep dive on iconic fashions, I'd eat it up!
“Dark violet! Oh my.” Had me giggling.
I would be thrilled to grab some dark violet rayon crepe! 😩💜
The National Recovery Board Coat and Suit Industry was in full swing at the end of the 40’s. Designed to stabilize wages in the garment industry. That is a big reason that garments were made better!
Thank you for your comment. I never would have known!
I recently purchased a vintage child’s coat in a thrift shop and was amazed at the quality of the craftsmanship. The label was still inside so it lead me to do some research or I wouldn’t have known either. That protection in the industry lasted until the early 70’s.
Love pattern and clothing catalogs 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩💖💖💖💖
I purchased a Bali flower bra on your recommendation. I love it!
I'm glad you like it!!
A great stroll through the history of fashion.
I absolutely ADORE these catalogue videos, Bianca! So much to drool over and be inspired by 😍😍😍 And this one was particularly glorious. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you Mara!
28:10 that dress on the left is amazing, i'm in love. Thank you for sharing with us!
The single one that caught my eye most was the check dress wiith the bias lines over the bust (princess seam to shoulder?) that continue to the skirt pockets, yum!!! 25:00, the left one. I wonder if I can make something like that in my hideous but lovely camel-and-purple plaid... probably not, it's almost blanket weight... but I know what I wanna try next time I find some nice purple plaid flannel!!
Okay - very late to the party but I had to let you know how much I enjoyed this!
I'm feeling very blessed right now, as I was given a coat that looks very similar to those available in this catalogue, that was bought vintage in the 80's here in Dublin. We weren't certain when it was vintage from, but I'm now 95% certain it is a 40's coat!
The evening wear in this particular catalogue is full of inspiration, I really want to make a version of the black on black beaded dress
You had me at the title picture - please tell me you’re making that green dress, it would look SO FAB on you!
That green wrap dress is *chef's kiss*
Edit: Corduroy is an underrated fabric, it'd be cool to see you make something in it.
I just decided to make a cosplay of Leah of Hel from the Young Avengers comics, and her dress has a lot of 1930's styling. It's also drapey and jade green, which is what you have on the thumbnail! Thanks for sharing this; it's beautiful and I enjoy your commentary, and thanks for soothing my worries about rayon twill as a fabric choice.
30:02 the outrage over dark violet haha! I love these videos so much
Thank you for these videos. They are great specially for people who will never see anything like this because of living on the other side of the globe :D
They don't make jade green like the 1940s did anymore. I love the crepe dresses 😍
Love these so much!
I have this catalog and the spring one of this year. I got them years ago at an estate sale for 50 cents each. I wish I had others. I love the more a-line feminine styles. I wish I could order some of these coats and dresses now. I enjoyed listening to your presentation of this fashion history.
Thank you Linda! The Spring/Summer for '47 and for '48 are great too for sure!
I am new to this channel and I’ve been binge watching you I am really interested in vintage fashion as well and you are inspiring I love to listen to your voice very happy to have found your channel! From California, Kimberly Davis
Thank you!
Love looking at old catalogs. The wrap bodice with v neck dresses, there is a 1946 McCall's pattern number 6713, pattern cover one dress is peach color and the other is black short sleeves with a blue half wrap bodice with shoulder gathers, I have contemplated making the dress, would love to see you do the dress, black and chartreuse, black and orange Halloween, nice. I made an all-in-one sleeve blouse back button with one shoulder five slanted tucks from watching your videos McCall's 6717. Maybe a different blouse would be easier for my first attempt at pattern drafting (but where is the fun in that) it took me two tries; the bodice pattern was shorter in the back guess I missed something in your video for drafting but corrected that and now it fits perfect. Thanks for everything, having fun. (Posted before I finished watching the video).
"But where is the fun in that" 😂 SAME!
Thank you Renee! I actually have indeed made my own McCalls 6713 dress, in dark red rayon crepe, but I'm afraid that one was over on Patreon is all 😅❤ Sorry about that!
Thanks Bianca! I was so in need of a Wards catalog fix. Edit: I got to say this Cataloging Catalogs was just the best.
Thank you!
This is delightful
This was just what I needed after today. Thank you! ❤️
I'm simply in love with the boxy styles... I wish I was a giant rectangle! :D
Ooh, excited for a new Cataloging Catalogs!
I would love to see you in an embroidered satin sports jacket á la Drive. It would be so different and fun!
I have this catalog, and I love to hear your comments!
Love these videos, some of my favorite knitting viewing! The coats remind me of my mom's and I am a baby Boomer!
Me too. Got several very long rows done during this one. GenX here. 🙂
Loved this!
Thank you!
Yes please. An 8 hour talk through such a catalogue would be wonderful. 😂 you don’t have to shoot in one shot, you could take your time with it😜 just joking. Saw some great suits as inspiration. Green mmmm never thought of it myself, but a new option to ponder upon 💚💚💚
This confirms that I have the model body for 40s looks.. maybe I should just make 40s clothes for myself...
Thank you for the time travel!😄
One of the quality differences might be in what sheep supplied the wool. Even now there are massive diffrencesin price. I am in the process of making a merino sweater with diffrent colours, prices ranging from about 12€ per kilo to about 50€ a kilo for just the fibre, not spun up yet.
Thank you lovely Miss B : )
Thank you ❤
The shoulders are giving me "Joan Crawford" vibes.😸
My cottage core is the immortal witch who lives in an anime personally. Spooky but not scary immediately.
I enjoy this so much! Thank you so much.
I would love a video on adding to the basic block, adding extra dart, adding ruching etc etc
Ok, I made an audible noise at those white faux fur coats. Who new 47 was . . . delicious
I love this so much! I know you just did a wrap dress, but would you be open to showing the green wrap dress shown at 20:55? I love that asymmetric gathering. Also, I love bow necklines! Can't wait for that video.
Wonderful 🤩🤩🤩💖💖
thaaankkks professor
I love these videos so much, they're an excellent resource!
Going to throw a request out there: would love to see some mid-late 50s if you have a catalogue from like... 55-57? I know your style leans earlier; would just be cool to see one when the new look and iconic silhouettes are in full swing
I do have some later 50's ones I can dive into! The thing about the later 50's is those darn super boxy 60's-ish suits, not my personal favorites 😅
I really need to learn to sew
I have to share a sewing story my mom told me. ( she was a tween around this catalog date) she argued with her sewing teacher that a young girl would have a white Peter-pan collar and not a matching one that the teacher insisted on. 70 years later she still remembers.
She held that grudge and I respect that 😂❤
@@TheClosetHistorian the fact she argued at all was major, she is very shy and retiring and still going strong @ 86
love youuuuuuu!
I wish item descriptions today were like catalog descriptions then.
about the hair, they didnt wash their hair back then. the shampooing every day didnt start until the 70s. edit- they didnt start washing every day until the 70-80s. they washed about once a week or so. i remember when conditioner came out thats when the washing really got rolling.
Love these videos! Those suits! 🤤
I like the idea you had about a silk jacket with a cicada on the back!
Stay tuned for a different take, a blazer with bats down the back...
All I can think about is dry cleaning bills!
19:26. When I did Visual Merchandising in the 80's I would hear the sales women refer to this style of dress as a "career girl" dress. Inevitably their next sentence would be: " Think of all the ways you could make it appear to be a whole new outfit by just changing accessories"
44:58 THE TRUE ORIGIN OF EMO!
That girl would have been my friend. Where is she now?
Thanks for the video.
YAY!!!
The 2-piece Evening dress with the princess seams on the bodice and the gathering under the bust is one I'm curious about how it could be done. I have an idea, but I wonder what your take would be on it.
LOVE,LOVE YOUR SHOW...JUST MY INTEREST...SEWING ALSO, HATS ARE MY HOBBY. WANT TO MAKE MY OWN, HOWEVER BRITAIN HAS A MONOPOLY ON THE MILLINARY PRODUCTS TO MAKE THE HATS
Check out Sew Sew Lounge she went to NY and found bug pins at the first store she went to. She shows them on her video. They ship everywhere. Just FYI.
Where was veiling considered appropriate? Evening, events, parties? Not school or the supermarket? In 1948 my grandmothers were 42 and 20 years old. My mom was a newborn. I enjoy speculating on what each of them would have gravitated to.
It's hard to find specific hat etiquette guides, but I imagine for most situations veiling was perfectly appropriate becuase it is just a part of SO many of the vintage hats kicking around. I would say about half of the hats I have purchased that don't have veiling, actually do have traces of where veiling used to be attatched. Teenagers often didn't wear hats yet, or at least not formal chic hats like their mothers, it was part of transforming into a lady (like in the film Sabrina where she comes back all chic from Paris, no longer viewed as a girl but as a sophisticated woman). They may have worn hats for church or more formal occasions like family weddings or such, but probably not to school. The descriptions for these hats often have suggestions on where to wear them or how!
Here’s hoping your student debt is going down soon and you can save even faster for your haunted house 🖤
Lets make haunted cottage core a thing if it isn't already 😁
Pop tart fabric should also be a thing. I need to not comment until the end - makes note to just take notes next time lol