Wardrobe Update - The Reveal - Autumn Capsule Wardrobe

Wow, what a busy week!  I cleaned out my closet, listed lots on ebay (and made abut $300 if I don't count the horse gear I sold) and worked out my 'capsule' wardrobe.
This was last week (plus another half metre of my husband's hanging space on the other side of the walk in robe):

before

This is now:

After (blurry, sorry)

       

And it fits into two suitcases!

Working from my 1930s plan I set out last week, this is the list of what was suggested and what I have for Autumn/Spring wear - not really vintage, but often a vintage feel and often thrifted. You'll see the colour scheme is black, white, grey, brown and orange. (I have put what each item cost me in brackets).


The Wardrobe

Dresses
Suggested:
2 cotton, for summer street wear
4 rayon, 3 fair quality, one inexpensive house dress
1 wool dress
1 rayon party dress

Actual:
2 cotton dresses (black and white, 1 bought new 2011, 1 op shop 2011 total - $50)
2 rayon work dresses (black and white and leopard print, 1 new this year, sale $20, 1 op shop $2)
1 rayon party dress (op shop this year, $2)
1 pair long pants (black, op shop last year $2)
1 pair long wide leg silky pants (brown, new this year, sale $5)
1 pair 3/4 pant (grey, new last year, sale $10)
1 pair shorts (black, this summer, $30)

    

     

  

Other (buy every other year)

Suggested:
1 wool skirt
1 sweater
1 blouse
1 smock (to wear over dresses while at home)

Actual:
I wool skirt (gored, lined, brown, thrifted last year $2)
1 orange short sleeve cardigan (new this year, sale $35)
1 Short sleeve silver sweater (thrifted this year $2)
1 gold knit shrug (new 2010, $30)
2 blouses (I black with white spots, one leopard print, both new 2011, $20)
1 orange knit top with bow (thrifted last year, $2)
3 T-shirts - black, leopard, orange sleeveless (various total $20)

       

Shoes

Suggested:
2 pairs medium quality street shoes
1 pair medium quality dress shoes
1 pair evening slippers, every other year
1 pair inexpensive white shoes
Rubbers/sand shoes 1 pair every other year
House slippers

Actual:

2 pairs medium quality street shoes (one brown, one grey, new 2012 sale $30 total)
1 pair medium quality dress shoes (leopard print wedges, new this year, sale $20)
1 pair good dress shoes (black peep toes, new in 2011, $120)
1 pair evening slippers (silver and bag, shoes new 2011 and vintage bag total $50)
1 pair inexpensive sandals (orange, new this year, sale $12)
I pair dressy flats (gold thongs, gifted)
Sand shoes (orange,new this year $15)
Pair orthopaedic thongs (black, not shown, new, $35)

      

 

 

Accessories :

Suggested
3 handbags at $1 each (or fewer and better)

3 pairs gloves, 1 leather, 2 fabric
Umbrella, every other year
3 handbags at $1 each (or fewer and better)
4 felt hats, two heavy, two light
3 pairs gloves, 1 leather, 2 fabric
handkerchiefs, dozen per year

Actual
2 satchell bags (new, orange, Myer sale $70, black thrifted $5)
1 large handbag(vintage, snake skin, bought 2010, thrifted $5)
1 evening bag (vintage, black, bought 2010, $10)
2 small bags with straps (1 gold, vintage, 1 leopard print, bought 2009 total $20)
1 tiny evening bag (vintage, silver, bought 2012, $15)
1 Umbrella (black, not shown)
2 sun hats (1 black wide brim, 1 orange narrow brim, one new this year, sale $15)
1 beret (new, black, this year sale, $20)

   

 

Underwear

Suggested:
2 under-vests, rayon or knitted
3 knit rayon bloomers
2 panties, 1 rayon, 1 silk
4 slips, 3 rayon, 1 silk
2 corsets or girdles
3 brassières
3 nightgowns, 1 cotton, 1 rayon, 1 cotton flannel
Flannel bathrobe (every 3 yrs.)
Rayon kimono, every other year
20 pairs medium silk stockings


Underwear Actual - (won't show these!)
2 pairs body shapers ($40)
2 slips, (1 black 1 white, vintage, op shop $3)
6 brassières (2011, 2012 total $200)
2 nightgowns, 1 cotton, 1 rayon (gifts)
Cotton kimono (vintage, op shop $5)
6 pairs stockings/pantihose (op shop new in packets $10 and gift)


Need to unpack coats from storage for winter - suggested:

Medium quality fur-trimmed coat, every 3 years
Wool spring coat, every other year
Raincoat, every 3 years


Need to buy:
Comfy Black dres/swork shoes (the pair I have hurt my feet, for dress only) - estimated $160
Another hat/beret - estimated $20
dozen handkerchiefs - estimated $20
stockings as needed- estimated $20
slippers (gift)

Would love:
30s style suit
Felt hat
Black wool skirt

In total my wardrobe has cost me about $902 , that is $232 for clothes, $258 for underwear, $252 for shoes and $160 for accessories.  Not bad really. Under $1,000!

I worked out last week that my budget would be $3,400 for the year in 2013 (with $850 for personal care).  That means you could expect to spend about $284 for clothes per month (and $70.85 for personal care). I think I am doing pretty well on my budget, don't you think. I may be able to afford that suit after all!

Next I have to go through my stored winter clothes. Our winter here is short, only about two months (June , July), so we don't need many warmer clothes.  I had a suede jacket and boots my first few years here, but I haven't bother to update these lately.

Deb xx

Wardrobe Update - Organizing, Planning, Budgeting

It's time to clean out my wardrobe, again. It's the end of April and although we are still having hot days, I am sure the weather will cool down soon.  I am also planning a trip to colder Victoria in June, so it's time to put away the sandals and get out a cardigan or two. I am also back at work three full days a week, and helping out at school the other two days, so I need to look a bit stylish and not just wear my favourite 'house dresses."

Mary Mirota, private secretary, circa 1940

This is what I have at present.  Horrible I know, I am being brave showing it (there's more on the other side too). Time to list everything on ebay I think.

But what do I need? What do I need to keep, and what can I get rid of?  Ideally I would love to have a wardrobe that fits into two suitcases. Shoes included.  And a smaller 'beauty case' for makeup, perfume etc.  Makes it much  easier to pack that way, and I would actually wear everything I own, rather than having it sit in the wardrobe for months on end.

What would the wardrobe of a working woman in the 1930s have looked like?  Of course she would have been young, as most married women did not work in the 30s, especially those in the middle or upper classes.  I imagine though, that my life would have been similar to now - working with my husband a few days a week to answer phones, book clients, do the books and make tea, while the children are at school.  I probably would have had a maid, or at least a girl to come in and clean and do the laundry, and even cook,  so I would have had more free time than now.

A maid could even clean the children (1930)

In 1935 Australia  a male manager, clerk or teacher would have earned about £364 9s 2d, a female about £145 13s 9d (£=pound, s= shilling, d= pence). According to the Australian Reserve bank, today that's equal to about $27,000 for a male, and $10,760 for a female.  They also have a five pence loaf of bread in 1930 being equal to $1.54 today - I know I can't get a loaf for under $2, so  I am not sure how accurate their inflation calculator is.

Teachers at Market Lavington School in the 1930s 

At the same time in America, the equivalent wage would have been about $1455, a figure which is easier to deal with the American book I am using, ‘Clothing’ (Latzke and Quinlan, 1935). It lists the estimated annual budget a single working woman needed to live on in New York in the 1930s, along with what was seen as her minimum wardrobe requirements. This minimum ensured a good appearance, something that was vital to maintain her present position and to help make professional advancement.   The budget set about $200 for clothing and $50 for upkeep and personal care per year, which I am assuming includes haircuts, make up etc.  To put that in perspective, a bicycle in 1935 cost around £3 -4, or $30.

If we add inflation from 1935, that $200 has the same buying power as $3,400 in 2013, and the $50 works out to around $850.  That means you could expect to spend about $284 for clothes per month, and $70.85 for personal care.  The clothes budget I am pretty happy with, but I am going to have to stop getting my hair coloured to stick to that personal care budget!

By modern standards this wardrobe list is quite basic,  but it was built on each year.  Dresses and suits would have been altered and repaired each season, not simply discarded.  Older dresses became house wear.

The Wardrobe

Dresses

• 2 cotton, for summer street wear 
• 4 rayon, 3 fair quality, one inexpensive house dress
• 1 wool dress
• 1 rayon party dress

Other - buy another every other year

• 1 wool skirt
• 1 sweater 
• 1 blouse
• 1 smock (to wear over dresses while at home)

Underwear

• 2 under-vests, rayon or knitted
• 3 knit rayon bloomers
• 2 panties, 1 rayon, 1 silk
• 4 slips, 3 rayon, 1 silk
• 2 corsets or girdles
• 3 brassières
• 3 nightgowns, 1 cotton, 1 rayon, 1 cotton flannel
• Flannel bathrobe (every 3 yrs.)
• Rayon kimono, every other year
• 20 pairs medium silk stockings

Shoes

• 2 pairs medium quality street shoes
• 1 pair medium quality dress shoes
• 1 pair evening slippers, every other year
• 1 pair inexpensive white shoes
• Rubbers/sand shoes 1 pair every other year
• Overshoes (galoshes) 1 pair every other year
• House slippers 1 pair every other year

Coats

• Medium quality fur-trimmed coat, every 3 years
• Wool spring coat, every other year
• Raincoat, every 3 years

Accessories

• 3 pairs gloves, 1 leather, 2 fabric
• Umbrella, every other year
• 3 handbags at $1 each (or fewer and better)
• 4 felt hats, two heavy, two light
• handkerchiefs, dozen per year

I notice that there are no pants listed, or even a suit.  Designer Elsa Schiaparelli thought a suit essential for all women in the 1930s, and even designed a pant suit for her fall/winter collection in 1939, so I think I will add a suit with skirt and pants, and another pair of pants, to my list.

 Secretary Mary Mirota, on the right, in a suit, with her employer and her children, 1939

Instead of bloomers and girdles, we now have body shapers - I like those thigh length ones, or bike shorts, for under dresses to stop that thigh rub.  It's so hot here that I only wear stockings in the dead of winter, so ten pairs would  do me. Although I may cheat and use pantyhose too.

Elsa Schiaparelli in a suit, 1930s

Being an older working woman, I would have had at least twenty years to put a wardrobe together, so I can start with more (yeah!), but not buy more than indicated. At present I have one coat, no felt hats (only sun hats and one winter turban) and only one pair of gloves - I may have to change that before I head south. I would also love that suit I have been dreaming of!

So this week I am sorting out.  I am listing lots of things on ebay, which you can see here.  Next week, I will hopefully have photos of my cleaner, emptier wardrobe and what I kept  (and what didn't sell so I had to keep too).

To end, I just have to share my favourite page from the book, on dressing the mature figure.

Apparently pointy hats make you seem taller and thinner.  I think I need one!

Deb xx

My vintage wardrobe update

As much as I love the red, white and blue colour scheme, I have decided to base my 'new' vintage wardrobe on my new favourite color, burnt orange, and also navy blue. While in Brisbane a few weeks ago I had a manicure, and I picked Revlon's  'Inflame' for my nails.

I just fell in love with the colour, and while in Myers bought myself a new handbag, or 'tote' - the first in many years.  It's almost red it's so dark orange/tangerine.

I have just realised that this colour is very similar to the Pantone colour of the year last year -

Here it is in an original 1930s dress.

1930s stain dress in tangerine

I would love to find some fabric like that.  I have bought my first two patterns though,  (it was two for one at Spotlight), actually preproduction 1940 patterns, not truly 1930s.  They look simple enough for me. I hope.

 

I also bought some seersucker fabric for the dress in a navy print with touches of that tangerine colour that I thought looked quite vintage.

I also found navy blue suiting fabric at the thrift shop, 2m of one sort and 3m of another crepe fabric, and a silky print that might make a nice blouse.

So my plan for now is:
A navy skirt
Navy pants
Two patterned short sleeve or sleeveless blouses
A navy jacket - short sleeve I think
A dress in the navy seersucker

I would also like to find a nice greyish-beige fabric to make the pants and skirt and maybe another jacket. And another dress.  I would love to knit or crochet a shirt sleeve sweater, if my knitting improves, although I do have a short sleeve cardigan in tangerine, and a knit top in a similar colour that looks sort of vintage. I wore the cardi with my favourite vintage style blouse the other day.

I have made something this week too! I just finished a scarf, using this 1930s pattern (which I'll put on my free patterns page).

Little Scarf

I'm finding the knitting quite relaxing, although I am still learning as I go. This scarf actually turned out to be too small for me - they obviously had thinner necks in 1930 - so I am going to give it to my daughter for her birthday in a few days time.  She has been following my progress carefully, and I know she loves it.  If you try the pattern, I suggest you measure your neck and make the neck piece at least that long.

I'll have to try and find a tangerine coloured wool and make another one, a little longer.


Deb xxx