Antique and vintage handbags for women emerged in the mid to late 1800s, at a time when bags were more of bulky carrying cases than a fashion item. Women held reticules or small purses with just enough space to hold a few coins, a handkerchief and a pouch of smelling salts.
Styles of popular vintage style women's handbags and purses of the early to mid-20th century.
By the last decade of the 19th century, women's handbags were made to be more functional, and their designs soon replaced the reticule purse. The first vintage handbags were essentially shaped like mini suitcases with sturdy handles, inner compartments, and snap closure systems. Thus began the era when women could carry their personal stuff with some level of privacy.
And as women became more fashion-conscious, handbags became even more versatile and complex and were made to hold more items like pillboxes, rouge, smelling salts, scent, visiting cards, and coins. The handbag thus became a trendy fashion accessory by the early 20th century.
Vintage fashion enthusiasts who are passionate about vintage handbags and other fashion accessories mostly agree that handbags women carried about a century ago are perhaps some of the best ladies’ bags ever produced. Most were handmade and came with intricate embroidery details and heavy ornamentation.
Yes, modern bags and purses are fabulous, and many designs are some women’s dream, but some of the styles of the first half of the twentieth century are pieces of fashion art that are still relevant to today’s fashion style.
Popular Vintage Handbags of Early to Mid-1900s
If you are not familiar with vintage handbags of the time, there are a few things to look out for. The bag’s design, and the material used to produce it. You also want to know the popular types of bags and purses women of style carried around.
So, if you are looking for vintage style handbags that are back in vogue, here are the most popular ones among vintage style enthusiasts:
Minaudi̬res - Small ornate (box-shaped) 1930s evening clutch bags made from luxurious materials like gold and silver. Drawstring purses РPopular from the Victorian and then Edwardian eras, they were small, beaded, extensively, and usually made from silk, velvet, and metal mesh. Beaded purses Р1920s flapper bags and purses highly decorated with beads and sequins. Embroidery bags РEmbroidered bags were majorly handmade embroidered with floral and story patterns. Metal mesh bags РArt Deco 20s fashion bags that were more of fashion accessories than practical bags. Lucite handbags РA popular clutch handbag of the 1950s and made from clear, coloured, and patterned acrylic. Shoulder bags РThese slung-over-the-shoulder bags were styled after the military satchels of the 1940s which men carried to the war front. Status handbags РBranded famous bags like the 1950s Chanel 2.55 bag made of padded and quilted leather with neutral tones. Hermes and Gucci brands fall under this category. Bucket bags РThe 1930s bucket style bag has become quite a hit today and remains the preferred choice of fashionable women. The innovator of bucket handbags is Gaston Louis Vuitton. Unique-shaped handbags РIn the 40s and 50s, hard-sided handbags with unusual shapes provided a stylish alternative to purses. Examples include drum, box, hexagon, barrel, and canister shaped handbags.
Women’s Handbags - 1900 - 1910
Petit Point Edwardian handbags were handmade with needlepoint application of scenic designs, each side with a different story to tell.
Design innovations for women’s bags started at this time in history with the term "carrying bags" used extensively to describe what we now refer to as handbags. Carrying bags were designed with functional features like compartments, clasps, and locks and unlike the bags of the Victorian era were no longer made to match women’s outfits.
Petit point handbags with scenic themes (handmade with needlework) were popular at the turn of the century. Each side of the handbag had a different story woven onto it.
1920s Vintage Handbags
1920s ladies' handbags were flirty, feminine, and many times ornamented.
This is the famous flapper era when women became even more fashion-conscious than their predecessors. Handbags, clutch bags, and purses embossed or embellished intricately with pretty beads and other ornamentation are (probably) the most striking handbags of the twenties. There was a wide influence of the Art Deco movement at the time, which also had a great impact on fashion and its accessories.
Some other beautiful handbags of the twenties include embroidered bags and purses, reticules, embossed hand-tooled bags, and mesh bags.
1930s Women's Vintage Bags
Women's handbags of the 1930s. The vintage-inspired handbags of today resemble the designs and motifs of this era.
Fun handbags (fun bags) evolved in the thirties. They were colourful and pretty and came in the form of wooden box purses or as bucket bags with decorative features. They were novel in shape and sculpture and always well-made with leather trims, hand-painted areas, mirrors, beading, and crystals all set in great themes of flowers, birds or other scenic images of nature.
While daytime handbags were heavily embroidered, evening bags of the thirties were elaborately beaded, embroidered or woven in metal mesh to match the elegance of a woman’s evening wear.
The vintage-inspired handbags of today have a great feel of the designs and motifs of this era, with many designs having embroidered motifs and symbols of the time.
Women's Handbags of the 1940s
Vintage-inspired reproductions of the 1940s Lucite handbags.
They are mainly made from wood or PVC-based materials.
The Second World War brought on austere times for most people, and its effects also impacted women’s fashion. Handbags were made mainly from wood or plastic because metals were necessary and strategic materials, and were never to be wasted on frivolities. However, by the late 1940s, DuPont developed plastics, an affordable and readily available material which heralded the creation of the beautiful and popular Lucite bags and purses.
As the use of plastics became popular in the post-war era, it began to play a major part in the mid-19th century decorating and embellishing that swept the fashion and style world. Designers used creative methods to tint and colour clear Lucite bags, making manufacturers begin a fierce competition to produce stylish, chic and even outrageous designs of handbags.
Many of the styles had generous embellishing of sparkling rhinestones, came in whimsical shapes like pagodas, bird cages, and beehives, and were wildly popular with the silver screen movie stars, elites, socialites, and highly paid prostitutes. Soon, it became a trendy fashion accessory, and its production skyrocketed, which in turn made them more affordable, especially when lower-quality imitations became available.
1950s Ladies Handbags
Many of the 50s ladies' bag designs have been reproduced today,
and still look as fabulous as they did back in the 1950s.
By the 1950s, ladies’ handbags had a wide range of designs, while material options became vast. From straw and raffia to suede, Bakelite, animal skin and mother-of-pearl, many of the bag designs of the fifties were exquisite and well-made, even by today's standards.
Vintage handbags of note include the Chanel quilted bag and the famous Kelly bags, originally made for Grace Kelly by Hermès. The Kelly bag is a beautifully hand-stitched bag made from the best quality calfskin, crocodile skin, lizard skin, or ostrich skin, and the popular Chanel handbags were quilted designs first conceived in February 1955 and used by clients and Chanel fashion enthusiasts.
The 50s brought on an obsession for the ‘logo bags’, which resulted in the production of both fake and authentic Chanel bags. With its chain-twisted sling and diamond quilted finish, its shoulder bags soon flooded the fashion market. It is one of the few vintage handbags still reproduced today. Other popular designers of vintage handbags include Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Christian Dior, Fendi, and Prada.
1960s Women's Fashion Bags
Vintage handbags of the swinging sixties. An era when personal freedom was the new movement. Handbags were no longer a fashion appendage. Rather, it became a matter of personal choice among women of style.
This was the period described as the swinging sixties, a fashion era when the desire for personal freedom was a new movement. The handbag was no longer a ‘branded appendage’ but rather became a matter of personal choice. By the beginning of the decade, when style became personified by Jackie Kennedy, the classical handbag made with fine tailoring and high-quality workmanship became the trend with the more mature woman.
Meanwhile, with the rise of the youth culture, the rules of ‘correct’ dressing became more relaxed and designs soon took a decidedly free form, with large, unstructured, youthful pieces emerging, and handmade purses becoming the new haute couture. It was a time when individualism was at its peak of popularity.
Long, narrow clutch bags were the earlier purse styles, then came the dainty shoulder bags with long chains (or straps), fabric shoulder bags, large satchels, patchwork Afghan bags, telephone purses, and double kiss-lock handbags. These and more began to dominate the handbag fashion scene, which was in stark contrast to the 1950s women’s bag designs. Materials used include wicker, patent leather, raffia, fabric, and animal skin.
(Article originally published by the author at hubpages.com on 11/09/09)
This post is a quick step-by-step guide on how to walk gracefully in high-heeled shoes without waddling like a duck. Moreover, spiked heels won't make you look glamorous if you wear ‘pain’ on your face.
Walking straight in Stilettos (Image used under license from 123rf.com)
1st Step
As a beginner, start practising with kitten heels because if you want to strut in four-inch heels you’d have to start off practising with these. You should start low and work your way up to the higher heels.
2nd Step
When you walk easier and feel more comfortable in kitten heels, you can move up to high wedge heels. Their heels fully attached to the sole will give you good balance and increased confidence. Wedge heels are comfortable to walk in because your heels are placed higher above the level of your toes.
3rd Step
When you feel more relaxed with high-heeled wedge shoes and can walk comfortably in them without feeling awkward, you can go shopping for spiked shoes. But before then, have an imaginary walk in high shoes. Do this by standing with your knees straight, your body raised and supported on your toes, and your heels raised at least an inch (or so) off the floor. While trying this, see if you are tottering or bending at the knees. If you do bend your knees, even remotely, you are not yet ready for spiked shoes.
4th Step
If all goes well with step three, start with baby steps (small, slow steps), ensuring you do not bend your knees any more than you normally would. For balance, put one foot about 12 inches directly ahead of the other, placing your heels down first before your toes. HEELS THEN TOES! HEELS THEN TOES! HEELS THEN TOES!
Conclusion
Now that you have practised walking in stiletto heels without the occasional grimace, only then are you set to wear and strut your 9-inch spikes.
Now is the time to rock those 20th-century fashion accessories if you are a vintage fashion enthusiast who loves statement pieces typical of the 1900s styles. The pieces were bold, daring, and attractively brazen. From anklets and brooches to fancy bra straps and earcuffs, these statement pieces deserve a comeback (with standing ovations) to the 21st-century fashion scene.
Some of the pieces we vintage fashion fans will love to see are:
Anklets
Fashion rings
Fancy bra straps
Ear Cuffs
Toe rings
Anklets
Anklets or ankle chains have existed for centuries, with the first known types about 8,000 years old. From the beginning of its existence, it was not a fashion item, but an ornament that represented nobility and wealth. They were made from wood, bone, leather and woven twigs. Today, ankle chains have become fashionable pieces of ankle adornment made from various materials like gemstones, beads, and leather, precious metals like gold and silver, and base metals like copper, nickel, and brass.
Beautiful ankle bracelet. Image used under license from iStockPhoto
Although women of the early 20th century who wore ankle bracelets were called brash and brazen, by the middle of the century, women embraced their use as fashion jewellery. Two decades later, anklets became extremely popular as fashion jewellery and became an integral part of fashion and style.
Stylish vintage anklets are usually adorned with charms like hearts, keys, crosses, leaves, and gemstones like jade, emerald, and rhinestones.
Elaborate Rings
Art Deco rings are by far one of the most dramatically styled fashion rings of the 20th century. Rings of the era (1920s to 1930s) were dazzling, stylish, and elaborate. For women who love flashy and bold fashion accessories, nothing beats the beauty of Art Deco rings with their loud and sassy designs.
Vintage-inspired fashion rings. Image used under license from iStockPhoto
Fashion rings of the period, and up until the 1950s, often featured brightly coloured stones like ruby, sapphire, and emerald with heavily eclectic and daring forms. They were large, dramatic, and symmetrical designs with rectangular/hexagonal/square centre-set gemstones, many with uniquely set side stones surrounding each gemstone. The symmetrical patterns and motifs were influenced by Egyptian, African, and Indian cultures.
Popular gemstones used for the Art Deco fashion rings are ruby, emerald, sapphire, onyx, ivory, and jade. Others are mother of pearls, corals, and colourful faux gems set on precious metals - silver, white gold, platinum, chrome, and marcasite. Many high-end Art Deco-style fashion rings have filigree and diamond accents.
Ornate Bra Straps
Fancy bra straps are beautiful fashion accessories that add a touch of glitz and glamour to strapless clothing. They are worn to be exposed and really beautify formal dresses, gowns, and bustier tops, and less formal clothing like strapless blouses, tank/tube tops, and halter necks.
Fancy bra straps.
The most appealing and sought-after kinds are adorned with faux or genuine rhinestones and sparkler diamante gems. The beautiful embellishments make them elegant and attractive without going over the top.
They are wonderful pieces of fashion accessories that can also give a fashion upgrade, like turning a simple day wear into an attractive evening outfit or replacing camisole straps with diamante-studded fancy bra straps. It will also enhance old favourites and give your ‘dumped’ clothes a new lease of life.
Ear Cuffs
Ear cuffs may have been around for centuries (dating back to 200 BC), but in the 20th century, they became great earring alternatives for women with unpierced ears. Ear cuffs can be quite fascinating and attention-grabbing, and their charm continues to grow season after season as fashion icons, celebrities, and jewellery design shows continue to adopt their use and rediscover them as a trending accessory.
The earliest ear cuffs discovered in burial sites in the British Isles were known as Kaffas. They were made from non-fanciful brass without embellishments and were crafted with a large mount to wrap around the outer ear lobe. By the 1700s, they began to appear in Europe. But unlike the ancient ones, these modernised ear jewellery became more reserved in their crafting, resembling classic earrings instead.
Made from expensive metals, they were set with precious stones like rubies, diamonds, and sapphires. They were only affordable to wealthy upper-class women. Ear cuffs were worn to exhibit a woman’s wealth and social status.
Toe Rings
Toe rings have been around for hundreds of years and have been worn by both men and women in Africa and Asia. Way back then, they were worn for various cultural and traditional reasons, but certainly not as jewellery or fashion accessories.
Foot showing toe ring and ankle bracelet. (Image used under license from iStockPhoto)
In the Western world, there is no symbolic interpretation for wearing toe rings. They are generally regarded as fashion accessories to prettily adorn the feet. Meaning they are worn simply to portray stylish statements.
Exquisite toe-ring designs are stylishly crafted after 20th-century motifs and themes of swirls and figurines, fauna and flora, inscribed bands, and love themes. The best types are those made from lasting materials like gold, enamel, brass, and silver that will make your feet look pretty and delicate.
It was the Jazz Age of the 1920s, an era that heralded the beginnings of conscious awareness of unconventional costume jewellery. During this time, the Art Deco movement also made an impression on jewellers. Jewellery designs were influenced by events like the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, African art, and the Avant-Garde art movement. They were largely accepted by the flapper generation who frequently wore Art Deco-inspired jewellery and dazzling clothing.
To this swinging generation, it was all about femininity and accessorizing, and the movement provided design inspiration for these. Jewelry, they say, was meant to capture the eye and command attention.
The style was characterized by bold colour contrasts, geometrics, clean lines, and stylized motifs. There were long strands of pearls, brooches, strings of round beads, ornate bangles and wide embellished bracelets, earrings with tassels, and loop necklaces.
Today, early 20th-century art deco-inspired costume jewellery still remains incredibly popular.
Some Famous Jewelry Designers of the Twenties
While some of the jewellers mentioned below have been known for their designs before the roaring twenties, many were at their peak during this era and made their mark in the jewellery design business. Their names still resonate among jewellery makers and collectors of vintage jewellery.
The following are jewellery designers (in no particular order) famous for their creations.
His jewellery pieces are works of art and were designed to fit the reigning Art Deco designs of the 1920s. Before then, in the late 19th century, Boucheron was considered the pioneer of “modern jewellery” who revived an engraving technique that had been forgotten since ancient times. He soon became famous for the extraordinary designs and quality of his precious stones which included diamonds engraved with flowers or arabesques, and colourful gemstones (sapphires, rubies, lapis lazuli, coral, hematite, onyx, emeralds, and rock crystal) encircled with geometrically arranged diamonds.
Boucheron jewellery designers and makers enjoy the patronage of royal families and the custom of Hollywood icons like Dietrich, Garbo, and Rita Hayworth.
Mario Buccellati
In 1919, Mario Buccellati, also known as “The Prince of Goldsmiths”, acquired the family jewellery company and renamed it “Buccellati”. He was a famous jeweller who marketed his creations through exhibitions that helped him meet and make customers of affluent clients from all over. Mario Buccellati was so well patronized, he opened many branches around the world.
His jewellery designs featured elaborate gemstone works suggestive of the Art Nouveau and Old Hollywood eras. They highlight animal and insect forms, created out of pearls. He is also famous for his “gold jewellery and exquisite silver objects” and the combinations of precious metals (silver & gold, and platinum & gold).
Coco Chanel
Chanel’s jewelry designs may have been considered innovative in the 1920s, but the works were revolutionary, radical, and bold, a new style that consisted of high-end components combined with lower-priced materials. Before that time, wearing costume accessories was considered a fashion faux pas because they were perceived as cheap and belonging to women who couldn’t afford genuine pieces. Unperturbed by the opinion of the status quo, she developed her radical design concept of mixing gems and other precious stones with faux ones. The results and responses were brilliant.
Piling bracelets and bangles, stacking faux pearl necklaces, layering an unprecedented number of brooches, and adorning cuff bracelets; fashionistas were awed by this expressive and playful new look. Coco Chanel’s awesome combinations were and still are what costume jewellery is all about. Each piece she crafted was the signature finishing touch; a perfect complement to the already dazzling outfits of the flapper generation of the twenties.
Elsa Schiaparelli
After moving to Paris in the 1920s and establishing a Fashion House in the late 20s, Schiaparelli began making costume jewellery along with her other lines of clothing, perfume and other fashion accessories. She believed that costume jewellery was a vital part of fashion and style, an art form in its own right. Her early works are often portrayed as whimsical, glamorous, and extremely stylized.
Elsa Schiaparelli believed that costume jewellery was an integral part of fashion design as well as an art form in its own right. Elsa’s jewellery was whimsical, imaginative, and innovative often made with bright, colourful glass stones. Many of her designs are inspired by nature, the circus, astrology, and native African art.
Gerard Sandoz
One of the most famous jewellers of the 1920s, Sandoz was well known for his elaborate geometric designs. His bold and dramatic creations made him recognized as one of the forerunners of the Art Deco style of jewellery. Being an artist, he incorporated his bold and strong artistic styles into his jewellery, making each piece a beautiful work of art. In many of his popular works, Sandoz paired metals with gemstones like onyx, lapis lazuli, coral, and hematite.
Jean Dunand
Dunand was popularly known for his extensive use of lacquerware (a decorative-coating technique) in his design elements. He used it for many of his works, including vases, furniture, and most especially, costume jewellery. His creative designs of lacquerware jewellery made his creations trendy and a must-have in the twenties. Josephine Baker, one of the most popular music hall entertainers in France who took Paris by storm in the 1920s wore his famous lacquerware jewellery, a wide cuff bracelet and a circular neck collar. This stunning jewellery set designed with black, yellow, and red colours made Dunand's jewellery famous. He was also one of the forerunners of the Art Deco style.
Miriam Haskell
This American designer, Miriam Haskell, is in the top ten jewellery designers of the time. She designed costume jewellery that was affordable to 1920s women and worked in partnership with Frank Hess who was a part of the birthing of colourful jewelry designs. Frank Hess, her chief designer, was previously a young window dresser at Macy’s. Their partnership has been responsible for the finest handmade costume jewelry ever created.
Hollywood stars like Joan Crawford and Lucille Ball, and fashion-conscious women loved the unique style and characteristics of Haskell’s designs and wore her jewellery widely. Her jewellery has also appeared in films, on tv shows, and in stage plays.
Napier
Napier jewellery was the rave in the 1920s. They made pieces in Art Deco style and introduced classy and elegant designs to fashion accessories lovers. Although Napier Jewelry is no longer a top brand, its jewellery is still highly valued and sought after by vintage-inspired fashion-conscious individuals, and jewellery collectors.
The fashion industry was dominated by their eclectic bold designs which featured spectacular geometric and floral patterns made from faux gemstones, imitation pearls, glass, and plated metals. They are also recognized for their sterling silver works. Pieces were large and chunky and were a deviation from the typical designs of the time. This helped them make a positive impact on the fashion scene.
Napier was one of the first brands to make costume jewellery available and accessible to the masses.
Paul Emile Brandt
Paul-Emile Brandt was born in Switzerland but moved to Paris, France at a young age to study under Chaplain and Allard. He started his own business outfit in the 1910s, making Art Nouveau-style jewellery. After World War I, Brandt began creating jewellery in the Art Deco style. His designs are characterised by neutral palettes with white gold and diamonds, offset with onyx stone or black lacquerware.
By the 1920s, he began to work with precious stones and lacquer work. He created jewellery designs made with inlaid lacquered eggshells and brooches set with calibre emeralds in characteristic art deco styles. He describes his jewellery-making as “... jewellery of great design and great construction...”.
By the 30s, Paul Brandt started to produce hand jewellery – bracelets, bangles, rings, and neck jewellery - necklaces and pendants that featured relief work with geometric shapes.
Tiffanys
The company was founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1837. When he passed away in 1902, his son Louis Comfort Tiffany became the company’s first official jewellery design director, while Tiffanys became a design icon during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods of the early 1900s.
Around this time, the Art Nouveau movement was gaining ground. Louis’ designs featured nature-inspired pieces in Art Nouveau’s style. His pieces of jewellery were majorly made with enamels, gemstones, and even glass.
Soon, the Art Deco era began and saw an absolute passion for all things Tiffanys. The jewellery makers became the arbiter of fashion and style as brilliant diamonds and lustrous pearls adorned the silhouettes of Hollywood’s silver screen actors. They became the screen darlings of the Jazz era – nothing burned brighter on a black-and-white screen than Tiffany’s dazzling jewels.
A cathedral wedding veil is all about the length. Coming at no less than 9ft long, you will find (or can custom-make) vintage-inspired cathedral veils that come as long as 12ft, but the beauty of the veil is having a long aisle to walk down. There is not much point it wearing veils that long if you are getting married in a small chapel with a short aisle.
If you desire a regal, stately look on your wedding day, the Cathedral styled veil is for you. It is a ‘super-size’ vintage-inspired headpiece that makes a bold statement and portrays a wedding that’s not only stylish but elegantly formal as well. They are great for a black-tie wedding at a dramatic venue.
This long sweeping wedding veil that drapes naturally to the ground and trails behind you comes in single, double, or triple layers looks beautiful when worn on trumpet-style wedding dresses, ball-style gowns, mermaid gowns, and A-line bridal dresses.
They look absolutely wonderful in the dim light of many traditional churches and cathedrals, and ‘come to life’ as the bride walks out into the sunlight under the flash of paparazzi lights.
A vintage-inspired cathedral bridal veil can be worn either on the crown of the head, attached to the hair with heavy combs or hair clips or at the back of the head with a tiara. The tiara will give it an elegant and royal touch.
Beautiful wedding veil design - 1 tier Cathedral veil made from lace tulle fabric in ivory colour.
Blusher Veils
They are simple, yet stylish and cute. Blusher wedding veils are made to cover the eyes and extend down well below the chin, and are a perfect match with sleeveless high-neck wedding gowns.
Shoulder veils extend down to the shoulder and measure between 18 and 20 inches long. They are considered informal and work best with knee-length or midi-length classic wedding dresses.
Elbow Veils
These veil types extend down to the elbow area. Elbow veils measure between 24 and 26 inches, depending on the height of the bride-to-be and whether she has long or short arms. They are perfectly suited for ball-gown dress style and end where the fullness in the skirt begins. They are also great for a full-skirted informal dress without ‘overwhelming’ the entire ensemble.
Fingertip Length Veils
The fingertip veil is one of the popular choices of wedding veils. It extends down to the fingertips and measures around 36 inches. This style of bridal veils will work perfectly for most dress styles, as long as it’s around ankle-length.
Chapel Veils
Chapel veils fall down onto the floor and are about 90 inches long. Though they sweep the floor lightly, they are shorter than the Cathedral Veil. The chapel veil is best worn with classic style bridal gowns with long trains.
Cathedral Veils
The Cathedral veil is by far the most formal of all wedding veils. It is the longest type, measuring anything from around 100 inches long to up to 120 inches and is meant to ‘sweep’ the ground way behind the bride. The Cathedral wedding veil works best with full-length, classic style gowns.
A veil will never look complete without an edging or special trim. Whether plain and simple or stylishly vintage-inspired, the edging of bridal headpieces can make or mar the style of a veil.
Different types of edging and trims include the following:
Exceptional fabrics for wedding veil designs include the following and are the basic materials used to create wedding veils.
Chiffon - Chiffon veils are best made as single-tier veils because it is weightier than tulle-based fabrics. It is non-translucent, fluid, and soft-flowing.
Organza – This fabric is high-end and is a popular choice for top bridal gown designers. Organza is elegant, slightly stiff, and semi-translucent.
Silk tulle – Bridal headpieces made with silk tulle drape down elegantly. It is a beautiful fabric, but it is not commonly used for making wedding veils because of its delicate nature. It is made of pure silk, available in several textures, and is virtually the most expensive veil.
Illusion tulle - This is the most commonly used fabric for most wedding veils and is made of 100% nylon of varying textures. Bridal illusion tulle is soft to the touch and is available in a good number of colours.
English net – This fabric is a favourite of many brides-to-be. It is made of polyester nylon, has a very soft texture and is transparent. Best made into single-tiered bridal veils, English net drapes down in a similar way to chiffon, but is weightier because of its polyester blend.
Point D’Esprit – This material is patterned yet translucent with or without a criss-cross dotted pattern. It is a popular veil fabric for brides who desire an ornate lace wedding dress.
Swiss Dot – Veils made using Swiss dot fabric have become increasingly popular. The fabric is made of bridal illusion and features small felt dots throughout the fabric.
Most Popular Bridal Veil Colours
The colour of your veil will be mainly determined by the colour of your wedding dress. Colours of choice are white, ivory, and champagne. However, depending on the theme of the wedding, some brides opt for silver, black, and red.
For instance, black or red veils are the perfect colour choices for Gothic-themed weddings.
Black wedding veil design for the Medieval style inspired bride-to-be.
To make the right choice of wedding veil designs, it helps if you understand all the different styles, fabrics, and designs available out there.
So, whether you are a younger bride or an older bride, knowing the differences before choosing a veil for your special day gives a much better idea of how to get a bridal veil style that works best for your dress.
Gothic-style fashion is for those who love the 'dramatic look' of darkness, mystery, and weirdness. And while many people still think gothic is associated with vampirism and satanism with secret members who wear mostly black clothing, have a pale complexion, jet-black hair and dark, dramatic makeup, the wedding fashion scene thinks otherwise.
Dark and dramatic Gothic-inspired bridal wear showing dresses, veil and bridal cape, and a goth-style wedding cake.
Goth-style wedding veils, also referred to as vampire veils, are classic medieval styles that are now made with a modern twist and worn by brides who either desire a medieval-themed wedding or a vintage/antique style bridal wear.
Gothic-inspired bridal veil - Black Cathedral length wedding veil with a scalloped-embroidered edge.
Gothic-inspired bridal veils can be made from tulle, lace, satin, velvet, and voile fabrics and can come in plain white, red, or black colours. They can also be made into flowing wedding capes (or church chapel head veil style) made from patterned materials like sateen, embroidered fabrics, illusion tulle, netting and silk. Colours can be a combination of black and red, black and purple, white and beige, or wine and purple.
Aside from wedding ceremonies, gothic veils and medieval-style dresses are popularly worn as party costumes for vintage-themed or other costume parties.
Cloche hats and headpieces were first fabricated around 1908 by milliner Caroline Reboux. The style soon became the fashion rage of the 1920s when its popularity and impact on the fashion scene were at their peak. Close-fitting and chic, they came in many variations and were made from several diverse materials.
From cloche style beaded lace bridal headpieces and Adora wool hats to sisal, felt, and the elaborately bejewelled cocktail/evening hats, its shape and form are one of the most popular classic forms of millinery ever, especially with its unusual bell-shaped snug-fitting design.
Vintage style cloche bridal veil
A classy old-fashioned wedding veil that makes a great bridal headpiece for young brides.
Cloche (or cap) wedding veils are made with an elaborately beaded cap that fits snugly on the head with an attachment of soft tulle, chiffon, or lace fabric (as is shown above), which can be an elbow, hand, or floor length.
Typically vintage, the cap part is designed to be worn low on the forehead with the bride's eyes showing just slightly below the brim.
The cap, which fits almost tightly over the entire scalp, can be adorned or encircled around the brim with any of the following accents:
Fresh or faux flowers that complement the bridal bouquet
Faux leaves that are woven around the brim
Heavy embroidery
Appliques
Pleated satin
Faux pearls
White coral beads or other gemstones
Elaborate jewelled brooches
Popular trimmings and decorations include satin details, velvet ribbons, with faux flower blossoms at the ears.
The veil piece falls gracefully from the back of the fitted cap and down over the shoulders. However, it looks best floor-length or trailing (a great look for young brides). Veil materials include:
Silk
Fine Lace
Silk Tulle
Net with net backing
Embroidered fabric
Cloche hats and bridal headpieces soon went out of fashion around the mid-thirties, but by the 1960s, their reappearance brought on the second round of the trend.
Great Ideas to Create Custom Cloche Headpieces for the Vintage-Inspired Bride (Video)
Today, you can make the cloche veil yourself, or you can have it custom-made for you. You can buy a close-fitting cap and transform it into classic bridal headwear.
With an extra touch of art-deco decorating, you can transform the plainest cloche hat shape into a vintage classic work of art, a wedding veil befitting of a young bride.
The bridal wear needs for today’s older brides are so much different from those of yesteryear. Today, age is just a number and for women who tie the knot in later years, looking soft, beautiful, and elegant on their wedding day is an absolute must.
As we age, the stylish among us opt to wear sophisticated and classic clothing for special occasions and formal affairs. And bridal wear is no exception. So, rather than ankle-length and floor-sweeping veils, over-fifties brides should choose traditional vintage-inspired styles that serve as a great complement to a modern wedding dress style.
The birdcage bridal veil is a wonderful style of choice for older brides
Birdcage Bridal Headpiece
Simple but stylish, the birdcage veil made its first appearance in the post-war era of the 1940s. Also known as cage veil, cage blusher, net veil, and pouffe wedding veils, the headpiece is flattering in many ways. The facepiece hints at a beauty that lies beneath. They can come with or without a top piece because the main component is the net fabric that drapes the face and the comb that holds it in place. The top (cap) can be any style, from an elaborate rhinestone comb to a bunch of flowers or a rhinestone-encrusted unit.
Birdcage veils are suitable for formal and informal weddings and are easy to design and make if you wish to create an elaborate or dramatic wedding veil for yourself. Have it made simply subtle (as in the image above) or a dramatic piece, like a fascinator made with a plume of beautiful feathers.
The designs of today’s birdcage wedding veils still exude the chic sophistication of the past. With their vintage quirk and chic appeal, this bridal hairdress style has become an increasingly popular alternative for older, fashion-conscious brides. Definitely, the traditional headpieces like the chapel veil, cathedral wedding veil, and shoulder and floor-length forms are best left for younger brides.
From blues rock to classic rock bands, space rock, and pop-rock musicians, if you (like many other fans) loved, and still do, the music of the 1960s and 1970s bands, then what better way to celebrate your favourite group than by wearing t-shirts with inscriptions and images of your favourites, like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, and The Rolling Stones?
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, on stage, wearing the Tongue and Lips tour t-shirt.
Wearing band t-shirts became a popular trend in the rock culture of the late sixties and throughout the seventies. While road workers and crew members originally wore plain cotton t-shirts, they soon evolved into apparel merchandise for rock band fans. They became a form of identity for the musicians of the day.
In the early days, they were screen-printed by hand with images of:
Band logos
Tour dates
Album cover art
Musical instruments
Venue/dates from world tours
When Did Band T-shirts Emerge?
In the mid-to-late 1960s, at a time when rock music dominated mainstream youth culture. While they weren't mass-produced, they were handmade and screen-printed items worn to music festivals and rock concerts.
In the 1960s, popular bands like the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones self-produced shirts as part of their countercultural identity.
By the 1970s, the shirts experienced a boom that marked the rise of the band t-shirt as a commercial item of clothing. As it grew into a global business, band tour tees became a major revenue earner.
8 Rockstars Who Wore Band T-Shirts On and Off Stage
Joey Ramone of the Ramones.
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones.
Joan Jett is known for championing the punk and hard rock image.
Freddie Mercury of Queen.
Angus Young, of the group AC/DC.
Robert Plant, of the Led Zeppelin rock band.
Debbie Harry is the lead vocalist of the group Blondie.
Iggy Pop, a member of The Stooges.
Cultural Impact of Vintage Band Tees
Band t-shirts became more than just clothing. They were fashion statements that represented fans’ loyalty, and artists wore them to show authenticity or solidarity. By the late 1970s, nearly every major act sold band t-shirts on tour. Today, over half a century later, original shirts from this era have become collectables. Some of them sell for thousands of dollars.
A List of Rare Band T-shirts of the '60s and '70s
The following are rare and highly sought-after vintage band t-shirts from the sixties and seventies recognised as collectors’ items today. If you ever come across these at vintage clothing markets or auctions, they fetch extremely high prices. And while some are originals, many are reissues.
Grateful Dead: A 1977 Tour T-Shirt with hand-screened graphics. They include tie and dye variants.
Led Zeppelin: A 1979 Knebworth Concert T-shirt. Its original print is extremely rare, with a (supposed) value of $3,000+.
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, a 1973 shirt that was an early promotional shirt, given only to the press and record store employees.
The Rolling Stones: Tongue and Lips, a 1972 Tour Shirt. This was the group’s first tour shirt with the iconic tongue logo. Original prints are rare and can cost between $2,000 and $4,000.
Ramones: 1976 Debut Album Promo Tees. These t-shirts are classified as rare because they are punk era (pre-mass production) shirts.
The Who: The Who by Numbers. A tour t-shirt (1975), designed by John Entwistle. Its graphic ties into the group's album artwork. Value is said to be between $1,000 and $2,000.
AC/DC: The High Voltage t-shirt, made for their first major U.S. tour in 1976. They were highly popular and widely merchandised at the time. They are supposedly valued between $800 and $1,500.
David Bowie: The 1972 Ziggy Stardust tour t-shirt is a limited collection glam-rock item valued between $1,500 and $3,500.
Black Sabbath: 1971 “Master of Reality” heavy metal merch t-shirt with only a few surviving originals.
The Beatles: The 1968 band tees are the Apple Boutique promotional shirts. They were never sold to the public but given out (briefly) during the Apple Boutique’s existence. They remain rare, valued at around $3,000+.
A woman wearing a grunge-style outfit with an AC/DC t-shirt.
If you're considering collecting or buying any of these 19th-century band t-shirts, it’s good to note that knowing their provenance and print methods (screen printing or reprint) is a good way to verify authenticity.
The 1960s and 1970s laid the foundation for the band t-shirt as an artefact and fashion item. Worn by rock icons and their teeming fans, these shirts helped consolidate the identity of rock music and its stars in the 20th century. They are a wearable billboard, a sign of allegiance to a band of a bygone era.
.jpg)
.jpg)
