Do's and Don'ts in Fashion

[jitterbugdoll]

I came across this picture and immediately thought of this thread--here is Ann Sheridan looking smart in a green jacket and blue sweater (note the blue buttons on the jacket):

 

[mysterygal]

I have a "Dos and Don'ts" booklet from 1943 that covers everything from hats to flowers to makeup colors (for every face shape, figure type, age, and general flaw you can think of, plus some you wouldn’t have!) I need to dig it up and post some of the tips—some of the illustrations are hilarious!

That would be great! I'm always looking for ideas
With Ann Sheridan's outfit...I would have never thought of pairing those two colors together.

 

[Naama]

Never wear colours similar to your skin colour! Especially if you have a beige skin tone! I've seen that so often now, and most often those people have beige hairtones as well..... Too strange ¬?_0

Naama

 

[Marc Chevalier]

That sweater looks purple to me, not blue.

.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

As soon as I scan the booklet in, I will post some of the more interesting and informative pictures. Some were really neat, especially when it came to choosing the right hats, and how to apply your makeup for your face shape, etc.

Naama, the one thing I hate to see is beige lipstick, especially when it is nearly the same color as the person's skin tone!

Well, Marc, it could be a purplish-blue

 

[rubyredlocks]

Jitterbugdoll quote:
Well, Marc, it could be a purplish-blue

Royal blue-defined as a purplish-blue.
My first thought was indigo,but when I did some research it popped up as Royal Blue.

 

[mysterygal]

That sweater looks purple to me, not blue.

.

same here...the sweater and the buttons look like different colors entirely!
See, to me, the suit has a 'heavy' material, that with the sweater underneath, it is too much...a light weight white blouse would look great I really love the look of the suit though

 

[jitterbugdoll]

In my opinion...

They *are* different colors--the buttons are a greenish-blue, and the sweater is a purplish blue. Just giving a good example of how well blues and greens do harmonize together (and technically, purple is a mixture of red and blue, and can pull either more red, or more blue, although in this case I would still say that the sweater is a blue with a purple cast, and not the other way around )

Ann is just sporting the collegiate look that was so popular in the late 1930s-early 1940s. College-age women were very fond of wearing sweaters with a jacket, skirt, and loafers or Keds with bobby socks. She's very "of-the-moment", and looks straight from the pages of a 1941 Vogue magazine

 

[magneto]

I came across this picture and immediately thought of this thread--here is Ann Sheridan looking smart in a green jacket and blue sweater (note the blue buttons on the jacket):

{{SNIP picture}}
Ooh, thanks for the picture, those are my favorite colors--I have that exact shade sweater--but I never would have thought to put them together.

I remember seeing a woman wearing a dress in that purple-blue with a long coat in the exact right shade of red...looked fabulous.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

magneto, that does sound like a fabulous combination as well

 

[Miire]

As soon as I scan the booklet in, I will post some of the more interesting and informative pictures. Some were really neat, especially when it came to choosing the right hats, and how to apply your makeup for your face shape, etc.

Naama, the one thing I hate to see is beige lipstick, especially when it is nearly the same color as the person's skin tone!

Well, Marc, it could be a purplish-blue

How about the REALLY dark brown lip liner around pale coloured lips? EEP! O.O

 

[Rosie]

How about the REALLY dark brown lip liner around pale coloured lips? EEP! O.O

I have a family member who does this she actually told me one day, "I can't see your makeup, what's the point of wearing it?" I almost burst. lol

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I have a family member who does this she actually told me one day, "I can't see your makeup, what's the point of wearing it?" I almost burst. lol

Oh that's my aunt! Her make-up is very, shall I say, festive.

 

[Kaela]

These are all such great things to keep in mind!

I think that colour can be tricky with vintage outfits because we are so used to seeing a contemporary colour palet which is rather restrictive. A good thing to do is get yourself a color wheel, these show the corresponding contrast colors, for example, green and red. Well, this is good to work off of, it was mentioned earlier that green and a rust colour were popular together. One colour must be dominant and the other is to compliment, so the red is muted to a rust colour and it is flattering. The best thing to keep in mind is that the colours won't look good if they are given equal weight. That's why one of my favorites, deep browns and pastels can work, the brown makes the pastels pop. I guess it's all about balance. This is just what I've noticed, and it does usually leave me with some good strong vintage looks. But the colour wheel concept is also very useful for chosing makeup for your outfit, or if you're daring or into more of the 20s vamp look, use it to compliment different colours of makeup.

I do notice that there are few outfits that red lipstick looks bad with. If you wear red, just wear a different shade red (not one with a different colour balance, but one that is simply lighter or darker!) I have seen some outfits made goofey with a shade of lipstick too orange or blue for the complimenting red!!

Well, this is just as I have noticed things, but I think they're good rules of thumb!

 

[rubyredlocks]

I just bought a suit that I had been eyeing for quite a while at an antique store with little heart shaped pockets,very Betty Grable. It's in the muted "is it blue or purple?" family and I'm accessorizing it with an enamel rust-colored brooch and earring set,chocolate 1940 alligator peep-toes with matching handbag.
This topic definitely inspired my choices and I hope to get a doll hat made to match by Decodoll.

 

[Lady Day]

Dark values with a contrasting value

The only color faux pas I can think of are:

1) No brown shoes with black outfits

Dont wear dark values together: dark grey, blue, brown,etc, OR wear a dark value if you are wearing black or white. It looks muddied.

Personally, I never wear two pieces of denim at the same tine (IE jean jacket and jeans) yuck.

Dont OVER match, thats just as bad as not matching.

Use the real thing as often as you can. I know a lot of women who get clothes that are 'based' off of a mens version. Get the mens version! It will always look more genuine. If there is a certain piece of clothing synonymous with that gender, get that gender's clothing. No fuzzy pink fadoras, PLEASE!!

 

[Katydid]

Two pieces of denim can look good together. It's all about choosing the correct contrasting wash/weave of the two pieces. Fuzzy pink fedoras definitely a no-no haha but menswear fashions are definitely in style right now and it looks good even if it's not the original. After all, men's clothes are NOT cut to a woman's figure.

 

[magneto]

Two pieces of denim can look good together. It's all about choosing the correct contrasting wash/weave of the two pieces.

True! Alas most people just wear the same shade and it looks like a prison uniform! When in doubt, follow the adage:
"Denim on top OR denim below,
Not both--unless you're going to a rodeo!"

(forget where I heard that one...)

 

[Rosie]

After all, men's clothes are NOT cut to a woman's figure.

Well, you can get the men's version and then tailor it to fit you. I LOVE men's french cuff shirts. They make versions for women, but the men's just feels better. I have a few shirts I stole from an ex of mine, (who was a GREAT dresser) and just tailored them to fit me, those shirts are by far some of my favoirte blouses.

 

[mysterygal]

Oh that's my aunt! Her make-up is very, shall I say, festive.

lol 'older' women seem to be the worst offenders in this area.
I'll admit, I did this in the 80's, but blue mascara bothers me