Dramatic 1940s Style
Stunning fur trimmed purple wool coat from the early 1940s. The finest wool in a rich shade of amethyst. The coat has a loose fitting straight cut with sharply defined shoulder line. The sleeves are beautiful, done in a two tiered design. The over sleeve has a scalloped bell shape and the more narrow undersleeve is trimmed with self covered buttons. There is a generous black and white fur collar. Fur is not my area of expertise so I hesitate to identify the type. It looks as though there may be two different types used. A top layer which is variegated in color, thick and lush with long guard hairs. Plus an edge layer that is softer to the touch in ivory and black. Check out the detail photos for a better view of the collar
Beautifully tailored with self covered buttons and hand bound button holes. It is lined in a lovely amethyst satin and has welted pockets on the sides. The condition is exceptional with no signs of wear.
The Large and will fit a taller frame very well. It has the following measurements.

Chest 49"
Hips up to 54"
Shoulder to shoulder 17 1/2"
Sleeve length 25"
Length from shoulder to hem 48"

Excellent Condition

Classic late 50s-early 60s cashmere coat with mink collar.

This iconic coat is made from the finest, softest cashmere. The color is a rich deep brown, the perfect neutral that compliments just about any other color. It has a petite rolled mink collar that can be worn open or closed at the neck. It's styled with raglan sleeves...bracelet length and a round back yoke. The silhouette is unstructured. It has a satin lining and in seam pockets. Vintage coats are usually hand tailored and this one is no exception. The Armscye and yoke seams are all hand picked to hold their shape and the button holes are hand bound, a beautiful touch and something you rarely see in modern clothing.

It has one label which reads Royal Afghan reg., 100% Pure Cashmere, By J.J. O'Donnell.

The size is flexible... will fit a Med/Small range and it is better suited to someone who is on the petite side (height wise) Measurements are as follows (keeping in ming that outer wear must have larger measurements than your regular clothing)

Chest 40"

Hip 40"

Length from shoulder to hem 35 1/2" (petite)

Sleeve Length 21"

Excellent Condition

Dare to be Green!
Brilliant Emerald green suede coat from the late 1960s. The suede is beautifully supple and as soft as a flower petal. The cut is minimal with lovely details like rounded notched lapel, single breasted covered buttons with suede bound buttonholes and button flap vertical pockets. The coat is cut straight falling to a few inches below the knee, with gentle shaping at the waist. It is fully lined in olive green satin. The label is missing. The size is a generous medium.  It will work very well on a tall person but looks good on a shorter frame as well. It has the following measurements.

Bust 42"
Waist 36"
Hips 46"
Shoulder 17"
Sleeve Length 25" (quite long)
Length from shoulder to hem 43"


Excellent Condition

Crazy, cute! 1970s Patchwork rabbit fur bomber jacket.

  Youth fashion from the 70s occupied a huge market and fun and sexy were the theme. These furry jackets were all the rage with the the neighborhood girls. It's what kept them warm while they waited in long club lines. You see, Soul Makossa had kicked off the age of disco, and by mid decade it felt like the whole world was dancing.

This little Cutie has multi toned rabbit fur patches and is cut in the classic bomber style with zip front, knit cuffs and waist band and a quilted satin lining.  It has two deep side pockets and was Made in Hong Kong. The condition is beautiful and the fur is in great shape as a matter of fact I was surprised at how little it shed. You see rabbit fur, even in the best condition, tends to shed much more than other furs. The size says Medium but it will also fit a smaller person. The bust is the most important measurement as the waist band has give.

Bust - Up to 37"

Waist Band - Flexible knit band

Sleeve length 25" (to the end of the cuff)

Excellent Condition

Funky full length suede coat with snake trim circa 1970s.
I have always liked the cut of these coats with their defined waist and long A-line skirts. They seem to flatter ever figure.
The suede is sturdy but still soft and hangs nicely. The top is fitted and it has a wide inset waist with snake skin cut outs. The skirt is long with a good flair at the hem. It closes with brass snaps and the sleeves have deep vents which snap closed. There is lots of decorative topstitching which helps define the design lines giving the coat a sharp stylish look. The collar is slightly exaggerated with rounded edges. It is fully lined. There are no pockets, I suppose the designer preferred to keep the look as sleek as possible and pockets can add bulk. I mended one area where the lining pulled apart and it is fine now. There are no tears or stains. The suede does have natural variations in color but this is normal and not a flaw.
The size is medium and it  has the following measurements.

Chest 38"
Waist 32"
Hips 40"
Shoulder to shoulder 16"
Length from shoulder to hem 45"

Excellent Condition

Classic, 1970s, camel color, double knit wool, wrap coat by Kimberly.

A wardrobe essential if there ever was one. Right up there with the little black dress. Perfect for those cool days when a heavy winter coat is just too much. The fabric is a smooth 100% double knit wool, in a neutral camel tone. The styling is simple and chic...Cross over wrap with wide shawl collar and deep pockets with top stitched flaps. The sleeves finish in roll up, top stitched cuffs and the coat closes with a self fabric tie. It is cut in typical 1970s style with gentle shaping in the torso and a slight flare to the hem. It has a below the knee length and a deep back vent for ease of walking.

The condition is like new with no signs of wear and no flaws to note. I'm especially pleased to say that there are NO signs of moth damage which is the bane of all vintage woolens :)

The size is very flexible because it is a wrap and the knit has give...I would put it in the in the small to medium range. It will fit the following range of measurements well. The shoulder measurement is the least flexible so you will want to match that one closely to yours.

Bust - 34" - 38" (give or take)

Hips - up to 40"

Shoulder to Shoulder - 15 1/2" to 16"

Sleeve length with cuff rolled up - 25"

Length from shoulder to hem - 43"

Excellent Condition - no flaws

Stunning pure silk Chinese brocade coat and dress ensemble circa 1960s. The brocade fabric is truly to die for... rich slipper satin, with a champagne background and feathery chrysanthemums in shades of saffron, copper and dark plum. The dress is cut with a fitted torso and dropped basque waist with straight pleated skirt. It has short cap sleeves and a deep V back. The coat is loose with a fly away back, elbow length puff sleeves and tailored collar. Long evening gloves would just add to the elegance....There is one label which reads Charlotte Hong Kong.

Made to order, the construction of these garments rivals that of haute couture. The linings are all silk and hand set. The metal zipper is hand picked and of course the button holes are cloth bound. Little details like the inside, ribbon stayed waist and crocheted lingerie straps keep the dress looking neat while dainty piped edges and covered buttons add interest.

This set came from the home of a woman who wore numbered Dior and Hermès scarves. Everything she owned was impeccable, I just wish I could have afforded more!

The size is Medium with the following measurements.

Dress

Bust - 39"

Waist - 32"

Hips - 39"

Length from shoulder to hem 43 1/2"

Coat - Free size

Very Good to Excellent condition - Clean and odor free. The outside of each garment is in beautiful condition. The only flaw I could find are a couple pin pricks (not holes just pricks) on the shoulder of the dress where the original owner wore a brooch. They are VERY faint.

Inside- There are a couple of minor lining issues. One small greenish spot in the coat lining (pictured) and some makeup staining inside the lining of the dress (also pictured) I also discovered that the lining under each arm had a small 1/2" tear and slight discoloration. This is not unexpected since the dress lining is a thin habotai silk. None of these flaws can be seen while the garments are on.

Swing back, brown velveteen early 80s coat by Count Romi.

In the early 1980s I did alterations in an exclusive boutique called Stuarts on Newbury St. in Boston. The shop sold beautiful high end clothing and the owner Mrs. Stuart had an amazing eye. She carried Count Romi coats and I was always excited when a new shipment came in. The company used gorgeous fabrics and their coats were designed so beautifully. They were also expensive, in the hundreds... but despite their high price, they sold out as soon as they came in. Women, young and older, loved these coats because they were a unique, not run of the mill.

This Romi is a perfect transition coat, well suited for fall or spring or a mild winter day. The fabric is a rich brown cotton velveteen and it is cut in a modified trench style. There are lots of pretty design details starting with a gathered, round yoke top and tailored collar. The sleeves have raglan shoulders and are long and full They gather at the wrists into shirt, style, button cuffs. It has a single breasted button front with top stitched placket. The styling of the body is unique and very flattering. It has a swing shape that belts in front at the waist but falls free in back and is quite long. Pockets are hidden in the side seams. The lining is brown satin taffeta.

The condition is beautiful and the size is a flexible Med/Large with the following measurements. (the swing style and raglan sleeves will accommodate a range of sizes)

Bust 48"

Hips Free

Length from shoulder to hem 47"

Excellent Condition

.

In 1947, the upscale Toronto based department store, Holt Renfrew, engaged in a business alliance with Christian Dior. The legendary French couturier brought his New look to the Holt Renfrew store and Canadian  society women were thrilled to have their own source for Haute Parisian fashion. Early on, Holt Renfrew had built it's reputation on it's high quality furs and that reputation was only enhanced with the new Dior designs. The Dior/ Holt Renfrew relationship was a monumental success and continues to this day. 

The mink coat I offer here hails from 1960s (it could be a bit earlier though). It is a rich medium Pastel mink, full length, with generous notched collar and double breasted front. The collar can be hooked closed for those frigid winter days (NOTHING is warmer than fur). The coat has raglan shoulder and a loose fit with a slight swing to the back. I love the detail across the back shoulders where it looks like the fur has been gathered. There are four brass buttons and it is lined in taupe silk. The vast majority of vintage fur coats have the original owners name or intials embroidered on the lining, this one reads, Gail Sellars.

The coat was cared for properly and the fur is amazing, still glossy and the skins are soft and supple. There is one important condition issue to note. The silk linings of the sleeves, in the shoulder area has worn threadbare in a few places. The coat is wearable and will look fine as is, but I reccommend the sleeve linings be replaced sooner than later to prevent further deterioration (see picture). Replacing the sleeve linings is not a very complicated procedure and any good tailor or furrier should be able to execute it well. I've priced the coat well below it's appraised value to allow for the buyer to invest in a good repair job should they decide to do so. The only other flaw I could find was a seam split in pocket lining which I mended.  The fur is perfect.

The size is in the medium range and it has the following measurements (body measurements were taken from the inside lining).

Bust 42"

Waist and Hips Free

Raglan shoulder design makes the shoulder to shoulder fit flexible so it should fit most shoulder lines

Bracelet sleeve length approx 19" meant to show the wrists, (women always wore lovely gloves)

Length of coat from back neck to hem 41"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside Condition - Excellent, fur is beautiful

NOTE! Inside Condition - The body of the lining is perfect but  silk sleeve linings are worn in the shoulder area and will eventually need replacing