Spring Hats in Bloom

Hats accented with flowers can be worn with your furs, your tweeds, your tailored town suits, your dinner suits.  They are the perfect escape from winter.

From Vogue 1941, red roses are planted on a black and white striped tilt hat accented with a dramatic siren veil.  From Walter Florell.

Monolithic Studios' film star Madra Lord wears a Sandra Stillwell hat updated with pink tulips.  Suit ensemble is from The Couture Touch.  Bracelet from D.A.E. Originals.  Top This Madra Lord, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

A delightful floral topper adds whimsy to Miss Lord's Town and Country suit.  Jacket with replaced buttons is from Integrity.  Scarf from Ashton Drake.  Hat and gloves are from The Couture Touch.  Spotted in Manhattan Madra Lord is from Jamieshow.

Credits:

January 15, 1941 issue of Vogue magazine from the author's personal collection.

A Felt with Forties Flair

Monolithic Studios' star Gene Marshall along with pal Ivy Jordan debut a stylish new topper that is actually a 2 inch felt craft hat available in black and ready for custom trimming.  The hat's vintage shaping makes it the perfect accessory for 1940's tailored suits.

Gene Marshall

The hat trimmed simply with a narrow black suede band and a dramatic feather.  Jacket from Ashton Drake's Star Wardrobe Collection.  Scarf, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Fab Lab craft felt hat is from Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Ivy Jordan

A similar style craft hat is accented with a grosgrain band and floral trim.  Jacket from D.A.E. Originals.  Scarf, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Marigold Market black felt top hat is from Hobby Lobby.


"Symphony in G" Gene Marshall, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

"V for Tea" Ivy Jordan is from Integrity.

The 1940's Turban

The turban has been a renowned fashion staple with women for a number of decades.  In the late 1930's milliner Lilly Dache revived the turban elevating it to high fashion prominence.  Carmen Miranda, the Brazilian singer, gave the turban enormous publicity by wearing it festively adorned with fruits, flowers, and feathers.

The turban was available ready to wear or could be wrapped by the customer when she put it on.  They were available in a variety of fabrications and suitable for day or evening wear.  The stars from Monolithic Studios prefer their turbans wrapped by their personal stylist.

Diva Madra Lord goes for drama wearing a turquoise blue turban trimmed with a floral corsage accented with beading.  Top and corsage are from Ashton Drake.  Hat, gauntlet gloves, skirt, belt, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Pool Pose Madra Lord is from Integrity.

Two illustrations from McCall Patterns showing turbans paired with dresses for a chic daytime look.  Turbans could be cleverly manipulated into an incredible variety of flattering styles.

Large cabbage roses with stems accent Gene Marshall's jewel-tone turban.  Dress and jewels are from Madame Alexander.  Fur drape and purse are from PD Root.  Hat and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Gloves and Miss Marshall are from Ashton Drake.

Miss Marshall in a chic, asymmetrically draped turban.  Jacket from Jamieshow.  Handbag from Sandra Stillwell.  Restyled jewels from Facets by Marcia.  Belt from Integrity.  Hat, gauntlet gloves, scarf, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Gene Marshall is from Ashton Drake.

Pink tulips are thrust through loops in Loretta Young's cashmere turban by Lilly Dache.  Jewels by Flato.  Photo by Rawlings for Vogue, 1940.

An animal print turban tops Miss Lord's smart suit ensemble punctuated by a pop of color.  Restyled suit is from Integrity.  Fur from PD Root.  Handbag and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Hat, ascot, belt, brooch, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Moulin Noire Madra Lord is from Ashton Drake.

Credits:  

Color and Design in Apparel by Bernice G. Chambers, 1942.

February Seasonal Accessorizing

Add a fabric turban in a print or rich jewel-tone solid and match to gloves or scarves.

Monolithic Studios' director Ivy Jordan tops her coat with an animal print turban that coordinates with her embroidered gloves.  In addition she keeps the floral trend, adding a corsage to the bow at her neckline and repeating the flowers on her muff.  Coat and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Fur muff is from Integrity.  Hat and styling are from The Couture Touch.

Bright flowers and a matching satin bow accent film star Gene Marshall's solid colored turban.  The pink gloves as well as the scarf print match the floral detailing on the hat.  Coat, gloves, and newspaper are from Ashton Drake.  Hat, scarf, belt, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Miss Marshall's belt bag was made using a Barbie-sized handbag.  The original chain link handle was tucked inside the bag and a new faux leather handle was tacked to the back of the purse.  The belt simply slides through the new handle.

Credits:

Turbans were fashioned from scrunchie ponytail holders.

Lady Director Ivy Jordan (re-coiffed) is from Integrity.

Gene Marshall is from Ashton Drake.

Updating Hats with Flowers & Bows

We asked two famous film stars to select a hat from their personal wardrobe to update.

Gene Marshall

The simple addition of a black felt bow elevates the hat from Integrity's Daily Threads set.  Paired with Robert Tonner's Arrival at Port suit (sans the belt), Miss Marshall is ready to greet her fans.  Handbag is from Madame Alexander.  Gloves, jewels, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  "Symphony in G" Gene Marshall, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.  A braided hairpiece purchased at a local beauty supply house was added to her coiffure.

Madra Lord

The hat from Miss Lord's Top This suit ensemble is reshaped and trimmed with pink tulips and a dramatic spray of feathers, both recycled from other outfits.  Hat, Jacket, and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Fur and handbag are from furrier PD Root.  Skirt, scarf, jewels, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Careless Kisses Madra Lord is from Integrity.

The Couture Touch would like to thank our stars for taking time out of their busy schedules for this project.

3 Ways with Flowers & Bows

From the pages of a leading fashion magazine, Monolithic Studios' film stars Gene Marshall and Madra Lord along with iconic fashion model Barbie show their favorite ways with flowers and bows.

The jacket from Love, Paris is updated with a floral accented bow at the neckline and two small black bows at the waistline.  Teamed with a slim, black pleated skirt gives Miss Marshall's ensemble panache.  Re-shaped hat is from Sandra Stillwell.  Jacket and jewels are from Ashton Drake.  Handbag from Robert Tonner.  Skirt, gloves, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Destiny Gene Marshall, re-coiffed and enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

Appearing on the editorial page, Miss Lord wears a delightful three strand pearl necklace accented with a ribbon flower recycled from Gene Marshall's Press Conference hat.  A small metal hook from a hook & eye closure was sewn to the back of the flower.  The flower is attached by simply hooking it over the pearls.  If necessary, use a mini, needle nose jewelry plier to adjust the hook in order to accommodate larger pearls.  Top is from Ashton Drake's A Lady Knows.  Special Scene Madra Lord is from Integrity.

The designers of Barbie's chic suit were right on trend with the jeweled ribbon bow accent.  A jeweled button could also be sewn on a ribbon bow for a similar effect.  The OOAK turban is from The Couture Touch.  Trace of Lace Silkstone Barbie (re-styled) and the Tweed Indeed suit are from Mattel.

Must Haves for Updating a 1940's Wardrobe

Photo from the cover of British Vogue, September 1941.

The use of florals and bows in women's apparel were popular fashion trends during the 1940s.  Both were the perfect choice for giving new life to old clothes as well as uplifting morale during the war years.  From the pages of vintage Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, here are ideas for embellishing with flowers and bows.

Not your traditional way to wear flowers, but delightful indeed.  A small bouquet tucked into a belt at the waist.  Rembrandt dress ad from British Vogue, 1941.

And don't forget hats.  A bunch of violets with the stems still attached are perched on top a flaring, blue, silk satin snood from Lilly Dache.  The flowers are repeated in the corsage on the jacket.  Photo from Vogue, 1941.

Three suits accented with bow trim from Charles Armour, Inc., New York City.  Eve Tartar hats.  From Vogue, 1943.

Four small strategically placed bows accented with jeweled clips add interest to this suit-dress from the Doctor Dress Company, Inc.  Photo from Harper's Bazaar, 1942.

A black, silk crepe dress from Traina-Norell is accented with a marvelous brooch mounted on ribbon bows.  Bonwit Teller ad from Harper's Bazaar, 1942.

The same brooch appears in this color photo by Rawlings for Vogue, 1942.  Tailored ensemble from Traina-Norell.

Love this idea for a bow accented necklace.  La Tausca Pearls, New York.  Hat by Lilly Dache.  Photo from Vogue, 1942.

A cherry red wool suit-dress from Jacqmar features a turned back lapel to reveal an oversized velveteen bow.  Illustration from British Vogue, 1941.