Society Column

"Constance Morgan is young, rich, and a little spoiled. Mayhem ensues, when on a lark, she takes over the society column at a newspaper owned by her best friend's father." Thus is the premise of Monolithic Studios' 1941 comedy starring Gene Marshall as Constance Morgan and Ivy Jordan, stepping in for Madra Lord who developed a case of laryngitis, as best friend Edna Black.

Smart and stylish suits are the costumes of choice for our incomparable leading ladies.

Miss Gene Marshall

High style is the headline of the day. A marvelous black suede topper accented with Persian lamb add drama to Miss Marshall's ensemble. Suit, hat, and color-blocked gauntlet gloves are from The Couture Touch. Fur stole is from Integrity. Scarf is from Mattel. Cigarette holder is from Mystyna.

Miss Ivy Jordan

Miss Jordan is all business wearing a sharply tailored, pin-striped suit from Robert Tonner's Brenda Starr Collection. Accessories include a delightful striped tilt hat with matching gloves, and a blouse accented with an oversized bow; all from The Couture Touch. Fur is from PD Root. Handbag is from Ashton Drake.

Cast

White Orchid Gene Marshall is from JamieShow.

Moss Rose Ivy Jordan is from Integrity.

More Scene Stealing Fashion for Fall, 1940s

Gene Marshall

Miss Marshall's Town and Country suit becomes a show stopper with the addition of a fabulous suede tilt topper accented with vintage feather detailing. There were many hat styles during the 1940's, but none more sophisticated than the tilt topper. The traditional topper was a stiff silk hat worn by men for formal day and evening occasions. Milliners took the distinctive style and fashioned it for women in various fabrications and trims.

Photo by Richard Avedon for Vogue, 1946.

A Regency Dandy Suit, designed by Morris Kraus for the Suit Salon at Bonwit Teller in New York, is topped with a marvelous tilt hat with a unique crown shape. A simple, narrow hat band and veiling complete this smart style.

Gene Marshall

The same topper gives chic distinction to the dress from It's A Cinch. Additional accessories include gloves from D.A.E. Originals, bracelet from Ashton Drake, handbag from PD Root, and belt from The Couture Touch.

For more on tilt hats, you may also enjoy the following posts from the archives:
Tilt Hats, Part 1
Tilt Hats, Part 2

A 1940's Tilt Topper labeled NY Creations.
From the author's personal collection.

Credits:

Shanghai Siren Gene Marshall, enhanced with an articulated body from Integrity, is from Ashton Drake.

"Town and Country" suit ensemble and "It's A Cinch" fashion are from Integrity. Additional accessories for Miss Marshall's updated "Town and Country" look include leather gloves and scarf from The Couture Touch.  Handbag is from Ashton Drake.

Miss Marshall's OOAK tilt topper is from The Couture Touch.

DIY Vintage-Style Hat for Gene Marshall

It's that time of the year again when all eyes are on a ladies Easter bonnet. You can easily make your own 1940's disk-style tilt hat for Miss Marshall. Here's what you will need:

Fabric of your choice
matching thread
buckram  (available at most fabric stores or millinery supply shops)
assorted trimmings
felt
needle
scissors
straight pins
glue  (I use Fabri-Tac by Beacon Adhesives)
Fray Check or Fray Block by June Tailor (optional)

Draw a circle on the buckram and cut out. I used a glass that measured just under 2 1/2" in diameter as a guide. You can make your hat smaller or larger. The beauty of buckram is that it can be shaped while wet and when it is dry, it will hold it's shape. I use it for many of my hats. Cut out a circle of fabric 3/8" larger than the buckram circle. If your chosen fabric is loosely woven, I recommend you apply either Fray Check or Fray Block to the outer edge of the fabric to help prevent raveling.

Run a gathering stitch around the fabric approximately 1/8" from the edge. Center the buckram and gently pull the gathers around the disk.

Tighten the gathers around the buckram and secure thread with a knot.  Cut out a circle in felt approximately 1/8" to 1/4" smaller than your hat.

Center the felt circle and pin. Hand stitch the felt circle to the hat with a tiny whip-stitch. This clean-finishes the underside of your hat.

Now for the fun part.  Embellish your hat as desired. The floral spray was tacked to the hat with hand stitching. The remaining flowers, leaf, and bird were glued in position. It's best to work from the back of the hat forward once the foundation pieces have been attached. Netting, feathers, miniature birds, ribbons, beads, buttons, braids, and flowers are readily available at local craft and fabric stores such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Jo Ann Fabrics, etc. I also look for vintage millinery pieces at flea markets and antique malls. And as you know, I also like to re-purpose items I already own.

And Viola! You now have a smart new hat for Miss Marshall.  Jacket is from Ashton Drake's "Doing Her Part", scarf from Mattel, and fur from miniature furrier PD Root.

And just to get your creative juices flowing......

George Beigel tilt hat using a fabulous white ostrich feather, velvet ribbons, & flowers, circa 1940's.
Courtesy antiquedress.com

Bes Ben hat, circa 1944
Courtesy petitequaintrelle.wordpress.com

Joan Crawford, circa 1940's
Photo courtesy mattsko.wordpress.com

And 4 more courtesy houseofninesdesign.com

HAPPY EASTER!

Creative Millinery

During WWII, the U.S. implemented clothing restrictions (referred to as Limitation Order L-85) to the apparel industry in order to conserve materials needed for the war effort. The rationing of supplies sparked creativity as well as renewed self-expression.

Even Hollywood was impacted by the wartime restrictions. At the Monolithic Studio's wardrobe department, stylists work their millinery magic with available materials to refresh some of their early costumes.

The result:  Five glorious hats....each one star-approved by Monolithic's leading ladies, Miss Gene Marshall and Miss Madra Lord.

J'Adore Gene Marshall wears a fashionable red leather tilt hat made from a vintage shoe clip. The clip was removed and a circle of felt was added to finish the underside of the hat. Ashton Drake's red crepe jacket/dress ensemble is now the perfect "Smart Set".

Blue Fox Gene Marshall accents her black and cream striped dress with a delightful black ribbon tilt hat that began as a flower lapel pin. "Lucky Stripe" gets a make-over by adding a belt and moving the side drape so the beautiful pleating is visible. Dress, jewelry, gloves, and Miss Marshall are all from Ashton Drake.

The hat from Robert Tonner's "Fresh Take" gets a fresh re-take by re-shaping the wired bandeau into a dramatic red feathered tilt topper perfect for Tonner's Reporter in Red suit ensemble from the Brenda Starr Collection. Jewelry from The Couture Touch. "Fresh Take" costume is from the Ann Harper Collection. Like A Fox Madra Lord is from Ashton Drake.

The satin ribbon hat from Ashton Drake's Star Wardrobe Collection brown accessories set was updated with vintage millinery trim for a spectacular floral confection. Suit, gloves, and jewelry are from Ashton Drake. J'Adore Gene Marshall is the FDQ exclusive doll from Mel Odom and JamieShow.

Dark Desire Madra Lord graciously poses for the cover of Movie Star magazine wearing a fabulous tilt hat that was once the little tam from Ashton Drake's "Bonnie and Blythe" costume. The red pom pom and black vinyl trim were removed from the original hat. Buckram was inserted for shape and support and the underside finished with felt. Dramatic vintage trim accents the "new" hat. Dress, jewelry, and Miss Lord are from Ashton Drake. Fur cape from Dimitha.

Next time:  Make a circa 1940's tilt hat for Miss Marshall.

Houndstooth

Who doesn't think of Lauren Bacall in the 1944 film To Have and Have Not when thinking of a classic 1940's houndstooth suit. 

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart

To Have and Have Not, 1944

Houndstooth is a variation of a simple check pattern that uses the twill weave to produce a special effect.  It comes in many color combinations but the classic is black and white.  I love the use of an unexpected color such as jade green with the black and white check.

Click photo to enlarge

This is a prototype of a circa mid-forties suit that is based on a Simplicity pattern.  I didn't like the fit of the original pattern so I started from scratch and drafted a new pattern to get the look and fit I was going for.  This pattern will eventually be used for a striped suit.  I decided to use some left over jade wool crepe fabric from another project and combined it with the black and white houndstooth crepe fabric.  This style jacket often closed at the waist with either a simple button or with self-fabric ties.  In this case I used a vintage button as the closure.

Click photo to enlarge

Underneath the jacket is a linen dickey which were popular in the forties, and a great way to eliminate bulk.  The embroidery on the front of the dickey is actually from a vintage lace piece that a friend gave me.  Of course every great 40's suit must have a matching topper.  This one is made from Ultrasuede and banded with the black and white houndstooth crepe.  The velveteen bow and veiling are from a vintage hat.  The black and white Ultrasuede gloves are reversible.

Click photo to enlarge

Integrity's Silhouette of the Fifties Ivy Jordan is my model/muse.  She is my favorite fit model as she looks great in any era!  The purse is borrowed from an OOAK ensemble for Barbie doll, and the shoes are from Integrity's Gene Marshall collection.

Click photo to enlarge

Houndstooth is not just for clothing.  It also looks great in accessories.  This 1940's tilt topper is a great example.  From my private collection.