May 19, 2017

Cataloging Catalogs: More Montgomery Ward Spring Summer 1943


It is time again for another installment of Cataloging Catalogs! Today we have some more pages from the Spring Summer 1943 catalog that I scanned recently, as there are ever so many pages! I love these catalogs so much, I really wish they were easier to get a hold of because flipping through them is endlessly inspiring.

Today we have another selection of dresses and sets, all of which I would love to own. Lets tale a look...


White cotton with green rick rack? Yes please. The bottom right striped dress comes in four different colors and buttons all the way up the back.


Love the chunky beaded bracelet over the gloves with view A, also the dress is gorgeous too of course. I'd like one in coco brown please! I really like analyzing the styling in these pages, always more to learn about how 1940's clothing was actually worn!



Clearly striped fabrics were very popular! I really love view E, I mean all of these are gorgeous, but I'd really like view E in my closet please. I really want to play around with some striped fabric now, there are just so many ways to play with the direction of the stripes making fun contrasts and shapes.


Seersucker and gingham suits! Why don't I have one of these?


Cotton evening dresses! To be fair, cotton for evening makes a lot of sense for summer in most of the United States as it stays so hot. View J: "Water-color sparkle plus top-notch quality for an impeccably chic evening gown. It's patterned after your favorite shirtwaist dress."


Great hair-do on the gal wearing view E! The dress is amazing too, so absurdly feminine with all the tiers and little bows. Yet more gingham and stripes, one can never have enough gingham and stripes!


Juniors dresses sure were a lot cuter in the past. Whether nautical or dirndl inspired, all options seem very cute!


The border print in the bottom row...just so adorable! Clearly I have a major lack of shirtdresses in my own wardrobe. Must remedy this situation! 



Only $1.98! Such a deal


View F looks so 80's doesn't it? Obviously it was a style later copied.


The dress farthest to the right above looks rather 1930s with those triangles at the waist, which is funny since these are dressed designed for "looking as young as your daughter". I love the middle dress, I'm crazy for eyelet!



If you can pull your eyes away from the amazing dresses and suits notice the contrast woven and leather belts. Also all of the hats are amazing!


The problem I have with these pages after a while is that I start to get desensitized to how amazing every darn page is. Everything on the above page is divine right?





Endless inspiration right? And there are more pages still too, and two more catalogs! I hope you all aren't bored of these yet, I could study these pages forever <3



12 comments:

  1. I do like the idea of a cotton evening dress, I bet it would feel comfy and it would wash much better if you spilled champagne on it!! Thanks for sharing these, a great resource to have available on the internet x

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    1. It would be strange but super convenient to be able to throw your evening dress into the washing machine!

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  2. Great dresses and they're the perfect balance of war-time practicality with a bit of frivolity, bows, buttons and such... :)

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    1. Can't beat a practical dress worn with a huge hat!

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  3. Great inspo. I love that floral cotton evening gown, the one that styled after a shirt dress - it's actually really unique and lovely.

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    1. The nice thing about that dress too is it would make a great day dress if something happened to the hem and you had to shorten it. I wish I had a need for evening gowns, as it is I never even wear my cocktail dresses much!

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  4. Definitely not bored!

    I love those cotton evening dresses - in a light broderie anglais or schiffli fabric, I bet an evening dress would look amazing. And would ladies who bought from catalogues be less likely to have access to a dry cleaner, or is that a big assumption on my part?

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    1. I am glad you all aren't bored yet! I have so much more to share! I just adore these catalogs, it's going to be hard to not pick up more of them if I see them for sale ;)

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  5. Definitely not bored!
    (Oh that's funny, I just realized that Mim wrote exactly the same thing!) I do really enjoy seeing all these vintage outfits from your catalogues- thanks so much for sharing them with us.

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    1. Hooray! Neither am I, I get lost in these pages so easily! I'll have more pages up soon :)

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  6. I need some shirt dresses really badly!! Another gorgeous selection. And no, not bored.

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    1. Me too, they have lots of extra steps (collars and button holes, etc.) so I don't make them! I must stop being lazy and get on that :)

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