Category 1940’s

1940’s Ladies Jeans…SO AWESOME!

by Nora Jane Struthers in 1940's





Dear friends,

These are women’s jeans from the 1940’s. I found them in an antique mall in Missouri two weekends ago and I TOTALLY LOVE THEM! The have a sturdy brass colored zipper on the side and the stitching is orange. In these photos I have them rolled-up in the style consistent with how they would have been worn in the 40’s and 50’s. The saddle shoes might bring these up to the 50’s, but they are the closest I’ve got to period shoes to go with jeans.

Adding a scarf, either around the neck or as a hair tie, to this outfit, really ties it together. (no pun intended…)

Thanks for reading friends!

Best,
Nora Jane

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Nancy’s Grandmother’s Dress

by Nora Jane Struthers in 1940's





Dear Friends,

Once or twice before in my life, I have been given vintage dresses by kindly women who are looking for a good home for a dress, but never have I been given something that is so exactly aligned with the era and style of dress on which I have patterned my “look.” After hearing that I was wearing a true 1940’s seersucker romper (blog post to follow :), Nancy, resident of Middletown, RI, came up to me during the intermission of our show at Common Fence Music last night and told me she had several of her grandmother’s dresses form the 40’s in her closet. When she asked me if I would I be interested in adopting them, I jumped up with an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

The bootleggers and I stopped by her house first thing this morning wear I tried on this amazing garment. As we got in the car to drive away, Dave, my mandolin player, said, “I think that might be the best dress you own.” I think I might just agree.

Thanks for reading friends!

Sincerely,
Nora Jane

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Elderly Instruments

by Nora Jane Struthers in 1940's




Dear Friends,

Michigan in July is a very good thing.

The Bootleggers and I had two very nice shows at night and Saturday afternoon we played an in-store at the famous: Elderly Instruments. I wore this sleek late 1940’s early 1950’s blue-bell linen skirt with a white tee-shirt tucked in. This skirt is such a winner because the material is heavy and so it sways beautiful when walking. It also has a lovely thick band at the waist which means no belt is necessary (perfect for warm weather) and this detail is echoed in the slanting pockets.

Visiting Elderly was something I’ve always wanted to do and getting to perform my first time there was pretty neato.

Thanks for reading friends.

Sincerely,
Nora Jane

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Talk of the Town

by Nora Jane Struthers in 1940's, Vintage Voyage





Dear Friends,

The woman who owns the amazing vintage store, Vintage Ooollee, in Augusta, Georgia, told me that if on my travels I am ever near Cincinnati, I simply MUST stop at her favorite vintage store, Talk of the Town. Well, on our way home for Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, we just happened to be driving right past Cincinnati and I just happened to remember so to Talk of the Town we went!

This store has a vast selection from the 1920’s on up, is organized by size, and labeled by decade. All of the clothes are in very good condition and I would have liked to take home many more tha I did. I took home the lovely yellow 1940’s. It buttons up the front and has really neato little round pockets and a matching detail on the top.

The wool 1950’s number is totally amazing. I probably should have bought it, but one must curb one’s desires occasionally.

Thanks for reading friends.

Sincerely,
Nora Jane

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The Dress

by Nora Jane Struthers in 1940's



Dear Friends,

The morning we left for our great journey to Telluride, Colorado, I held up this dress and told the video camera, “This is the dress. That’s all I’m going to say.”

It turns out, it was the dress…the dress that I wore on the main stage in the final round of the band competition when we won. 🙂

It’s a beautiful late 1940’s, pink cotton with a side zipper, triangle cuffs, collar, and neckline, and a row of covered buttons going up the front. This dress is a keeper.

Thanks for reading friends!

Sincerely,
Nora Jane

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