Tiki Fashion of the early 1960s - General Tiki

V vintagegirl Tiki Socialite Los Angeles Joined: Jun 12, 2002 Posts: 542	V vintagegirl Posted posted on Mon, Oct 16, 2006 1:15 AM Crystal, you might also want to check out the designs of Alfred Shaheen who epitomized the hawaiian print sheath dress in the 50s and 60s: http://www.alfredshaheen.com/vintageclothing&women.htm As you can see on this page, there is also the possibility of wearing a cheong sam (chinese-style dress with mandarin collar) or a dressy chinese pantsuit with some mules. I've seen my fellow TC member HumuHumu pull off both these styles with great flair and elegance. Not everyone can afford a custom-made or Shaheen original sheath dress, so an economic alternative is a sundress (hopefully cheaper than the one in this link) with a hawaiian print dressed up with a bit of jewelry, high-heels and a flower in the hair: http://www.monstervintage.com/Vintage_Clothing/Hawaiian/1960_s_Hawaiian_Andrade_Sundress_Small_11861.html BTW, the dress, whether sheath or sundress, should not be too tight as you do not want to look like a sausage. Dresses that are too tight look just as bad as a dress that is too large. Ideally, it should be well-fitted to your own measurements and sometimes one does get lucky with such a fit with vintage clothes if you are fairly proportionate. For the dress you have chosen, the bust measurement is most important. As long as that fits your measurement, then you can cinch the waist with the belt and you don't have to worry about the hips because the skirt is flared. If the bust is a little roomy, a padded bra is a simple solution to make the dress fit better. Ultimately, I think your idea of dressing up your dress with appropriate jewelry and accessories is a good one. (And an economical one at this point.) Plus, as was mentioned earlier, the invite IS quite confusing. It sounds like almost any party/cocktail wear of the early 60s will do. I would go for a nice necklace, bracelet, your new purse, some high-heeled sandals and a flower in your hair. As for make-up, pencil your eyebrows a bit, emphasizing any arch you may have, add a thin line of eyeliner on your top eyelid, close to your lashes (which can get thicker towards the outer corners for that "cat-eye" effect), subtle blush and perhaps a shade of pink lipstick to go with the mauve color of your dress. (Bright red lipstick was most popular in the 50s, but by the early 60s, pink was more the trend. You'll notice that Audrey Hepburn's lipstick was quite pale in "Tiffany's.") But you can always try both and see which is more flattering for the combination of your dress, hair and skin tone. But most importantly of all, have a good time at the party as that would be the MOST Vintage-Tiki thing to do! [ Edited by: vintagegirl 2006-10-16 01:18 ]

Crystal, you might also want to check out the designs of Alfred Shaheen who epitomized the hawaiian print sheath dress in the 50s and 60s:
http://www.alfredshaheen.com/vintageclothing&women.htm

As you can see on this page, there is also the possibility of wearing a cheong sam (chinese-style dress with mandarin collar) or a dressy chinese pantsuit with some mules. I've seen my fellow TC member HumuHumu pull off both these styles with great flair and elegance.

Not everyone can afford a custom-made or Shaheen original sheath dress, so an economic alternative is a sundress (hopefully cheaper than the one in this link) with a hawaiian print dressed up with a bit of jewelry, high-heels and a flower in the hair:
http://www.monstervintage.com/Vintage_Clothing/Hawaiian/1960_s_Hawaiian_Andrade_Sundress_Small_11861.html

BTW, the dress, whether sheath or sundress, should not be too tight as you do not want to look like a sausage. Dresses that are too tight look just as bad as a dress that is too large. Ideally, it should be well-fitted to your own measurements and sometimes one does get lucky with such a fit with vintage clothes if you are fairly proportionate. For the dress you have chosen, the bust measurement is most important. As long as that fits your measurement, then you can cinch the waist with the belt and you don't have to worry about the hips because the skirt is flared. If the bust is a little roomy, a padded bra is a simple solution to make the dress fit better.

Ultimately, I think your idea of dressing up your dress with appropriate jewelry and accessories is a good one. (And an economical one at this point.) Plus, as was mentioned earlier, the invite IS quite confusing. It sounds like almost any party/cocktail wear of the early 60s will do. I would go for a nice necklace, bracelet, your new purse, some high-heeled sandals and a flower in your hair.

As for make-up, pencil your eyebrows a bit, emphasizing any arch you may have, add a thin line of eyeliner on your top eyelid, close to your lashes (which can get thicker towards the outer corners for that "cat-eye" effect), subtle blush and perhaps a shade of pink lipstick to go with the mauve color of your dress. (Bright red lipstick was most popular in the 50s, but by the early 60s, pink was more the trend. You'll notice that Audrey Hepburn's lipstick was quite pale in "Tiffany's.") But you can always try both and see which is more flattering for the combination of your dress, hair and skin tone.

But most importantly of all, have a good time at the party as that would be the MOST Vintage-Tiki thing to do!

[ Edited by: vintagegirl 2006-10-16 01:18 ]

Post #261002 by vintagegirl on Mon, Oct 16, 2006 1:15 AM