Label love round-up
Thursday, December 20, 2012 at 12:42AM This is the first post for which I’ve asked other bloggers to share some of their favorite vintage fashion labels.
Since it’s my blog, I’ll go first.
In my last post, I wrote about the Landlubber label (i.e., brand). I’m more literal here. These are two actual labels I think are rather sweet-looking -- and I know virtually nothing about the brands.
How can you not love a poodle with a bow tie and a monocle? Actually, this is how poodles dressed in the early 1970s when this label was current.
Photo taken by Vix.Funnily enough, the label appears on a dress I purchased in Birmingham, UK, on my shopping excursion with Vix and Annie.
My online research revealed that Juniors By Jove, Inc. registered their name in the state of California in 1970. And that a Juniors By Jove dress (described in buyer feedback as ‘awesome’) sold on eBay in 2009. I guess the Internet can’t always be as helpful as one would like.
A line drawing of a moon-faced woman with flower-strewn, flowing hair appears on this label on a blouse made by Amanda.
Sorry, it’s been too dark to take photos lately. This is all I could salvage from an outfit shoot that didn’t go well The blouse is quintessentially late 1970s with its watercolor-hued polyester fabric, pussy bow, puffy sleeves and tight cuffs. Zodiac International Trading Corporation in the U.S. filed for the trademark for the Amanda label in 1976 and specialized in blouses. I’ve seen a few others with the same label available for sale online. But mine is prettier.
Lizzie of The Vintage Traveler™ knows a thing or two about vintage clothing labels (your label research may have landed you on her contributions to the Vintage Fashion Guild’s Label Resource, or her earlier website, Fuzzylizzie Vintage Clothing).
The iconic American sportswear company White Stag bears Lizzie’s favorite label.
Don’t you just love it when you find an original advertisement that relates to something you own? Check out Lizzie’s post on White Stag in the mid-1950s to see her polka-dot capri pants in the same fabric as the skirt in this ad.
Another of her posts about White Stag shows later variations of the label and decries the lack of label photos in listings of vintage clothing for sale online. I find this annoying as well and have emailed more than one seller asking for a label photo.
The more we learn and share about vintage fashion the greater the number of coincidences and ‘ah-ha’ moments we’ll experience. For example, Lizzie posted a White Stag ad at the very moment a jacket in a style similar to one in the ad was making its way through the U.S. Postal Service to her, as she relates here.
Another love affair with one label is between Kelly of Grunge Queen and a mysterious Mr. John Hort, a maker of handbags in western Canada.
What on earth is that squiggle on the left of the label? Kelly shares her research here.
In the same post, Kelly delves into more Canadian fashion history, and investigates the James Bay Coat and Blanket Corporation, the maker of her gorgeous vintage coat.
The Secondhand Years’ Curtise spotted a label that was not like the others at her local charity shop and bagged a piece of haute couture.
Doesn’t this Jacques Heim label just reek elegance? Check out Curtise’s post about this lesser-known French couturier.
Curtise’s favorite label appears on a red and white herringbone tweed coat with lovely details. When I looked up “Feminella” on eBay, I found a couple of blouses and coats that are later than Curtise’s 1970s gem plus, as you might expect, a brand of tablets used to treat yeast infections.
Vix of Vintage Vixen, who does nothing in moderation, sent this collage of labels in her closet. Between the typography, the color and the actual names, this selection shows the exuberance of 1960s and 1970s fashion. Contemporary clothing labels are just so boring in comparison! 
From left to right, top to bottom:
Biba, Young Edwardian, Collection Egon Shop
Sambo, Miss Revolution London, Quad
Shubette of London, Dollyrockers of London, Gabar New York
Barry Artist, Romantica by Victor Costa, Kati at Laura Phillips
Thank you, all, for sending your photos and links. I know I’m not the only one who fancies some edu-ma-cation now and then.
7 Comments | Print Article Permalink Share Article Email Article 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, Amanda, Feminella, John Hort, Juniors By Jove, White Stag, bags in Fashion, Label love, Vintage ad
Reader Comments (7)
What a fab read, they certainly don't make clothes labels like they used to, foxes, poodles with monacles, skyscrapers, all embroidered with love and care! x
That was fun, Jo, and great to look at all those retro labels! I always want to more about the history behind the label and am somewhat disappointed when the Internet Gods yield nothing. Need to hit the fashion archives I guess! Your dress is fab. Thanks again for inviting us to share! Xoxo
Hi Jo!
The European tags are so beautiful. I do like the White Stag too though. Down in Portland Oregon there's a huge White Stage 3 dimensional billboard with the stag in full leap like the tag. It's old but gorgeous looking.
What a cute dress by the way.
I do love seeing old labels, especially the pretty ones with cute logos. I always google any labels I find which I don't recognise, but many seem to have just disappeard leaving no trace of information behind.
Great post, Jo, thanks for putting it all together. xxx
Wow, it's scary how I remember White Stag, and if I'm not mistaken, I think a friend gave me her Landlubber jeans in the very early '70's because they were too long. I wore them with clogs. I wish I could remember some other labels!!! I wore a long thrifted polyester (crimplene!!) skirt today, very '70's and fabulous. It was home-sewn, however, so no label. I'll have to keep searching the archives.
Eep! Seeing an awesome/amusing/clever label on a great vintage find that makes me smile is just icing on the cake! And it's so interesting to see how a name or logo has evolved through the decades if you can find different versions on the Vintage Fashion Guild’s Label Resource. And, lastly, great blog!
This is great! I do love edumacation especially about Fashion! I love the look of the labels and to hear the backstory on some of the companies is such a treat!