Can't find a 1950s ad for a woman's mac by Alligator. This Valstar ad is from 1950.
In the blog of 1-5-08 JM asks about Alligator Rainwear.
Can't find a 1950s ad for a woman's mac by Alligator. This Valstar ad is from 1950. |
As a schoolboy in the 1950's I remember that in my search for suppliers of rubberised clothing and fabrics I came across Alligator's London office in Maddox Street, W1.
The shop window always displayed their latest style of women's rubberised mack. I think that these "show" garments were not full-size but scaled-down models but I may be in error there.
I often visited the street in order to look at the display and fantasize about what went on behind the front office. One day I summoned enough courage to go in and ask if they could let me have some mack fabric. When I told them that I was just a private individual, as opposed to a messenger from some other company, I was politely refused! However, I had managed to catch an exciting glimpse of a workroom at the back.
Alligator left Maddox Street years ago but my little adventure remains firmly in my memory!
Oddly enough, whilst reading this query about the 1950's I was wearing a "Vintage Vogue" dress and jacket circa 1952 which I made up from terra-cotta mack bed sheeting!
Dear Julia
Very good of you to write. Alligator was so big we ought to be able to unearth its story. This experience of yours, not so little I would say, should surely set us going.
I know those fifties patterns luxuriated in the quantities of wonderful fabrics which were newly available post World War 2, but using that authentic terra-cotta mackintosh material must have taxed your tailoring skills (and sewing machine!) to the limit. We are sometimes asked to do it, but we always have to say we can't. If there were a Mackintosh Award for Couture Know-how, I am sure it would be yours.
With many thanks
Lorraine
Sorry that it's this much later but I have only just seen the reply which you posted months ago regarding my anecdote about the Alligator anecdote.
Your reservations about stitching mack bed sheeting are true but in the past there was a wide variety of such fabric available. The fabric which I used for the dress and jacket was much thinner than that which you supply.
I would not attempt to make a complicated or sleeved garment from sheeting as substantial as your two-colour one. However, an adventurous dressmacker (i.e. one who makes mackintosh clothes) could probably make up a straight skirt from it, provided that a "leather" needle of 100/16 or larger was used in the sewing machine. Maybe I shall have a go one day!
I think that those voluminous 1950's dresses you referred to would work well in your rubberised satin. Perhaps I shall try my hand with some of that too!
Julia
Dear Julia
I love 'dressmacker' and would be thrilled to have a Dior spectacular made in lots and lots and lots of lightweight rubberised satin. Brilliant idea!
Not so very sure about the skirt in hospital bed sheeting... Except as a kind of punishment uniform. - Oh, I see! Yes, very good idea!!
Maybe reserved for those that don't visit the site quite as often as they should ....
Lorraine
Far from being used as a punishment uniform', I think that the wearing of a skirt made from hospital sheeting would be a reward!
Having made it up in this fabric, imagine wriggling oneself into the firm embrace of a calf-length pencil-skirt. Imagine the cool, smooth rubber lining. Imagine the 'shlop, shlop, shlop', sound of the fabric as one walks! And, since traditional mack sheet like this is coated on both surfaces, imagine the sight and feel of the outside of the skirt as well!
Yes, definitely a reward for any true macker!
Julia
Mmm - yes, quite see what you mean!
I hope I didn't imply that a punishment uniform was a bad thing ...
L
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