Do you have a passion for fashion, but also a love for all things vintage? If so, then you won’t want to miss out on learning about one of the most iconic and timeless dress labels in history- Jonathan Logan. With its roots dating back to the 1940s, this brand has stood the test of time and continues to be a staple in the world of vintage fashion.

Join me as we delve into the history and unique style of Jonathan Logan, and discover why this brand has remained a favorite among fashion enthusiasts for decades. From its humble beginnings to its enduring legacy, get ready to explore the world of Jonathan Logan and unlock the secrets of its enduring appeal.

Photo Courtesy of: Couture Allure

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Note: If you click on an item and it is no longer available, don’t fret! The websites I have provided are updated daily with 1000’s of new & vintage items. Just do a quick search and see what you find.

Jonathan Logan-A Classic Vintage Dress Label

Yup I can hear already what you are saying…”WOW!”, “Beautiful!”, “where can I get one?”, see why I’m obsessed and that is only picture one!

Jonathan logan red dress as seen in a 1950s vintage fashion ad.

THE FASHION HISTORY

The Company was founded in 1944 by David Schwartz with a small arsenal of dedicated employees, including the first designer of the label “Doris Varnum” and quickly became known for their excellent quality and classic styles (vintage fashion guild).

Here is a Doris Varnum design from 1947

Doris Varnum dress-1940s vintage fashion ad featuring a 1940s dress.

Photo courtesy of: Retrogator.com

I’m already picturing myself in this dress 🙂 As you can see from the Ad above the label was sold at Department stores all across the country, so you were never far away from being able to purchase a Jonathan Logan dress (wish that was the case today).

In the late 1950’s, Doris was replaced with designer Jeanne Carr. Here are some 1950’s designs (Note: some of these designs might be Doris designs as Jeanne did not start designing to late 1950’s but I’m unsure what is considered “late”):

Photo Courtesy of: myvintagevogue.com

1950’s Jonathan Logan full circle skirt cocktail dress.

Photo Courtesy of Etsy seller: dLeChe

1950's Jonathan logan fashion ad featuring a 1950s dress.

Jonathan logan 1950's fashion ad featuring a rose patterned 1950s dress.

Photo Courtesy of: myvintagevogue.com

By the 1960’s the Jonathan Logan label become the largest ready to wear company in the USA. 1963 actually recorded $100 million in annual sales, unheard of for a women’s clothing company and it also became the first women’s clothing company to be listed on the New York Stock exchange (Jewish Virtual Library).

Some 1960’s looks….

1960's Jonathan Logan fashion ad featuring 2 women wearing 1960s dresses.

Photo Courtesy of: myvintagevogue.com

Jonathan Logan 1960's fashion ad for Lord & Taylor featuring a full skirt early 1960s dress.

The label eventually spread its wings into 14 different brands, each geared to a different consumer group. Some of the those lines included “Butte Knit” specializing in knitted apparel at a time that classification was just beginning to flourish. “Bleeker Street” in 1966 to promote the Carnaby Street Boutique popularity (Carnaby St in London, England by the 1960’s was where you could find the “Mod” & “Hippy” styles-Wikipedia), a line that was in existence till 1974.

Bleeker Street motto vintage clothing tag.

Schwartz guided Logan until 1964, when he appointed his son president and chief operating officer but remained as chairman. Richard Schwartz was then 25 years old, the youngest president of any business on the New York Stock Exchange (Jewish Virtual Library).

By 1985 though the Schwartz family sold their interest in the company and moved onto other business ventures.

Today the Jonathan Logan labels are very popular for Vintage lovers (especially the 1950’s designs) and can be found on Etsy & eBay with some of the early designs costing into the hundreds to purchase.

Jonathan Logan Dresses Real Life Examples

(Updated Feb 2024)

1950s Vintage Shopping: I have created a collection on Etsy featuring 1950s fashions & more Jonathan logan dresses that I update monthly. Visit HERE.

This 1955 Jonathan Logan top and skirt featuring a multi-coloured polka dotted set is just so special especially when you find the matching 1950s advertisement.

1950s fashion ad from 1955 for Jonathan Logan Polka Dot Top & skirt and green shorts and tops with matching buttons.

1950s Fashion: 1955 Jonathan Logan top and skirt featuring a multi-coloured polka dotted set

Source: Etsy – VINTAGEVAVAVOOMZ

“Let’s play tic-tac-toe” -1952 Jonathan Logan light-weight silk taffeta in a dijon-mustard yellow with a cute black tic-tac-toe print (avail as of Feb, 2024 HERE).

1950s Fashion: 1952 Jonathan Logan dress in yellow with a tic-tac-toe pattern on the dress.

Source: Etsy – labellevintage

The original 1950s ad (or catalog page) states: “Let’s play tic-tac-toe in this mesmerizing silk taffeta designed by Jonathan Logan with cleverly detailed kerchief at neck. A wonderful wide skirt which remains full with or without crinoline. The simple black button trim on bodice and sleeves plus shiny patent belt afford excellent contrast with this conversation-making print. $14.95”.

1950s Vintage Fashion Ad from 1952 for Jonathan Logan Dresses. 1950s Fashion Illustration.

Source: Etsy – labellevintage

1950s Jonathan Logan blue grey dress with peplum / pearl details.

Source: Etsy – LittleBirdVtg

1960s Jonathan Logan Hot Pink Mid-Century Print Dagger Collar Dress.

Source: Etsy

1950’s/60’s White and Blue Jonathan Logan Floral Fit and Flare Summer Dress (avail as of Feb 2024 HERE).

1950's/1960's White and Blue JONATHAN LOGAN Floral Fit and Flare Summer Dress

Source: Etsy

1950s original pink red check Jonathan Logan cotton dress and jacket.

Source: Etsy

1950’s Jonathan Logan impressionist monet-esque floral dress & matching bolero with portrait collar.

Source: Etsy

1950’s Striped Cotton Johnathan Logan Fit and Flare.

1950s Fashion: 1950’s Striped Cotton Johnathan Logan Fit-n-Flare

Source: Etsy

When you can find a deadstock dress, that is a true vintage find (meaning never worn, tags on). Here is a stunner of a deadstock 1950s Jonathan Logan dress in the shirtwaist style that was oh so popular.

Gosh I love this dress!

1950s Jonathan Logan dress in the shirtwaist style.

Source: Etsy

Spring is the perfect time to wear this stunning 1950s Jonathan Logan, gathered floral chiffon skirt over blue bias (circle) skirt cocktail dress. LOVE IT!

Source: Etsy

A beautiful vintage 1950’s dropped waist dress by Jonathan Logan. The bottom layer is a pink/white micro check and the top layer is a white lace.

beautiful vintage 1950's dropped waist dress. The bottom layer is a pink/white micro check and the top layer is a white lace. Jonathan Logan 1950s Dress

Source: Etsy

Floaty chiffon 1950s vintage aqua & pink floral party dress. STUNNING!

Floaty chiffon 1950s vintage aqua & pink floral party dress. 1950s fashion / 1950s dress by Jonathan Logan.

Source: Etsy

1950s Vintage Jonathan Logan Yellow Full Pleated Skirt Cotton Dress.

Source: Etsy

1950s Jonathan Logan brown striped dress. Perfect for Fall!

1950s Fashion: 1950s Jonathan Logan brown striped dress.

Source: Etsy

Pink Striped 1950s Jonathan Logan Dress.

Source: Etsy

Jonathan Logan 1950’s mint condition dress. So Pretty!

Jonathan Logan 1950's dress-1950s fashion.

Source: Etsy

Jonathan Logan 1950s two piece women’s suit (skirt & jacket).

Etsy

I only own one 1970’s dress and it’s my grandmothers from my parents wedding day. It’s a stunner. This I will be honest, is also a stunner. A 1970s Jonathan Logan, Dead-Stock Chevron Stripe Autumn Maxi Dress. The colours are just fantastic!

1970s Fashion: Vntg 1970s Jonathan Logan, Dead-Stock Chevron Stripe Autumn Maxi Dress

Source: Etsy

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and I also hope I helped you discover a new vintage designer. I know that I will be online window shopping later on today for a Jonathan Logan dress to add to my collection. Will you?

Further Reading:

Vintage Fashion 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)
Vintage Fashion Designers (Archived Blog Posts)

Liz

There is a pub/bar/my local beer hangout called the Rhino Restaurant in Parkdale, Toronto. They have a mural on the side of their wall that for some reason I only noticed recently that I have found very intriguing and has encouraged me to write a blog post about it. Here is the mural (sorry for the side image but the patio was closed and this was a close as I could get).

Photo of the wall at the Rhino Restaurant in Parkdale Toronto that has a mural of the Miss Toronto Pageant.

It’s a mural of the “Miss Toronto Pageant” in the 1920’s…1926 to be exact, the year that the Miss Toronto Pageant started at Sunnyside Park.

WOW…I never knew Toronto had done anything like this. I moved to the city in 1999 and from my reading I discovered that the pageant closed it’s doors in 1991, so of course I would not of read or heard anything about it. Anyways as I was looking thru some very cool vintage pics of the “early days” of the pageant (lets say pre 1960’s because that is what my blog focuses on) I discovered the original image that the mural was based from. Here it is…the first Miss Toronto winner of 1926 – “Miss Jean Ford Tolmie” in her full glory (holy flower hat!) at Sunnyside Park.

1920s vintage photo of the first Miss Toronto winner of 1926 - "Miss Jean Ford Tolmie" in her full glory (holy flower hat!) at Sunnyside Park. Stunning 1920s hair and 1920s swimsuits.

Image source: Toronto Archives

Look at the hair and the bathing suits and stockings but the best part is how very unhappy the ladies who did not win are. Totally Miserable! Cheer up ladies you are all beautiful and I would not of known who to have picked if I was a judge!

Note: Toronto Archives Website (where I found my images)

Miss Toronto Pageant-The Early Days

History & Photos of the Pageant

There is not a lot of history online about the pageant but what I could find, after its initial startup in 1926 it seemed to remain dormant till about 1937. In 1937 the “Toronto Police Amateur Athletic Association” who wanted to add something “extra special” to their annual Police Games decided to take over the Pageant and run it again. It was not without controversy though, no sooner had the pageant been announced than it came under fire from the Local Council of Women of Toronto in a letter to the Board of Control and the chief of police. The council’s issue was not that the pageant objectified women—as feminists would assert in the future—but rather that the pageant was “not in good taste.” Their letter read in part:

“We look to the heads of the police department not only to see that existing laws pertaining to standards of decency and good taste are enforced, but also to be most punctilious in seeing that nothing they sponsor may tend to have a lowering effect on the standards of the people in general.” (Torontoist.com)

But this did not stop the pageant from moving forward with 350 pretty 16+, British Subjects entering. 66 were then chosen to compete in the finale at the CNE Grandstand (Canadian National Exhibition) on July 17th, 1937. The website “Torontoist.com” has a super post on what went down that day that eventually had the very pretty 17-year-old Billie Hallam become “Miss Toronto, 1937“.

Please Read: Softball Pitcher & Beauty Queen

1937 Photo of 6 of the ladies –Look at their cute shoes and the hair..fantastic!

1937 Miss Toronto contestents posing in their 1930s swimsuits, 1930s hairstyles and 1930s shoes.

Toronto Archives

Your 1937 Miss Toronto Winner-Billie Hallam, isn’t she just a doll?

1930s vintage photo: 1937 Miss Toronto Winner-Billie Hallam spoting a 1930s swimsuit and 1930s hairstyle.

Toronto Archives

With her win, the lovely Miss Hallem won $200 cash (a lot of money in 1937), Free trips to the police games in several other cities, invite to the Miss American pageant, jewellery, and sponsorship deals with companies like “Ponds Produce” & “Star Taxi” to name a few. She even had a potential chance to screen test with R.K.O. Studios…amazing!! (Torontoist.com). This was a huge deal for a 17-year-old in Toronto.

The pageant continued on until 1991 where backlash from Feminists and declining sponsorship eventually saw it shut it doors but thanks to the internet we can relive some of those wonderful pageant moments thru the pictures that still exist today. Lets take a look…

Some of the other contestants from the 1937 pageant. OMG the parasols!!!

1930s Vintage Photo of the Miss Toronto Pageant Contestants from 1937 in 1930s swimsuits, 1930s hairstyles and holding parasols.

Now for something slightly different…”Miss War Worker 1942“. This contest was created to encourage women to enter the workforce during the war (not sure how a pageant would do this, but ok).

1940s Vintage Photo of the Miss War Worker 1942 contest. The image features a group of women in their 1940s factory uniforms standing in a row with numbers.

Miss Toronto 1946 – Her surfing bathing suit from Catalina is totally adorable and something I would love to have today. Check out the ladies in the background, the one to the left looks a bit like Ava Gardner.

Further Reading: Summer is here! Vintage Catalina Swimsuit Ads

1940s vintage photo of Miss Toronto 1946 in her two piece Catalina Swimsuit.

Miss Toronto 1947 – Look at the handsome Police officer hoisting her in the air. Lucky her! Once again her shoes are divine!

1940s vintage photo of Miss Toronto 1947 being held up by a Toronto Police officer.

Miss Toronto 1948-The bathing suits are super amazing. These ladies all look like they stepped out of a movie set.

1940s vintage photo of the miss toronto 1948 beauty pageant. The woman are all wearing 1940s swimsuits.

Miss Toronto 1950 contestants Beautiful!!

1950s vintage photo of the miss toronto 1950. The woman are all posing in 1950s swimsuits.

Miss Toronto 1956at the CNE – Ummm Hello! Where can I get THAT DRESS???? yooza!

1950s vintage photo of Miss Toronto 1956 in a slim fitting 1950s dress at the CNE in Toronto.

Miss Toronto 1957 – The runner-up should have won because her shoes were the cutest 🙂

1950s vintage photo of the Miss Toronto pageant 1957. The image showcases the winner in her 1950s swimsuit being crowned.

So there you have a brief early history/pictures of the “Miss Toronto” Pageant, hope you enjoyed learning a bit about the Glory Day of the Pageant.

FURTHER READING:

Liz

Month: February 2013

Jonathan Logan-A Classic Vintage Dress Label

THE FASHION HISTORY

Jonathan Logan Dresses Real Life Examples

Miss Toronto Pageant-The Early Days

History & Photos of the Pageant