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Month: November 2014

Vintage Plaid Party Time -Vintage Ads, Vintage Fashions & More!

Did you know (you might of know this already) that there is an actual day called “Plaidurday” on First Friday of October (October 4th,2024) that is a worldwide celebration of all things….PLAID!!! Yes friends, the world is a wonderful place.

POST UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2024

1940s vintage party photo of a group of grils in 1940s hairstyles and 1940s fashions enjoying some time together
1940s Party Time with Friends-Source: Flapper Girl

Now to get my mind ready for all things plaid I have been looking for lots of vintage plaid inspiration online and boy there are tons (vintage ads, vintage fashions, vintage items & more). Shall we see what I found?


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 any of the items featured below and they are not available, don’t fret! Hit the search button and see what else is on the websites. There are 1000’s and 1000’s of items being listed daily.


Vintage Plaid Party Time -Vintage Ads, Vintage Fashions & More!

Vintage “Plaid” Advertising & Images

Pendleton is the ultimate “Plaid” clothing line as seen in these 3 ads below.

1950s Pendleton vintage advertising featuring Plaid housecoats and plaid jackets for Christmas time as gifts.
Source: Pinterest
1950s vintage ad for Women's Pendleton Sportswear featuring skirts, capris and casual tops in plaid.
Source: Vintage Dancer

While not an outfit this blanket is still a Pendleton and looks super cozy. I’m a bit confused on the “Robe-in-a-Bag” tagline though, does this not look like a blanket and not a robe in the traditional sense?

Vintage Pendleton blanket ad from the 1950s. 1950s Vintage Ad featuring plaid blanket that is in a bag and perfect for various activities.
Source: Pendleton Tumblr

1944 Teen girl wearing blue jeans and of course PLAID! Does she not look fantastic? Everything about this relaxed outfit is pretty cool (minus the smoking part, but that is the time). I really like the radio as well, that is on my wish list when I have a bigger home.

1940s vintage image of a young girl in a plaid oversize jacket, jeans and smoking in her livingroom beside the radio.
Source: Life

Every Teen Girls Dream in 1947-The “Scot-Trot”.

1940s Vintage Ad for 1940s Dress in Plaid for Teen girls. Called the Scot-Trot.
Source: Classic Film

1940s Teen Girls in wool, plaid skirts and saddle shoes. This might be the look I end up channeling for the party. Can I just say how much I LOVE this photo!

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of People Wearing Saddle Shoes

1940s teen girls in wool plaid skirts and saddle shoes. Super 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles.
Source Flickr: Rollei

Fashion Do’s & Don’t’s for Short Girls from the 1940s featuring an adorable plaid skirt in the “Do” side.

1940s Fashion Illustration: Fashion Do's & Don't's for Short Girls from the 1940s

The plaid dress in this 1940s vintage image is beautiful and the ladies are equally stunning. Fantastic 1940s photo!

1940s vintage image of two women in 1940s fashions. 1940s plaid dress and 1940s skirt, blous and jacket. Cute 1940s hairstyles.
Source: Etsy-girlcatdesign

What stylish 1950s ladies, I must say.

1957 plaid and tweeds vintage advertising for women's coordinates (tops and skirts)
Sears & Roebuck, 1957. Source: tuppencehapenny

Don’t worry men, there is lots of plaid to go around, even when you go swimming. -1950s vintage ad-

1950s Jantzen vintage swimsuit ad for men featuring plaid swim shorts, and matching shirts and plaid regular shorts.
Source: Vintage Ads

Or when your just hanging out, like these McGregor ads show. -1950s vintage ad-

1950s vintage ads for McGregor shirts for men in plaids and other patterns and colors.  Perfect fathers day presents!
Source: Pinterest

I cannot have a post on plaid without mentioning-Scotch Tape, the king of plaid packaging!

1950s scotch tape holder / 1950s vintage advertising.
1950’s Scotch Tape. Source: Flickr-Allen

How about a Plaid Fridge?? Yes a Plaid Fridge! Wow that is a lot of plaid in one area, if I do say so myself. Cool International Harvester 1950s ad.

Further Reading: Vintage Refrigerator Advertisements 1920’s – 1950’s

1950s vintage ad for the Decorator Refigerator by International Harvester. Featuring covers you can add to the front of your fridge. Like a plaid fridge cover!
Source: Pinterest

Vintage Plaid Fashions For Sale OR To Inspire

(updated September 2024)

1950s / 1960s lovely Teena Paige Swing Dress in a wintery plaid print of white, black and red. Fitted bodice with a high collarless rounded neck and cute half sleeves with bell cuffs).

1950s / 1960s Vintage Fashions:  lovely Teena Paige Swing Dress in a wintery plaid print of white, black and red. Fitted bodice with a high collarless rounded neck and cute half sleeves with bell cuffs. Fun Vintage Fall / Winter Fashion Inspiration

Source: Etsy – SartorialMatters

This is a sweet and simple day dress from the 1950s. Crisp cotton in vibrant green and blue plaid.

1950s Dress | Sweet 50s Blue and Green Plaid Cotton Dress

Source: Etsy

1950s RR Henderson Ltd. vintage plaid pencil skirt. I love the pocket detail.

1950s Fashion: 1950s RR Henderson Ltd. Vintage Plaid Pencil Skirt

Source: Etsy

Vintage 1950s / 1960s style mid-century yellow green blue plaid 3/4 sleeve shirtwaist dress.

Vintage 1950s 1960s style mid-century yellow green blue plaid 3/4 sleeve shirtwaist dress

Source: Etsy

1950s Vintage Plaid Sundress. The plaid is a pretty blues, yellow and green’s. Such a lovely vintage dress!

Vintage 1950s Dress | 50s Silk Plaid Checkered Green Blue Pleated Full Skirt Sundress

Source: Etsy

Vintage 1950s White Red Black Plaid Fit & Flare Dress. Oh so freaking cute!

Vintage 1950s Dress S/M ~ White Red Black Plaid Fit & Flare Dress Fitted Shelf Bodice Wasp Waist Lace Trim Collar Tie Bow Cuffed Sleeves

Source: Etsy

1950s shirtwaist dress in a very lovely weight cotton twill material. This vintage dress features a blue and white plaid print throughout.

 1950s shirtwaist dress in a very lovely weight cotton twill material. This vintage dress features a blue and white plaid print throughout.

Source: Etsy

1950s plaid dress // Harvest Gold vintage yellow plaid sundress. Those pockets!

1950s plaid dress // Harvest Gold vintage yellow plaid 1950s sundress .

Source: Etsy

1960s Plaid Dress, PERFECT for Summer Fun!

1960s Plaid Sun Dress / Vintage Orange Green and Brown Abstract Plaid Day Dress

Source: Etsy

Adorable late 50s early 60s Plaid cotton swimsuit. Blue and white plaid with folded over cotton waffle piqué sweetheart neckline. Matching white halter strap that buttons on the left side. 

50s Plaid Swimsuit, Vintage 1950s Playsuit, Blue & White 60s Cotton Romper, large

Source: Etsy

I adore this pink plaid dress from the 1950s.

1950s pink plaid dress / 1950s shirtwaist dress / 1950s housedress

Source: Etsy

Gorgeous red cotton shirtwaist dress from the 1950s.  Label: McMullen.

Gorgeous red cotton shirtwaist dress from the 1950s.

Source: Etsy

Here is a similar modern day version of the Vintage 1950s dress above, but for sale in various sizes from Unique Vintage.

September 2023 Update: This dress is no longer available but I have linked you to all the fun plaid print dresses & outfits available at Unique Vintage.

1940s / 1950s Pendleton. This jacket features a cozy blue and burnt orange/brown colourway in a plaid pattern and the classic 49er design.

1940s / 1950s Pendleton. This jacket features a cozy blue and burnt orange/brown colourway in a plaid pattern and the classic 49er design

Source: Etsy

1940s Pendleton 49er wool jacket.

1940s Pendleton 49er wool jacket 1940s jacket 1940s fashion plaid jacket

Source: Etsy

For the gentlemen in your life (or maybe yourself)- A plaid tie from the 1940s. Isn’t it marvelous?

1940s Plaid Swing Tie-1940s mens fashion.

Source: Etsy

Other Fun Plaid Items!

Vintage 1950s Scrapbook with a women’s Face wearing a Scottish Tam, Plaid Scarf and Red Jacket. CUTE!

Vintage 1950s Scrapbook with a women’s Face wearing a Scottish Tam, Plaid Scarf and Red Jacket.

Source: Etsy

Beautiful vintage 1953 plaid lunchbox.

1950s Vintage Lunchbox - Plaid 1950s lunchbox

Source: Etsy

For the Kitchen- A 1950s turquoise plaid fruit tablecloth- cotton.

1950s Vintage Tablecloth for the retro home featuring a plaid pattern in the centre.

Source: Etsy

1940s red plaid umbrella, purple green stripes, clear Lucite handle, wooden, jewel tones. So PRETTY!

1940s red plaid umbrella, purple green stripes, clear Lucite handle, wooden, jewel tones

Source: Etsy

1950s Plaid Evening Gown…STUNNING!!! (not sure why this is down here in the “other” but oh well LOL!)

1950s Plaid Evening Gown
Found on Pinterest-No Source Supplied

Lastly to end this post I wanted to share a wonderful photo of my husband and our new Tailor friend Mister Xe we met while in Hoi An in Vietnam in 2013. Aren’t they a cute pair?! hehehe

plaid jacket vietnam
Source: Vintage Inn

QUESTION TIME: Do you love plaid as much as the Vintage Inn? Or is it a pattern you stay away from?


Do you love vintage Fall fashions? Then take a look at my always updated Etsy Collection of Fall Fashions from the 1920s-1960s that you can purchase right now.


Further Reading:

Liz 🙂

Swing Out To Victory -1940s Dance

This past weekend I attended one of my most FAVORITE events of the Lindy Hop Season-Swing Out To Victory (below is the 2015 invite).

NOTE: The event is back for 2023! November 18th, 2023. Details HERE

Swing Out to Victory Hamilton Warplane Museum

This dance is held every year at the Canadian Heritage Warplane Museum just outside of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

canadian warplane heritage museum plane
Source: voyagesontario.com

The Event is a marvelous evening of dinner and dance with the superb Toronto All-Star Big Band performing nostalgic tunes from the 1930s and 40s. There is also Swing Dance Lessons, Prizes, Giveaways and even a Best Vintage Dressed Contest (more about that later).

What I love about this event is the atmosphere. I am pretty lucky to be able to dance to a big band on a fairly regular basis if I wanted to so this not the draw for me. The draw is the fact that the Big Band is playing IN an airplane hanger with lots and lots of vintage planes all around it AND the famous Avro Lancaster (last in Canada) is the main focus of the event. Everyone also dresses up in their finest 1940s clothes (and uniforms) to dance the night away and this thrills this vintage loving gal to the bone and just adds that extra something to the evening.

Toronto All-Star Big Band at the Canadian Heritage Warplane Museum playing Big Band music in front of the Lancaster plane.
Toronto All-Star Big Band playing under the Lancaster. Photo Credit: Toronto Allstar Big Band

Interesting Fact: 

Did you know that the Lancaster pictured above actually took a trip to the UK recently and once there, it embarked on a six-week tour of the United Kingdom with the only other airworthy bomber of its kind, a Lancaster belonging to Britain’s Royal Air Force.

I also had a fellow blogger FROM the UK post pictures of the 2 Lancasters flying over her head. It was so amazing to see the picture and know that one of those planes were from a town close to mine (and that I have seen in person). It made the world feel a bit smaller that day.

After the Lancaster came back to Canada, a gramophone from the UK made the trip back as well and was played to open the event on Saturday (seen below). I absolutely adored this part and thought that it was such a fantastic surprise.

Lancaster Canadian Warplane Museum
Photo Credit: Toronto All-Star Big Band

Now let the swing dancing begin!

Lindy Hop / Swing dancing at a 1940s dance at the Canadian Warplane Museum in Hamilton, Ontario Canada.
Source: Erin
Lindy Hop / Swing dancing at a 1940s dance at the Canadian Warplane Museum in Hamilton, Ontario Canada.
Photo Credit: Toronto All-Star Big Band

This year I was excited to have some of the ladies from the Toronto Vintage Society along for this adventure. Some of them have even started taking Lindy Hop lessons which has just made me so happy to be able to pass on my love of the dance with more friends. Of course the ladies dressed to the Nine’s (I actually should say 10’s) for the event as you can see below.

1940s Vintage Dresses at a 1940s dance as seen on the Toronto Vintage Society.
Source: Erin
1940s Vintage Dresses at a 1940s dance as seen on the Toronto Vintage Society.
Source: Erin

TVS member Joy with a veteran that was at the dance.

1940s Vintage Dresses at a 1940s dance as seen on the Toronto Vintage Society. Image features a member with a Canadian war veteran
Source: Toronto All-Star Big Band

TVS members Irene and Erin with fellow swing dancer (and Rock n Roll dancer) David. LOVE the outfit David!

1940s Vintage fashion at a 1940s dance as seen on the Toronto Vintage Society.
Source: Erin

Everyone likes a well dressed Soldier.

1940s Vintage Dresses at a 1940s dance as seen on the Toronto Vintage Society. Image features TVS members with a young man in uniform.
Source: Erin

As per last year I was excited to be asked to help with the Best Dressed Contest again with two fantastically dressed friends, Amanda and Erika.

Here we are with our friend Dean who is normally the MC of the evening and a big part of the organizing team but this year he was called away to a wedding so we took this photo-a traditional “Dean Sandwich”.

1940s Vintage Outfits at a 1940s Lindy Hop Dance
Source: Amanda

Everyone was dressed so GOOD! and I really had a hard time choosing who I wanted to send to the finals, but I think the team did well in the end (sorry for the poor picture there are no really clear photos posted yet of the finalists).

What was exciting was that one of the members of TVS made the finals-Irene of Petite Plus, Meow! and she ended up with second place! YAY Congrats Irene!

1940s Vintage clothing best dressed contest at Swing Out to Victory.
Source: Erin

My choice (Churchill look alike) came in first place and as you can see below I am very very VERY excited about this. hahaha!

Swing out To Victory best dressed contest featuring 1940s fashions.
Source: Erin

After all the prizes and performances were done I was able to get some good quality Lindy Hop time in.

Lindy Hop at a 1940s swing dance -Swing out to Victory in Hamilton ontario Canada
Source: Erin

Outfit Note: My 1940s vintage swing dress was purchased at the Pop Up Store-Jack Lux for only $20. It was such a find and it looked great on the dance floor as well.

Lindy Hop at a 1940s swing dance -Swing out to Victory in Hamilton ontario Canada
Source: Erin

I also got to have a few minutes with my very handsome husband to snap this photo.

1940s Vintage Outfit as seen at Swing Out to Victory in Hamilton, Ontario Canada.
Source: Stephanie

And another photo with friends to end a wonderful evening.

1940s Vintage outfits at a lindy hop dance
Source: Stephanie

Well that is it friends another Swing Out To Victory in the books. Hope you enjoyed this little post and if you are ever in Toronto and want to go to a dance please check out Toronto Lindy Hop as we have a calendar with all the events (and we have lots of dancing) for your dancing pleasure.

Further Reading:

Would you like to own a vintage 1940s fashion item (or a replica of one)? Then take a look at the items for sale in my 1940s Fashion Etsy collection page (updated regularly), found HERE.

Liz 🙂

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.