Fashion Friday: Anne Fogarty

Anne Fogarty (sitting on floor) photographed by Nina Leen for LIFE, 1951, used according to license. Thomas Fogarty standing in doorway with Cathy McManus of Vogue and Jeane Saxer of Lord and Taylor.

Ever since I saw a guidebook to men's style at our friends' place, I was hunting for a similar guide for women. (If you know of one, please share!) This search led me to Anne Fogarty. Before I knew of her as a fashion designer, I knew of her as the author of Wife Dressing: The Fine Art of Being a Well Dressed Wife, c.1959. (Republished in 2007.)

After reading her tips, taken in the context of the period when she first wrote her guide, I wanted to know more about her; I wanted to see the types of clothes she designed. My first stop was the LIFE image archive hosted on Google. (Christine has also assembled a nice collection of images on Flickr.)

Anne Fogarty photographed by Nina Leen for LIFE, used according to license.
From left to right, Image 1 - 1951, Image 2 - 1951, Image 3 - May 1949.

With photos in front of me, I visited the Fashion Designer Encyclopedia for Fogarty's biography. There I learned she initially designed Junior-sized clothing, expanding to Misses sizes in the mid-1960s. (Couture Allure Vintage Fashion has a great explanation of 1950s vintage sizes: Juniors; Misses; and Petites/Half Sizes.)

I love her Junior-sized designs as shoulder to waist dimensions are shorter than other sizes (15 to 15 1/2") and fit me almost perfectly without any tailoring. Her designs featured both the Paper Doll silhouette and later a fitted sheath with high, narrow waist. In my closet, I've got a fitted sheath she designed (featured in yesterday's Pink and Orange Thursday Purseday post) as well as a petticoat.

I've gathered some of my favorite Anne Fogarty designs on Pinterest; I tend to prefer her bright solids to her prints. If you're looking for images of her labels, visit Vintage Fashion Guild's Label Resource.

Do you have favorite vintage designers?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

Credits: All collages created by Eden Hensley Silverstein for A Timeless Affair. Photographs by Nina Leen for LIFE, used according to license. Product images photographed by their respective Etsy sellers: dress from Vindemial Vintage and petticoat from Sweet Bee Finds.