Spotlight Saturday - Betty Ford

The wife of former United States President Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, passed away this week, she was 93.  Mrs. Ford reigned as 'First Lady' from 1974 to 1977.  Known for her outspoken candor, she was a strong advocate for women's rights, equal rights and the pro-choice movement, in spite of being a member of the Republican Party.  She was a front runner of the evolution of fashions amongst first ladies making ranks by following in the footsteps of Jackie O'.  After Gerald Ford's term in office was over, she returned to her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she became fashion coordinator for Herpolsheimer's which was a popular department store.  Since there weren't any Inaugural Ball's at the time when Gerald Ford was President, the 1st Lady gown hanging in the Smithsonian Museum to represent Betty Ford was the one she wore to the State Dinner with the Shah of Iran in 1975.  She chose her favorite color, pale green & it was a sequined chiffon gown with an embroidered floral pattern.  I personally love the mandarin collar design accentuated with the deep v neckline.  In the spotlight today because she was definitely a modern day fashion conscious first lady...

cookcountyclerk.com  , journalistar.wordpress.com

Hats Off To Spring!

Women have always been in love with hats as a fashion accessory.  In the 1920's the cloche hat was one of the first modern styles of the 20th century.  Cloche is the french word for 'bell' as these caps were form fitting to the head in that shape. These hats were considered 'sexy & mysterious' because the hat sat right above the wearers eyes...

In the 1930's there was a trend in the U.S. for wearing hats when Spring was in bloom and they often did so with a sense of rivalry involved as to whose hat was the biggest and the best! In the midst of the great depression, a new hat at Easter or a refurbished old one was a simple luxury for most women...

There's also a rich history of African-American women and hats, in that the act of covering your head during worship has its roots grounded in scripture.  It has since become a firm tradition for many women who want to show respect for God while adding pizzaz to their presence!

The 1950's saw a decrease in the popularity for hat wearing in general by women, and were no longer a 'must have' for every outfit but have since regained popularity in the 21st century since this is one of the most flexible times in fashion history and everyone is pretty much following their own impulses, especially when it comes to what they're topping off with.


Remember the floppy colorful shade hats in the 70's? We're starting to see them again... 

When talking about 'hats' you cannot forget to mention the huge hats women have been parading around in at the Kentucky Derby for ages. Styles of course have changed so much throughout the years that now the Derby event is more like a red carpet who's wearing who and what!

Just like everything...'what goes around comes back around' and hats of pretty much every style are being seen worn again these days.  Here at Retro Threadz, we pride ourselves in selecting only the most quality of vintage hats for you to choose from so make sure you stop by the shop regularly as we are always stocked with a variety of beautiful vintage styles ranging from the 1940's to the 1980's.

 ask.com , bonnebons.multiply.com , books-online-store.com , celebrity741.blogspot.com , trolleyla.com, newyorkgirlstyle.com, retrothreadz.etsy.com