A story in two parts…
Part 1: Potts Point Vintage
If you’ve been reading along for the past couple of years, you’ll know that we’ve been trying to reduce our environmental footprint. And since watching The True Cost, we’ve tried to source our clothes secondhand wherever possible. Now that’s easy to do for everyday clothing, but what about the big wedding we have coming up next summer? It’s much harder to buy evening wear and suits secondhand, but we wanted to try nonetheless.
Thankfully my friend Anita, who is a style goddess, put us on to the wonderful Arnold at Potts Point Vintage. If you live in Sydney and love vintage clothing, do yourself a favour and pay him a visit. His shop is a glorious Aladdin’s cave of immaculate pieces from the 1920s onwards.
On our first visit, Pete came home with this bespoke suit, tailored in Italy in the 1970s from exquisite Ermenegildo Zegna wool. It cost us $249 and the jacket fits him like it was made for him. In present day dollars, the fabric alone would have been worth $2,000…
The following week, we dragged Small Man in to try on a black wool suit that had been too small for Pete. Again, a perfect fit and this one didn’t even need hemming! It was handmade by a tailor in Sydney several decades ago. All of Arnold’s suits are thoughtfully selected, carefully cleaned and in great condition, and his prices are extremely fair. Small Man’s suit was just $129…
It was almost too much to hope for a hat trick, but Big Boy was so impressed with the suits that he and Monkey Girl popped in the following Saturday. He found the most gorgeous formal tuxedo – made by Rundle Tailoring in Newcastle between 1992 – 1996 from Australian cool wool in a panama weave (with silk lapels and stripes).
Bronwyn Rundle very kindly provided us with the information (she was able to identify the suit from the label) and mentioned that some of the ladies who might have made the suit still work for their company. Rundle Tailoring continue to make their suits locally – one of the few Australian companies to do so. They’re definitely worth supporting if you’re in the Newcastle area and looking to get something custom made!
Despite being as old as he is, Big Boy’s tux looks brand new and fits him perfectly with absolutely no alterations needed. Arnold had just $145 on it, which is the price to rent a tuxedo for one night.
As you can imagine, we’re pretty excited by all this (as is our new friend Arnold). We honestly didn’t think we’d find secondhand suits that would be good enough to wear to a wedding … and we’ve ended up with three amazing outfits far better than anything we could afford new (a contemporary Zegna suit starts at $5,000). If you’re looking to buy a suit (or a vintage fur coat, or a 50s hat, or a 60s evening gown), pop into Potts Point Vintage first. It’s really luck of the draw as to whether or not you’ll find something in your size, but that’s part of the adventure!
Potts Point Vintage
2/8a Hughes St,
Potts Point, NSW 2011
http://www.pottspointvintage.com.au/
E-mail: info@pottspointvintage.com.au
. . . . .
Part 2: The Opera Coat
It’s funny how one thing in life can inspire the next.
While searching in my favourite opshop for a “mother of the groom” outfit (I’ve found it, by the way, but you’ll have to wait until next year to see it), I came across a badly torn vintage coat in the throw out pile. It was in appalling condition – the lining was shredded and the wool was badly matted. The shop assistant very kindly told me I could take it home if I thought I could do anything with it, so of course, I did.
When I got home, I instantly regretted that decision.
The lining in the sleeves was badly damaged (I suspect they’d been eaten) and there was some seriously gross crap (sigh…literally) in the cuffs which needed a vacuum before I could even go near it. The shoulder pads had turned into matted cotton wool. I removed the sleeve linings completely, then hand washed, then MACHINE washed, then tumble dried the coat. ALL of which are contraindicated, I know, but you didn’t see the revolting stuff that was inside the cuffs…
The wool in the coat shrank, of course. I didn’t dryclean it because a) it was free and b) I wasn’t sure that I could save it. Thankfully, the shrinkage was a good thing because it now fits me perfectly and the bouclé Astrakhan fabric has regained its sheen. (I’ve since found out more about the fabric from the Vintage Fashion Guild website!) I remade the sleeve linings in cotton ticking and then nearly lost my mind trying to figure out how to reattach them properly (I’ve never done any tailoring before). The lining needed shortening by an inch overall to compensate for the shrinkage.
Throughout the whole process, I kept wondering if I should just toss the whole thing in the bin. It was hideously gross at the outset. But the label “Milium Insulated Fabric” and the single button told me that it was a 1950s opera coat. Milium was an aluminium-backed lining introduced in the 1950s and only around for a decade or so. And I kept thinking about what an interesting life this coat must have had, and how I didn’t want to be the one to throw it away.
After five hours of unpicking, washing, more washing, drying, relining, restitching, hole-mending, and defluffing, I stepped back and took a look … and as if by magic, this incredibly glamorous coat suddenly appeared…
It’s now 100% clean, gorgeously retro and I believe it’s 60-70 years old. I’ve quite literally rescued it from landfill, which makes me incredibly happy!
. . . . .
Are you a lover of vintage clothing too?
If so, please tell me about your favourite pieces! ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
That coat is truly gorgeous. Why aren’t we seeing you model it? I’m a big fan of vintage outer wear, but sadly I no longer have the figure for my favourite era, the 1950s, which is when I think they last tailored for adult women with female curves, rather than adolescents with boyish figures.
My best buy ever was what they used to call a ‘costume’, a fitted dress with matching jacket over. It was a pale coral with a pea-sized cream polka dot, the dress had a boat neckline, princess seams and stiffening over the hips to make the skirt stand out and the already tiny waist look even smaller. The jacket had the same fitted waist, with buckram in the peplum, three quarter sleeves and three self covered buttons up the front. I wore it in my 20s for several weddings with a large black hat, gloves and court shoes. Incredibly glamorous…
I thought of you a few hours ago, wonderful friend. After feeding my starter all year I finally feel good enough to make a batch of sourdough. I used my bee’s cloth to cover the bowl. It’s awesome how things can spring to life. Hugs, Maz.
As we would say in Maine, wowsah! Let’s make that a triple wowsah. That coat is especially impressive. Pure magic.
You are a machine, woman – and totally inspirational. That coat is gorgeous. xxx
Wow, the opera coat is so glam, i love the swing back, and what a story it now has to tell. Well done, Celia. And aluminium backed lining sounds so extraordinary, it would surely qualify as fashion/fabric history (it sounds as though it would withstand a nuclear blast 😀)
That coat looks amazing. To think you have never done tailoring work before…. now that’s impressive!
Thank you, Celia ! You have truly done well . . . and, since Potts Point was for much of my life right in the middle of my stomping grounds, guess where dear gf’s cars will be directed next time I get to town ! The suits fit beautifully, admittedly both your darling husband and son could be male models :) ! Both my husband and father-in-law loved Ermenglldo Zegna suits way back then . . . now, much to my amazement I see there are quite a few of his boutiques around town with many a suit bearing a 5K tag . . .
Gorgeous! Can’t wait to see you take it for a spin… At this point I think my best finds have been found for others -Antipodeum bomber – my fave… Still have plenty more years of pleasurable scouting to look forward to. 😉
The coat is a real gem and what a fantastic job you did on it – quite amazing – and both suits are so beautiful. You just can’t find fabric as good as that today even if you are prepared to pay top dollar. I don’t have a favourite vintage buy to tell you about because I get so overwhelmed when I go into a vintage shop that I end up leaving empty handed.
Love all your posts – especially your sourdough. xx
Oh Celia I love the way you have rescued this coat, it’s one of those eternally modern items in my book. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know who wore it and which operas they went to? I often think what’s the story behind the item.
It looks just amazing … and perfect for an amazing person too! xo
OMG congratulations on the coat. I’m so glad you saw through the gross stuff (I certainly wouldn’t have been able to).
Ironic that you should have a new post today since I was just thinking about your blog. What you post about is so timely now, have you considered taking some of your blog postings and having them published? I think you might have a good book or at least an ebook on your hands.
Well, you ‘done’ GOOD! What a journey for that coat, bet it is as grateful to you as you are for it! wouldn’t that woman in the store be stunned to see it?
and those suits……’such a deal’ !!
That is amazing. It inspires me to look more closely when I go to second-hand shops.
All such gorgeous outfits! The job you did on the coat was incredible. We have lots of charity shops in our town, but I never find things like this…need to look harder 😁
Celia, it’s sure to be an elegant event with you and your family decked out in such finery. The first word that came to mind re: your opera coat was glamorous! Can’t wait to see your dress, too, but I’m patient. :) My favorite find so far is a vintage dressing gown that looks like it stepped out of retro Hollywood — black velvet with a pink rose pattern, black silk cording around the collar and cuffs, and a pale pink satin lining — for $5. Mornings have never been so luxurious. I also scored two Hermes silk scarves for 50 cents apiece. Yay for thrift stores!
You really do have the most amazing determination. Most people would have run away from their principles and started saving for new suits (which wouldn’t have been half as good as those you have now) , and to even contemplate giving that opera coat the care you did! Kudos to you Celia 😀
That is amazing. What a beautiful garment you have rescued and revived. I hope it gives you many years of happy wearing.
As they say on Are You Being Served? You’ve all done very very well!
Such BEAUTIFUL quality clothing, well done!!
P.S. When I was a teen in the mid 6o’s I wore LOTS of beautiful old clothes from the twenties thru to fourties. They were easy to find back then. Shoes bags suits coats you name it!! I still have a beautiful red silk velvet jacket lined in white silk. Ruched sleeves and covered buttons with roulette loops.. Also still have some beautiful gloves. Oh the memories, fantastic opp shops back then. Ofcourse over the decades I have recycled all manner of things. Cheers ( the old grey mare. She sure ain’t what she used to be!!!!!)
Your determination to rescue the coat is amazing. I used to have at least a clue as to how to alter clothing, but I really don’t know how any more. Patience isn’t one of my big virtues, as it seems to be one of yours.
I find your current interest in being a responsible consumer very fascinating, and have enjoyed your recent posts.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hello lovely Celia. Love this post and your philosophy. The boys look wonderful in their new suits. And that coat. Just wow! 90% of my clothes are op shop treasures and I have many favourites, including a summer frock in the most gorgeous fabric covered in aubergines (!) 💜, which I bought in Budapest a few years back. I’ve been op shopping for many, many years. My mother taught me well on this note. One of the best things is being complimented on an outfit knowing that you have repurposed it.
Amazing finds! I LOVE that you were able to reduce your impact by shopping secondhand. That opera coat is gorgeous – I would definitely wear that!
Jenna ♥
Celia, I am dazzled! At your skills AND at your determination. And what a beautiful one-of-a-kind garment you now have to enjoy for many years to come. Wow!
I have had this saved for months so I could come back and comment when I had time. I love this post. We’ve not been to a wedding in 20 years and have had two this year. I wore the same outfit to both (the social circles don’t cross over in the venn diagram) including a lovely hand painted crop jacket I’ve had since the 1980’s. When I was chatting at one of the weddings, I admired a lovely red velvet opera coat shot with green. Turns out, it was an op shop buy. It just goes to show that there is good buying out there AND, a good quality garment will last years and years if cared for properly. Well done on sticking with repairing the opera coat, I bet you were cursing at the time!