Evolution of the Tracksuit

Wikipedia says: Tracksuit

*a loose fitting outfit

* consisting of a pair of trousers and a jacket or pullover top

* usually of a light fabric

*worn by exercisers or athletes before and after working out

The Vintage link (TVL) Says:

Yes yes we know what they are; the matching jacket and pants sets. Coordinating color schemes and you definitely know one when you see one!

Wikipedia Says:

Track suits were first produced by Adidas in 1964. It was known as leisure wear.

 Tracksuits were some of the first to use synthetic fibers in garments.

Mostly worn by athletes in the 60s and 70s they broke out in the 1980s.

TVL Says:

I can only imagine in the late1960s seeing the American Olympians and top competitors wearing such a sharp coordinating outfit. I bet it  was impressive. Clean lines. No wrinkles in their suits. However, I am sure by the looks of the pattern above of a women's tracksuit; husbands were already fearing the question, "How do I look?"

In the 1970s, I am sure it was the same. For me I would have to say the late 70s and 1980s is where tracksuits became interesting in a good way.  In my memories of life when I think of tracksuits I remember: RUN DMC and an old schoolmate. Why? MTV (RUN DMC were everywhere) and Ben was an amazing B-boy. He always wore a tracksuit to school.

Wikipedia Says:

 The 1990s style track suit revised and made styles similar to the early version from the 1960s. The 1990s track suit were known as parachute pants. They are often sited as a fashion faux pas.

TVL Says:

OMGoodness, I would not be caught dead in a tracksuit from the 90s! I don't recall the 1960s being this ugly! I remember in the late 1980s and early 1990s grown men wearing pastels and paisley mixed in a track jacket. And the noise of a 90s tracksuit still rings clear in my ears.

The more insane the suit, the more popular? What happened? Oh yes and if you had the fleece lined tracksuit you were golden. NOT! Pretty funny these tracksuits are the ones most commonly used for Halloween.

Wikipedia Says:

 From the 1960s to the 2000s they have gone from athletic wear, to urban hip hop wear, to housewives. Today tracksuits remain popular and have a totally new way about them.

TVL Says:

Oh, we are wearing these again? Thank you Adidas for remaining true to your classic styles that I just adore. Thank you Juicy Couture for introducing to us housewives and casual dressers how to look great in a quick pick outfit. I think Juicy Couture has made the first tracksuit that men are not afraid of the "How do I look" question. OH and Quentin Tarantino I just really love this version of a futuristic tracksuit! Technically, it is referred to as a Jumper or Romper but; I just love the color and style. So I'm keeping it here.

During my tracksuit journey I have found my favorite! What kind of tracksuit are you?

How to get stains out of vintage clothing?

How to get set in stains out of vintage clothing?
  This is an answer based on experience.

I was wearing a brand new dress last week and also had a newly opened soda in the car. EEK, I turned a corner and the soda literally jumped out of the cup holder and all over my lap. There I sat soaked with soda.  My brand new purple and white stripe dress was ruined. UGH, I was so upset with myself for not holding on to the bottle. Well there goes my new dress! I got to wear it for two whole hours.

Coincidentally my friend calls long distance and she asked about me day. I was having a good ole pity party; so I told her about the dress. She said stop now get Palmolive and Ammonia and clean it. I said WHAT?  It can't be that simple! Could it? Are you kidding me?

I rushed to the grocery store and grabbed what I needed. By this time my dress was good and dry. I was just worried sick.  Not my new dress! I am sure you have been there once too?

I mixed up the solution being sure to follow her every word.  I sprayed it on and waited. Sprayed some more and waited.  Washed out the mixture and to my amazement my dress was just like brand new! Even soft and cuddly just like it was several hours earlier.

I thought to myself if this worked on a dark colored soda that had settled in over a span of hours. Not to mention my friend just went on and on of all the crazy stains she could get out of her clothes. Surely it would work on stains in my vintage clothing.  I grabbed a favorite dress in my collection that had a small stain, I have been eager to get out. Did the same thing and out it came.  No more stain!! YEAH!

I then tried many other garments in my vintage collection. It took out dark stains, yellowing, dingy everything that I had given up on in the past. Clothes I have had sitting for two years praying someday I could save them. It literally saved my vintage dress collection. Pieces I thought could never be wearable again, now look like new.  So what exactly did I do? Below are the tools and instructions I followed.

What do I need?

* Palmolive (original formula - green)

* Ammonia

* Water

* Spray bottle
Total Cost: Appx $3.50 depending on location and store.

What's the mix?

 1/2 cup Palmolive, 1/2 cup Ammonia and fill the rest of your spray bottle with water. 

This is for a small spray bottle.

If you have a large spray bottle double the quantities.

*You can increase the amount of Palmolive and ammonia if you desire but; I do not believe it is necessary. It seems to be efficient enough with little ingredients with lots of water.

What do I do?

Spray to fully saturate to cover the stain area. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse. Repeat if the stain has not lifted. I had a very large and heavily stained surface. It took a solid hour to get the stains totally lifted. This meant repeating the cycle three times. Lay flat to dry so you can check the area as it is drying. This will help you see if you need to do another round of spraying. Best to do again before fully dry.

Once it looks as though the stain has fully lifted you can let dry and wear if desired. You can also rewash under your regular cleaning guide and then wear. This would ensure all the ammonia and Palmolive is clear from your garment. If you are sensitive like I am to chemicals and fabrics I suggest a normal wash cycle prior to wear.

Final Note:
Please note this was only used on cotton, polyester and linen.
I have not used this on silk or special instruction fabrics. Best to consult a professional cleaner if you are still unsure this method is safe for your garment.

Who is The Vintage Link?

The Vintage Link is owned and operated by Michelle Link. I, Michelle, have been involved in the fashion industry in one way or another since the mid 1980s. I grew up a shy, tall, awkward girl. Most commonly referred to by classmates as Amazon. This, although not the sole reason, is one reason my mother looked to get me involved in the fashion industry. My mother wanted me to like myself. She wanted me to feel good about who I was. I got my start  in fashion by going to a community acting class and modeling club. Again not to be a star but; to simply gain some self worth.

I was  fortunate to have two teachers that knew how to shape me and mold me into who I am today. I spent many hours taking classes on make up application, dressing for the job, ward robing, walking and talking. Anything you can think to build confidence and a seed for success in my soul.

 

Once I gained my confidence, work came quick. I was fourteen years old, standing at six feet tall and shoulders back! Now the point of this is not to brag, not by any means. I want to simply state how truly fortunate I was to work with some of the most amazing designers, wardrobers, costumers and stylists. I am more proud of the hands on education I received and the respect that grew for the craft.

I developed such a huge passion, not so much for walking the catwalk or memorizing lines but; for the clothes I would get to wear! The clothing was always my favorite part. Getting to try new things on. Getting to hear first hand what designers and stylists in vision for the future, from the past. Ever since my first professional modeling job I developed a strong love and passion for clothing. I wanted to learn all about, what now feels like,  a lost art and craft. I always gravitated towards the clothes that were brought out of "storage". Clothes of the past. Vintage clothes. These garments seemed so mysterious and more full of life than a dress off the rack.

Working in this field I began to constantly ask my mom about what she wore growing up. What did Grandma wear?  What did Great Grandma wear? When it came to spending time with my mom; I would beg her to take me to the nearby monthly antique shows. I can't imagine what she thought. Why does this kid wanna look at old stuff all day? 

 I became amazed at the history of fashion. All I could think about looking at old gowns was; Who wore it? What did they look like in it?  Where did they go? Who did they go with? I guess I should mention my dream as a child was to become an archaeologist. So, between my experience in the industry and my passion for history.  It is only natural that it ignited this fire for my collecting and learning about vintage clothing and antique garments.

It has been over twenty years since I started my journey. I am sad to say I never became ultra successful as a model or actress. Honestly, I don't feel that style of living would have been for me. However; I have received an invaluable education thur experience. An education that not many will have a chance to gain. I usually don't speak of my past career. In fact I only speak of it now because it explains where my fire was lite inside. One thing  you will always, to this day, catch me speaking about vintage clothing and my love of fashion.

1940s Showcase

I  do love the history of the 1940s and I do love fashion. Combine fashion and the 1940s who wouldn't love WWII era wardrobe. This era in  fashion was known for being simple and oh so elegant all in one breathe. Most commonly found from this period are plain navy and plain black dresses. Most commonly refered to as day dresses. This being due to the shortage of materials during war time. However, there do remain some cheerful colored dresses from this era.

Estate Find Photos

Here are some more pieces from the Western Estate. These dresses also come from the lot of 60 we just recently arrived.

More beautiful 40s, 50s and 60s dresses.

Estate Find Arrives

I am so excited to announce the dresses from the western estate have arrived. They are looking more gorgeous than anticipated!

Many of the dresses have been photographed and are posted to my Rubyplaza shop!  These dresses were literally pulled from the original owner's closet as they have been left untouched for decades.

 It is my understanding by friends and family that knew her well says she was always dressed to the nines and most often wore dresses. She was never seen without wearing a dress in public.

Here are a few of the estate pieces.
You can purchase them thru our rubyplaza shop on the right of the screen.

Estate Find

So, just got the news today I have a spectacular lot of 60 dresses arriving ASAP!

Finally negotiated a super deal but; only thanks to a great friend and a huge supporter!

These dresses came from an estate of a woman that passed away decades ago, the house was sealed and untouched ever since. Her sons have decided to let everything go.

Miraculously enough nothing has deteriorated, nothing damaged, as though it was carefully kept for an unveiling in today's time. What a rare situation! We had a lengthy discussion today of how this could be!

My friend acquired two suburban loads of wonderful goodies and she has choosen to share these dresses with me. She also found vintage make up, perfumes, shoes, hosiery, girdles, and anything girlie from the late 30s thru the early 60s. Could you imagine finding such items that were left untouched for so many decades!

If the original owner of these dresses were alive today she would be in excess of 110 years old! WOW, can you image what her life must have been like? I feel truly honored and I can barely contain myself! Also, the original owner was a bankers' wife. She was always dressed to impress. Fashion was her passion just as it is mine today.

The lot of dresses are super super clean and look as though she purchased them and never wore them! Literally a time capsule of dresses. What an amazing treasure and I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to own them! Super find of superior quality dresses from the 1940s, 1950s to very early 1960s!!!

They will be offered in my RubyPlaza shop so be sure to check in again. The pictures provided were sent to me from my friend out West! A quick preview of what is to come! Shown here are two 1940s dresses.