Lilli Ann: 1955 Jacket, a Closer Look at the Diamond Details

This Lilli Ann label diamond design is a show piece of geometric drama.

Lilli Ann, 1949 Jacket: A Closer Look at Details and Dates in a 1940's jacket

Lilli Ann suit designs from the 1940's have a distinctly different silhouette from the suits produced in the 1950's.

Lilli Ann: 1956 Suit Advertisement

In the 1950's Lilli Ann suits were available not only at major department stores, but at locally owned shops in small towns as well. This advertisement is from the spring of 1956, and shows a suit called "Carousel" with flared peplum and longer narrow skirt.

The wool worsted fabric of gray and white has polka dots available in either white or red. This illustration can help us to see that the wide peplum was a popular silhouette in 1956 for this brand. There is a double layered collar as well.

The prices for the shop's Lilli Ann outfits ranged from $69.95 to $98.50. The advertisement is quick to point out that this store requires "no money down and 20 weeks to pay, use our budget plan", this being the way women could afford expensive clothing before credit cards made that possible.

This is the 1956 magazine advertisement for this same suit. It clearly shows all of the same elements as the illustration. It also refers to the "Carousel" as being the name of this outfit, with selling price "about $100" (around $870 today). It's ads like these that can help the Lilli Ann collector to date suit styles from this company. Besides the Lilli Ann monthly photo ad in fashion magazines, small store owners would also promote the label for their shop in local newspapers. The shop that published this fashion sketch was located in a southern California town, not far from Los Angeles.

If you want to see more on Lilli Ann, then just use the 'search' box at the top of this page to get a list of my other Lilli Ann posts, I think you'll like them.

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Lilli Ann: 1950's Swing Coat

In vintage fashion, a Lilli Ann label brings to mind the San Francisco design house that specialized in drama and fashion flash. It is noted for wonderful wool coats and suits produced following WWII. Although the company history spans several decades, the late 1940's through mid-1960's era are probably the most popular eras for Lilli Ann collectors. I wanted to share one of my Lilli Ann study garments with you. It dates from the early to mid-1950's.
Probably the first thing you will notice is the sheer weight of this black wool coat. It is really heavy, in part due to the thick, lush fur blend wool that was produced in post war France for Lilli Ann. The shiny fur guard hairs produce a glimmer that is unmistakable. The silhouette for this coat is a wide 'swing' or 'A Line' cut. Its wide hem is very full, enhanced by pleats in front that fall from the neckline.

Appliqued on the wool are black velvet stripes that widen towards the hem. These chevron down the center back seam line, creating a pointed optical illusion at the hem. The stripes are wound around the coat, starting in the upper front and ending in a chevron point at back.
To compliment this 'A line' shape, the sleeves have width at the elbow and gather into narrow wrists. These are accented by deep turned back cuffs. An equally wide pilgrim collar can button to the chest.
When looking to date this coat, I found several Lilli Ann coats of the same textile. Often these have a 'fit and flare' princess seamed silhouette. These two types of coats seem to form the main silhouette selection at Lilli Ann during the early 1950's. Wide collars were popular, and are almost always part of the look. This picture group shows a Lilli Ann coat and others typical of the era.
The drafts of this coat are drawn to scale and show the coat in detail with its very wide skirt. The front pleats are also apparent in the draft, along with the placement of the velvet appliques.

I hope this great coat can be an inspiration to you. Many elements are very easily reproduced. Especially trying the chevron applique could make a 'ho hum' coat simply fabulous!
And if you collect vintage, keep your eye out. You never know where a Lilli Ann coat will be hiding!

More articles on Lilli Ann:

1940's suits

1950's and 60's suits

1950's Jackets

1980's Jacket


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Lilli Ann: into the 1980's

The hey day of Lilli Ann was followed by over a decade of suits and jackets that attempted to retain the status of that brand. However, most of the apparel lacked the original drama of earlier suitings created in the 1940's and 50's. This polyester jacket from the 1980's comes from the declining years of that company. But it seems to draw from past styles with bold geometric color blocking, something we expect in a 1950's suit jacket from Lilli Ann.

This jacket sports some fun details such as applied trim to accent the color areas. It applies a balance that would flatter the wearer, emphasizing wide shoulders, narrow waistline and shapely hips.

A few years later, this well known San Francisco brand would close forever.

Lilli Ann: 1950's Jackets that Inspire

If the Lilli Ann company during the 1940's and 1950's is known for anything, it is their fearless use of eye popping details and dramatic flare for contrasting trims. These two lovely wool jackets from the 1950's are examples of how far jacket design can go.

The lavander wool crepe jacket has a swag of drapery that falls to a pom-pom of fur at the end! This is accentuated by a diagonal hemline around the jacket. It appears to move on it's own with the swing and swirl of this design. The drape with fur trim seems to be a popular Lilli Ann trim, and it can be found in other jackets as well.

The second slide shows an early tailored silhouette that is spiked with diamond shaped appliques of the same wool in various shades. These are zig-zagged onto the jacket, around the hips and at the collar points. In fact, the collar diamonds overlap into 'space' and aren't entirely bonded to the jacket structure. This style is part of a line, having seen one go up on Ebay recently, I know that the diamond appliques were used in more than one style.

Plain tailored jackets from today might take note of these two looks. Wouldn't it be fun to re-style a jacket with diamond appliques? Or a swag? Don't let plain jackets fool you, there is a wealth of possibilities, if only someone would try!

(To get a closer look, click on the image)

NOTE:
Both garments were found at Etsy in forward thinking shops who recongnized the glory of a Lilli Ann jacket, even though it might be spiked with moth holes to the point that it can't be worn. Keeping them for study and inspiration is a perfect way to use such unwearables.

top photo: lavander wool crepe with fur trim and rhinestone button, c. 1955, from Fabgabs on Etsy.com
second photo: tan wool with diamond applique trim, c. 1950, from Vintagekttn on Etsy.com

Lilli Ann: Vintage Suits from the 1950's & early 1960's

Two examples of Lilli Ann suits, showing the span of a decade: 1950 to 1960.


The well tailored suit jacket became an important element for Lilli Ann designs between the late 1940's and early 1960's. During this decade, the overall silhouette was not be altered significantly, but details were many and varied considerably. Jackets showed a smooth fit in the torso, with long narrow or 3/4 length sleeves. The hip was fitted and hems were short or long. In general, the suit skirt remained narrow and unadorned.

The brown wool suit pictured above from the early 1950's has a mock bolero with self bow tie. The face is framed by a wing collar. Bolero shaping sets off the small hourglass waistline which is emphasized even more by a single button.

In this creamy aqua crepe suit from about 1960, a variation in small pleating is used to frame the face with drama. The use of an asymmetrical front is seen. Lilli Ann would use this popular design devise often during this era.

A Lilli Ann advertisement from early 1960 shows several versions of suits from the collection of that year. Continuing the trend that Dior began over a decade earlier, jackets appear to be derived from a basic fitted New Look silhouette. The body is then altered with many styles of collar and neckline drapery. Overall, the look is very feminine and dignified, spiced with details in texture and trim.

Following this collection in 1960, the design of Lilli Ann makes a notable swing towards more current fashion trends of the day. This was a move to showcase a younger, exciting and innovative look to the Lilli Ann customer. An updated silhouette left behind the New Look styles that Lilli Ann had promoted for more than a decade.

This article is third in a series on Lilli Ann fashions.
Earlier articles may be found in the links to the right.


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Lilli Ann Suits: the late 1940's, Vintage Suits with Fashion Flare

Popular vintage fashion, Lilli Ann suits from the 1940’s show style trends of that era. Fitted waistlines and peplums to the hip level were part of most jacket silhouettes. Jackets could sport double breasted buttons with wide bishop sleeves. Other suits were styled with tie belts or sashed like belted tunics.

Wide skirted coats with buttons down the full length of the back were seen, a men’s wear inspiration from the 1800’s. Wide flared peplum jackets that stood away from a narrow mid-calf length skirt grew in popularity.

Fur was often used to trim jackets. Wide sleeves of fur are shown worn with a slender skirt. $50 to $60 was an average suit price during the mid-1940’s.

After WWII, some ads show Lilli Ann suits being worn for weddings, instead of a long white wedding gown. This was a popular trend at a time when the expense for a gown was considered too high, and a new suit would be a wardrobe investment. As a special part of the bride’s life, many suits from this period are with us today, well cared for and neatly stored for decades.





Schulman actively promoted Lilli Ann’s company image as being a provider of elegance and high fashion wool suitings from San Francisco. Company advertising conveys the target customer as being a perfectionist who is sophisticated and smart.

California as well as San Francisco are mentioned in many of the advertisements in the 1940’s. Drama is also promoted within these ads. During this era, buttons and trims were produced by Lidz and H. Pomerantz & Co, and are listed in the ad copy as a significant trim. Celanse acetate linings were also advertised during this time.

French (Blin and Blin) and other European wools were imported by Schulman after WWII as part of the rebuilding efforts. This fine fabric became important in his campaign to promote Lilli Ann as a luxury suit line. Suits from the wools were priced from $70 to $80.

As the post WWII ‘New Look’ took hold, the Princess style of coat became popular. Lilli Ann coats had wide shoulders and narrow waistline over a full skirt for several years. As 1950 neared, a more slender silhouette would enter the scene, replacing wide shoulders with unpadded ones. The narrowing of shoulders would introduce the slender suit, so popular during the 1950’s.

(This is the second article in a series posted on Lilli Ann. The first article was posted on July 20, 2009. )

Lilli Ann Suits from the 1940's: the early years

The history of the Lilli Ann company is interesting to American fashion. It was important to the economic development of San Francisco, as well as a large producer of woman's suitings from the 1940's through the 1980's. The early years show design creativity and luxury in style. Knowing the general silhouette and costume type will help the vintage collector to identify age of their Lilli Ann. This post profiles the early years.

In 1934, an apparel company called "Lilli Ann" was originated by Adolph Schuman and named for his wife Lillian. Originally this apparel company was a typical sort of start-up operation, with two used sewing machines and two part-time employees working in a tiny studio in the Chinatown district of San Francisco. Throughout the life of the company, it would be identified with San Francisco, both in advertising and in its economic and political influence in that city.

These early ads from 1941 through 1944 show suits and coat outfits advertised as a "costume suit". Silver fox fur and other furs are often combined with wool fabric to create a sense of luxury.

The dark costume suit above from 1941 (pre-WWII) has wide sleeves with silver fox fur trim, and was priced at $55. The fit and flared princess silhouette was typical of Lilli Ann's very feminine look during that era. The second coat from 1943 has silver fox trim around the hemline. Paired with a fez style hat, this has a Russian influence to the overall ensemble. Again, the costume suit has a fit and flare 'A' silhouette made distinctive by a draped collar.


In this second set of illustrations, coat and suit ensembles are shown. Both coats have a button pleated revere lapel (both are essentially the same coat), although the light coat is from March 1943, and the darker set is wool from Spring 1944.

The suits worn beneath the top coats are form fitting, with sculptural seam lines. The light suit has a classic princess pattern draft that "V" points into the waistline button for a very slender illusion. The second suit has "V" details on each side of the waistline. The front is closed with 3 buttons that match those on the coat. It is also fun to notice how the original suit was accessorized with hat and gloves.

At upper right corner is a view of the "Lilli Ann" garment label used during that time.


Both outfits shown above are from 1943. More fox is seen, this time as a large collar that is a style carry-over from the 1930's. On the other suit, leopard fur is used on lapels, buttons and toque hat. These details create visual interest in what are classic suit patterns. It is important to notice that a 6 gore straight skirt is shown with all suits during this era. The first skirt from 1941 was 'A' line in silhouette.

All through the war years, luxury was seen in Lilli Ann suits and coats. Excess use of textiles was controlled, as required, but luxury was available none the less. After WWII, Adolph Schuman would move to put his San Francisco suit company on the map with increased national advertising in "Vogue" magazine, along with some innovative political involvements. This began an important era for Lilli Ann company.




This advertisement shows the makers label used by Lilli Ann company through 1943 (important to notice that it does not list "Lilli Ann" name in that label). It does show "a California Costume" at a time when this from of regionalism was popular.