1930s Playsuit Outfit

1930s outfits

This past weekend my family, friends, and I had the pleasure of attending the Living History Day at Sugar Pine Point State Park on the beautiful Lake Tahoe, CA. The park is home to the Erhman Mansion, a grand 1930s house situated on acres and acres of rollings hills, pine trees, and lake front views. For living history day, local car collectors bring out their vintage motors, artists show off their landscape paintings, and visitors dine on the lawn with a picnic and ice cream floats.  It is one of my favorite events to attend each year.

Last year, I made a 1930s dress by modifying a modern pattern. It turned out OK, but not well enough to want me to wear it again. So this year I thought it would be fun to wear a recent purchase: a vintage style playsuit from Forever 21. Playsuits became popular beach (or lake) clothing in the 1930s. They covered up swimsuits, and often had a detachable skirt that covered up even more so as to be appropriate for off-beach activities as well.

Here are some examples:

Since playsuits, also called Rompers, are very IN this summer, it was easy to find one locally. There are far more choices online with even more vintage designs from the 1930s to the 1980s. If you are into wearing vintage or vintage inspired clothing, I highly recommend you pick up one or two this summer. Most likely they will be back out of fashion next summer, and who knows when they will come back in again.

Here are some pictures of the 1930s Living History Day.

Notes on Clothing:

Debbie’s

• Playsuit: Forever 21, not available online but many others are – look here.
• Necklace: Pearls, my grandmother’s from the 1950s.
• Shoes: Payless Shoes, Cleo Chop-Out Wedge More 30s shoes here.
• Make-up: Help from the 1930’s Makeup and Beauty Guide.
• Hair: Help from this video.

Oscar’s

• Hat:  Straw Panama
• Suit Jacket: new, white dress coat.
• Shirt: Jos. A. Bank- French cuff.
• Bowtie: Dillard’s.
• Trousers: Kohl’s.
• Shoes: Two-tone wingtip vintage 1940s

Lauren (Friend and blogger at american-duchess.com)

• Dress: Vintage Vogue pattern from 1933 made of printed white dot. Vintage repro pink slip underneath.
• Shoes: Love these shoes, but forgot to ask where she got them : (

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