But I had so much fun with this outfit, I thought I'd give it a last hurrah before stashing it back in the cedar closet.
(Excuse my goofy attempt to pose- I'm a horrible photographer, especially when it comes to myself. I was trying to stand in a way where you could see both the whole outfit and I wouldn't appear too lumpy!)
This is a vintage sweater and hat combo, c.1940. I think it would be called a Norwegian-style sweater, because of the colors and the three crowns on the front. It has a matching knit cap with a chinstrap. I've seen outfits like this in old magazines and ads for ski resorts, hence the Olympic reference. It was my homage to the days when Olympic athletes did not wear baggy pants and giant Polo logos.
I know there are some knitters reading this blog, so you will be interested to know that this was hand-knit by an elderly releative of mine. She passed away in 2005 at the age of 94, and I inherited a lot of furniture, clothing and household stuff.
I wore the sweater with a pair of vintage blue gabardine pants with a bit of red embroidery down the side and a side zipper- it's hard to make them out in the photo, I know. I did not wear the hat, because it plays havoc with your hair. Since I was in- and out-of-doors shopping, the hat wouldn't have been practical. However, it would be perfect for outdoor ice-skating, so I will definitely wear it next time we go!
I'm so glad you linked me to this! The pattern for the set is called St. Moritz, from a 1957 booklet called "Men's and Women's Hand Knit Winter Sport Fashions of Bear Brand and Fleisher Yarns", so a bit later than you were thinking unless they were republishing it. But your Olympic reference is spot on, as they were held in St. Moritz in 1928. The best part of the booklet is they have the cap for a woman and matching sweaters shown on a couple. :)
ReplyDeleteHere's the description... "An exciting his and hers combination in a design certainly destined to be the crowning glory among the ski set."
How wonderful that you still have a cherished family handknit item!
Cool! That is so awesome that you can date this exactly. I was thinking 1930s only because the woman who knitted them was born in 1911, and would have been more active outdoors in her 20s, (i.e. the 1930s) if that makes any sense. She was a dowager, so my guess is there was no matching men's sweater...
ReplyDeleteThanks!!!! Oh, and if you want to see any pictures of the set (without me in it) let me know.