If you or your mom grew up anywhere near the Main Line in the 70s you can't help but remember the annual sale at The Vested Gentress in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Few sartorial events united preppy women and wannabes more than that annual gathering, other than, maybe, the annual Eagle's Eye sale. Our mom used to go to that sale every year and come home with one or two treasured items. She still has a couple of them which we really wish were in our size. You can still buy clothing from The Vested Gentress online on sites like eBay and Etsy and if you can find something in your size, buy it!
The Vested Gentress was a staple of many Main Line wardrobes featuring whimsical drawings reminiscent of James Thurber doodles with decidedly preppy themes. The clothing was beautifully made, simple and stylish but at the same time a conversation piece at the club. The company sold mostly shift dresses and wrap skirts in golf length and ankle length. What made the clothing so special was the charm and wit in the drawings. From horses with real bows on their tails to fat cats lounging with their legs crossed to kissing camels and peacocks with outrageous tails, the Vested Gentress cornered the market on whimsy. If you want to see more photos of the wonderful designs and fabrics, Terry Rosen has compiled an an incredibly comprehensive Pinterest Board with hundreds of Vested Gentress designs.
The Vested Gentress started in 1961 as a men's clothing company selling vests and was originally named The Vested Gentry. The company was founded by a husband and wife team, Naomi and Fritz (or Bud) Jackson who based their clothing around Bud's fun silk screened drawings. They silk screened the fabric in their own factory and then had the items custom sewed individually which is a pretty labor intensive process. The company sadly folded in the mid 80s after Bud died even though Naomi and her son tried to keep it going. They said in a great (and rare) article about the company on The Vintage Traveler that, "Vested Gentress was Bud's passion, and it was too hard to continue without his guiding force."
Chatham Ivy was originally inspired by the whimsy of Vested Gentress and we still love finding new fabrics that they created. It was a wonderful company and, though we didn't know him, Bud's passion lives on in our hearts and in our Kid's Coastal Collection.
The Vested Gentress was a staple of many Main Line wardrobes featuring whimsical drawings reminiscent of James Thurber doodles with decidedly preppy themes. The clothing was beautifully made, simple and stylish but at the same time a conversation piece at the club. The company sold mostly shift dresses and wrap skirts in golf length and ankle length. What made the clothing so special was the charm and wit in the drawings. From horses with real bows on their tails to fat cats lounging with their legs crossed to kissing camels and peacocks with outrageous tails, the Vested Gentress cornered the market on whimsy. If you want to see more photos of the wonderful designs and fabrics, Terry Rosen has compiled an an incredibly comprehensive Pinterest Board with hundreds of Vested Gentress designs.
The Vested Gentress started in 1961 as a men's clothing company selling vests and was originally named The Vested Gentry. The company was founded by a husband and wife team, Naomi and Fritz (or Bud) Jackson who based their clothing around Bud's fun silk screened drawings. They silk screened the fabric in their own factory and then had the items custom sewed individually which is a pretty labor intensive process. The company sadly folded in the mid 80s after Bud died even though Naomi and her son tried to keep it going. They said in a great (and rare) article about the company on The Vintage Traveler that, "Vested Gentress was Bud's passion, and it was too hard to continue without his guiding force."
Chatham Ivy was originally inspired by the whimsy of Vested Gentress and we still love finding new fabrics that they created. It was a wonderful company and, though we didn't know him, Bud's passion lives on in our hearts and in our Kid's Coastal Collection.
I know I'm a bit late to the party here BUT! I was at an antique mart last weekend and a stall had nothing but Vested Gentry pieces - skirts, dresses, maxis - everything! I searched (in vain) to find something, anything, that would fit me but it wasn't to be. I stumbled upon this post while looking for some information about the company. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh you are so lucky to have found that Vested Gentress booth. Alas their pieces were always very small, because the women were more slim in the 70's!
DeleteI installed their very first computer system and watched as they designed and created their styles. Good people!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215913747333864&set=p.10215913747333864&type=3&theater I bought my Vested Gentry dress in the 1980s for $3 from a thrift store in Oyster Bay, N.Y.
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