Hank and Audrey’s Corral was a very short-lived shop owned by Hank Williams and his first wife, Audrey, in Nashville, Tennessee. They intended to sell Nudie suits and rival the shop two doors down, owned by Hank’s friend and mentor, Earnest Tubb.
The Corral opened June 16, 1951, and closed in either ’52 (their divorce) or ’53 (Hank’s death). They sold to tourists and recorded a radio show at the shop, just as Earnest Tubb did. Audrey fancied herself a singer, but she was really a savvy businesswoman and great at steering Hank’s career. They divorced in 1952, and the shop closed after most shares were sold to a third party.
An ad for the shop’s opening from The Tennessean, June 16, 1951
When VFG Member Sadie Davis/dollsntrolls found a skirt set with this label she did some research. An email to the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama confirmed that her set’s label was indeed the same label the museum has on display. The museum manager said that the outfit is exactly the stuff they sold—touristy, not the high quality Nudie Suits Hank had wanted to sell. Still, a whole lot better than the modern version of inexpensive!
Sources:
Earnest Tubb: The Texas Troubadour
Hank Williams: The Biography
Fresh Vintage January 13 - January 19
This just in! Fresh Vintage from our seller-members, dresses, shirts, coats, patterns and accessories, 1940s through 1990s, labeled and unlabeled. You can find out more about each of the items shown here by clicking on it. And be sure to see all the fresh finds in our forums HERE.
Fresh Vintage January 6 - January 12
Interested in new listings of authentic vintage clothing and accessories? Members of the
Vintage Fashion Guild share their most recent vintage offerings in our Fresh Vintage feature. You can click on any of these items for more information, and see all the “new” (you know what we mean!) vintage HERE.
Fresh Vintage December 30 - January 5
Happy New Year! Let 2022 be the year you wear/carry/pin vintage fashion for the first time, or if you are are already clued in, may it be the year you wear it more!
Our seller-members showcase their new listings every week in our Fresh Vintage thread.
This week’s finds are HERE and there’s a sampling below. You can click on these to find out more about each item.
Fresh Vintage December 23 - December 29
The holidays are a wonderful time to wear vintage clothing!
This is the place to find some recent listings by members of the Vintage Fashion Guild. You can click on any of these for more information, and see all the new listings HERE.
Bryan, Jack
The VFG would appreciate any information on this label.
City of Paris
Bio coming soon.
Hawes, Elizabeth
the VFG would appreciate any information about this label.
Hens & Kelly
Bio coming soon.
L.L. Berger Inc.
Bio coming soon.
Meier & Frank Co.
Bio coming soon.
Toni Todd
Bio coming soon…
Roos Bros.
Bio coming soon.
Pain in The Purse: The Tax That Changed Handbag History by Wendy Dager
Just released: A fascinating and lesser known story of how a beloved (and necessary) accessory was taxed as a luxury item, and the impact this had on fashion history.
In this micro-history by VFG member Wendy Dager, you’ll learn that on April 1, 1944, the American people were subject to a federal excise tax that encompassed a large number of items the US government had deemed luxuries. Among them were handbags, a necessity that cost consumers an additional 20% of their retail value. Twenty years of FET had an enormous impact on much more than the pocketbook. An early form of today’s “pink tax,” it was placed on numerous women-centric items, including jewelry, furs and face creams. This tax affected industries, feminism, politics and journalism, and forever altered the designs of mid-century purses, which remain a fashion staple.
A writer of everything from children’s educational programming to humorous mystery novels, Daeger is curator of the online handbag museum The Vintage Purse Museum. You can find her “Pain in the Purse” blog, with bonus photos and information to go with the book HERE.
You can purchase Wendy Dager’s book Pain in The Purse: The Tax That Changed Handbag History on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate the VFG earns from qualifying purchases.
{…}Wendy Dager
In this micro-history by VFG member Wendy Dager, you’ll learn that on April 1, 1944, the American people were subject to a federal excise tax that encompassed a large number of items the US government had deemed luxuries. Among them were handbags, a necessity that cost consumers an additional 20% of their retail value. Twenty years of FET had an enormous impact on much more than the pocketbook. An early form of today’s “pink tax,” it was placed on numerous women-centric items, including jewelry, furs and face creams. This tax affected industries, feminism, politics and journalism, and forever altered the designs of mid-century purses, which remain a fashion staple.
A writer of everything from children’s educational programming to humorous mystery novels, Daeger is curator of the online handbag museum The Vintage Purse Museum. You can find her “Pain in the Purse” blog, with bonus photos and information to go with the book HERE.
Buy Wendy Dager’s book Pain in The Purse: The Tax That Changed Handbag History on AmazonFresh Vintage - December 16 - December 22
You’ve come to the right place to find the most recent authentic vintage clothing and accessories online. Members of the Vintage Fashion Guild share their newest listings, some of which have everything to do with the time of year. You can click on any of these to find the item listed for sale, and be sure to see all the other fresh picks HERE.
Ware Pratt Company
Ware Pratt Company was a men’s and boy’s furnishings store in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts. It began as a small tailoring and ready-made clothing store established by A. P. Ware in 1847. Eleven years later a new firm was organized under the name A. P. Ware and Company. In 1869, company treasurer Pratt became a partner in the business, and the store was renamed Ware Pratt and Company, incorporating in 1888.
At the turn of the century, the company employed 100 employees and averaged $236,000 in annual sales. About a third of its revenue came from its custom tailoring department, which claimed to be “the most comprehensive in New England, employing several expert cutters and numerous skillful tailors, carrying an immense and varied stock of fine and medium foreign and domestic woolens, and favored with the patronage of legions of well-dressed men in all walks of life.”
The store was a mainstay in the downtown area for over 100 years, first located at the corner of Main and Pearl, moving into the State Mutual Building at Main and Maple streets just a few years later. The company was dissolved in 1979.
Written by Ranch Queen Vintage
Fabric Fridays - You're Invited!
In the VFG forum you can ask and answer questions, share your vintage treasures, read, learn or just hang out.
You can also visit a workshop. I want to tell you about what might be called a very-spread-out workshop in the forum. It’s called Fabric Fridays, and, just as the name implies, the posts occur on most Fridays. So far we’ve had subjects such as “Determining the fiber of a fabric”, “The origin and characteristics of wool” and even “Spider silk”!
Swing by any time, not just Friday—the posts stay up. We welcome questions and comments!
For an example, last Friday we talked about chinchilla cloth:
Chinchilla cloth can be a confusing name for a fabric, given that it contains no chinchilla fur or fur fiber. That’s right, not a single hair from the cute little furry rodent is used for this fabric. A friend of mine speculated that it is called chinchilla cloth because chinchillas would rather you wear it than their fur! The real reason for the name? Read on…
{…}Fresh Vintage December 9 - December 15
Shopping vintage for New Year’s Eve? Members of the Vintage Fashion Guild
have new vintage for all occasions. Please see all that’s new HERE.
Fresh Vintage December 2 - December 8
It’s beginning to look a lot like… Fresh Vintage! There are giftables here, along with holiday party fashions—be sure to see all the vintage finery HERE.
