If you want to make seriously authentic-looking retro gear, you can't possibly do better than to go directly to period you're into. And the closest way to doing that without a time machine is original patterns.
An easy place to start if you don't want to attempt a full item of clothing is accessories for the home, and no decade went in for house-dressing more than the 1950s! I was intrigued by this book of patterns for hot plate mats; surely a lost art that we should try to bring back. After all, scorching pans still burn tables, and some of these items are just delightful. Available on Ebay.
