Author: Lisa

Sewing pattern aficionado, vintage fashion lover. Wife, mom, grandma. Lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis warrior.
1930's fashion, 1970s fashion, sewing, sewing patterns

The Letty Lynton Dress

Lisa
Joan Crawford as Letty Lynton, 1932. Dress by Gilbert Adrian.

In 1932, the film Letty Lynton was premiered, and with it, one of the most iconic dresses in screen history. Joan Crawford was costumed by the legendary fashion designer Gilbert Adrian, in a dress full of frills and ruffles, and those sleeves. Ms. Crawford, blessed with naturally broad shoulders, was blessed by Mr. Adrian to be dressed in suits and gowns with even broader shoulders, in order to make her waist look proportionally smaller. And what a look that was!

Adrian turned fashion on its access with his broad-shouldered look, and was a genius at fashion marketing, thinking six months forward in fashion so that his gowns didn’t look dated in the time it took to film the movie and get it to market. Depending upon who you believe, there were millions of this style of dress marketed in the months and years following this one showing up on the silver screen. It was a major movie moment. This, of course, is subject to media hype, as it would seem that we’d see some in vintage fashion now.

So when I came across this 1978 pattern, Letty is the first person I thought of. It’s not a dress, though. It’s a wrap top and tiered skirt, but those sleeves have Gilbert Adrian written all over them. I wonder if that’s what the designer had in mind when it was created?

Simplicity 8545, ©1978.

Of course, it could be that the designer was thinking of flamenco, especially given the girl with the maraca on the left, but either way, it’s a cute look that would look great either together or separate.

1950s fashion

I introduce to you: the Fauxlero

Lisa
Mail Order 4572, 1952.

Have you ever seen a dress like this, wherein it appears to have a matching bolero, but in fact it’s an illusion? If so, let me introduce you to the fauxlero.

Fauxlero is a fake bolero, in case you haven’t surmised. It may have free pieces that attach in back, or if may be completely sewn down, but either way, it looks like a cropped jacket but isn’t. You don’t see this much anymore, because clothing companies want cheap garments and don’t care much about design, but it’s a super clever — and cute — idea. Most of the ones I’ve seen are from the fifties and 60s, but there are some newer ones in the 80s, when the fifties revival happened.

I didn’t come up with the term. I first saw it on the Dress a Day blog, but it’s a great term for describing what’s going on here. The nice thing about a fauxlero is that it is so waist-friendly. It whittles the waist and also creates a waist where one may not exist. You also don’t have to worry about setting your jacket down somewhere and forgetting it. And there are so many ways to construct it. Use a matching or contrasting fabric, whichever works best. Isn’t it cute? Click on images to purchase.

Simplicity 3044. Photo: Vintage Sewing Patterns Wiki
1970s fashion, sewing, sewing patterns, vintage fashion

The Narrow Shoulder Look

Lisa

I was listing this super cute pattern in the shop this morning and saw that it touts “the new narrow shoulder look,” so of course I had to investigate. This pattern is from 1971. Simplicity must have been on the cutting edge of fashion at that point, because I find no references to the narrow shoulder look in newspapers of that year, nor of 1970. I do, however, see references in 1972.

Papers of that time defined the narrow shoulder look at having a shorter shoulder area as well as a higher sleeve head. It was also the fashion for mens’ jackets, with one article saying that this had been the fashion for men in the early 1950s as well. It’s not often in those days that you saw a collision of mens’ and womens’ fashion, unlike today with all of our unisex clothing.

Here are a couple of other examples of the narrow shoulder look. The combination of the short shoulder and the high sleeve head make the arms look longer, for a very flattering look.

Love the tailoring on the first one. It is super feminine and whittles the waist. The second one, 5186, is also called “the Navajo Look,” for reasons I will have to investigate.

Since the original pattern, 9446, is from 1971 and other two are in the 5000’s and 1972, I think the first one was likely an original pattern of the narrow shoulder style. I can see some of the Romeo & Juliet influence of the early 70s here, following the 1968 film by Franco Zeffirelli. The sleeves aren’t in true Juliet style like some patterns of the era, but they are definitely quite full — not unlike coming out of the leg o mutton sleeves of the 1890s and into the 1900s. Fashion echoes history as it changes.

I know that a lot of people take issue with puff type sleeves, and I don’t think I’d wear them now as I have gotten fluffier in my old age, but I used to love them back in the day. This style would not only elongate the arms but it would (obviously) narrow the shoulders — a big plus for someone with linebacker shoulders like me!

I’d make this in the shorter length. What do you think?

sewing

Blast from the Past

Lisa

I came across this pattern in my stash, and immediately knew it was from 1986. How, you ask, did I know? Well, dear readers, it is because I wore an exact replica of this dress on formal night on a cruise in 1986.

I bought the dress at Penney’s, and accessorized with an onyx and rhinestone necklace with matching earrrings. I believe that this was the night that we sat at the captain’s table. In either event, we closed the night out at the disco, where I dance with the captain to none other than the Human League and Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam (my nickname is Lisa Lisa to this day in certain circles).

That particular cruise will go down in history being noted as the first cruise I went on. We got to go for free, because my then-fiance-now-ex-husband won a contest as a McDonald’s manager and got the tickets as a reward. The managers were allowed to take someone with them, so I told his very single buddy that he was taking my best friend, who he had barely met. We girls shared a room, and the guys shared a room. Mostly they just did stupid things like constantly moving the plants in the hallway, at times putting them into their room, and finding that there were always replacements put out immediately. Where they kept all those plants was beyond me.

In either event, it was a three day cruise to the Bahamas, and other than the previously mentioned shenanigans, I don’t remember much because we were 22, fueled mostly by alcohol for those three days, and I’m pretty sure we never slept at all. Made for great memories which all came to light again when I saw this pattern. It was a great dress. I still have the jewelry. And honestly, I don’t think any cruise I’ve taken since has matched it as far as fun – and that’s saying a lot, because I’ve been on some great cruises.

sewing

It’s Me Again, Margaret

Lisa

Still hanging in there one month after my husband passed. Immediately after the funeral, I took a trip to Tennessee and then to Atlanta, where I saw the Madame Gres exhibit at SCAD. HIGHLY recommend that you go see it, as it’s not there much longer, and it’s beautiful. I will try to share pictures soon.

After Atlanta, I went back to Tennessee and spent a couple of days in a cabin in the woods, just to have time alone with my thoughts. It was a very, very spiritual experience, unlike anything I’ve ever had before. So that was the beginning of my quest to see all of the lower 48 states. When I mentioned this to my daughter, she said she has been wanting to go to New England, and that’s how I ended up with plans to leave tomorrow.

We are going on what my daughter calls “The Unhinged New England Road Trip,” and it is gonna be wild. Seriously. WILD. It’s me, my daughter, and her three kids, who just happen to be 4, 3 and 18 months. Her hubby couldn’t go, and wasn’t really up for a drive that long, so here we go. Daughter said “you know there’s going to be a lot of crying, right,” like I never travelled in the car with her when she was young. I told her as long as it’s the kids crying, I’m ok. Yes, we do have wine.

So we are going to hit seven states in nine days, and then daughter comes back to jury duty, and I come back to start working hard, with the next leg of the trip tentatively planned for mid to late September, when I’ll do the Pacific Northwest. Meantime, if you know of any cool fashion-y places in New England, let me know, because daughter says we aren’t doing any kid stuff (Hershey PA doesn’t count because chocolate), and since she’s an archaeologist, we will be doing history stuff. If I can figure in some fashion-y stuff, I’m going to try to do it. I think there’s a corset museum on the agenda, but otherwise we are open to any and all suggestions.

Check in with me in ten days. I may or may not be ok.

PS The title quote is something my mom always said to me if she hung up and had to call me back. “It’s me again, Margaret” is a Ray Stevens song. It makes me smile to think of mom saying that.

sewing

My Guy

Lisa

A great man has left us. Many of you know that I’ve been a caregiver for my husband for the past couple of years. He went into a huge decline earlier this year, and we made the decision to have him admitted to hospice. He passed away very, very peacefully early in the morning of May 18, with his son and me holding his hands. The world has lost quite a character.

James was a talented cook, who could do anything in the kitchen. He could go to a restaurant and then go home and replicate what he’d had. He won almost any chili or shepherd’s pie throwdown he was in. And his soups were amazing. He could do impressions that would rival a Vegas performer, and man was he funny. He would also be rather surly — I called him Archie Bunker, and I wasn’t alone in that — but he melted around little kids and especially babies. He’d shave whenever the grandkids came over, because they didn’t like his beard. His favorite movie was Full Metal Jacket, as he was a 34 year veteran of the Marine Corps. He never let me hear his drill sergeant voice, because he said “you don’t WANT to.” His boys, however, said it was legendary, especially when he’d line them up to see who had broken something. Yet this man, so larger than life, and such a clown, cried at every wedding he went to, including watching Brie Bella and Daniel Brian of the WWE get married. He was an Iron Marshmallow.

I miss him so much, and once the dust settles, I will have a huge hole in my life, not only because of him not being here, but because of the time spent caring for him, especially in the past year. I’m not sure yet how that hole will be (slowly) filled. I know that I plan to spend more time on my business. I will be spending a lot of time going thru the house, as I may downsize. If not, I will consider it to be a Swedish Death Cleaning. Meantime, my stepson has been helping out, and is amazed at the number of sewing patterns here, so yes, I will definitely be working at getting them listed.

And I plan to take some time for me. I took off for a couple of days last week, and drove to Atlanta to see the Madame Gres exhibit at the SCAD. I will be sharing pictures here soon. Then I went to a cabin in Tennesse and was just still for a couple of days. It was SO nice, and truly a spiritual experience. I plan to see all of the lower 48 states, and will likely be going to New England with my daughter and her three kids — four, three and 18 months. (I’m gonna need all the prayers, positive energy and good juju for that one!)

So I’ll be back on a more regular basis in this space. Hang in there as it revs up, and meantime, enjoy this video of my husband being my husband. What a goofball he was.

sewing

The Horror of It All

Lisa

I’ve been gone a while. Hubby has been in the hospital, quite ill with heart issues. It was very dicey for a while, but he’s finally moved to the rehab hospital and should be home in a week or two. I’m starting to get into the swing of things again, and listed a few things in the shop this morning. I’m also working on getting the house in order, and restoring some mental stability to the dogs, who freak out when we are gone, much less for two weeks. Lots of work to do before their papi comes home, but I’m getting there.

I mentioned some time back about the horror themed quilt I made my son for Christmas, so I thought I’d share some quick and dirty pictures, done by the bachelor guy. This was done with the help of a lady at the local quilting shop, as I have done very little quilting in the past, and that was not done with a clue as to what I was doing. My machine gave up the ghost midway through, and the quilt shop did the quilting, but I was happy with how it came out, and he was INSANELY happy with it. Let’s just say, we talked on Christmas Eve about one thing we were thankful for, and when he said “horror movies”, I knew I had a winner on my hands.

The background, as you can see, is a blood spatter print. The pattern is in Irish rings, and includes prints of old movies like Dracula, The Fright, Frankenstein, etc, as well as newer movies like Alien, Predator, The Shining, Chucky, It, and a bunch more. There’s a bit of Dia de los Muertos, and the Deathly Hallows emblem from Harry Potter. I sourced fabrics from Etsy for the most part. The Harry Potter print came from a Walmart remnant. The binding is kind of a reverse blood spatter, from a remnant that I already had. It is bright red with tiny white polka dots.

The back was sourced from Spoonflower, and is a print of quotes from The Sandman. Not horror, I know, but it’s my son’s favorite graphic novel series. He mentioned in the fall that he plans to get a tattoo of Death from the series, so I went looking and voila! Found this print and knew I’d hit it. As you can see, the panels run vertically and repeat across, so there’s not a ton of quotes, but it hit the target and he was flabbergasted to see it. I bought a Sandman Tshirt on Etsy that features Death on it, and planned to put a panel in the middle of the back, but the black of the T shirt and the lighter gray didn’t mesh well, so if I get my act together, I’ll make him a pillow from it to go with the quilt.

What do you think? It’s definitely not perfect, but I felt accomplished that I got it done, and my son’s happiness with it made it all worth it.

sewing, sewing patterns, vintage clothing, vintage fashion, Vintage Kids

Frugality at Its Best

Lisa
Advance 4442, ©1947.

I love this pattern. Vintage boys’ patterns often go overlooked, in part because, like mens’ patterns, there just doesn’t seem to have been as many printed. The looks are a bit more dated that in little girls’ styles, but they are so cute. What makes this one special though, is that the coat is constructed from a man’s suit. It’s upcycling, before it was cool.

It’s from 1947, so it’s post World War II, where the US was beyond fabric rationing (which didn’t apply to home sewing anyway). Businesses were starting to thrive after the war, so many families could afford a new coat, but apparently the frugality of the war extended to the years afterward. Remember, these moms were raised in the Depression era, and many remained frugal their entire lives, so it’s not surprising that they were using fabric they had on hand to construct new garments.

These days, a lot of sewists get their fabric from thrift stores, especially using vintage sheets in all sorts of patterns. Have you ever thought of repurposing a man’s suit into something new? I have this ebook in the store on how to mend mens’ suits, and of course you can buy this particular pattern in the webstore. I’ll have to do a bit of digging but I think I have a woman’s suit pattern made from a man’s suit as well, though I think it is included in one of my books. Have you ever upcycled a man’s suit? What did you make? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

1950s fashion, designers, sewing patterns, vintage clothing, vintage fashion

Echoes of the New Look

Lisa

Christian Dior rocked the fashion scene with his 1947, which was ultimately called “The New Look.” Gone was the fabric rationing of the era. The pronouncement that Paris fashion had not only survived the war, but that it was back in new and exciting ways was obvious, as Dior showed his “Corolle” and “Figure 8” styles. These styles were minimalist while over the top, with voluminous skirts, requiring yards of fabric never seen before. He stripped down to the details when showing them, keeping colors deliberately muted and hats very simple. The Bar Jacket is iconic, and seen in museums all overthe world.

Bar Suit, 1947. Photo: Vogue.

Echoes of the Bar Suit are seen throughout the late forties, fifties, and early sixties. It returns in the 80s, and is seen even today. Sewing patterns are reflective of its popularity. Remember, this is a time when sewing pattern companies and fashion designers sent representatives to Paris with their only assignment being to replicate the styles seen in the fashion shows. This brought Paris fashion to housewives in America, making real style attainable. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, designers were not always given attribution, so it would take some deep diving to find which designer matched with which “Paris Fashion” pattern, but they definitely exist.

When I saw this pattern the other day, I saw the echoes, with it’s tiny “flap” (they don’t call it a peplum). It’s a one piece dress, as opposed to the Bar Suit, which is two pieces, but wouldn’t you agree that there is a definite influence here?

Marian Martin 9133, ©1950.

It’s not exact, of course, but it’s like hearing echoes of one musician in another’s music. The influence is definitely there.

sewing, sewing patterns, vintage clothing, vintage fashion

The Ultimate UFO

Lisa

You, like me, may have some UFOs around your house. UFO, in our world, means “unfinished object”, and I have several. I have a crewel embroidery pillow that I’ve been working on. I don’t even like crewel embroidery, but I found this vintage crewel kit that features a bunch of different flowers. Since my mom loved flowers, and my dad did crewel embroidery until shortly before his death at age 92, I decided it might be a nice tribute, so I started it. But again, I hate crewel embroidery. Hate doing it, hate how it looks, so I don’t know if I will ever finish it. I also have not one but two embroidered baby quilts that I started but haven’t finished, because it flares my tendonitis and I decided that my daughter likely wouldn’t like them anyway. I guess unless my boys have kids one day, I will likely never revisit them, and even if they do, I still will probably leave them as UFOs.

A lot, if not most, of crafters/sewists have at least one UFO in their space. So imagine when I came across this. This is truly the ultimate in UFOs — 1740s silk that was cut into a dress. It was a mystery, and these women unravelled it. Here’s the short version:

Fascinating, yes? Well let me tell you, it’s even more so when you read the long version. Amazing, yes? That those pieces survived in a bag for almost three hundred years, all while being made into three different garments along the way. Perhaps in the year 2300, someone will find my baby quilts and finish them. It’ll stil be earlier than I’d get them done.