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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Fun Fifties Patterns

Hey! Let’s dig around in the pattern collection some more!

Today we’re looking at the 1950s. I wasn’t actually around in the 50s, so my “memory” of that decade is generated entirely by media images. I always think of big, full skirts: poodle skirts, circle skirts, broomstick skirts; and always the voluminous petticoat to keep the skirt properly poufed. My mother tells me that it wasn’t all big skirts in the fifties, it was also a time of fitted suits and narrow skirts. But the mental association remains.

Here are some of my favorite dress patterns from the fifties, all with big skirts. They appear even more gigantic in comparison to the anatomically impossible small waists of the happy women on the pattern envelopes.

Pretty rounded necklines.

Wonderful details, plus an example of the straight skirt option on many of the patterns

Some of the gorgeous Vogue reproductions

The silhouette was still going strong in 1960.

These make me want to start sewing right now!


Katrina

3 comments:

  1. Me too! Great collection. So much sewing, so little time!

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  2. I love that silhouette! I have about six yards of a large scale floral broadcloth fabric in my stash that would be perfect for either the Butterick Retro Wrap or the wrap that Vintage Vogue just put out. They are both "Easy", and I would be content with pinked seam finishes, so it would be a quick sew. I'm anxious to just get something done; maybe over the weekend.
    Happy sewing!
    xo, Anita

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  3. These are some of my favorite dresses! Although with a very long waist, I rarely find a vintage dress from the 50's that fits me. Must re-learn to sew . . .

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