I NEED McCall 9321. The one on the left. Not the pattern. That very dress. Doesn't it just sing of summer evenings and fireflies and sherbert and dancing and no worries in the world? Swoon, swoon, swoon.
Although the dress on the right, in white eyelet or lace? I'll take that as well, thank you. (I may be mistaken for a bride, but I'll be too busy frolicking to care.)
Cough, cough! A spring cold has me hacking and snorting here at Pattern Junkie HQ, but I can dream of elegance with McCall 8271. A little cape for a little extra charm? Why yes, thank you!
In keeping with the romance theme for Valentine's Week, here's a pattern from the 1930s, Pictorial Review 9051:
What's so romantic about this windbreaker? Ah, I'll let the pattern description do the talking:
A sure way to any man's or boy's heart is by making this windbreaker. He'll like either the one- or two-piece back and slide fastener closing.
Why didn't anyone tell me that a way to a man's heart was through a windbreaker?!
But don't worry, ladies...this pattern is SNEAKY. Your target will never know that you aim to rule his heart...because as the insightful post on this pattern over at Unsung Sewing Patterns points out, the illustration goes out of its way to show Men Doing Manly Things. Checking a compass, throwing a stick for a fox terrier much like the famed fox terrier of the time, Asta...the instructions even show someone fishing.
Junkies young and old, you now know the secret to hooking a man's heart...sew, sew, sew away!
In honor of Halloween, a luscious 1930s pirate costume, DuBarry 1300b. If only it included those boots! Check out the skull and crossbones on them!
The pattern is available on ebay for another four days, so you have plenty of time to sew this up for next Halloween. You'll look smashing and you can inform your fellow revelers that women have been dressing up as sexy versions of (insert name here) for the holiday for decades.
Me, I've always taken the opposite approach and dressed as something hideous. That's the point of Halloween, isn't it? I'm usually pretty happy when I leave the house -- but then I arrive at a party full of bustier and short skirt-wearing firewomen, nurses, superheroes and cats (oh, the cats!). Doubt sets in and by night's end you'll find me at the snack table, trying to keep my fake scars from falling into the punch.
Perfect with coffee and the Sunday paper in a nice heavy silk. I'm swooning!
OK, so it's more like Monday afternoon/early evening eye candy. But who doesn't want a nice little pick-me-up come late Monday?
I don't know why I'm such a sucker for ruffles in the MMEC feature. I'm not a big ruffle-wearer in real life. Half the time I try them on and feel like a clown, and for some reason I'm convinced they make my face look round. (Which, even as I type it, I know is an absurd statement. But isn't it just the kind of advice you'd read in a woman's magazine? I mean, the other day I was leafing through one at the supermarket and ran across a handy sidebar on "How To Wear Bracelets After 40." I was utterly baffled. As far as I can tell, you still put them on your wrist.)
Anyway, enough about my personal mixed feelings on ruffles and onto to this purty, purty slice of goodness, McCall 7954. It manages to make the ruffles elegant instead of girly, don't you think? If I had a steady stream of elegant cocktail parties to attend, I might just try it out.
Oh, how I love the exuberant ruffles of McCall 8258:
Four rows of ruffles at the hem! It looks like it would be so much fun to walk in -- you'd swish and rustle and make a grand entrance. Let's not even get started on what it would be like to dance in it.
It's from 1935, but I can't be the only one reminded of this dress style that was so popular in the 1970s:
That's it. I want to be a Dashing Modern Maiden!
How gorgeous is McCall's 7903? The shoulder treatment, the bow, the flared mermaid skirt...the whole darn thing has me in a state of advanced dress lust. I have a sudden need to search out 1930s patterns.
Check out New Vintage Lady (a super blog!) for more images from this amazing 1934 catalog. I want every single dress there -- including the ones that promise to add piquancy to my personality!
Oh, my. These just showed up on the Vintage Pattern Wiki.
I won't bother to try and describe them. Just sip your coffee and savor the pretty:
I was doing my morning browse of the Vintage Pattern Wiki and ran across Simplicity 2849 from the late 1930s. Isn't it just lovely?
The skirt, the suspenders, the bolero -- all great. But what really stands out for me are the flowers embroidered on the shoulders -- I don't think I've seen that before. What a wonderful, sweet detail!
Of course, I'm also thinking it would be fun to make a blouse and embroider an anchor on one shoulder and "Mom" on the other. I'm too indecisive and chicken to commit to a tattoo, but that just might work.
