Between some fantastic reader submissions and new releases from Simplicity, McCall's and Vogue, it's like Christmas over here at Pattern Junkie HQ! Sadly a case of the stomach flu has slowed my posting ambitions, but I awoke today ready to jump right back into it. So much to share! Let's jump over to Vogue's new patterns, shall we?
Lately there have been some fascinating blog discussions as to whether or not dressing/sewing vintage equals embracing the feminine oppression of the era. I fall squarely in the "fashion is fun/embrace the freedom to wear what you want" camp, but I have a feeling the artist for Vogue 8643, Vogue's latest contribution to its vintage reproduction category, feels differently:
The aprons strike me as 1950s/early 1960s styles, but these aren't fun rockabilly chicks or sunny 1960s bakers. Check out the black and white mod sheath dresses and the short haircuts on most of them. These are mod girls! Mod girls who've been plucked off the streets of London and Rome and forced into Happy Housewifery School.
Asian Print Apron is the headmistress. She reminds me a little of the head ballet instructor from Suspiria, and if you've seen Suspiria you know that that's a scary thing. Heavy-lidded Red with her egg-beater print apron (egg beaters!) forlornly carries drinks, while Yellow searches her gigantic pockets for keys to escape the asylum. Polka Dot (with her broken wrist! My wrists bend like that, but I have hyperextended joints) calls for help on the Phone with the Cord to Nowhere, while Green Flowers presents her Cake of Despair. That cake has gray icing on it, people. Gray.
Still not convinced? If you click to see the pattern description on Vogue's website you'll be treated to an actual model shoot they did for the pattern. Tell me the real title of this isn't "Hopes Drowned in Palmolive and Chardonnay:"