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By Dr. Julie-Ann, on December 12th, 2011 Perhaps it is because I spent all those years standing up in front of people either teaching or conducting workshops, but I am enamored with beautiful suits. And as I was indulging my addiction to vintage clothing over at My Vintage Vogue, my breath was taken away from me when I laid eyes on this Van Houten advertisement featuring a suit by Joseph Goldberg.
Source: myvintagevogue.tumblr.com via Julie-Ann on Pinterest
The three things I love about this suit are the double peplum, that she is wearing a broach at the hip instead of the upper bodice, and the fact that the bottom creates an optical illusion that minimizes the hips. This look can be replicated by taking a similar pattern, such as this 1940s Butterick 5027 pattern from Cemetarian, tracing the jacket front pieces and cutting a couple of inches off of them. Trace the original shape to create the second tier of the jacket bottom. I haven’t figured out how to attach it, though, but I’m leaning toward sewing it to an underlining of some sort.
 Butterick 5027 1949 Classic Suit; Image courtesy of Cemetarian on Flickr.com Of course, the pattern gives the illusion of a waist without it being a “waspish” like the model’s waist.
Thoughts?
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on December 8th, 2011 For the past several days we’ve been looking at drop waisted dresses. Dr. Molly commented yesterday,
However as I have no waist to speak of – never really had as I was one of those girls with a “boy-figure” – I would not be sure how it would look and how to fit a pattern for my body, too.
You, my friend, are in luck! The “flapper” drop waist look is perfect for you. The flapper look was designed to minimize any feminine aspects of the body and emphasize a “boyish” figure. Someone like me would be in big trouble!
 Image courtesy of MyVintageVogue.com Now the hard part: Finding a pattern that works. The skirt is close fitting with some detail around the hip. The bodice is full without any sort of shaping details such as darts. You can’t just take a regular top and widen the pattern pieces because then it won’t fit the neck, shoulders, or arms.
If I were altering a blouse pattern, I’d find a tank pattern with darts. I’d then slash up the front and rotate the pattern until the darts are closed and redraw the center front. That would give the fullness that is needed. I’d ease or gather the bottom and sew it into a skirt that I’d added just a bit of ruching to for that gathered look around the hips (keyhole opening at back neck and side zip at the hip).
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on December 7th, 2011 Yesterday I posted a semi-swirly dress that is ideal for jitterbuggers. Well, what about the rest of us that don’t dance? I found this dress on Flickr.com. It also has a dropped waist but it is more mature looking. It looks like something I’d wear now that I’m a woman of a certain age.
 The 1950s-1955 dress pattern; Image courtesy of April-Mo on Flickr.com Unfortunately I don’t have any information about the pattern, who made it, etc. You could replicate it by using the pattern I suggested on Monday, cut off the skirt at the hip and then use a slash and spread method to add box pleats to the front and an inverted kick pleat to the back.
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on December 6th, 2011 Joni Marie Davis sent this photo of her parents to me. She writes,
This is my favorite picture of my mother and father, probably around 1940 or so. What do you think about that dress? They loved to dance. My mother was an accomplished jitterbugger. I just thought you might enjoy it.
 Joni Marie Davis' Parents c. 1940
Before I get to the dress, I just want to thank Joni for sending this photo to me. Her parents look like they are enjoying each other’s company and having a good time.
Okay, onto the dress….I can hear women exclaiming that they could never wear a dress like that because of the fact that the skirt gathers into the dropped waist at the hips. Talk about adding a focal point at a “problem point!”
Ahhh, but look how small her waist looks!
This dress works so well because the shoulders/sleeves provide balance for the hipline. By extending the shoulders to balance out the accented hips, Joni’s mom’s waist appears smaller than it is. This dress creates a subtle hourglass illusion. I’m guessing it was made out of a fabulous rayon. If it wasn’t, it should have been!
Because her mom loved to jitterbug, this type of dress provided just the right amount of swing while also providing a bit of modesty. When she was raised overhead, her dress would only flare out “so far” and not all the way to the waist.
I keep trying to talk The Mister into taking swing dance classes with me but so far he has found excuses as to why he can’t go. I should probably just go and take them by myself because I imagine it is great exercise. My maternal grandfather danced to Big Band Music until his late 80s. He was the most popular dance partner at the retirement village!
I found this Butterick 2066 two-piece dress over at Out of the Ashes Collectibles that has a similar design to Joni’s mom’s dress. As an aside, Sheila is having a 15% off holiday sale until Wednesday night, December 7th. Just use the code MERRY at checkout to get the discount. The blouse has a side zipper and a short placket opening at the back neckline.
 Butterick 2066, c. 1942; Image courtesy of Out of the Ashes Collectibles I love this look and wore a lot of drop waisted dresses when The Mister and I were first dating. When he saw Joni’s photo he commented that the dress looked like the ones I used to wear.
What about you? Have you worn this type of dress? Do you jitterbug or swing dance?
PS: If you have a photo/pattern you think would be good for the Vintage Inspiration of the Day, just use the contact form and send a link to where it is located on the photo service you use along with some information about it. Who knows! It may be featured!
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on December 5th, 2011 One of the things I learned in design school is that there really are a limited number of silhouettes in fashion and the details are what set designers apart.
For today’s inspiration, we have a 1940s white pique garden party dress being offered by Vintage Frocks of Fancy on Etsy.com. If you look at the silhouette, it is simply a princess seamed dress that flares out from the waist. What sets it apart and makes us lust after it is the narrow soutache braid detail. Even though this dress is easy to replicate, it will take time to lay out the detail. I recommend sewing it by hand instead of by machine. Believe it or not, it will take longer by machine than by hand.
 1940s Garden Party Dress; Image courtesy of Vintage Frocks of Fancy on Etsy.com (Click on image to go to site/see it larger)
 Detail of the 1940s Dress; Image courtesy of Vintage Frocks of Fancy on Etsy.com
Start with a pattern similar to this modern McCalls pattern:
 McCalls 3129 You may need to adjust the pattern so that it fits a little closer to your body than the modern patterns that are notorious for having way too much ease. Move the zipper from the back to the side.
If you notice on the original, the seamstress just laid the braiding down, then made a loop and then more of a straight line, another loop, etc. She basically followed the seams for the side fronts, sides, and side back details. She then filled in the center front and center back detail.
And that’s all there is to it!
If you decide to tackle this project, share your finished garment with us, please!
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on December 3rd, 2011 We are slowly recovering from the wind storm. Instead of sewing today, I’ll be catching up on stuff I couldn’t do when we lost power.
In my fantasy world where I am the epitome of Hollywood glamor, I look like Grace Kelly and can wear whatever I want. One of the looks I’ve always wanted to pull off is the iconic “swing coat” that was popular in the 1940s.
Sadly, with my figure, anytime I’ve tried on a swing or trapeze style garment, I just look several months pregnant.
But I can still dream, can’t I?
 McCalls 9584 1953 Swing Stroller Coat; Image courtesy of Cemetarian on Flickr.com
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on November 30th, 2011 My brother-in-law reports that they received 7.8 inches of heavy snow in their upper midwest area. I would say that is definitely coat weather! But we don’t have to limit ourselves to giant snowsuits that inhibit our mobility.
 "Randy" in his snow suit from A Christmas Story
The key to wearing a cloth coat that will keep us warm is to use a tightly woven heavier wool–such as blanket cloth, camel hair, chinchilla cloth, double-face, fleece (the wool, not the poly), Melton, Saxon, and Shetland–that has traditionally been used as coating. Melton is wind resistant and is what is traditionally used in sailors’ “pea coats.” Truthfully, you may have to look around for a while to find these heavier wools in a tight weave and not blanch at the price per yard. Many retailers try to get away with selling a looser weave at a cheaper price point which kind of defeats the purpose. My advice is to buy the fabric at the end of the season (get a swatch if you’re buying online) and to spend all year making a good quality coat that will last you a lifetime. Also, use real coat lining, not regular lining. Coat lining is heavier and is flannel lined. I personally love kasha satin coat lining.
On a cold, snowy day, this Advance pattern from Patterns from the Past, made out of Melton and kasha satin lining, would keep anyone in the frozen tundra nice and toasty warm!
 Advance 8096, c. 1956; Image courtesy of Patterns from the Past (OldPatterns.com) Don’t be intimidated at the thought of making a coat. I’ve made two of them–one semi-tailored out of Melton and one more lightweight and casual. While they do take time, you will be greatly rewarded by the effort.
Have you ever made a coat?
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on November 29th, 2011 In yesterday’s post, I talked about how I want to make some stoles to coordinate with my dresses and suits (when I finally get to them). I mentioned that in Los Angeles, I don’t normally need to wear a coat and I get tired of wearing cardigans. In the comments, Kathy correctly pointed out that a stole just won’t cut it in the northern part of the United States where it actually gets cold and snowy.
Even when I lived in the frozen tundra, I hated wearing coats. Hated them! I just can’t stand all of the extra bulk and weight and they never seemed to go over my suit jackets without feeling like I was wearing sausage casings.
Ingrid Bergman didn’t seem to suffer that fate when she wore a coat over her suit in Casablanca. And now I know why. As the 1930s Hollywood pattern below, available from The Cottage Way on Etsy.com shows, armholes were deeper and the sleeves were much roomier.
 Hollywood Pattern #1905, circa 1930s, Image courtesy of The Cottage Way on Etsy.com We’ll see if I ever take a liking to coats…as time goes by.
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on November 28th, 2011 As I mentioned in one of my Modern Retro Woman blog postings last spring, I want a stole!
In my imagination, I look like this (only blonde):
 This is what I wear when I'm cleaning the house. Donna Reed has NOTHING on me! We usually associate stoles with mink or some other animal fur but cloth or knitted stoles were worn all of the time during the mid-century. Much like a pashima, you might think of them as glamorous shawls.
When I lived in the frozen tundra, I made a giant black velvet scarf with fringe to wear with my coat when I wanted to dress it up a bit. I now wear it as shawl here in Los Angeles when we go out for the evening, but I still love the idea of having an actual stole that coordinates with a suit or dress that I’m wearing. And sometimes, I just get plain old tired of wearing a sensible cardigan when it is too chilly to go without an extra layer but it isn’t cold enough for a coat (which is 95% of the “Winter” in Los Angeles).
Here is a Simplicity pattern for a skirt and stole from 1953 being sold by Out of the Ashes Collectibles. I love that it is for every day wear and not an over the top glamorous gown:
 Simplicity pattern # 3712, from 1953; Image courtesy of Out of the Ashes Collectibles
And I can tell you from experience, making something rectangular is a whole lot easier than making a coat!
By Dr. Julie-Ann, on November 26th, 2011 This week’s adventure of “becoming Marilyn” has made it clear to me that she and I occupy very different planets. And that is probably why she is an icon and I’m not!
Perhaps it is because most of the Google images are from costumes or her looking like a sex symbol, but I really couldn’t find much that I would consider “wearable” in the every day world.
Ah well. It was fun while it lasted.
In her last movie,The Misfits , Marilyn dons work clothes appropriate for the Northern Nevada desert where the film takes place.
 Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable in The Misfits Fortunately for us, the sleeveless blouse was standard fare in the late 1950s and early 1960s. All we need to replicate the look is a pair of jeans that look good on us, some cowboy boots, and the shirt.
 Advance Pattern #7877; Image courtesy of Sandritocat on Flickr.com I doubt I’ll do the shorts and knee socks thing, though…
And thus ends our adventure into Becoming Marilyn-land. Please make sure you have all of your belongings as you step out of the boat and enjoy your day.
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