Fashion history through DIY culture
I’m pleased to announce that I’m among the contributors to the upcoming Heritage issue of Selvedge Magazine. My piece is called “Maison McCall,” and it’s about McCall’s interwar couturier patterns.
Did you know McCall’s shares its founding year with the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Both are celebrating their 150th anniversaries in 2020.
Hope you enjoy the article!
For the 75th anniversary of VE Day, a Weldons So-Easy roundup.
There’s a War On: Weldons So-Easy Patterns
Do you remember Grace Coddington’s Amish editorial? From late summer, 1993, “The Great Plain” looks forward to Schitt’s Creek and today’s back-to-the-land trend. It also features two Vogue Sport dress patterns.
The Vogue team travelled to rural Pennsylvania for the shoot. In the opening spread and barnyard square-dancing sequence, Christy Turlington wears simple dresses, made up in cotton broadcloth from Sutter Textiles.
The patterns are Vogue 8293 and Vogue 8315, as edited by Vogue.
As part of its recent Mary Quant exhibit, the V&A shared a pattern for an early Quant design. The Georgie dress dates to the Bazaar days, before Quant’s deal with Butterick.
The V&A’s Georgie dress— purchased new in Truro, Cornwall — is striped cotton lined with cotton batiste.
As Quant’s archive shows, the dress was also available in taffeta-lined chiffon as the Rosie, in black, pink, or jade.
The Georgie pattern was developed from Quant’s original by London’s Alice & Co Patterns, a mother and daughter team with a connection to the museum: the younger generation, Lilia Prier Tisdall, works there as a costume display specialist.
The dress has a surplice bodice, three-quarter sleeves, pleated skirt, and sash belt. For the original’s lively, reverse stripe effect, cut the skirt on a different grain than the sleeves and bodice.
The pattern gives detailed instructions, including for the pleated trim.
Download the Georgie dress pattern. (Instructions here.) The pattern has 7 pieces, arranged in 3 formats: A0, A4, and US Letter. Test square included to check scale.
Size: Two size ranges, UK 6–16 and 18–22
Yardage: 4m (4.5 yds) of 45″ fabric, 1m (1 1/8 yds) lining
Recommended fabrics: Soft cotton, cotton blends, or glazed cotton.
Seam allowance: 1cm (3/8″)
Notions: 56 cm (22″) flat zipper, interfacing for belt.
Notes: Skirt, frill, and belt pieces are to be drafted.
Click here for more instalments in my Free Designer Patterns series.
In honour of Tartan Day, a Sixties Vogue Special Design for coordinates, shown in what looks to be the Munro tartan.
Alba gu bràth!
Some exciting news: the PatternVault blog recently ticked past one million views.
A warm welcome to new followers, and please enjoy this rare vintage loungewear pattern from Simplicity’s short-lived Designer line.
Here’s to the next million!
As a salute to our health care workers, this post is dedicated to vintage patterns for nurse’s uniforms.
1910s
During the First World War, McCall’s sold commercial patterns for war work, including nurse’s uniforms, as well as official Red Cross patterns.
Few of these antique patterns seem to have survived, but the Commercial Pattern Archive has the unisex Red Cross operating gown:
This illustration shows a nurse dressed for surgery in the gown, McCall Special R, and helmet Special S. (For more, see Patterns for the Great War.)
Nurses wore similar protective wear during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-19. This archival photo shows a local Hamilton estate, Ballinahinch, that was donated for conversion to a hospital during the pandemic.
1920s
Twenties-era patterns for nurse’s uniforms always seem to include the cap. This design dates to circa 1921, just before McCall’s patented the printed pattern.
This drop-waisted uniform was still available two years later, but with a much higher hemline.
The Vintage Pattern Lending Library sells reproductions of this late 1920s design. Swap in a contrast Peter Pan collar and cuffs and it doubles as a maid’s uniform.
Andrea Cesari has several nurse patterns in her collection. The description for this one reads, “A uniform whose trim lines always look smart. The absence of fussy detail assures perfect laundering.”
1930s
This early ’30s uniform is similarly sensible. (View on Etsy.)
From Vogue, a late ’30s uniform that also includes a pintucked shirtdress:
1940s
During the Second World War, dressmakers could again sew Red Cross nurse’s uniforms, as well as commercial designs. This back-buttoned nurse’s uniform from Simplicity includes the apron, but not the cap.
As in the previous World War, Red Cross patterns were available from many companies. McCall’s and Simplicity both sold patterns for the Red Cross Volunteer Special Service Corps. Here, the envelope stipulates: “Must be made in poplin; veil may be made in chiffon, georgette, voile, or lawn.” This uniform was not intended for hospital workers.
The next year, the veil and white contrasts were gone. (Compare Cesari’s equivalent, Simplicity 4626.)
This McCall’s retail catalogue shows the Special Service Corps uniform with two other Red Cross patterns, with a note that they were only available by special order.
After the war, patterns for nurse’s uniforms return to their peacetime selves, fashionable yet practical — in this case with a three-piece shoulder pad. Do you have any uniform patterns in your collection?
Update: Instructions for no-sew masks (The Guardian) | Mask-making for the fashion industry (Business of Fashion Professional)
