
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.

You’re amazing as always, Sarah. What a fantastic blog on a ground-breaking designer.
Thank you for a fabulous pattern. There is a documentary out narrated by Michael Caine about the “Swinging 60’s” that features some interviews with Mary Quant. Well worth a watch. Can’t wait to sew this up!
Thank you soooo much! As always, your blog is a delight to read.
Made this dress for my daughter-in-law. It was easy to make, fit beautifully without adjustments, and was such a pleasure to recreate history. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Shirley Avants
U.S. Army Veteran
I went to the Mary Quant exhibition at the V&A. The Georgie dress is a download that remains on my computer. Anecdotally, I have a length of Crimplene made by ICI for Mary Quant. It’s otherwise a double knit and I have yet to find a pattern that is worthy.