• Billie Blair

    Billie Blair

    Born in Flint, Michigan, Billie Blair (b. 1946) worked as a model at the Detroit Auto Show before becoming one of the highest-paid fashion models of the 1970s. Moving to New York City, she got a job at Halston and soon found success as an editorial and runway model. Blair was among the African-American models…

    View post: Billie Blair
  • Year of the Horse: Vintage Equestrian Patterns

    Year of the Horse: Vintage Equestrian Patterns

    Happy Chinese new year! In honour of the Year of the Horse, here’s a selection of equestrian sewing patterns from the 1920s to the 1990s. Like tennis wear, modern equestrian wear begins in the 1920s. Before the First World War, women generally rode sidesaddle; equestriennes wore fashionably voluminous riding skirts designed to fall flatteringly on…

    View post: Year of the Horse: Vintage Equestrian Patterns

Tip jar

Leave Sarah a tip to say “thank you!” for more than a decade of great fashion content, and help keep PatternVault proudly ad-free

CA$5.00

About the Author

Sarah Sheehan has published articles on couture patterns in DRESS and Selvedge. She launched the PatternVault blog in 2011 with a series on Givenchy sewing patterns by Alexander McQueen. This blog explores the intersections between high fashion and DIY culture. Read full bio.