New Year Party!!

With the New Year fast approaching, I thought we might look at some fun party, cocktail, and evening dresses through the ages!!  You really can't be too well dressed when you ring in the New Year.  Right? :)  Want to see how ladies have celebrated through the years?  Yes?

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Let's get started:

The 1930s

Dreamlike 1930s

The 1930s featured a lot of puffed shoulders and random shirring.

1.)  Hollywood 1160 @ Fancywork

2.)  McCall 3406 @ DRC Rose Patterns

3.)  New York 966 @ Grey Dog Vintage

4.)  Simplicity 3128 @ She'll Make You Flip

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The 1940s

Chic 1940s

The 1940s were all about asymmetry, as you can see by just these 4 choices from our team!

1.)  Simplicity 2094 @ Sydcam 123

2.)  McCall 7142 @ DRC Rose Patterns

3.)  McCall 6598 @ Redcurlz's

4.)  McCall 7604 @  So Vintage on Etsy

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The 1950s

Stunning 1950s

These stunningly sexy 1950s dresses would be sure to knock 'em dead at any party!

1.)  Simplicity 1833 @ Floradora Presents
2.)  McCall's 3297 @ People Packages
3.)  McCall's 3992 @ So Vintage on Etsy
4.)  Vogue 4977 @ Vintage Needle Finds

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The 1960s

Dramatic 1960s

No less dramatic are these dresses from the 1960s... Who wouldn't want one?

1.)  Simplicity 5703 @ Fragolina

2.)  Vogue 5480 @ Selvedge Shop

3.)  Weigels 2502 @ Sew As It Was Patterns

4.)  Simplicity 3717 @ Bluetree Sewing Studio

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The 1970s

Comfortable 1970s

The 1970s were about being comfortable while still looking great!  You could dance the night away under that disco ball in these!

1.)  Butterick 6700 @ Grandma Made With Love

2.)  Vogue 1318 @ Cloe's Closet

3.)  Vogue 9063 @ Mbchills

4.)  McCall's 3396 @Erika With A K

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The 1980s

Over-the-Top 80s

Big glamour was back in a big way in the 80s.  A proliferation of bows, ruffles, gathers, crinolines and asymmetry were again back in style.  Everything feminine in the last 50 years of fashion got thrown together into a whole new style!

1.)  Simplicity 8309 @ Retroactive Future

2.)  Vogue 9893 @ Fragolina

3.)  Vogue 1623 @ Clutterina's Shop

4.)  Simplicity 7842 @ Vogue Vixens

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Is everybody ready to ring in the New Year, now?

What will you be wearing?  I'll probably be wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and lounge pants, to be honest, but maybe one day I'll go to a party chic enough to wear one of these! :)

Happy New Year!

Looks From Vogue - December 1962!

As a little holiday treat.. how about some looks from Vogue... December 1962!   These sweet looks are sure to please!

Look at the cute cover design with whimsical holiday ornaments and Big Ben & the Eiffel Tower. :) Also, rather difficult to see on the cover is Vogue Paris Original 1200 by Pierre Cardin.

Vogue 5752, 5751, 5753, 5754

Easy elegance in these lovely fashions!  Which one do you like best?  So Vintage On Etsy  has Vogue 5753 in stock.. it's a super-classy dress!  Here's some more similar patterns from the Pattern Patter Team:

1.)  Vogue 6162; Violet Crown Emporium

2.)  Vogue 6885; Mbchills

3.)  Vogue 5905; Retroactive Future

Vogue 1197, Vogue 1195

Here's super-chic designer looks from John Cavanagh and Nina Ricci!  That hood is something else!!

So Vintage on Etsy has Vogue 1195 in stock and it is a beauuuuty!  Wow wheee!

Here's some looks from the same designers:

1.)  Vogue 1501 by Nina Ricci; Redcurlzs

2.)  Vogue 1331 by John Cavanagh; Fragolina

3.)  Vogue 1192 by John Cavanagh; Sew As It Was Patterns

Vogue 1199, 5647, 1196

Here Vogue offers your whole holiday wardrobe... designer, of course!  On the left by Jacques Griffe, in the middle, "Easy to Make", and on the right by Jacques Heim.  Rare patterns for sure!  You can see how fashion-forward Vogue was.. already giving us a hint of "Mod" in 1962.

Here's some fashions from the same designers:

1.)  Vogue 1232; Griffe; So Sew Some
2.)  Vogue 1574; Heim; So Vintage on Etsy
3.)  Vogue 1497; Griffe; Grey Dog Vintage
4.)  Vogue 1427; Heim; Purple Plaid Penguin

Vogue 1198, 1194

More class than you can shake a stick at with these looks from Ronald Paterson of England and Pierre Cardin.

Some looks from the same designers:

1.)  Vogue 1391; Paterson; Sew As It Was Patterns
2.)  Vogue 1142; Cardin; Whatnot Gems
3.)  Vogue 1410; Paterson; So Vintage on Etsy
4.)  Vogue 2075; Cardin; Erika With A K

Vogue 5758; 5759; 5756

More easy-sew elegance!  Here's some similar patterns from our team.

1.)  Vogue 9615; Fancywork
2.)  Vogue 5972; Frisky Scissors
3.)  Vogue 5542; Sydcam 123
4.)  Vogue 5612; Sandritocat

Vogue 5755

Another amazing hooded number, Vogue says it has "flapper" style, "great for campus or country."  Great for anything, if you ask me!

More cool outfits with hoods from the team:

1.)  Vogue 8154; Mbchills

2.)  Vogue 5853; So Vintage On Etsy

3.)  Vogue 5483; Fragolina

4.)  Simplicity 4932; Redcurlzs

Vogue 5757

On the back cover, Vogue suggests brocade for your holiday parties!

Well, that's about all for now!  Don't you like the cute illustrations?

Focus On: Vogue Special Design: The 1940s

Vogue's "Special Design" line was introduced in the 1930s.  These patterns were supposed to be a bit more complicated than your average sewing pattern.  They often featured unusual fashion-forward details from the very hottest new trends of the time.  Special Design patterns included a classy sew-in label to make your couture work of art your very own!  "Homemade" didn't have to mean thrifty or average with a Vogue pattern.

These patterns are phenomenally popular with collectors and stitchers worldwide, and I thought I might share some of the lovely Special Design patterns available now from the Pattern Patter Team.

There are so many of them out there... how about we simply focus on the 1940s today? :)  No particular reason, I just like them!

Vogue S-4648

From Sue's Upcycled N Vintage comes Vogue S-4648, currently on sale!  Check out those interesting seams, neckline, and bows!  Also note the somewhat hefty price of $1.00 in 1948 dollars, quite a bit when a regular pattern cost around 35 cents!  This added expense is part of what makes these patterns so rare and collectible today.

Vogue S-4977

From Redcurlz's Patterns is another 1940s pattern, Vogue S-4977.  Curiously, it features similar side bow interest.  Who wouldn't look dramatic in this dress?

Vogue S-4671

More pretty bows!  This pattern from Fragolina has a beautiful neckline and a peplum.. very classy! The back is also very pretty, don't you think?

Vogue S-4454

Asymmetry is a key style point in all of these patterns.  The side-bows in the previous patterns, and the gathers that alternate sides in this amazing number from Selvedge Shop.  I love how the gathers are on the left on the top and on the right on the bottom.  Isn't that unique?  Where else are you going to find anything like that? 

Vogue S-4865

She'll Make You Flip has this great pattern in stock which features a really unusual pocket design.  Super cute for any time of the year... I'm thinking you would look great on a piazza in Italy wearing this one. :)

Vogue S-4841

Drop-dead gorgeous style in this peplum'd glamouriffic dress from Floradora Presents.  

Vogue S-4855

Another pretty peplum is featured in Vogue S-4855, available at Bluetree Sewing Studio.

Vogue S-4531

How about a classy cocktail dress with a jacket?  The contrasting bow and trim on the sleeves is really cute... I bet you could find some shoes with contrast trim, too!  Available at So Vintage On Etsy.

Vogue S-4911

Moving into evening gowns, how about this beautiful gown with deep Vs in both the front and back.. and fullness added into the back as well?  From Sew As It Was Patterns.

Vogue S-4333

I'm totally in love with this unusual evening gown!  The basque bodice, side fullness and back interest are really curious!  One-of-a-kind!  From What Not Gems.

Vogue S-4532

From Fragolina, comes this amazing and RARE wedding gown pattern.  Lots of options for the bride to be... she can have just the dreamy look she wants.

Speaking of weddings, here is another amazing gown from Sew As It Was Patterns.  It features a drop waist and very unusual tiered skirt.

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That's about all for this time!   Which one do you like best?

I'll be back soon with a look at some other eras of Special Design patterns.

Fabulous Finds: The Frivolous Dress

It's freezing here, like everywhere else, :) and I'm dreaming of bygone days when elegant parties were thrown and beautiful dresses were made.

My personal favorite is the turquoise one. How about you?
Or you could just pass me a bolt of either fabric...

Treasury full of goodies! Go take a closer look! Some of these shops had several wonderful pieces that made it hard
to choose which to feature.

While I find myself wanting one of each, of all these; the reality of life, then and now was, an individual would probably only wear one of these dresses in her entire life. So think carefully... which would you choose?