June Trends Alert

by Amy of ViennasGrace

Gucci spring/summer 2013

Elie Saab did it and so did Ralph Lauren, a big summer fashion trend that is showing up from ready to wear to high end fashion, ruffles. Sometimes as a dramatic flounce flowing down a caftan, an asymmetric jabot placed perfectly on a one shoulder blouse, or feminine ruffles spinning around a soft tiered floral skirt.

Ralph Lauren spring/summer 2013

We see the changes in the use of ruffles throughout the decades in our sewing patterns. In the 1940s an 

off the shoulder blouse or sundress frequently had a single or double ruffled neckline. Late 50s and early 60s used ruffles more as a trim, showing up on collars or finishing off hem lines. The 70s disco scene had a great look, using soft cascading waves down the front of a wrap dress. Let’s not forget the 1980s use of ruffles, blouses adorned with high neck jabots and the multi tiered skirts seen on numerous prom dresses and bridal gowns.

Top row CherryCorners Butterick 3511, AdeleBeeAnnPatterns Butterick 4801, CloesCloset Vogue 2218, retromonkeys Simplicity 1628

Bottom row Vogue 6403, allthepresiousthings Vogue 6229, RomasMaison McCall's 4269, DesignRewindFashions Vogue 9667

So as the peak of summer is nearly here, keep the fashion savvy seamstress in mind. She won’t be shopping in the high dollar designer stores, She will be hunting for the latest summer trends in all our lovely vintage patterns. Use your listing descriptions and tags creatively so she can easily find that special blouse with rows of ruffles and that perfect glamorous party dress with a flounce.

Like Mother, Like Daughter (The Simplicity Way)

By Sherri of SewBettyandDot

Did you and your mother ever dress alike? I know that my mom, at least once, made us matching Easter dresses and coats. 

While other companies certainly made mother/daughter patterns—the Vintage Pattern Wiki has a 1925 Pictorial Review “Me and Ma” apron pattern, and there are numerous Hollywood mother/daughter patterns from the 1930s—Simplicity began to issue numerous “Mother and Daughter Fashion” patterns in the 1940s and have continued to do so to this day. Let’s take a look at some matching mom and child patterns from the forties and fifties.

Apron patterns were quite popular, and these often had both mother and daughter apron pieces in the same envelope.

Simplicity 4139: GreyDogVintage

Simplicity 1641: ThePatternSource

But not always: here is an example of two patterns, one for a little girl, one for mom.

Simplicity 4636: Clutterina

Simplicity 4632: KallieDesigns

In many cases, Simplicity would list on the back of each mother/daughter pattern what the corresponding mother (or daughter) pattern was. For example:

Mother Patterns Source: 1 2 3 4
Daughter Pattern Source: 1 2 3 4 

Some patterns don’t have the corresponding pattern numbers for the mother or daughter outfits, for example: 

Simplicity 3485: FloradoraPresents

Simplicity 4005: PatternPalooza

It’s really fun to search and find these matching outfits. It’s so interesting, too, to examine the envelope art and see the similarities in poses and hairstyles. Me…and Mini-Me, the Simplicity way!