1930s Ball Gowns Put the Accent on the Shoulders

These formal gowns from December 1936 feature extra-wide skirts, narrow waists and eye-catching sleeves. Such a thrilling and elegant movie-star quality! Enjoy this eye candy as a way to de-stress from any holiday madness you may be experiencing.

Eye Candy: Mid-1960s Evening Dress with Cape

This elegant formal gown with a short cape from 1965 is inspiring fashion to think about when planning for formal occasions this winter. Exquisite!

Mid 1960s Formal Wear - A Serene Gown

Enjoy this serenely lovely gown in wood-rose moiré from 1965. The gown falls from the shoulders in a Watteau train.

Featured in McCall's magazine, December 1965

1930s Spring Fashion

Need a beautiful formal for a spring prom? Or an evening at the opera? These formal gowns from 1932 - so willowy and molded close to the body - are sure to inspire!

the back side

Source: Delineator magazine, April 1932

Pattern of the Week: Beautiful Mid-1930s Formal Gown for Girls

I list new patterns almost every day in my Etsy shop, Midvale Cottage. While I enjoy just about each and every pattern for one reason or another, there are usually a few stand-outs, really wonderful patterns with details that make them special. So I decided it would be fun call out one of these each week. 

My featured pattern of the week (week being loosely defined here as within the last 7 days :)) is this beauty, a formal gown for girls from 1936.

McCall 8949

Designed for organdy, silk, and taffeta, this is truly a demure and elegant formal gown for a grown-up girl. The eye-catching aspect? The curved shaped yokes that extend over shoulders to form cap sleeves, with front button closing extension. You can opt to trim with ruffles at neckline and yoke edges or add a peter pan collar. You can choose to leave the gown with cap sleeves or add modified raglan short puff sleeves. The bias flared skirt with straight princess seams in 2 lengths is lovely and is set off with a wide sash tie belt. Altogether it is a very special gown indeed.

Spotted in a Shop Window - Designer Gown Pretty in Pink

I have to stop and smile every time I walk past this fabulous froth of cotton candy pink that is a formal gown in the window of Luly Yang in downtown Seattle. The style of this designer gown is so reminiscent of 1950s gowns - positively delicious!  I love the texture of the full skirt, the way the bodice and drop waist are snugly wrapped, the sweetheart neckline, and spaghetti straps. And the color -so girly-girl pink! :D Note that langorous feather fan - the perfect accent!

1950s Dreamy Dior Gown in Green Satin

This fabulous off-shoulder gown in green satin is from Dior's "Y" line - the stem of the Y branches into width from a high waistline and (inverted) broadens out from waist to hem.

Luscious. Featured in Women's Home Companion, October 1955.

1930s Formal Frock

The perfect frock for graduation, a prom, any festivities that a young woman can attend! This lovely formal gown from 1937 features a long flared princess-seamed skirt, lightly fitted bodice, shirred shoulders and cuffs on the puff sleeves, and graceful sash ties. So pretty!

Originator Sketch - Gowns That Drape and Dazzle

This Originator sketch from Spring 1946 features two beautiful concepts for evening wear, each featuring draping.

On the left is a full-skirted evening gown with a cowl-like drape just left of center front and below the knees in the skirt. A bit subtle, I think! The skirt is also accented with flowing sequins or bead embroidery.

On the right, a cascading drape on the right hip and small cowl-like drape above the right knee add elegance to this slim frock for dinner or afternoon wear. Sequins or bead embroidery add extra spark & dazzle.

Note that the full-skirted evening gown has a sheer yoke and sleeves, and a decollete under-bodice with sweetheart neckline. Gorgeous!

Spotted in a Shop Window - Art Deco Drama

This figure-hugging strapless evening gown with its dramatic fan-pleated neckline is so stunning. The light accent of Oriental peonies at the waistline provides a perfect contrast to the neckline and the flaring of the gown below the knees.

Spotted in the window of Luly Yang in downtown Seattle.

Spotted in a Shop Window - Dreamy Evening Gown

Gorgeous? 'Nuff said.

Spotted in the shop window of Luly Yang in downtown Seattle.

Spotted in a Shop Window - Sculptured Drapery in a Formal Gown

Spotted in the shop window of Luly Yang in downtown Seattle, this formal gown is simply sublime. It has such an Art Deco look, with dramatic sunburst gathered draping as counterpoint to the gathered skirt. The empire waistline underscores the gathered-draped bodice.

Note the graceful sweep train. And the tiny sprinkle of glitter at the base of the sunburst. Wowza.

Spotted in a Shop Window - Formal Gowns at Luly Wang

I love this strapless gown, with its diagonal pleating on the bodice and flirty asymmetrical peplum. Simple stunning!

And this gown has an elegant pouf of a half bow adding drama to the strapless neckline. Eye-popping dreamy! Note the additional elegance of a sweep train.

In Search of Style: A Dreamy Formal Gown

Prom dresses are in the fashion news right now, so I think this is a great time to post this clipping I found in a pattern that I listed in my shop this week.

Here is what our later 1940s seamstress was looking for, a tremendously dreamy, gorgeous gown. Note the details:

• Full skirt topped with a froth of net
• Snug strapless top with contoured princess seams and front button closing
• A mere shrug over the shoulders with deep cuffs

Here is the pattern that it was tucked into, Butterick 4872 from 1949. It comes amazingly close, don't you think? Check the details and compare:

• Very full skirt is separate from the top. 
• Top is dart-fitted and strapless, with front button closing
• Very cropped bolero that borders on being a shrug, with deep wing cuffs

 

 

Also tucked in the pattern was a special bonus - two receipts! One for 5 yards of net (she definitely wanted that luscious, gauzy froth), and the other for two spools of thread.

 

On the reverse side of the dress clipping is this rather stunning weskit-styled top, with fabulous lacy-crocheted wing collar, matching lacy-crocheted points at the waistline, and 3/4 length sleeves with beautiful wing cuffs. Totally spell-binding style.

 

Patti Page in a 1950s Dreamy Strapless Gown

The wonderful singer Patti Page is early in her singing career in this 1951 image, where she is wearing a stunning strapless gown. That snug bodice is trimmed with a dramatic ruffle at the bust. Wow!

Factoid: Page's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz", recorded in 1950, was one of the biggest-selling singles of the 20th century.