1960s Dresses from "Young Designer" Jean Muir

Hello, all! I hope you are holding up during this holiday season. For some reason I have more than my normal quantity of dinners and outings, all in addition to my day job. The days are flying by so quickly, it is hard to believe we are just a little over a week away from Christmas!

Today I travel back to the autumn of 1967. These fab little A-line dresses from Jean Muir and Butterick were hot fashion then. I love how the pill box hat (very early to mid 60s) and the head scarf or "babushka" (as a fashion statement, a popular thing from late 60s into the 70s) appear here. One on its way out, the other on its way in.

I love the monochrome quality of the outfit on the right. The dress is marvelous, with its shallow funnel collar, notched wing cuffs, and a row of accent buttons that add focus and a pop of texture. I think Ruth Wyeth Spears from the 1920s would approve both dresses, with their simplicity of style and just a small number of accents of the right type. :)

1960s Mother - Daughter Mod Hats

Here in Seattle, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Beatles first performance in our city. What fun!! Special exhibits, performances by cover bands that specialize in the Beatles' music, and the like are going on all week.

So in honor of the Fab Four, and the Mod fashions that spread as fast as their music (aka the "British Invasion"), here are two hat patterns that I recently posted in my shop, one for girls and the other for ladies. Looking like Mother-Daughter patterns, they date from 1965 and typify the Mod style of that day. Totally groovy!

Simplicity 6274

Simplicity 6191

And here's a Beatles tune to add a little energy to your day. :)

Before and After Hit Parade: 1960s Winter Hats - Cool Fashion!

Seamstress: Michelle
Pattern: Simplicity 7326

This pattern for hats from 1967 provides both a very Mod turban-style pill box hat and beret with some saucy variations. How can you beat that combination? Seamstress Michelle chose to sew view 1.

The Results:

Don't you just love it?! What a totally charming result. Bright braid trim on a thick white wool adds up to a cute and winter wonderful look. Michelle says that she chose a "white wool that had a lot of tooth and was also pre-washed for more felting.  I also did a polartec hood from that pattern which I've worn quite a bit too."

Michelle loves to sew, although she states that she does not sew professionally, just for family and friends. She especially loves sewing vintage 40s and 50s fashion, and thinks it's too bad more women don't sew. She is becoming quite a collector of vintage patterns, so expect more of her work to appear here.