Cascading Drapes - Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s & Spotted in Shop Window!

It's "Spotted in a Shop Window" and "Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s" in one post!

In this tip, Ruth Wyeth Spears describes how to add graceful drapes to the skirt of a charming frock (with frock construction illustrated as well). Note the interesting tucks in addition to the cascading drapes (I just love tucks).

While hardly identical, of course, this beautiful strapless formal gown I spotted in the shop window of Luly Yang in downtown Seattle just yesterday also shows the luscious effect of draping on the skirt of a dress. 

A close-up of the drapes shows construction that looks more similar to the draping in my post on Sunday. Regardless, whether a 1920s frock or a 2014 formal gown, I find draping on a dress so elegant and beautiful.

Enjoy!

"Night Lights" - McCall's Evening Fashions from November 1966

Holiday party season is coming fast upon us! I figured it would a great time to look at the evening fashions depicted in a McCall's November 1966 Fashion Digest, which are a picture of perfection in pastels. Fabrics that were "in" that year were silver and gold metallics (such as glimmery lames and glittery brocades), sumptuous matelasses, and diaphanous sheers.

8529: a tent dress dolled up for evening in rhinestone-rimmed silk and worsted.
8530: a tent coat, a floating shape in silver-crusted brocade.

8497: a swirl of softest chiffon, a-whirl over sparkling white crepe... the alluring cage, sprinkled with rhinestones, barely covering a lively little slip dress.
8517: a swing of silk organza, bordered with bands of shiny green satin and set afloat over a halter sheath.

8466: the sparkle smock, in a swinging silvery brocade... sparked at the shoulders with rhinestone buttons.
8464: the shimmer skimmer, in pale pink knit, lightly dusted with silver and shaped to swing softly to a row of ruffles.

8503: a slim shaft of pink and gold brocade, shaped like a shirt and brightened with jewel buttons.
8505: a magnificent fall fo palest lime crepe, caught into gentle gathers below the yoke.

8509: the rajah skimmer, a dazzling dress in silk and worsted, bedecked with pearl banding.
8499: Luscious white crepe, cut with flowing raglan sleeves, razzled with rhinestones at collar and cuffs.

8500: a super scoop, with tank-y top and long lanky skirt and the exciting look of golden crepe.
8527: the evening empire, with boidce softly molded under silver fishnet, with slender skirt gathered high, pretty neckline scooped low.
8446: brilliant brocade bareback, sparked with silver...flared to float smoothly to the floor.
8495: aglow with glitter... luscious cherry velveteen, accented with shimmering rhinestones.

8525: the halter sheath... a quick flow of glitter brocade... worn long as a gala gown or as a short theater suit, coupled with a smart elongated jacket.

8523:after-dark drama... a beautiful brocade of pink gilded with gold, shaped in the pure elegance of a short or long evening ensemble... the dress is a bare back empire, the jacket is a rajah style.

8508: little elegant looks... three fairy-princess hi-lines to wear out to special parties or at home.

8448: made for dazzling... the brocade skim, a feminine dance dress, destined for exciting holiday happenings.

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Trimming Your Dance Frock with Pearly Sequins!

In this tip from Ruth Wyeth Spears and the 1920s, the application of purchased sequin bands adds sparkle to your dance frock or evening gown. Note her recommendation to use a "heavy dull silk crepe" for the best contrast with the shimmering sequin bands.

Such bands of sequins on net can still be found - check out this example in Suhafuha's shop on Etsy. And Creations4Keeps on eBay has sequin bands too, just not on net.

Exquisite 1930s Bridal Gown

Isn't this simply exquisite? Worthy of Ginger Rogers, Claudette Colbert, and Jean Harlow (to name a few of the movie stars of the 1930s), this wedding gown from 1938 and McCall is totally gorgeous.

The sleeveless gown has a dramatic V-back, soft surplice front, snug midriff that drops below the natural waistline, dramatic cathedral train, and is topped with a lined, fitted cropped jacket trimmed with crisp dainty pleating.

All I can do is dream and sigh.

New's Years Evening Gowns from 1951

McCall's Patterns published a fabulous booklet of "advanced" or designer patterns, dated January 1951. Included are New Year's evening gowns, and "Five O'Clockers", Florida-California clothes, Around-the-Clock ensembles for North and South, and the New Sheath Slimness, the Asymmetric Line, and the "Beautiful Open Necks". Patterns range in price from 50 cents to a dollar, which was double or more the typical price of a pattern at that time.

All this week I'll post the images from this booklet, in anticipation of the new year. :D Here is the cover dress, pattern 8341 (sizes 12-20, 40-42) 75 cents.

With an enticement so gorgeous on the cover, let's move on to the New Year's evening gowns!

For Many Enchanting Evenings

 

Charming "breath-taker". Soft and billowy. A wedged-out neck that's very wide, very deep. Collar-revers with winged magic, derived so simply from bias-cut pieces interfaced and eased on. A basque bodice, smoothly fitted in contrast with the seven gathered panels of luscious skirt fulness. Unlimited fabric potentialities, including velvet, organdy, taffeta, and metal cloth. Pattern No. 8353 Sizes 9-17. 75 cents.

Lace Gown, Taffeta Slip

Dress and slip are attached so only one set of straps is required. The binding along the U decolletage and "bust ruffle" is a bias fold which runs on into shoulder straps - a smart touch. And it would be smart of you to stitch narrow tape inside the straps to keep them from stretching. Extremely wide skirt, with a detachable tie-on peplum. Sizes 12-20. $1.00.