Thursday, August 2, 2018

1920s Dresses Patterns Were Key For Fashionable Ladies Of Modest Means

By Harold Price


The nineteen twenties in America was a time of transition. The economy was booming, and the arts were enjoying a revolution. Times were changing for women as well. They had just gotten the right to vote. Many of them were working, wearing trousers in public, partying in nightclubs, and smoking. Skirts were getting higher and necklines lower. Not all women could afford off the rack clothes, so they picked out 1920s dresses patterns and made their own.

Learning to sew is something many women were introduced to at an early age. These women didn't need department stores when there were dime patterns. Creating an original pattern out of remnants was a admirable skill. Women making their own clothes could spend the money they saved on fashionable items like silk stockings, shoes, cloche hats, and belts.

A staple in the sewing basket would have been a pattern for a house dress. These were simple comfortable dresses mostly made of cotton. Many had white collars and touches of lace or rickrack. Most women wore aprons to protect their clothing while they were cooking, and most of the aprons were homemade.

Working girls need more formal wear for the office. Housewives as well changed into street clothes to go visiting or to run errands. A typical pattern would create a simple tailored dress of silk or wool. Women who lived in cities wore mostly greys, blacks, tans and navies. Country women leaned toward blue, red, white, and light grey.

Afternoon teas, for women of a certain class, were chances to show off more sophisticated wear. The afternoon tea dress tended to be calf length with more decorative elements than the simple home dress. The material women chose for these frocks was lighter and more colorful than what they work cleaning house. Stockings were sheer and often matched the dress in color.

Women of the time were attending college in increasing numbers. Most of them lived in knit because it was so easy to care for. Coeds wore raccoon coats and skirts that were shorter than their mother's were. For the most part dressing for dinner was required. They brought silk frocks from home and changed before entering the dining room.

Evening wear was reserved for those who had enough disposable income to party the night away. These women wore the dropped waist style of the time in materials such as silk, velvet, taffeta, and chiffon. A beaded dress would have been a time consuming project, but worth it because it was a sign of affluence. Only young women wore sleeveless garments.

Styles are constantly changing. Ever few decades there is a revival of the twenties look. If you love to sew, and love the Jazz Age look, you can find reproduction patterns of the garments flappers wore. Finding an original pattern is much more difficult and much more expensive than the original price of a dime.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment