A Peek Into The Archives – Petite Echo De La Mode

Starting a new feature in the blog this week – a sort of sneak preview of some of the items in the archives – that have yet to come into the light of day.  Or onto the website.

Petite Echo De La Mode was a lovely French fashion magazine that spanned a goodly number of years, all the way up through the 1950′s or early 1960′s I believe.    The archives contain issues dating from 1896 through 1939.  While the Library’s collection is by no means complete, there is a fairly decent selection from most of the years.

If you would like to know more about the history of the magazine AND you can read French – there is a website dedicated to the magazine.

The lovely pictures below come from our April 11, 1926 issue.

The New York Times Loves The 1920′s!

It seems the 1920′s are in vogue again, and if you’d like to take a peek at what’s happening in the big apple, take a look at this weekend spread from The New York Times

Picture number 12 features the back view of our 1930′s Lounging Pajamas If you’d like to see the front view – visit the link. and check out the lovely photo submitted of the completed garment.

April 1924 – The Latest Fashions

(Transcribed from McCall’s Fashion Catalogue)

THE OUTLOOK

BY  ANNE  RITTENHOUSE

When the days lengthen and the cold ceases to strengthen, to transpose the old rhyme, it’s time in a woman’s mind to conserve money – to coyly lift it from the housekeeping allowance,possibly – in order to buy the new so that one may throw away the old.  What a glorious gesture is that particular one which woman makes in springtime;  that sweeping gesture which discards all the flotsam and jetsam she has made serve for clothes in the name of thrift.

Now she has a reason, a dire necessity for things new, so she goes to the work quite merrily.  The shop counters are as colorful as an exhibition of cubistic pictures.  Fabrics have lost the influence of Tut’s tomb.  Thank the designers for that much.  But they have not lost the touch of the Orient.  Indian prints, Chinese flowering, Persian and Arabic letterings and patterns are offered.  Roman striping and Venetian blossoms cover silks and cottons.  Whatever is old in art is modern in its application.

Silk fabrics are plentiful for spring clothes and well they should be -  they suit our climate.  Tub silks come to us for simple frock from Paris and Cairo.  Cotton crepe is to be fashioned into frocks for hot days.  Ginghams take their established place for morning gowns.  Dimities with their ancient patterns and some new ones, are to be worn by youth an middle-age.  Pique is struggling for importance in sports skirts and sleeveless jackets.  Silk alpaca is accepted at last.  Nursery flannel, plain, is also striped like cricket blazers in England, is so highly sponsored that none can resist it.  It goes into frocks as simple a monastic robes, and monks are the source of the inspiration.  It goes into tuck-in shirts with rolling collars.

There are three lines to follow in spring clothes.  You should choose the one that suits you best, or take all three.  The first and dominating one is straight with the suppleness of an eel.  The second is wide below the hips and tightly trig above the waist.  The third is flexibly circular, its movement achieved through the cut of the fabric, not the insertion of godets.

Another Version of the Felt Cloche

Here is another beautiful version of the 1920′s Cloche hat made from our pattern number HW001

There’s an excellent review of the pattern at her blog : Silk, Wool and Needles

New From Our Clients

This lovely version of our pattern # Z2773 in black and white was made for the Art Deco Weekend in Napier New Zealand, the biggest event of it’s kind inthe world (much bigger even than the Great Gatsby picnic held in San Francisco every year)!

This outfit won two first prizes at the event. “Women’s Reproduction Day Wear” and overall “Best in Show”

New From Our Clients

What a surprise to open up the mailbox today and find several new photos of garments made from the VPLL patterns!

Dress # T7357 made in plaid and blue

First this lovely version of pattern # T7357. I have been wanting to make this for myself for ages – and this picture really inspires me to start to work on it.

Skirt # T1047 made in two-tone white and yellow

I’m actually working on a version of skirt # T1047 myself, in a medium weight purple wool. I hadn’t thought of making it actually in a two-tone color scheme. Below is another picture of the same skirt in a different color arrangement.

Skirt # T1047 made in two-tone plaid and blue

Then there are hats! I never get tired of seeing what someone else does to personalize, and add their own creative touches to a pattern. The two photos below are from pattern # HW001.

Hat from # HW001 - front view

Hat from # HW001 - side view

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

Two new patterns in the works right now – both at various stages of completion.

First up a 1940′s Bathing Suit/Play Suit.  Even though I know it’s much too cold for this perky little outfit now – it will make a delightful addition to the wardrobe come summer.

This is a lovely pattern from the mid-194o’s, the double tie in front for the halter top is a nice, distinctive touch.

STATUS:

Digitizing is completed.  Graphics scanned.  Currently typing and editing text for the instructions.

ESTIMATED RELEASE DATE:

November 20, 2009.

After migrating most of the inventory to our new site provider, it became clear that there were a lot of categories that we had few or no patterns in.  Imagine my surprise when I saw that we had not a single 1920′s skirt pattern available!

This pattern seems to catch the classic 1920′s styling perfectly.  And it features three options for the skirt panel insert.  A plain straight panel, a pleated panel, and a gathered draped panel.  The addition of the attached camisole to keep everything in place is found on quite a few of the 1920′s (and some of the 1930′s) patterns in the archive.

STATUS:

4 of 8 pieces digitized and proofed.  Remaining pieces to be digitized, graphics to be scanned.

ESTIMATED RELEASE DATE:

November 28, 2009

Sew Along Event! 1920′s Cloche Hat!

Announcing the first Vintage Pattern Lending Library Sew Along!

Starting November 6, 2009

The 1920′s Cloche Hat!

The Sew Along is a new Event hosted by the Library that will delve into the details of sewing a specific pattern from the Library’s collection.  Usually the pattern will be one in which the source material instructions are sketchy, incomplete or missing.  However, if there is a popular request, a pattern with more complete instructions may be featured.

For those participating in the Sew Along, the featured pattern will be offered at a discounted cost.  The participants will receive the pattern sheet(s) only.  As the updated graphics and detailed instructions will be posted here on the blog, as we work through them.

Every Friday the next section of the tutorial will be posted.  Participants will have one week to work through the set of directions, and ask questions before the following Friday when the next tutorial will be available.

Until the Sew Along for the current project is complete – it will only be accessible to those who are signed up as participants.

Interested?  Want to Sew Along?  Drop an email to us at:

vpll.librarian@gmail.com

And a Paypal invoice will be forwarded to you for the pattern sheet, and you will be emailed a list of materials, and registered to access the first tutorial going up on November 6.

1924 Spring – Women’s Fashions

Characteristics Of The Spring Styles

Spring fashion dictates a silhouette that is narrow and flat, with all curves eliminated as much as possible. Bust, waist and hips are diminished at every point from the shingled head under a tiny cloche hat to the hem of a short and narrow skirt.

Waistlines are conspicuously absent, while the hip line is often indicated by the narrow belt or a gathered girdle, or an ornament, but is quite often eliminated altogether in straight dresses.

Tube or pencil dresses and coats, the coats in full or three-quarter length. There is a tendency toward cape backs in dresses of all types, street, afternoon and evening, because of its straightening effect on the figure, especially when it is at all full in back.

The use of flounces, draperies tiers, accordion pleats, panels, etc. for afternoon and evening dress. The popularity of accordion pleats in flounces, cape backs, and the lower parts of sleeves can not be stressed enough, and is most chic for springtime garments.

The current vogue for two-piece dresses with straight blouses, and exquisite lingerie collars and cuffs, slit pockets, and narrow belts continues unabated.

The skirt length is now short, even in afternoon frocks, and still shorter for street and sports clothes. For evening wear the length various from ankle-length to from six to ten inches above the floor.

Stockings should be as sheer as possible, with either plain or with the drop-stitch clock at the side, in rose, beige, nude, banana, log cabin, Sahara, acorn or peach. The same type of stocking worn at morning (except for sports), noon and night. For evening, even with silver and gold evening slippers, the nude or peach shade is most correct for the newest fashions.

1924 Spring – Children’s Fashions

Fresh Frocks For The Wee OnesFresh Frocks For The Wee Ones

Now that Spring is here, the warmth of the sun beckons the little one outside. It’s time to cast away the heavy coats and gloves of winter, and to dress as fresh and sprightly as the first flowers of the year.

Frocks for children are simple this season, being loose and comfortable, both for summer play and for ease of everyday care.

The rounded “boat” neckline is very much in evidence this Spring for children. A flat band often takes the place of a collar, made in matching or contrasting fabric. Collars when seen are to be of either the pointed or rounded shape, and are generally made in white trimmed with delicate lace.

Narrow ruffles as trim are sometimes used, but only sparingly. Shaped pockets, in the form of flowers, pouches or other whimsical devices lend an air of playfulness to these frocks. Hand embroidery and pin tucks also enliven garments made of a single solid fabric.

For the children of school and nursery age every day dresses are made of wool jersey, wool crepe, soft twills, mohair serge, plaids or heavier tub materials on the order of linen, linen-finished cotton, gingham, chambray, cotton or poplin. While cotton is usually the best choice of material for the simpler dresses planned for children, it is a very nice idea to have one silk frock for spring.

Afternoon and party dresses are of crepe de Chine, Georgette, occasionally crepe satin, taffeta and satin. A very nice choice is a striped wash silk in dull blue with a white background, and also having a narrow stripe of burnt orange to set off the blue.

For the tiny tots, the fine lingerie materials, net, Georgette and crepe de Chine are used for special occasions.