Category Archives: 1950s

Outfit: Simplicity 1554, styled

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Front view #1.

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Front view #2.

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Closeup of bracelets: lucite root beer colored bracelet with glitter, black faux bakelite.

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Closeup of brooch. I take all my pictures myself so sometimes there are erratic angles.

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Blouse: Simplicity 1554, homemade
Cardigan: H&M
Pants: Hand me down from my mom
Bracelets: Faux lucite and faux bakelite
Shoes: Penny loafers, Hush Puppies
Brooch: Brown thermoset flower brooch, ebay

I’ve been making more of an effort to wear my projects this year and the ones that get the most wear are the blouses. I’ve also wanted to document more of what I wear from a day to day basis to keep track of the projects that I do wear.

It might be the erratic, freezing cold days we’ve been having but lately I’ve been really drawn to casual wear from the 50s (straight cut plain slacks) combined with 40s elements (brooches, lucite bracelets). I walk to and from work so whatever I have to be wearing has to be practical. I’m also allergic to nickel and can’t wear most jewelry that isn’t real. We’re also not allowed to wear jewelry on the mat so I’m constantly taking off my jewelry before going to class (jiu jitsu), and I’d like something I wouldn’t have to worry about losing if I put it in my wallet: hence large lucite bracelets and brooches.

That reminds me: I need to sew more pants.

The Formal Masquerade Dress: Simplicity 8155

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We had a work event last week that called for “black tie formal masquerade” and I didn’t have anything to wear.

Pattern used:
Simplicity 4774.

Notes:
I made this dress in about a week, finishing at the eleventh hour at 1 am the night before the event. I made a bodice of the top and used a dirndl skirt for the bottom since I didn’t want to cut into the lace border pattern. I underlined the silver lace with flesh-colored fabric, and it turned out better than I thought.

I’m fine with a dirndl silhouette, as long as there is a belt to hide all the gathering by the waistband. I plan to make this pattern again, making some modifications to the bodice (which is a little too long) and doing the gathering by machine instead of by hand, so it’s more even.

Decisions, decisions

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Simplicity 4774.

There’s a semi-formal (what exactly does this dress code mean for women?) work event coming up that I need to sew for. Trying to decide on whether to go for the silver textured brocade or nude lace. I have a little under two weeks to finish this. My colleague who sits next to me said something like, “Have you seen Project Runway? They finish everything in a day.” So we’ll this. This is supposed to be a masked (?) semi-formal event too so we’ll see how it goes.

Silver (it looks brown here but it is silver) textured brocade. I’ve been hoarding this fabric for over 3 years, easily.

Nude lace with silver embroidery. Closeup of hem.

Cigarette Pants, Self-Drafted

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Front view, #1.

Sweater: thrifted
Pants: self-drafted, homemade
Blouse: Daffy’s, from many years ago,
Necklace: homemade
Leopard platform stilettos: thrifted

Front view, #2.

Front view, #3.

Side view.

Closeup view.

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These pants were inspired by Midge Daniels. After my pants-fitting debacle a few weeks ago, I finally decided to draft my own.

Fabric used: medium-weight cotton sateen, with 1% stretch

Construction notes: I used my skirt sloper to draft these pants. I drafted these to sit at the natural waist with no ease and used fabric with 1% stretch. I made my muslin with stretch fabric and made my final version with cotton sateen. I used an invisible zipper on the side.

Beta-testing notes: I’ve already worn these pants out and about and they’re very comfy. Will definitely make again, either in more cotton sateen or brushed wool corduroy.

Parade of Pant Muslins, Part 2

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Pants drafting.

I know I said I’d use my last franken-pattern as a base, but I still didn’t have enough confidence in it to cut into my stretch good black brushed wool corduroy or my cotton sateen. I had such a hard time with Clover that I thought I would just draft my own pants.

Since I was going to be using a stretch fabric, I drafted these to my measurements with no ease. I used a white fabric with similar stretch properties as my muslin. I think this is my most successful pants muslin yet.

Front view.

Side view.

Almost back view.

Sitting view.

Edit: I actually finished these pants using cotton sateen and tested the live version yesterday and it held up pretty well. More photos to come.

Sewing Inspiration: Midge Daniels in Mad Men

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Midge Daniels in Mad Men, wearing the Most Awesome Cigarette Pants Ever.
Photo credit: Tom and Lorenzo

I’m new to this whole watching TV thing so I only started watching Mad Men last week, and it’s amazing. I’m more into the 40s style-wise and thought watching something that took place in the early 60s would feel too modern, but I find the early styles very inspirational. I know about it through the style blogs but haven’t seen the series, and I like it more than I thought I would. This show might push up my favorite fashion era from 1942-1945 to 1942-1950s.

Some of my favorite things I’ve seen from this show are the sheath dresses, pencil skirts, straight skirts, brooches, cardigans, and cigarette pants. Trousers from the 40s get a lot of wear but feel a little bit too formal for weekends, so I definitely want to make a pair of cigarette pants.

I’ve made high-waisted pants before, but I always feel like the fit was a little bit off. My TNT high-waisted 40s-style trousers are great, but definitely not cigarette pants.

I’m going to be trying out Clover by Colette Patterns to see if this will by my TNT pattern. Failing that, maybe a franken-pattern of Wearing History trousers and Simplicity 4886?