The Gored Skirt in the 1970s: Butterick 4139

This skirt pattern shows you how some basic cuts come back again and again, with slightly different emphasis, to serve current purposes. In the 1930s, gores--that is, pattern pieces widened from the waist to the hemline--only flared towards the lower-calf hemline. The gored look of the 1940s had more width as hemlines crept upwards and easy movement became a priority during World War II with gas rationing and more walking and talking public transit. The width of gored skirts grew enormously with the New Look in 1947, and hemlines dropped again as fabric was no longer rationed. The A-line silhouette of much of the 1960s meant that gores were not much used in mini-skirts, and simple cuts--skirts of 2 seams only-- were popular.

In contrast, this pattern from the 1970s makes the most of the 8 gores to give width and movement to the fabric of the skirt. It is fitted only at the waist and top of the hip line, then flares out from there, and ends around the knee, which reminds me of 1940s skirts. The idea of easy movement is implied by the slight sway of the pale orange skirt on the right. The style flexibility of the gored skirt is apparent in the range of blouses as much as in the lengths. The long, party skirt is for an evening out, shown here with a white gathered blouse trimmed with lace. But a bowed blouse and two collared blouses indicates that it could be worn as a shorter skirt for work or for spectator sports. In fact, the shorter blue skirt's is worn by a woman holding binoculars, as if she was at the races.

Gored skirts require two things for sewing success: fabric with drape in a solid color or a small, non-directional print. The first to allow a graceful sway as a woman moves. Think crepes or challis. The second to avoid matching a print and to allow a close placing of the pattern pieces. If you have to lay each piece with the hemline oriented at the same end, you end up need a lot of fabric. If you can nestle them close toe each alternating pieces hemline near waistline, you can use a lot less. The shorter versions only take about 1.5 yards and the long 3 yards for 36" hips.

The style is so versatile that when I saw this in a pile of vintage patterns, I moved it from the patterns I merely use for study, to the ones I will definitely be making.

Airy Madeira cut work dresses for these hot days & nights. #madeiradresses #1950sfashions #1960sfashions #cutworklinen #souvenirdresses #palmbeachvintage #antiquerowwpb https://www.instagram.com/p/ChuiitduSeY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Lynn Cartwright (1950s)

Marlon Brando, circa 1954, with his white cat. Brando was a noted cat lover. He also had great taste in watches.

Fashion model Nena Von Schlebrugge • 1957 British Vogue • M.G.A Sportscar • Elizabeth Arden Lipstick

1952 international graduate students at Cornell University. From left to right, Miss Muna Khoury of Lebanon, Mrs. Leonarda Jurado of the Philippines, Miss Iris Brunet of Puerto Rico, Miss Zahida Quraishi of Pakistan, and Miss Mercedes Melchor of the Philippines. The group participated in a discussion about life in their homelands and some wore their traditional garments. Item number AC-FH-92 in the Cornell University collection. . . . . . . #HistoricalGarments #CostumeDesign #1940s #1950sfashion  #HistoricalCostuming #HistoriaDeLaModa #VintageLace #DressHistory #SewingProject #FashionHistory #SewingSkills #TextileArt #HistoireDeLaMode #VintageStyle #FashionStudent https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch3PNodp3Qo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Sour Pink Lemonade Lollipop

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Bild Lilli, the Original German Barbie Doll ♡ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - With the new Barbie movie coming up I thought I should make some Barbie inspired art. With some digging for references I came across the Bild Lilli doll. After reading up on Lilli, I realized many people don't know that her design was stolen! I thought it was interesting and wanted to do a piece about Lilli. ♡

Bild Lilli was popular in Germany for being one of the first 'mature' dolls, described as sexy, young, innocent, and fresh. In the 50s' Lilli was created for a newspaper comic strip before she became a doll. When Lilli got popular from her comics there was a demand from many women for Bild Lilli dolls and was later marketed for kids. With Bild Lilli, kids could dress her up in various fashion (much like Barbie).

The owners of Mattel had taken a trip to Germany where they saw the Bild Lilli Doll. They were enamored by Lilli and decided to take one back to America. Later on, in America a doll was put on the market who looked much like Bild Lilli, though her name was Barbie.

Reposted from @dovimaatelier Exquisite Dovima wearing Tina Leser captured by Richard Rutledge for Vogue April 1952. #dovima #1950s #1950sdress #1950sfashion #1950sstyle #vintagebeauty #vintageelegance #glamour #vintageglamour #elegance #elegantstyle #elegantfashion #pink #pinkdress #fashionphotography #oldhollywood #oldhollywoodglamour #oldhollywoodglam #couture #vintagecouture#eugenelacroix1 @eugenelacroix1 #photography https://www.instagram.com/p/CdqCu-yIpLV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation gown by Sir Norman Hartnell, 1953. The gown was displayed flat like this for the exhibition ‘Fashioning a Reign’ in 2016 due to concerns about it’s fragility, but I believe it is displayed upright this year at Windsor Castle. From ‘The Telegraph Magazine’, 4 June 2022. Repost: @thefashionablereader #thetelegraphmagazine #thedailytelegraph #telegraphmagazine #thetelegraph #hermajestythequeen #queenelizabethii #queenelizabeth #coronationdress #coronationgown #royalstyle #royalfashion #normanhartnell #sirnormanhartnell #1950sfashion #1950sdress #vintagefashion #vintagedress #vintagehartnell #vintagenormanhartnell https://www.instagram.com/p/CixpFRdp6TX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I for one am thrilled to see that 1950's #dadcore-style, (including #Brylcreem and dark suits with pocket squares), will be making a comeback sometime before the #parousia and general judgment. #doomsday #eschatology #retro #vintage #vintagestyle #1950s #1950sfashion (at Megiddo, Israel) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg2-Xb-rTfz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The Sweeping Ball Gown, Vogue 1963 

This glamorous strapless evening gown dates to 1948 that has been re-issued by Vogue Patterns in modern sizes. It shows all of the luxury of post-war prosperity that one hoped for from post-war prosperity. Just a year earlier, Christian Dior had shown the New Look which offered up day dresses with enormous width at the low hemlines, cinched waists, and soft shoulders. It was a break from the more practical looks of the war years, with hemlines around the knee and padded shoulders, and narrower skirts. This was a silhouette which would live on into the 1950s.

Evening gowns followed suit with even wider hemlines, and here you have one that is more than 7 feet around . To create the mass of the skirt, hold it away from the body, and  make the waist look even tinier, crinoline net is used underneath as interfacing, some 3 plus yards of it. An overskirt cascades down the sides, a feature that will ripple with the wearer's movement. Such an abundance of skirts means that the dress takes around 8 yards of fabric at 60” width. Yes, that is a lot of fabric.

The bodice, which is boned on the inside, is also cuffed on the outside, with a clever shaping so that the front points inward and upwards towards the face. A graceful line and a dynamic one that indicates movement and energy. 

They recommend faille, satin, dupioni, and taffeta, plus brocade, but brocade will probably weigh too much. Satin is beautiful but you can mar it so easily, or at least I can, so I would recommend silk dupioni or shantung whose texture will wear better and catch the light in interesting ways too. And there are soooo many gorgeous colors to choose from. They do suggest that overskirt may be made of a different fabric and the illustration of the back of the dress done in white hints at that. If you look closely, you will see a more textured fabric at the lower left, a lace perhaps? But a harmonizing color might work too. So many possibilities. 

This bodice will need a close fit, so you may want to muslin it in a test fabric. Although it may be possible to use the fitting of the lining to ensure the fit of the fashion fabric. Obviously, with so much fabric on the line, you want to make sure it is something you love. If you have to buy fabric online, I would indulge and buy more fabric than a tiny swatches to make sure. 

You can find this at your local fabric store or online here: https://simplicity.com/vogue-patterns/v1963

🌷As Pretty as the Springtime Flowers!🌷

. Wig by: Necias Hairstyling

Fashion model Marie Helvin. Photographer David Royston Bailey, 1976

The immortally young James Dean and Italian actress Pier Angeli on the set of "East of Eden." They were star-crossed lovers who wished to marry but couldn’t: Both were subsequently devastated and did not outlive their youth.

Fall Vibes 1950’s Midcentury • Vintage Argyle Sweater