Mrs Exeter in 1960

All of my current projects are unfinished, but too far progressed to split into two posts, so instead I'm going back to my 1960 Vogue Patterns counter catalogue, to look at this section.

Mrs Exeter, getting ever younger

Given that the catalogue is for January 1960, I was initially confused as to why Mrs Exeter would be planning a Fall wardrobe. But in the very small print on the last page, I discovered that it was actually issued in December 1959 in the U.S. So perhaps she was just running a bit late with her dressmaking plans, or the section was reused from an earlier catalogue. Either way, clearly there was a delay in it reaching Britain.

Possibly new releases

The description on the section tab is accurate, but a little misleading. There are only two patterns in size 46 (a 48" bust); one dress and one slip.

The sole size 46 dress in the section

And a slip to go under it

In fact, of the 77 patterns deemed suitable for Mrs Exeter, 13 go up to size 44, 40 to size 42 and 22 to size 40 (46, 44 and 42-inch busts respectively).

One of the patterns which goes up to size 44

A typical double-page spread in this section

Quite a few of the larger sizes are for lingerie and housecoats.

9358 goes up to size 44

9491 goes up to size Extra Large, bust 42"-44"

Most of the patterns are for dresses and suits. There are two blouses, a single pattern for a skirt, and also one for a bathing suit.

I would love to make this

Despite this section being named for Mrs Exeter, there is only one illustration of an obviously older women, and even then it is only the hair which gives any indication of age.

White hair, but no wrinkles

Otherwise there is, at best, a hint of grey hair in a back view illustration.

Grey hair in the back view

Other than that, the models, whether illustrations or photographs, are all youthful and slim.

The bottom figures would be more at home in the 'Juniors and Misses' section

This pattern goes up to a size 42, but the model is clearly not that

I have seen this photograph used for Mrs Exeter somewhere

Even some of the dresses don't look like an obvious choice (for the time) for a woman described as "approaching sixty", when she first appeared in Vogue.

Oddly, this pattern only appears in the 'Mrs Exeter' section

It would be a few years before Mrs Exeter vanished from Vogue altogether, but the start of the decade does give hints of what is to come. Clearly the name had sufficient recognition among sewists who bought Vogue patterns for it to retain its own section, and it's easy to imagine that older women would turn to it for the inherent validation that Vogue had decreed these styles as suitable for them. But at the same time, there is a sense of Vogue Patterns wanting to have their cake and eat it, removing all hints of age to ensure that other would-be purchasers were not put off by the association. There had always been a disjoint between how Mrs Exeter was described and how she was depicted, but it does seem to get more marked over time.

Making a 150 year-old toile

My coursework is all submitted, so I can finally admit to what I've been working on for the last few weeks.

Detail

Eight whole years ago, I blogged about a pattern from April 1874 which was in a box of 1940s/50s patterns which I bought at auction. It was from the Journal des Dames et des Demoiselles, and consisted of a single sheet of paper, printed on both sides with the overlapping pieces which were the norm at the time. Each side contains the pieces for two garments and an accessory, plus small illustrations and brief notes.

Side 1

Side 2

Then, four years later, making up one of the designs was one of my sewing goals for the year. I chose this one because a) I liked it the most and b) I had been able to find the associated fashion plate online, complete with a back view.

My choice - pattern illustration and fashion plate

Like a lot of people's goals for that year, that didn't happen, and the whole idea was shelved. However, when I discovered that I could make something as part of my submissions for my course, I went back to it.

I have never come across anything which gives any suggestion of how well, or otherwise, these magazine patterns were made, so I had no idea if this would actually work. I warned my tutors that this was very much an experiment and chose to just make a toile, exactly as it was on the pattern, from plain white cotton.

I traced off the relevant pieces, which was not that difficult as each piece has its own distinctive line style, and added standard ⅝" seam allowances.

Some of the different outlines

For positioning the pieces for cutting out, I relied on a mixture of costuming books and guesswork.

Cutting out

The deep front darts and the back with its pleated lower section were both easy to do, but when it came to sewing the bodice pieces together things became more confusing.

Left to right - front, side back, and back

From the illustration, it's clear that the side back is not attached to the back below the waist. However, I struggled to tell how far down it was attached to the front. The fact that the black trim goes up to the waist suggests that it is hanging free, but if this is the case then how does the front maintain its smooth line?

Close-up

I tried sewing the two sides to different lengths, and once the bodice was made up, it was obvious that sewing all down the side was incorrect. Once I had an actual garment to look at, the description "fastened at the side with small straps made from the same fabric as the trimming" made a lot more sense. The straps fasten the front to the back, and the long side back piece then covers them. The joys of actually making something rather than just reading about it!

Another thing which became apparent from making the pattern up is that the weakest point in the construction is the top of the pleats at the back waist. I suspect that the two buttons, as well as being decorative, anchor and hide any reinforcing which may be required here.

The pleat construction leaves little support at these points

Attaching the two collars was the next challenge, as there were a lot of differently-shaped curves to wrangle together. I had already stay-stitched the neckline, and decided to stay stitch the collars as well, so that I could snip to the stitching. This is probably not a period technique, but it did allow all the pieces to be pulled out straight, and they then fitted perfectly.

The sleeves were simple to construct, and once I had grasped that the back seam needed to meet the curved seam on the bodice back, they fitted perfectly.

Perfectly smooth sleeve heads

Initially I hadn't realised that the wrist straps were doubled, but that was easily rectified.

Adding the cuff and straps

A modern dressform is a very different shape from a corseted figure, so the fit on the dummy is not ideal. As this is a toile, I did not add a lining or bone the seams, but I doubt if these would have made much difference. As I haven't yet made a bustle cage, I improvised with a cushion pad tied tightly at one end, and stash fabric draped and pinned into pleats for the 'skirt'.

Side view

The front was hardest to fit on my dressform

My 'bustle' was surprisingly effective!

Interestingly, the finished garment, made with no alterations to the pattern, has a bust of 94cm/37" and a waist of 79cm/31". So the target audience was clearly not much different from that of 1930s magazines, in which the free patterns tend to be for a 36" bust. Nor does the waist/bust ration suggest particularly tight corset lacing.

There are, of course, things which I could have done better - but that is the point of a mock-up. I'm also well aware that the pattern would need altering to fit me. But overall, I'm thrilled with the end result. In fact, it's still on the dressform beside me as I type this, as I can't bear to put it away yet! The project was huge fun to do, and proves that these patterns were not just a basic giveaway but very well-drafted and eminently usable. I've definitely encountered modern patterns which were worse. Much worse. Even though the instructions were terrifyingly brief by modern standards, when combined with the illustration they turned out to include all the information which would not have been obvious to a contemporary dressmaker.

The instructions, and my translation

I think that this may have rekindled my interest in making the complete ensemble!

Spring in Vogue patterns

In a development which will surprise no-one (apart from me, apparently) the sewn piece which I am making for my coursework is taking longer than anticipated! The submission date is fast approaching, so it's another mostly pictures piece for the blog.

Because it's Easter, and also still (just) March, I'm looking at this issue of Vogue Pattern Book.

February/March 1957

There's a lot about what colours are 'in' this spring, and a handy chart on what to wear with them.

Your pressing glove colour questions answered (click to enlarge)

Several of the colours appear in this feature on things to make for spring.

Grey

I thought that the dress on the left looked familiar. Sure enough, it's this.

9025 reissued as 1044

'Copper' seems to cover quite a range, with the third item on the left looking rather like my recent fabric purchase. According to the chart, amber is suitable jewellery to go with this colour range, so the earrings I bought pass muster with Vogue!

Copper

Blue is suitable for any season of any year, as far as I'm concerned!

Blue

Which is not something I can say for this colour.

Beige

Salad greens do not appear in this feature, just as a small part of one on what fabrics to buy.

Salad greens

On to Easter brides, and Vogue recommends wedding dresses which can "double as a ball gown later".

These would always look like wedding dresses to me . . .

. . . especially if made in "stiff white faille" as suggested

On to trousseau suggestions, and another familiar pattern.

1084, originally issued as Special Design 4737

The housegown (main photograph) is described as being for "early-morning glamour". I can safely say that 'early morning' and 'glamour' have never gone together in my world, not even on my honeymoon!

Trousseau suggestions

Speaking of honeymoons.

Lovely, but a honeymoon with a lot of ironing?

Finally, for spring, the latest Vogue Paris Originals.

Grés, Heim and Dessès

Lanvin-Castello, Griffe, Fath and Patou

Of the original eight designers, only Heim and Fath remain. The House of Fath closed in 1957, three years after the death of its founder, so this may be the last Fath pattern to appear in the Paris Originals. Perhaps aware of this, in this issue Vogue has added Mme. Grés to their list of Paris designers for the first time.

Suits

I am actually doing some sewing, and really enjoying it, but it isn't something which I can share here just yet. So instead, here is another section from my January 1960 Vogue counter catalogue - suits.

A whole section, and quite near the front of the catalogue

The idea of a section devoted solely to suits seems bizarre now, but it isn't a minor part of the catalogue. It runs to 57 pages, and contains 88 patterns. Don't worry, I'm not going to cover them all!

Some of the styles on offer

A few, such as this one, have longer jackets and more fitted lines.

This looks far more modern than 1960 to me

But most have shorter jackets, and variations on the classic 1960s boxy shape.

That's more like it

A couple of pages, as well as the front page of the section, are photographs. Oddly, none of them are of especially new patterns. The latter two had appeared in Vogue Pattern Book so presumably, after going to the expense of colour photography, Vogue was getting maximum use out of the artwork.

A less structured style

Chunky cord and a fur collar seems like an odd combination

The majority of the patterns are Vogue Special Designs. I'm not sure if this was because of the tailoring involved, or if by 1960 suits were mostly made and worn by the sort of women who bought more expensive patterns.

Nice symmetry, and another big fur collar

Most of the suits are for daywear, but some could also be made for evening by using a different fabric

The evening option is just suggested at the top

Others are specifically evening wear. This pattern is also a Vogue Special Design, but the logo has been omitted from the page. Oops.

This is very much evening only

A jacket and skirt is the usual combination, but there are a few jacket and dress combinations.

Killer pattern matching on that tweed!

There is even one with a waistcoat, if you wanted a three-piece look.

The pink waistcoat looks a bit out of place

Some include a blouse as well.

Whereas this blouse goes well with the jacket

Including this pattern with a hood/cowl neck, which featured in a 1959 article in Vogue Pattern Book.

Hoodie, 1960 style

One thing which almost all of the patterns have in common is straight skirts. Gathered skirts only appear in patterns for girls or teens, and even flared skirts seem to be intended for younger wearers.

Definitely younger figures

I'm often struck by the subtle details which illustrators are able to bring to pattern art, and Vogue 4053 is a perfect example.

Subtle shading

The notes say that the bodice is cut on the bias, but the skirt can be cut on the straight grain or the bias. Without having to resort to anything as obvious as stripes, the two plain dresses illustrate the difference. You can almost hear the rustle of the yellow shot silk which view A was undoubtedly made from.