Vintage Love


Back story: My mom contacts me and says a friend of hers is cleaning out her grandmother and great grandmother's homes. Both women sewed, she found some 1920's patterns and wanted to know if my mom was interested. AHHHHH! Yes, mom, yes, yes, yes I'm interested, really interested. This friend also found a McCall's pattern catalog from 1925! She's keeping the catalog, which I think is a really nice way to save the memories, but let my mom borrow it so I can have a chance to drool look at it and capture some pictures. I spent 1-1/2 hours today with my mom soaking up every page, every look, every funny description in the catalog. Apparently McCall's was one of the first companies to produce printed patterns. An item that is posted on almost every page of the catalog.



Starts out in color. I'm assuming that like today these are the new patterns.

Here are some of my faves.
If you just look at the line drawings the dresses are so simple. But, when you see drawing in fabric - wow! 4196 is my really favorite on this page. The "necklace" on 4208 is a embroidery transfer - sold separately.


The coats...I die. 4280 is totally me.

Notice "For Corsetless Figure"! 4177 could totally be worked into a 2015 wardrobe.
These undergarments - yikes!
Special Occasion
See the American Red Cross Layette?

Gorgeous hats right next to the Dentist's and Operating Gowns right next to the butcher's apron.


Doll clothes (measurements given on the inside catalog cover) and bathing suits.

Mom and I both thought the maternity clothes weren't any different from the non-maternity clothes.
My mission now is to determine how I can make my 1950's hourglass figure look good in a 1920's rectangle figure and still work in a 2015 lifestyle! Will be dreaming about this tonight.

BONUS: a tin of buttons!


Mom loved the tin I'm still drooling over the buttons. LOVE the card graphics...and...you see those big ivory buttons near the bottom? There are 5 of them - coat, coat, coat! In the second picture take a look at the card that has white buttons (sitting on the catalog cover). We're trying to figure this one out because it has four plain buttons and four fancy and they were all on the same card, originally on the same card. I thought maybe the plain ones were for a functional area and the fancies were for decorative. What do you think?

Comments

Unknown said…
This is a wonderful catalog and the buttons are to die for. The 1920's and 30's are my favorite eras
jennywren said…
That is a fabulous catalogue. I wonder if the white buttons you mention are for a blouse where the buttons are hidden behind a placket (can't think of the correct term) then the fancy one would be at the neckline.