Sorry, Waists Are Shrinking!

The 'Fashion Staff' at Pictorial Review in 1939 warns us of an up-coming crisis! You could choose from these patterns put out by Pictorial Review, but it looks like you had no choice about the fit...you were going to have to suck it in! 

"The full skirt and broad shoulders of the dress above conspire to make your waist look minuscule. The wide band seizing you through the middle dramatizes the contrast twixt wide hemline and tiny waist." Pictorial Review Pattern 9600

"The neck is high, the bodice draped and full, the skirt slim with a full draped panel. The waist is the focal point of the dress; a belt gathers the fabric to as few inches as your anatomy permits." Pictorial Review Pattern 9597

"A dress with swing pleats for action, extremely wide shoulders. Again the tidy, belted waist contrasts boldly with the more ample curves above and below. Not quite an hour-glass figger, but something like." Pictorial Review Pattern 9594

"The new dress that falls with full abandon from a round yoke, exactly like an old fashion shift! A nubbin of a belt clutches all the width of fabric firmly at the waist, giving you a Victorian middle." Pictorial Review Pattern 9604

Spring Wardrobe For A Smart Woman - 1936

For a spring wardrobe The Delineator magazine offers these 1936 guidelines. 

"We suggest the following color scheme for the wardrobe shown here: For your coat - a navy basketweave woolen; for your jacket dress - navy heavy sheer with white pique; for your suit - a natural or gray menswear suiting of the soft cashmere type; for the print - silk crepe with an apricot-rust ground and a pale blue figure; for the evening an ice white satin dress with ruby accessories and ruby-colored bengaline wrap."

Spring Is In The Air - Hats and Accessories from 1956

Ruth Mary Packard writing in the Ladies Home Journal in March, 1956 gives important advice for spring hats, purses, shoes, jewelry and gloves...what every well-dressed woman needs to know.

"Your hat has more size...let it enhance but not overwhelm you..it must be scaled to your features as well as your figure. The shape is important...be sure it is becoming. Leghorn is the straw of the season, in natural, black and pastel colors."

 "A shower of yellow flowers on a small pale yellow straw hat by John Frederics for a yellow tweed suit by William Popper, or for neutral costumes."

"Pongee-beige pumps (one in calfskin, one in suede with calfskin tips) matching Nettie Rosenstein's top-handle envelope. Bangle bracelets pick up the color of the calfskin pump at right."

"The leaf hat in blue by John Frederics, with a wearable, medium-sized brim, worn with a linen-weave silk dress by Mollie Parmis."

"A patent-leather slipper edged with white goes with a linen bag with bamboo frame. Sunburst jewel by Frederic Mosell, is a pin for many occasions, for a dress or a suit." 

"The charm of pale beige, gold and light bright red in spectator pumps that are right for all wools and tweedy mixtures, a slim ladyfinger of a bag in bright red strawcloth by Morris Moscowitz, a new shape to carry with suits."

"The hat of the year, the shape that sets a trend - in natural Milan draped with silk polka-dotribbon, by Aldolfo. The bag is strawcloth by Coblentz; the dress is a simple silk shantung by Jerry Parnis, quiet accompaniment for the excitement of the hat."

"Pale yellow combines beautifully with cocoa, browns, coral reds. Here are a shell-trimmed cotton-tweed bag, long slender pigskin gloves, a grained-leather spectator and a calfskin toe-strap slipper - all for town wools and tweeds."

Spring Is Still In The Air in 1956

The Fashion Editor, Wilhela Cushman, of The Ladies Home Journal offers these suggestions for spring, 1956. 

 "There's an abundance of fashion and the news is flexible...yielding gracefully to your choice as an individual, to your life and your needs."

 "The bow-back jacket with the slim paneled skirt in clear red wool by Arthur Jablow, worn with a black leghorn hat by Sally Victor, patent-leather envelope bag by Greta."

 "The Empire coat with a back bow detail by Charles James. Cape-collar coat in a princess silhouette by Christion Dior - New York."

"The suit with the deep pleats, in greige tweed, graceful silhouette by Philippe Tournaye.  Shiny black straw hat with a red rose by Aldolfo."

"Printed wool town suit in blue and white with a pleated skirt and velvet collar, by Ben Reig. Short blouse-back coat over a dark dress by Vincent Monte-Sano."

"Bolero suit in Prince of Wales plaid wool by Ben Reig, has pale yellow shantung blouse, yellow strawcloth beret, chamois doeskin gloves."

"Bolero silhouette with a pleated skirt, by Hannah Troy. Reefer suit - double breasted jacket with a pleated skirt by Herbert Sondheim." 

"Coat in spring-flower yellow - basket-weave wool with an easy flare, feminine neckline, with a white silk rose, by Arthur Jablow. The white toyo hat is draped with yellow silk by Aldolfo."

The Costume Look for Spring - 1956

From the March, 1956 Ladies Home Journal, some hope for spring!

"It will be a gay colorful spring - fabric tones are the loveliest ever. Your coat might be a lovely lemon yellow or one of the beautiful new reds - both cheerful colors.
 Your suit could be a heavenly sky blue or a soft turquoise, both so flattering. When you make your own clothes, a costume look is quite simple to plan. 
For instance, a print dress and a coat lined with the print, or a costume of separates with a skirt, matching blouse and short jacket. If you have a slim figure, make a sheath dress, top it with an important short coat." Nora O'Leary who was the pattern Editor of the Journal in 1956 shows off these select Vogue patterns." 

"One of the freshest, newest spring colors is yellow. Our coat is in a crisp pin-point wool worsted. The smooth shoulder extends into push-up sleeves, and pockets are in the front fitting lines. The lining is black-and-white silk surah in a delightful geometric design." Vogue S-4681

"The dress, of the same silk surah, has an easy skirt with front fullness and a flattering tie neckline. We have used shiny black for accent, in both a belt and a pocket-book." Vogue S-4681

"A costume of separates is practical as well as effective. We have chosen a heavy silk with a linen weave in a heavenly shade of blue. The skirt has unpressed pleats front and back; the matching blouse has self facings for detail. The waist length jacket has a high notched collar, covered buttons and two small pockets. The blouse and skirt together give the effect of a one-piece dress. The skirt and jacket could be worn with blouses, or the jacket over a printed silk dress." Vogue 8830

"Both the color and the design of this costume give it a slightly Oriental feeling. The slim turquoise sheath has a high empire line with a surprising neckline, short sleeves. Over it, the red wool coat has a frog closing at the neckline. The coat will go happily through the summer as a topper for your cotton dresses. The dress with white accessories will be a summer favorite." Vogue S-4682

Fashion Gleanings From Abroad - 1891

Demorest's Family Magazine was THE source of fashion information from 1879 to 1899. There were also articles about household management, art, travel logs and stories...a glimpse of the world for the homebound woman. But it cost $2.00 a year, about $52.00 now, so it was aimed at the middle class housewife. William Demorest was an interesting guy. He is largely credited with using his wife's Ellen Louise Demorest's paper pattern designs. She was a powerful woman dedicated to woman's rights and was an abolitionist. Part of why they sold so many patterns was that she brought French fashions to American women. Here are some of those suggestions.