Forty years ago, Simplicity pattern company produced a guide to Spring 1972 teen fashions along with textiles suitable for each pattern. This first pattern (Simplicity 9650) features a safari outfit, with shorts or flare leg pants. Style suggestions include adding a 'rugged leather belt', neck scarf or hat.Colorful denim is advised for sewing this outfit. These swatches are 50% Kodel polyester / 50% cotton in 44-45" widths. Popular colors are simple primaries: red, light blue and classic denim blue. Naturals in brown with a coordinate stripe offer an alternative to the brights.
These illustrations were produced for Spring 1972 in a large format portfolio of pattern pages opposite the swatch pages. The portfolio is titled "Teen Fashion Environment" and was produced by the W.T. Grant company, a discount chain store that carried fabric and sewing patterns in small towns across the U.S.