WWII Fashions: Spring of 1942 Sewing Patterns

Spring of 1942 came only a few short months after the start of WWII, and by August, WPB Limitation Order L-85 would take effect to begin the war era restrictions on fashion. With this in mind, it's easy to spot the adoption of styles that required less fabric. Fashion manufacturers had been making a transition into a leaner fashion look since the late 1930's when a new war seemed at hand.

Simple, yet charming dress styles are offered in this Simplicity spring catalog for 1942. The dresses shown here tend to lean towards a classic button front style with an "A" shaped skirt that just covered the knee (about as high as society would tolerate). I have included the full page so you can see that most of the design was in front, and nearly all dresses sport the same simple darted rear view.

In general, these styles are easy to sew and can be adapted from current sewing patterns. Color blocking and contrast buttons gives design interest without using additional fabric. The slender silhouette is due in part to the use of rayon and acetate textiles that have a soft drape, such as crepes and imitation silk weaves.  We also know that many women were sewing crisp cottons too.

Using these pattern designs can also help to date vintage fashion from the WWII era.  Look for the same silhouette and style details when dating.  There also will be a noticeable lack of zippers in dresses and skirts.  You will also find that after the war, many women kept this look until they could afford the Dior influenced silhouettes, so dresses like this with longer length skirts are often from the late 40's.

1948 Coat: Fashion Illustration by M. Bolegard

In the Post WWII years, 1940's coats became more feminine and fitted. This version from 1948 has a cape shoulder and embellishment that is probably braid or soutache trims. Made in the princess seamed silhouette, the coat has a fit and flare style that was so new in the late 1940's. The era that followed the war showed many looks that used a considerable amount of fabric, something that was impossible during the war. The romantic trend was also part of the Victorian revival where crinoline dresses became the norm.

We also can't help but notice the vivacious red accessories. This perky hat predicts the trends seen through the 1950's, with a bit of trim and veiling.

This is an advertisement for both the "Edelson" label and wool gabardine by Lorraine Fabrics of New York. Look for the textile label when you find a vintage coat. Sometimes that may help you determine the date.

The Fashion Illustration

This is illustration was signed by "M Bolegard". It is an ink wash with black brush lines. Great accents are seen in the red details.

India ink is a rich, heavy black ink that can be diluted with water to produce sheer gray washes. Using a heavy paper with some texture, a pencil sketch was made first, often using a live model. Next, the shading was added using light gray washes. When those dried, saturate black ink was brushed on to create the illustration.

The red elements would have been painted with guache or watercolor at the same time as the gray under wash. To get that very white glove, a 'mask' of rubber cement could have been brushed on the area before adding the washes. This mask would then be rubbed off after the wash had dried, revealing the original unpainted white paper. White also may have been painted in with guache. It would have covered any gray wash to create a 'pop' of white.

The name "Bolegard" as an illustrator appears to be often used without a first name. This artist worked for department stores such as Marshal Field & Company in Chicago as early as 1919, and was probably a resident of that city at that time.

Reference: Catalog of Commercial Art, Exhibition, 1920, but Society of Art Directors, Art Institute of Chicago

Australian Home Journal: Online Resource

Aren't these fashions from the 1940's and 50's delightful? They come from the terrific online source for "Australian Home Journal", 1949 - 1952.

In the "read online" format it can be viewed like a book with turning pages, or tiled. Personally I like the tiles best, since it's easy to scan the issue and enlarge only the pages you want to see.

Each issue has a few dress patterns. They are drawn in small scale, but are helpful if you want to copy a look from the magazine. Have fun with this site, you'll find it a great source for fashion for the average girl, guy and child during this era.

I want to thank Caitlin at "3:50 From Central" for pointing out this great fashion resource to me on her blog.

Dorothy O'hara: California Fashion Designer

“Makes women look nice and men look twice” Magazine advertisement, 1957: crepe in black, taupe, royal blue, $55
Dorothy O’hara was a Hollywood designer whose dresses were popular from the early 1940’s through the early 1960’s. During her career she designed movie costume as well as fashionable dresses that were sold a better stores nationwide.

Dorothy was part of an energetic fashion group calling themselves the “California Fashion Creators”. It included Pat Premo, Addie Masters, James Galanos, Edith Small, Charles Cooper, Tabak, and DeDe Johnson.

She was known as the “Sculptress in Fabric” for her dresses that featured artistic drape and fit. The dress styles were termed “step in”, referring to the fact that they were all-in-one with a zipper up the back, making the dresses easy to wear. She also designed crepe dresses that looked like suits, but were in fact one piece (1954).

Newspaper Advertisement, Fall 1945: crepe in blue, purple, green, sizes 10 – 16, $35

Dorothy began her career as a fashion model, a slim girl with red hair she would spend her life working with fabric and fashion. To learn pattern making, she studied at night while working as a model during the day. This training would gave her a opportunity to design for the company where she modeled.

As a movie costumer between 1945 and 47, she designed for starlets at Paramount, gaining experience in creating dramatic designs. She began her own fashion business in 1941 with her husband Hank Lunney, borrowing $800 using their car as collateral. This first venture was a line of six dresses that were produced on only two sewing machines that they bought and installed in their apartment in Los Angeles. She hoped to create couture style dresses in a production line.

By the end of her career, it was a multi-million dollar business sold internationally, producing between 400 and 600 dresses a day.

During her career she contributed numerous fashion tips that were carried in the local press. This marketing strategy would keep her name in the press and on the mind of her customer. In 1949 she recommended a slim skirt with peplum over the hips to create curves in a thin figure and conceal extra curves in larger sizes. She would produce sizes 12 through 20 to provide fashion for larger women as well as the fashionably petite.

Dorothy married to Lunney in about 1934 at the age of about 22. She lived in Orange County most of her married life and died in 1963 at the young age of 51.

“I like to think my clothes are both timely and timeless” (1960)


Movie costumes(She worked on several films with Alan Ladd): Variety Girl (1947. with Edith Head and Waldo Angelo), The Imperfect Lady (1947, with Gile Steele), Calcutta (1947), The Searching Wind (1946, with Michael Woulfe), Two Years Before the Mast (1946), The Unseen (1945), Salty O’Rourke (1945)

Television: Dick Van Dyke Show (My Husband is a Check Grabber: 1963, fashions by O’hara are seen in this episode)


Copyright, 2012: The written content and pictures in this article are the sole property of "Pintuckstyle.blogspot.com". Please do not copy or use any part of this article online without prior permission. If including information from this article in an original written document, please give credit by linking back to this article, thank you.

Louella Ballerino: early 1940's, Mexican Design Influences

This jacket and skirt was designed in 1942 by Louella Ballerino. She mixed applied rows of ribbon, metallic braid and colored fabric bands on black rayon faille background on a dirndl skirt. The prim fitted jacket with notched front peplum was worn over the gypsy style skirt.

She was a strong influence in the adaption of ethnic garments and textiles into popular fashion, and this outfit is a good example of that look. Recently there have been several strong trends in color blocking that seem to be inspired by her designs. In looking at this, it is easy to imagine wearing a similar skirt today.

A press release for Holiday, Winter of 1944 gives us the more information about her collections at this time. During the 1940's she was influenced by Mexican design and themes. Ms. Ballerino gathered her inspiration from trips she made to Mexico, collecting textiles, garments and samples of embroidery that she would later use in her designs.

At the time she was known for using ribbon motifs in her fashions. Bright and casual, these were often sporty, leisure wear ensembles that could make the transition between day and night. They were worn for evenings at home, dinner parties, and dancing.

To create these designs she used bengaline, usually in black. This was a shiny, ribbed textile of rayon with a moderate weight and crisp hand. Her ribbons were as narrow as 1/4", and ranged up to 6" wide. The ribbon colors were bright; fuchsia, blue-green, lime and other tropical colors. The colors were given more emphasis by the black bengaline background.

Bodice silhouettes were designed in off-the shoulder blouses of the same bengaline or a long slender tops with a basque or peplum bottom worn over that gathers of a dirndl skirt. It could have long loose sleeves. Some tops had horizontal ribbon work as well.

Gathered dirndl skirts were a signature for her. Normally during this era, women wore "A" line or nearly bias skirts with less fullness. She also included black pants with the ribbon group. Other lines she designed during this time would have matching bra tops worn with culotte shorts and jackets to go over the bra, along with peasant type blouses. These all contributed to the casual outdoor lifestyle that California was marketing at the time. They were looks that were seen across the country, sold in better department stores. It was a great time for American fashion design.

:: :: :: :: ::

This dress is currently on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Information on the exhibit is HERE.

Facts: HERE
Jacket Center back = 17.5" long
Skirt Center back = 43" long

Vintage Dress: late 1930's to early 1940's

Dating vintage dresses can be fun, with so many clues to find hidden in the dress. The vintage dress shown here dates from the late 1930's through early 1940's. It is of black crepe, cut with a skirt that has 10 gores sewn to the hip yoke. This fanciful design was lost when WWII rations controlled skirt yardage. In addition, it has 2 metal zippers by Talon: one at the back neckline, and the other in the left side seam. These are typical locations for zippers during that era. The metal zippers would become unavailable during the war years, so we can assume this dress was made prior to 1942.

The photos below give some close-up views showing the details of both bodice and skirt. These details can help when trying to create reproductions. They also provide inspiration when designing modern fashions with a hint of vintage.


The bodice bows are set on very small pockets where the yoke meets the crepe bodice. The striped yoke and sleeves are made from 1/4" wide strips of the crepe fabric, sewn to a sheer black backing.


The skirt has 3 gores in back and 7 in front. The hip yoke is cut in one with the center gore, creating a "T" shaped panel. The length is original to the dress, with an inch deep hem. There are signs of belt loops at each side seam.

Bodice shirring in 5 rows creates gathers at the waistline. These provide the fit without darts because the entire bodice is cut on the bias.





Measurements:
bustline = 42" around
waistline = 33" around
hipline = 40" around
bodice length = 17" from shoulder, over bust to waistline
skirt length = 27" from waistline to hem at side seam
sleeve length = 5" at side seam
sleeve width = 12" around at cuff
hem line circumference = 84" around

Available at PintuckStyle on Etsy

Lilli Ann Suits: the late 1940's, Vintage Suits with Fashion Flare

Popular vintage fashion, Lilli Ann suits from the 1940’s show style trends of that era. Fitted waistlines and peplums to the hip level were part of most jacket silhouettes. Jackets could sport double breasted buttons with wide bishop sleeves. Other suits were styled with tie belts or sashed like belted tunics.

Wide skirted coats with buttons down the full length of the back were seen, a men’s wear inspiration from the 1800’s. Wide flared peplum jackets that stood away from a narrow mid-calf length skirt grew in popularity.

Fur was often used to trim jackets. Wide sleeves of fur are shown worn with a slender skirt. $50 to $60 was an average suit price during the mid-1940’s.

After WWII, some ads show Lilli Ann suits being worn for weddings, instead of a long white wedding gown. This was a popular trend at a time when the expense for a gown was considered too high, and a new suit would be a wardrobe investment. As a special part of the bride’s life, many suits from this period are with us today, well cared for and neatly stored for decades.





Schulman actively promoted Lilli Ann’s company image as being a provider of elegance and high fashion wool suitings from San Francisco. Company advertising conveys the target customer as being a perfectionist who is sophisticated and smart.

California as well as San Francisco are mentioned in many of the advertisements in the 1940’s. Drama is also promoted within these ads. During this era, buttons and trims were produced by Lidz and H. Pomerantz & Co, and are listed in the ad copy as a significant trim. Celanse acetate linings were also advertised during this time.

French (Blin and Blin) and other European wools were imported by Schulman after WWII as part of the rebuilding efforts. This fine fabric became important in his campaign to promote Lilli Ann as a luxury suit line. Suits from the wools were priced from $70 to $80.

As the post WWII ‘New Look’ took hold, the Princess style of coat became popular. Lilli Ann coats had wide shoulders and narrow waistline over a full skirt for several years. As 1950 neared, a more slender silhouette would enter the scene, replacing wide shoulders with unpadded ones. The narrowing of shoulders would introduce the slender suit, so popular during the 1950’s.

(This is the second article in a series posted on Lilli Ann. The first article was posted on July 20, 2009. )

Lilli Ann Suits from the 1940's: the early years

The history of the Lilli Ann company is interesting to American fashion. It was important to the economic development of San Francisco, as well as a large producer of woman's suitings from the 1940's through the 1980's. The early years show design creativity and luxury in style. Knowing the general silhouette and costume type will help the vintage collector to identify age of their Lilli Ann. This post profiles the early years.

In 1934, an apparel company called "Lilli Ann" was originated by Adolph Schuman and named for his wife Lillian. Originally this apparel company was a typical sort of start-up operation, with two used sewing machines and two part-time employees working in a tiny studio in the Chinatown district of San Francisco. Throughout the life of the company, it would be identified with San Francisco, both in advertising and in its economic and political influence in that city.

These early ads from 1941 through 1944 show suits and coat outfits advertised as a "costume suit". Silver fox fur and other furs are often combined with wool fabric to create a sense of luxury.

The dark costume suit above from 1941 (pre-WWII) has wide sleeves with silver fox fur trim, and was priced at $55. The fit and flared princess silhouette was typical of Lilli Ann's very feminine look during that era. The second coat from 1943 has silver fox trim around the hemline. Paired with a fez style hat, this has a Russian influence to the overall ensemble. Again, the costume suit has a fit and flare 'A' silhouette made distinctive by a draped collar.


In this second set of illustrations, coat and suit ensembles are shown. Both coats have a button pleated revere lapel (both are essentially the same coat), although the light coat is from March 1943, and the darker set is wool from Spring 1944.

The suits worn beneath the top coats are form fitting, with sculptural seam lines. The light suit has a classic princess pattern draft that "V" points into the waistline button for a very slender illusion. The second suit has "V" details on each side of the waistline. The front is closed with 3 buttons that match those on the coat. It is also fun to notice how the original suit was accessorized with hat and gloves.

At upper right corner is a view of the "Lilli Ann" garment label used during that time.


Both outfits shown above are from 1943. More fox is seen, this time as a large collar that is a style carry-over from the 1930's. On the other suit, leopard fur is used on lapels, buttons and toque hat. These details create visual interest in what are classic suit patterns. It is important to notice that a 6 gore straight skirt is shown with all suits during this era. The first skirt from 1941 was 'A' line in silhouette.

All through the war years, luxury was seen in Lilli Ann suits and coats. Excess use of textiles was controlled, as required, but luxury was available none the less. After WWII, Adolph Schuman would move to put his San Francisco suit company on the map with increased national advertising in "Vogue" magazine, along with some innovative political involvements. This began an important era for Lilli Ann company.




This advertisement shows the makers label used by Lilli Ann company through 1943 (important to notice that it does not list "Lilli Ann" name in that label). It does show "a California Costume" at a time when this from of regionalism was popular.