Tag Archives: sizes

Fashion Advice from a Fashion Photographer, 1967

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Lynn

The Fall/Winter Simplicity pattern book from 1967 contains a ten page spread of fashion advice for older women from the photographer Frances McLaughlin-Gill.  I had never heard the name, but she was well known at the time for her fashion … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Balenciaga and the Older Woman

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Lynn

There are very few couturiers I have heard of who enjoy designing for the older woman.  Famous Spanish designer Cristobal Balenciaga was one of them. In the recent biography The Master of Us All by Mary Blume (2013), the author … Continue reading →

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“That Woman” Clothing from Marlo Thomas

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Lynn

Yesterday’s New York Times had a story about a new clothing line started by actress and feminist activist Marlo Thomas.  It was a fun read but I didn’t learn much about the clothes, so I decided to look into it … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010s | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Mrs. Exeter in Sews with Vogue Patterns

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Lynn

Since I am interested in all things Mrs. Exeter, I recently contacted Vogue Patterns for permission to track her down in their collection of pattern magazines and catalogs.  Editor Gillian Conahan was nothing but gracious, and I got to spend … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 1960s | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Pants for Everywoman, 1966

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Lynn

By the mid 1960s, pants for casual wear had entered the mainstream of American fashion. I distinctly remember buying a pair of fuchsia stirrup pants in 1966, which I wore with a boxy fuchsia top covered with embroidered flowers. Ah … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The New Look and the Older Woman

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Lynn

The October/November issue of the Vogue Pattern Book was all about the New Look. The opening article, “The Changing Silhouette,” listed major shifts in styles: more naturally shaped shoulders with less padding; a nipped waistline; and an emphasis on the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Vogue Woman Collection

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Lynn

At various points in its long history, the Vogue Pattern Company turned its attention to its older customers. However, it was only in the 1993s that it launched a pattern line designed specifically to address aging figures—the Vogue Woman Collection. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1990 | Tagged , | 1 Comment

A Patented House Dress, 1915

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Lynn

Since I find so many photos of older women in house dresses, I’ve become very interested in their construction. How could I resist this ingenious little flier for a patented version by the M. Alshuler Co., discovered by chance on … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s | Tagged , | 6 Comments

The Gimbel Book: Paris, London, and American Styles, 1910

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Lynn

On the website for the Thomas J. Watson Library at Metropolitan Museum Library, I browsed through the 1910 catalog for the Gimbel Brothers department store, then in Philadelphia. I had my eye out for clothes and accessories especially aimed at … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Singer Showcase, Issue 1

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Lynn

We all know that Singer makes sewing machines. But were you aware the company also ventured into the pattern business? I discovered this by chance (a favorite research method) when I came across the first issue of Singer Showcase from … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments