Tag Archives: textile patterns

A Fabulous House Dress, Early 1920s

Posted on May 22, 2021 by Lynn

What an amazing outfit—but where did it come from?  I turned to the experts at the Vintage Fashion Guild for help.  Jonathan Walford, noted fashion historian and head of the Fashion History Museum in Canada, came back with the most … Continue reading →

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Gramie and Grampi Cut the Cake, 1960

Posted on April 8, 2021 by Lynn

“Gramie and Grampi with the cake Annie made for you,” reads the message on the back of this photo.  At first I thought this might be an anniversary celebration cake for the older couple, but the caption tells a different … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Mother and Daughter on a Windy Day

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Lynn

What a difference in style between mother and daughter!  The mother wears either a shirtwaist dress or a shirt and skirt combination in a conservative polka dot pattern.  From this angle her boots look almost flat.  Maybe she had problem … Continue reading →

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Bolero Style, Late 1940s

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Lynn

I know better than to comment on women’s style choices, since we are now in the era of “anything goes.”  If I’m honest, however, I think this woman is dressing a little young for her age.  Everything about her outfit … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Pattern Mixing, Early 20th Century Edition

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Lynn

A quick glance at fashion pages these days shows that pattern mixing–combing gingham with florals or dots with plaids–is on trend right now. You might think it is all part of the “anything goes” style philosophy of the current era. … Continue reading →

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Sewing and Chatting, 1970

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Lynn

Home sewing can be an isolating activity, but not if you take your work outside.  I wonder what the woman on the left is doing.  Darning? Hemming? Making a couture outfit by hand? Whatever it is, she has a friend … Continue reading →

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Sewing Classes in Chicago, ca. 1960

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Lynn

September is National Sewing Month, and I’m happily turning my attention away from our fraught political climate to find photos of older women practicing this craft.  The American Sewing Guild, of which I’m a member, calls sewing “an art and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s, 1960s | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Polka Dots or Stripes?

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Lynn

Let me make a confession—I don’t like polka dots.  Delving into fashion history has made me realize that I have very strong opinions about textile patterns in general.  From the outset I knew I didn’t like flowered patterns. Geometric designs … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1910s | Tagged | 4 Comments

Lucy’s Navy Blue Polka Dot Dress

Posted on July 11, 2020 by Lynn

In her memoir Don’t Sing at the Table (2010), the best-selling author Adriana Trigiani tells a wonderful fashion anecdote from her childhood.  When she was about eleven, in the late seventies, she noticed that her maternal grandmother, Lucy, only had … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s, 1980s | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Summer Outfit, Mid 1930s

Posted on April 4, 2020 by Lynn

When I found this photo on eBay, I originally thought the pattern was dots—and I was about to launch into an essay on the love of dotted fabric in the 1930s.  However, once I enlarged it the pattern looked more … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, General | Tagged | 2 Comments