1840 to 1850

The Gothic era arrived on the scene and fashion lines wilted into drooping ringlets and dragging skirts. Sleeves lost their fullness and became fitted; shoulders were extended below their natural line and skirt hems lowered to the floor. Generally necklines were worn high during the day and wide in the evening. The skirt became very domed in silhouette, requiring yet more petticoats to achieve the desired shape. Trimmings of tucks and pleats were used to emphasize this new line. Colors shifted to darker tones and solid color fabrics were more in tune with the new solemnity.
In mid-century, skirts become even fuller with horizontal flounces or tucks added to the base skirt to give it even greater width and volume. Lines shifted from the vertical to the horizontal assisted by shorter, wider bodices. A new triangular, cone-shaped silhouette emerged featuring new pagoda sleeves.
Prints and patterns came to the fore for obvious reasons. The substantial expanses of fabric were crying out for visual interest which large plaids and border prints provided.

Printed Wool Challis Day Dress ca 1840s courtesy Candy Shiveley, contentmentfarmantiques.com

ca 1848 Pink Silk Moiré Gown courtesy Deborah Burke, antiquedress.com

ca 1840s Brocade Gown courtesy Deborah Burke, antiquedress.com

Vintage Patterns

Vintage sewing patterns open up a whole new world of collecting for someone interested in vintage fashion. Some collect vintage patterns because they want to reproduce the styles of days gone by for their wardrobes. Others collect them because these slim envelopes filled with tissue give a glimpse into a lifestyle that many of us no longer have the luxury to live. They are, in, and of themselves, a documentation of fashion sewing of the past. The artwork on the envelopes can also be a thing of beauty to behold all by itself.
For those who cannot find the vintage styling they want in their size, fabric, or price range, vintage patterns afford the ability to have exactly what one wants, the way one wants it, whether one sews it up at home or retains the services of a custom clothier. Even if the pattern doesn’t have the proper size specifications, a skilled seamstress or tailor can make adjustments to fit any body type or size. Patterns can also be used as a starting point or “inspiration” for a modern garment.
Other related items that can be collected along with vintage patterns are old pattern books from fabric stores and departments and monthly or quarterly pattern magazines that were issued by the pattern companies. These publications are invaluable tools for designers, students of apparel design, the custom clothier who specializes in vintage fashion, and the vintage fashion enthusiast.
History
Paper patterns were first manufactured in the middle of the 19th century. The first paper patterns were designed by Ellen Curtis Demorest. Starting in 1860, these patterns were sold through a magazine, Mme. Demorest’s Mirror of Fashion.

Published in 1872 to promote the inventor of the paper pattern - Mrs. W. Jennings Demorest

Butterick: A Deltor was included in this 1920s pattern - Courtesy of 1950spinup

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Butterick
This is possibly the oldest of the pattern companies still in business today. Many of the oldest patterns currently available to collectors are from Butterick. They did a line of patterns in the 1960s and 1970s called the “Young Designer” series. Mary Quant, Betsey Johnson, Jean Muir, Kenzo and John Kloss were featured designers. These patterns have become highly collectable as representative of these designers’ early work.
Hawaiian Patterns
There were several companies that made patterns for Hawaiian fashions. The two that are most well known are Patterns Pacifica and Polynesian Patterns. Other companies include Pauloa Patterns and Kekabi Patterns. Most of these patterns are for typical 1960s and 1970s Hawaiian styles – mostly muumuus, and some shifts, play sets, and cover-ups.
wardrobe staples than fashion forward styles. (see 2)
McCall’s
This company had important designers contributing fashions as early as the 1920s. It is possible to find McCall patterns from the 1920s and 1930s with styles by Lanvin, Schiaparelli, Mainbocher, and Patou. In the 1950s McCall’s patterns produced another designer line that included French couturier Hubert de Givenchy and Emilio of Capri (Pucci). In the 1960s a new line called the “New York Designers’ Collection Plus” featured designs from some of the best American designers of the time including Claire McCardell, Pauline Trigere, and Geoffrey Beene.
Mme. Demorest
These patterns from the 19th Century are quite desirable, as Mme. Demorest is considered to be the inventor of the paper pattern. The company was established in 1860, but by 1887, the business was sold.
Modes Royale
Modes Royale patterns were sold in the most up-scale department stores in the 1950s and 1960s. They were known for their very stylish dresses and suits.
Prominent Designer Patterns; American Designer’s Patterns
In the 1950s and 1960s these mail-order pattern companies featured fashions from designers such as Oleg Cassini, Ceil Chapman, Don Loper, Estevez, David Crystal, and Mr. Blackwell, (the originator of the 10 Best-and-Worst-Dressed list.) American Designer’s Patterns were the forerunners of Spadea Patterns.
Simplicity
Simplicity patterns were known for their ease of sewing. These vintage patterns are glimpses into the clothes and home furnishings that decorated the lives of Middle America. They weren’t designer fashions – they were clothes worn by everyday American women. As such, they are vital statements of vintage fashion as worn by most Americans.
Spadea
Spadea was another of the mail order companies. These patterns are among the most prized by collectors. Many of the important and popular designers of the 1950s and 1960s designed patterns for Spadea, including Ceil Chapman, Jo Copeland, Suzy Perette and Lachasse of London.
Vogue
Vogue Patterns began in 1905 as a mail-order feature in Vogue Magazine. The designs have always been fashion-forward and have featured fashion styling from many of the important designers of the 20th Century. Couturier patterns appeared as early as 1932, but at first they were not exact reproductions of the fashions shown on Paris runways. Beginning in 1949, Vogue Patterns began the “Paris Originals” featuring designs from the houses of Balmain, Schiaparelli, Lanvin, and Jacques Fath.
In the 1960s, as the torch was passed to a new generation of designers, Italian and French designers Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Emilio Pucci and others joined the ranks of contributing designers. In 1967, Vogue launched the Americana series, featuring original fashions styled by American designers. Some of the contributing designers were Oscar de la Renta, Teal Traina, Geoffrey Beene, and Bill Blass. In 1984, in response to the explosion of avant-garde designers around the world Vogue Patterns launched the “Individualist” line of designer patterns. While these patterns are less than 20 years old, their limited production runs have made them highly sought-after, especially designs by Issey Miyake and Claude Montana.

Chantal: a rare designer pattern from the 1920s - Authentic Paris Pattern Company featured different French couturiers.

McCall's: a Givenchy design for Audrey Hepburn - similar to the dress she wore in Sabrina.

Butterick: Betsey Johnson design - Typical of Butterick’s Young Designer series.

McCall’s: by Claire McCardell - Pattern designed by McCardell in 1958, the year of her death.

American Designers Pattern: Ceil Chapman - Courtesy of 1950s pinup

Paris Original Model: Paquin - This 1950 design is an early Paris Original Model pattern

Spadea - Courtesy of 1950spinup.

Simplicity: stylish but easy - Pattern dates to the late 1940s

Vogue Paris Original: Givenchy - From the 1960s

Hollywood: Patterns featured photos of starlets - Courtesy of 1950spinup

Advance: a versatile pattern from the 1950s - Courtesy of dancingdresses

Collecting Notes
A pattern does not have to be styled by a famous designer to have merit. The sole fact that a pattern is old may not make it desirable. A collector judges a vintage pattern much like one would judge a garment. We all don’t have the same tastes in clothing – whether it is contemporary

A zombies Nation

ZOMBIEFLYDNATION

Saturday, September 24, 2011

#dope shots of ZombieFlydNation germantown Fashion Festival

Monday, September 19, 2011

zmb GERMANTOWN FASHION festival (KING OF FUTEEG COLLECTION)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Saturday, September 17 · 12:00pm - 3:00pm

FASHION TIMELINE !!