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Vampire Vamps! McCall 4464 by Chanel
Lorena Krasiki (Mariana Klaveno) in 1926 (True Blood, Season 2) For my Halloween vampire flapper costume I made one of my favourite 1920s patterns in my collection: McCall 4464, an evening dress by...
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Vampire Vamps! McCall 4455 by Martial et Armand
Young woman (Kim McKean) and Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), 1926 (True Blood, Season 2) For my vampire flapper Halloween costume, to wear over my 1926 Chanel evening dress I made McCall 4455, an evening...
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Deco for Spring
Watching this year’s Oscars red carpet pre-show, I was struck by the Deco details on Louise Roe’s custom Black Halo dress, with its geometric, layered peplum and rhinestone buckle. (Details on the...
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Girls’ Patterns, 1926
In my collection of Twenties patterns I have a group of children’s patterns that are shown in the McCall’s Quarterly for Winter 1926-27. (Many thanks to Debby for sharing the images.) I noticed...
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Practical Luxury: W. Mury’s Dressmaking Illustrations
My 1926 copy of Vogue’s Book of Practical Dressmaking has endpapers charmingly illustrated by W. Mury. They’re a great example of aspirational marketing in that they situate the dressmaking process in...
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Vionnet Patterns
The reputation of Madeleine Vionnet (1876-1975), the brilliant innovator in draping and the bias cut, has only increased with time. The label she founded in 1912 was recently revived, and Betty...
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The Irresistible Charm of Embroidered Lingerie
In honour of Valentine’s Day, some mid-Twenties illustrations for McCall lingerie patterns including embroidery transfers. The heading reads, “Embroideries That Lend Irresistible Charm to the Intimate...
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Twenties Swimsuit – Simplicity 7041 (VFL 145)
Simplicity 7041 (ca. 1929) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki. I love vintage swimwear. (See my post on vintage beachwear patterns here.) It’s also been years since I had a bathing suit; somehow I can...
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Schiaparelli Patterns, Part 1
Guinevere Van Seenus in vintage 1930s Schiaparelli, Vogue, May 2012. Photo: Steven Meisel. Image via vogue.com. Have you heard? The house of Schiaparelli, founded by the legendary Elsa Schiaparelli...
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Lanvin at 125: Jeanne Lanvin
Lanvin anniversary logo. Image via WWD. Lanvin celebrated its 125th anniversary this year. Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, the house marked the occasion with an extensive look into its archives on...
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Fourth Blogiversary + Sale
Image via PatternVault on Etsy. Today marks four years since my first post on this blog. To celebrate my blogiversary I’m having a flash sale in the PatternVault Etsy shop. I’ve been busy restocking...
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McCall Style News, December 1925
McCall Printed Pattern Style News, December 1925. Image via eBay. I wanted to share this mid-1920s, Christmas-themed cover of McCall Style News. From December, 1925, the illustration shows two...
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New Year, Vintage You
Vogue Patterns catalogue back, September/October 1999. Image via eBay. Happy New Year! Vintage reissues give a taste of the pleasures of sewing vintage, without the bidding wars and grading. Here is an...
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Nae Cotillion
Detail, McCall 3324 (ca. 1923). Today is Robbie Burns Day. This 1920s children’s pattern makes a full Scottish outfit, including the hat and sporran: McCall 3324 (ca. 1923) Girl’s Scotch Costume....
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Selvedge 95 / #McCalls150
Joy Ossai in Marianne Fassler, Selvedge Issue 95 – Heritage (July/August 2020) Photo: Reze Bonna. Image: Selvedge. I’m pleased to announce that I’m among the contributors to the upcoming Heritage issue...
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Vogue Pattern Book Centenary
Vogue Pattern Book, December–January 1924–25. Illustration: Harriet Meserole. Image: Pinterest. Did you know? The first issue of Vogue Pattern Book was published in 1920, making 2020 the hundredth...
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PatternVault 10th anniversary!
Alexander McQueen Fall 2021 by Sarah Burton. Photo: Paolo Roversi. Image: Vogue Runway courtesy of Alexander McQueen. The PatternVault blog is ten! That’s a whole decade of writing about fashion, fine...
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Neo-Egyptomania
Neo-Egyptian cover of Needlecraft, June 1929. Illustration: Reginald P. Ward. Image: eBay. The tomb of Tutankhamun was rediscovered in November, 1922, making 2022 the centennial of all things King Tut....
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