A Star-Spangled Swimsuit

     It is finally summer!  Yay!  Despite the heat, I look forward to this season every year.  With the temperature set to sweltering, the pools are now open…which has once again tempted me to sport a new me-made swimsuit.  There’s never a need to drop a wad of cash or waste time searching for the perfect design lines when one knows how to sew, however.  A small remnant of stretch swim material and a great vintage pattern is consistently my ticket to going to the pool dressed in my best.  A handmade swimsuit is a ridiculously cheap and fun way to cultivate the same confidence and individuality that the rest of my wardrobe enables.  This ‘stellar’ suit makes me enjoy my fun in the sun even more than I already do!

     Vintage swimwear patterns offer unique designs which are oftentimes not to be found elsewhere.  They also help keep even my poolside fashions be up to par with the rest of my everyday style choices.  My first introduction to the world of sewing swimwear was through a pattern which dated to the end of the 1980s (posted here).  Out of a desire to return to what worked well from the beginning (and because a new, enticing sewing pattern happened to come my way), I have again made an exceptional suit from earlier in the same decade.  My newest suit is practical yet glamorous, still vintage in design yet timeless, great fitting yet cheap to acquire, and just my taste, while being entirely handmade.  What’s not to love about summer at this rate?

THE FACTS:

FABRIC:  a four way stretch spandex-polyester printed with pale gold lurex stars, partially lined in a nude toned version of the same material

PATTERN:  Stretch & Sew pattern #1370, designed by Ann Person, dated to 1981

NOTIONS NEEDED:  poly thread, bra cups, ¼ inch wide swimwear elastic

TIME TO COMPLETE:  This swimsuit was cut and sewn in about 5 hours in March 2024.

THE INSIDES:  So fine! Inside, this suit looks every bit as clean and finished as a great store bought suit…maybe even better!

TOTAL COST:  One yard (more than what I needed, but the minimum needed to order) cost about $20 with shipping, and this was my total cost.  The lining fabric was leftover remnants from sewing this 1960s two-piece swimwear set (posted here).  The elastic, bra cups, and all other notions came from on hand, and – being rummage sale finds – are being counted as free, along with the lining scraps. 

     The sudden decision to sew this swimsuit was made when I had thought a visit to the hot springs of Colorado would be included in our trip there in March 2024.  I am usually not a last minute project kind of person, but my suit was literally whipped together in one afternoon (into evening) a day or two before leaving.  As it turned out, we did not actually go to a hot spring on our vacation, and there was no time to visit a hotel’s pool, so I was looking forward to having a new suit for the summer.  However, I was able to go to the pool only once in 2024, so hopefully this will be the year to enjoy some more time spent in the water.  This post documents my delayed excitement and satisfies the feeling of completion that sharing on my blog brings to every sewing project.  I hope you are able to find a copy of this pattern for yourself so you can enjoy the thrill of creating your own fantastic custom swimwear.

     It’s no secret that my favorite niche fascination in fabric is border prints and all the interesting ways they add to garment design.  I am thrilled to have a border design on swimwear now.  I saw this special material available from “Fluky Fabrics” on Etsy and added it to my “favorites” list with the mindset of ‘just in case’ the perfect pattern came my way.  About a year later, I happened across this 1981 swimsuit pattern on sale at a rummage shop for $1 and instantly remembered that border print sitting in my favorites list.  Now that I had a goal in mind, I bought the star speckled border print swim fabric and it literally came in so close to leaving day!  I almost never jump into a project this quickly, so you can tell how much enthusiasm was behind my swimsuit.  Happily, new ways of applying border prints keep presenting themselves.  The fact that opportunities like this fall into my lap is understood as a good sign that I should nurture my fascination for border prints.  You can visit my Pinterest page for border print designs (here) to enjoy some of the eye candy that inspires me.

“See & Sew” pattern 1370, a 1981 example photo (it’s not me!)

     The cover illustration gives away the idea of using a border print for this suit, but finding an advertising image (at right) also helped anchor the idea in my head.  This pattern made that easy to achieve since the gathered drawstring neckline is relatively straight across at the pattern stage.  By laying out the swimsuit front so the neckline would be along the thickest clustering of stars, the border visually trickles out down the suit.  The printed stars were exclusively placed on one half of the fabric and thus, after cutting out the pieces, I am left half a yard of plain solid black swim fabric to use in the future.  The fabric is prettier in person, as the lurex printed stars do actually have a glimmer!  I must still have a thing for glittery poolside looks since a golden Esther Williams inspired 1950s suit was my last swimwear project.  I know this suit would be just as fabulous in a solid or all-over print.  Nevertheless, my suspicion is that the border adds a complimentary illusion to the silhouette.  I can’t say I have seen a ready-to-wear border print swimsuit.  Sewing something which cannot be found to buy is a very redeeming part of sewing.  It makes you feel like someone with superpowers!

     I found the pattern to run a tad small, but perhaps that could have something to do with my chosen fabric.  A stretch spandex was used when the pattern calls for a nylon blend.  The supply list was confusing so I went rogue with my choices.  “DuPont” branding on the envelope under the listing for fabric and notions threw me off since such specific products are not around anymore.  This dates the pattern in a humorous way, but makes the supply inventory rather unhelpful for a modern newbie to swim sewing.  I have used nylon swim fabric before, only to find it thinner, stretchier, and more slippery to handle when compared to the loftiness and density of a stretch spandex.  Except for this mid-1960s two-piece suit (which used a thick stretch spandex), I had previously only used a nylon blends for any swim related projects.  I’ve found it needs a full body lining to feel substantial enough for swimwear.  This was something I have dealt with too many times already to repeat again.  A stretch nylon was relegated to the crotch and inner shelf bra (so I could attach bra cups inside) and was the only additional material I needed for my starry suit.   The design was as much of a joy to construct as it is to wear. 

     Once the materials needed for this swimsuit were figured out, it was even easier to sew together than any I had made before.  Yet this was not solely due to having previous swimwear sewing experience.  I was using a first-rate design from the great “Stretch & Sew” line of patterns.  Ann Person is the name behind the “Stretch & Sew” brand which began in the mid-1960s.  She developed the method of stretching out the fabric while sewing to end up with forgiving seams that move with the body.  Ann Person’s instructional programs for sewing with knits soon became copyrighted pattern offerings made from her kitchen table, turning into stores by 1967.  Paired with her “Stretch and Sew” book series, she developed her niche knowledge into a popular franchise by 1969 and her entire family helped run the business.  However, with changing styles and sewing trends, she started phasing out the franchise by 1983.  Ann Person’s simple yet well-designed patterns are timeless for busy sewists of any decade, and they are handily multi-sized, too.  Someone on Pinterest has curated a board of Ann Person’s “Stretch & Sew” patterns, and it is fun to peruse through the variety of her offerings.

     “I think she revolutionized the home-sewing market. She made it fun for people who had always thought sewing was hard” says Claudia Person, one of Ann’s three daughters, in the obituary.  Since I only use older sewing machines and do not own a serger (overlocker), having instructions which show how to use straight stich for swimwear is a lifesaver.  The “newest” sewing machine in my house is from 1980.  Instructions like this enable me to use my machines to make complex garments.  It is good to know how to maximize the versatility of basic stitches whether you have a new machine or not.  When people comment that they can’t sew until they buy a fancy sewing machine, I always point out that there is really nothing holding them back and anything can be accomplished with whatever is at their disposal.  Look at all I can do with my older machines!  Ann Person had said (in her interview for the Horatio Alger Award) “Don’t be afraid to really believe in yourself… accomplish whatever it is you are capable of.”

     I love the fact that my first “Stretch & Sew” pattern is a swimsuit as it was swimwear that gave Ann her start back in the early 1960s.  A friend of Ann’s mother worked at the Jantzen Swimwear Knitting Mill and brought home discarded scraps of knit fabric her to practice on.  At the time, many designers and specialty mills worked with knits, yet most home seamstresses did not have as much knowledge or options for sewing with knits that we have today.  It is so cool to use THE original pattern brand behind the modern common method of sewing with knits…and to do that through the garment which birthed such knowledge is special.

     There were only a few simple pattern pieces to use, with great instructions and helpful guides to sewing, fitting, and customizing the design.  The drawstring neckline helps make the overall fit adjustable.  To keep it versatile I did not sew the straps down at the sides.  An open back is more appealing to me and I can always come back to tack down the straps.  This suit has the best full booty coverage that I could have ever wished to find.  The pattern looked strange to achieve such a cut.  Yet, it mimics the back end shaping seen on vintage 1940s or 1950s swimsuits, particularly those favored by the competitive swimmer and actress Esther Williams.  The 1980s can really nail a great vintage detail and mix it up into a whole innovative manner so as to ‘sell’ it for a new audience!  Granted, I do not think this style of swimsuit is completely original to Ann Person’s patterns.  An almost identical swimsuit can be found in this Catalina brand Vogue pattern from the year 1979 (view A).  However, a swimsuit design is the perfect way for a “Stretch & Sew” pattern to showcase its novel knitwear sewing methods. 

     Every suit I make keeps pushing me to fine-tune my techniques for sewing swimwear.  I am still happy with my very first suit, but also thrilled to see the quality of my subsequent ones only progressing higher each time!  Practice can make perfect.  Perfection is easy to find with a really good pattern.  Have you tried a “Stretch & Sew” pattern?  Have you been as impressed with an Ann Person pattern, as I am?  Does anyone else find sewing swimwear to be rewarding?  If not, perhaps my post can be your incentive to go give it a try!

“Jacquette” Blouse of the mid-1920s

     I love finding niche, unique, short-lived styles of the past!  They help show a definitive landmark moment in fashion history and present some of the most interesting, experimental designs. They whisper subtle messages of the workings to societal influences and creative inspirations to their times.

     It is no wonder that this post’s garment is a unique style, since it comes from a year that was working on presenting novel ideas.  In 1925, the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts was inaugurated in Paris, France, yet in the few years leading up to it, fashion already had begun evolving with the inventiveness of the times.  My post’s “Jacquette” top of circa 1924 is a wonderful example of the fluid, artistic, avant-garde clothing that reflected the modern mentality leading up to the mid-1920s.  Is casual or fancy?  Is it a jacket or a blouse?  It’s both, wrapping me in comfortable elegance of a style that can be worn today just as well as it would have been back in 1924.

     The “Jacquette” was the perfect thing to sew in time for viewing a local display on the very subject of innovations across art and industry surrounding the 1925 Paris Exhibition.  “Roaring” is an exhibition that will be at the St. Louis Art Museum until the end of July 2025.  I wore this circa 1924 Jacquette to opening weekend with my modern Burda Style mock-wrap skirt (highlighted in its own post here), American Duchess Brand heels, and a vintage beaded handbag, as you see.  A Jacquette is something which has been in my sewing queue for years now, and was so fulfilling to not only finally sew this but also wear it to the perfect ‘on-theme’ event.  The “Roaring” exhibition is jam-packed with information related to its stunning extant items which are presented, and I can wholeheartedly say that a trip to come view it will not leave you disappointed.  I am so happy to have special events such as this to wear the vintage items I enjoy creating…without needing to leave town!

THE FACTS:

FABRIC:  a pure silk vintage sari from India

PATTERN:  “Standard Designer” pattern #7086, circa 1924, reprinted through Past Patterns Company

NOTIONS:  I needed nothing but thread, and chose to use an all-cotton Pima thread to match with the natural origins of the silk fabric.  To keep my Jacquette soft, I did not add interfacing or any stabilizer at all to the collar or facings.

TIME TO COMPLETE:  This blouse was easy enough for being an old pattern with very limited instructions.  It was made in about 25 hours and was finished in early April 2025.

THE INSIDES:  The blouse is lined in more of the same fabric used for the exterior (double layered) and all other parts are faced.  Thus, all seams are cleanly and invisibly hidden!

TOTAL COST:  This sari was ordered 5 years ago from an Ebay seller direct from India for only $25.  My Pima cotton thread was bought at Hobby Lobby for about $8.

    I have been spotting these jacket-like blouses via old advertisements and catalog images and they look so cute and appealing.  Having a front closing top that that was loosely fastened like the Jacquette was very novel and could have been something shocking to some people.  The early 1920s still had many of the discreetly modest closures (back buttons, hidden hook-and-eyes, sneaky plackets) as a carryover from the decade before.  To pattern a blouse after the wrapped styles of the coats and sweaters, must have been an adventurous move for French fashion to advocate at that time.  These Jacquette tops can primarily be spotted between 1923 and 1925.  Past Pattern’s detailed information says they estimate the date of the “Standard Designer” pattern #7086 to be June or July 1923, yet their header lists it as being 1924.  As I am personally aiming for sewing a look which veers closer to the Paris Exposition’s date and since my skirt hem is a bit shorter than the below calf-length hems of 1923, my outfit is a 1924 or 1925 interpretation in my mind.

Look at how the floral vine stripes meet along the sleeve/shoulder seam!

     By paying attention to the detailed summaries in the catalogs, I could track the recurrence of fabrics used, customary ornamentation, and styling trends.  These jacket-blouses seem to call for softly draping fabrics, whether that be silk for summer or a knit for winter, as unstructured silhouettes were becoming a global style.  They often employed interesting material options such as border prints or decorated hem ends (via embroidery, beading, etc.).  I have a long obsession with loving to find creative uses of border prints and this was an opportunity too good to ignore.  Finally…a distinct mission with which to make a decorative border style from the past!  A double border silk sari from my stash was calling to be paired with my 1920s project.  It makes this top unique, elegant, and a very personal.  We have family friends which came from India and I have been sewing vintage inspired ethnic clothing over the years on my blog.

Here’s the pallu end “scarf”.

     I began with employing a smaller-than-normal length elegant silk sari.  It is a wonderfully soft washed silk with dull finish satin shine and a border that seemed to measure up well for the Jacquette design pattern proportions.  Many of the fanciest sarees are shorter in length than cotton or plain ones, thus this one was expected to be undersized.  However, I had not previously found one shorter than 5 or 6 yards.  This one was 4 yards without the decorative pallu end, which was an extra ¾ yard to the overall length.  The pallu, one end of a sari which is worn draped over the shoulder and showcases the maker’s artistry, was here an ornate perfectly quadrangular design. (Pallu ends are not always square).  The pallu was cut off and the edges were finished to turn it into a scarf.  What was left, went towards the rest of the top.  I literally had just enough to work with when every cut line was butted up against the next cut line. 

     There were two different border designs along the finished selvedge edges, with the hem having the wider one.  The smaller border along the opposite edge was used for the collar, and hip bands, and the closure ties.  The broader border along the saree’s hem went towards my Jacquette’s wide, dramatic sleeves.  This portion of the sari was finished in a chambray-weight cotton backing, a common practice on sarees to help protect them from the wear and tear of dirt and foot traffic.  The cotton backing has the sleeves be nicely, lightly weighted and cleanly finished at the same time.  I love two-for-one planning in sewing projects!  The border was wide enough to fill up the entire sleeve pattern, a piece that (in width alone) alone took up 2/3 yard out of the 4 yards I had to work with.  The strong jacket reference would have been lost by choosing short sleeves, even if that look is something I want to try in the future with a sheer cotton.  I do delight in dramatic sleeves as well as any opportunity to use a wonderful border print!  These sleeves bring me joy. 

     The assembly instructions were as basic as a modern Burda Style offering…basically just a textual explanation on how to construct a Jacquette of nine odd shaped pattern pieces.  However, never judge a pattern by its cover.  As with Burda Style, I have learned that the simplicity of presentation does not reflect on the quality of the product when it comes to sewing patterns.  This pattern came together beautifully – all notches matched, the fit was as expected, and it was sized properly.  The Standard Designer Company was begun in 1887 by a former employee of the Butterick Pattern Company.  (Info from here.)  Standard Designer Patterns were sold through high-end department stores who touted the accurate fit and superior design of their home sewing offerings.  Ultimately, Butterick acquired the Standard Designer Company in 1900, even though they remained an independent entity until being absorbed circa 1926.  Past Patterns reproduced a gem here.  I highly recommend trying it out for yourself so you can not only enjoy a Jacquette too but also see how nice a Standard Designer pattern can be.

     I spoke in this post about making a modern mock wrap dress inspired by mid-1920s fashions such as this Jacquette.  Yet, here I can finally present my sewing of the real thing!  Even still, this true vintage top is every bit just as modern and adaptable as that inspiration dress was trying to prove the 1920s can be.  Anyway, a luxurious silk creation such as this Jacquette deserves to be worn often and enjoyed outside of historical-themed events!  I found it seems to work quite well paired with my modern clothing.  To continue the cultural reference behind my fabric, I am wearing it with my Indian blue silk trousers, cut slim so they can be worn under a kurti ( short tunic) or with a sari.  A knit top is underneath and my favorite hiking boots keep my outfit casual and comfortable.  I like the parallel a modern pairing provides.  This alternate styling shows how the most unique design ideas, the avant-garde creations of the past, were really fashion-forward enough to be timeless in their own way. 

     A 1924 Sears & Roebuck Company Catalog (reprinted by Dover publications) calls the Jacquette an “entirely different and ultra-fashionable” thing to wear.  Another Summer of 1924 Sears ad (see it here on Reddit) claims their jacket blouses are New York reproductions of the latest Parisian designs.  Well, there you go!  Wrap blouses are something we do not bat an eye at today, and it is fun to look back and see the way they were perceived in the past…when they were a novel thing to wear.  The ideas which arose out of the inventiveness surrounding the Paris Exhibition from a hundred years ago really is still relevant.  I was so happy to see how the extant example items shown in the “Roaring” exhibition in my town today only further proved to me that looking back to the 1920s can help us see a vision of hope, innovation, and beauty for the future ahead. 

Little Boy Blue

     As I mentioned in my last post, May is a month full of birthdays.  However, to me, the one of high importance is my son’s birthday!  This year he will become a teenager.  Yikes.  Such a realization entices me reflect on how time flies, while reminding me that my boy is not so little anymore…even with this post’s sweet title. He may be too old for appreciating nursery rhymes by now, but sewing my growing boy a dashing blue plaid shirt (which only makes him seem all the more grown up) still has led me to think of one for a proper heading.  The soft light blue and warm beige plaid struck me as perfect for this sweet but stormy transitional period of his life, when he is in the balance between greater maturities while still enjoying his childhood pleasures.  Little Boy Blue in the rhyme was also old enough to have responsibilities yet young enough to be allowed to sleep through them.   

THE FACTS:

FABRIC:  a polyester gabardine for the plaid, a printed cotton broadcloth for lining the inner shoulder yoke, and a beige cotton broadcloth for lining the collar and cuffs

PATTERN:  Advance #9415, year 1960

NOTIONS NEEDED:  Lots of thread, some interfacing, and a set of vintage buttons

TIME TO COMPLETE:  The construction process took me about 20 hours, and the shirt was completed in October 2024.

THE INSIDES:  This shirt is cleanly finished in a mix of bias bound seams for all side seams, zig-zag stitching (to imitate serging) for the armcyes, and facing for the cuffs and shoulder yoke.

TOTAL COST:  This shirt’s total was the cost of my remnant only – about $5.  Everything else I needed is as good as free because it was either scraps or vintage notions on hand from an inherited stash of supplies.

     Our son is growing quite quickly, as well as staying true to his dad’s body type (tall and skinny with long arms).  It is becoming quite challenging to find clothes that fit him correctly AND look good at the same time.  In many brands, there are not as many fitting options for boys as there are available for adult men, especially when it comes to dress shirts.  If he doesn’t have anything that fits right or even strikes his fancy, he understandably can get exasperated getting dressed in anything other than his go-to weekday school uniform.  I would, too!  Thus, I have been working (here and there) on helping him out in this department.  My wardrobe is well stocked by now with handmade pieces that help me feel like myself every day, and he deserves that wonderful feeling in a small way, as well.  I have taken a hiatus on sewing commissions for others, yet my husband and son continue to be my only exceptions. 

     This particular blue plaid made his eyes light up when I asked if he would like a shirt of that material.  I knew we had a winner when an idea for a fabric can give him more joy than anything bought off of a rack, ready-to-wear!  Sewing for our son seems much less involved than many of my projects, even if his collars and cuffs are so fiddly to assemble (being smaller).  Also, he is still young enough in size to take advantage of the great remnants on hand in my stash as options for his clothing.  However, I found myself working with enough a discrepancy of material to leave my brain drained from the layout process.  This now the norm with many projects sewn for either my husband or son.  One yard was all that was available for this project.  I offered our son a shirt from this blue plaid before first checking if my idea was even possible.  Yet, in the spirit of holding to my word combined with my attitude of resourcefulness, I made things work out in the end…as you can see!

     Patterns for men (whether child or adult) from the 1950s tend to be wide and generously cut with dropped shoulders.  I have sewn most of my husband’s vintage shirts from the 50s.  This particular pattern, on the very cusp of the next decade, has better cut shaping yet is also no exception.  You see, I had a special assurance of the fit tendencies with this pattern.  This is the “mini-me” version of a shirt for my husband!  Back in 2018, I made my hubby a shirt from a 1960 pattern which has the numbers (9414) which immediately precede my son’s shirt pattern (9415).  Neither are specifically labelled as a “father-son” design.  However, not only does the cover to the boy’s shirt pattern mimic the men’s cover with bodily poses and colors used, but the design lines are the same.  Also, the envelope back summary has the same weird first person voice that is unforgettable.  “Shirt loves many fabric looks – including plaids!” it states on both 9414 and 9415 patterns.  Yup, these two are the same!  Just in time for Father’s day, my guys have matching shirts now.

     A look similar to the cover illustration, a fit true to 1960, was not what I either wanted for my son nor had room to cut out on my available remnant.  This pattern was supposed to be his correct size, according to the given body chart.  Yet, slenderizing the pattern for my skinny son was my only means to help this project plan work out.  I pinched out about two inches in circumference to have this shirt be a modern “tailored fit” for my son.  The dropped shoulder line was picked up slightly and enough bonus in the sleeve length was added to equalize the proper fit.  About two inches was also added to the sleeves according to his tall sized needs.  I waited until he had a day off of school so he could be available for a tissue paper fitting session as well as extra measuring along the way.  My son saw how clothing is made from start to finish through intensely watching the process to sewing his shirt.

     Matching up wide plaids for making a shirt is never easy, but that effort takes on another level when you are short on material.  The wide 60 inch selvedge width of the fabric certainly helped give me a cushion to create, even though I was working with a remnant.  The sleeves were aligned next to the shirt front so the plaid would match along the corresponding balance marks.  Then, the back bodice was laid out by itself on the fold, next to the smaller pieces such as the collar, cuffs, and breast pocket.  I endlessly jiggled and adjusted the two different alignments (front with sleeve matching versus back matching) a little up and a little down or upside down until I finally found that magic spot in the plaid which would work for all equally.  I always take my time with such a process, walking away and taking a break, getting a different view of the layout, and thoroughly checking twice before cutting once.  There wasn’t the chance to re-do anything.  The same applied to my chosen scraps…they were just big enough to fit the pattern pieces I needed them for.  I heartily enjoy making the most of my scrap bin with such complex, satisfying project challenges. 

     His shirt still carries a subtle touch of vintage because I kept the wider collar, fancy cuffs, and overall every other fine detail which makes older patterns so special.  Modern sewing patterns for kids are too basic when vintage patterns offer such standout features, great design lines, and wider variety of garments for little ones.  Vintage patterns would be my preference for sewing for him, even if I did not use them for myself, as I do.  The fit may have been modernized here, yet this shirt still nods to 1960 by looking sharper than any modern shirt I have seen for a boy his age.  Funny thing is, he is a big fan of vintage 1950s and 1960s music, so this shirt checks off his own boxes of things that make him happy.  Through a shirt which is based back to 1960, he can connect with entertainment of the past which he enjoys.   

     This custom-made garment really seems to help him shine as a person and definitely has him feeling more put-together.  It is his go-to dress shirt now, and he wears it quite often, which makes me so glad to see.  Compliments come his way when he wears this.  On a deeper level, he is finding that a young man who is dressed nicely to functions calling for responsibility or leadership will be respected in turn by those around him.  It is amazing what the right clothes can do!  I believe that the sooner our young people can learn how, why, and when to dress well and be able to recognize quality in clothing, then the future of fashion will be in good hands.    

May Bells

     May is a special month here.  Firstly, there are many birthdays of our immediate family as well as close friends.  Then, there are always notable events going on for our household, such as the end of another school year, Memorial weekend or some significant event to attend.  Finally, the backyard begins to look its prettiest with many flowers finally in bloom.  Our showy peony bushes and our patch of lily-of-the-valley especially cheer me up after a long winter.  I particularly love the latter plants being in our yard, as they are the birth month flower for May! 

     In this post, I will show you a dress I made which summarizes everything the month of May means for me…through the lens of fashion, of course.  First off, I realized that the flowers of May are as special to me as they were to the creator of the highly esteemed fashion house of Dior.  Lily-of-the-valley flowers decorated Christian Dior’s stationary, garden, and garment lapels, even becoming the scent of his 1956 perfume “Diorissimo”.  I had not yet sewn an official Christian Dior garment, only an accessory (shared here) as well as an inspired piece (posted here), but this post’s dress now fills this gap.  There wasn’t a better means through which to interpret how May is so celebratory and noteworthy with its occasions than with such an elegant designer such as Dior.  Even if he was no longer alive by the time my dress was designed, it was devised by the likes of a worthy successor to Dior, Marc Bohan, and is still a great way to tie what I am wearing to lilies-of-the-valley. 

     In the spring, I sometimes like to bring some peonies or lily-of-the-valley flowers from our garden into our kitchen, yet they droop too quickly to use as a corsage.  My visual reference to Dior was nonetheless leveled-up on my dress by adding a May month flower enamel pin from The Gray Muse shop to decorate my waistline.  In lieu of using flowery fabric print, this dress is a fine loom woven jacquard that I felt was worthy of Dior.  Its floral design is integral to the material.  Even still, it never hurts to add more of a directly floral element, such as by crafting a handmade hat to further play upon the theme.  No outfit inspired by the month of May would be complete without a nod to the abundant flowers which help it be so beautiful in natural wonders!

THE FACTS:

FABRIC:  a 100% Mulberry silk jacquard

PATTERN:  Vogue Paris Original pattern #1188, by Christian Dior, from March or April 1975 with a vintage Simplicity #2177 pattern from 1936 for the sleeves

NOTIONS NEEDED:  lots of thread and a small cut of wide one inch elastic

TIME TO COMPLETE:  over 50 hours in May 2024

THE INSIDES:  I cut my own bias tape (so that was included in the cost, mentioned below) for a very luxuriously clean finish inside. 

TOTAL COST:  Two yards of the fabric cost me only $53, but with shipping, I spent a total of $75.  The rayon tape for the hem was on hand from an acquired stash of vintage notions, so the only extra cost to my dress was a few newly bought spools of silk thread.  The hat supplies cost me $10 at Hobby Lobby.  My overall total is about $95.

     I will start from the top down and say a few words about my headwear first.  The hat was a very easy, stress- free, one afternoon project, which is the exact opposite of my dress.  I wanted a halo hat, one that had no crown and left my hair open, to give me a light and airy millinery piece for holding some oversized fake roses. 

Going to my local craft store, I had the idea of using a round wire mesh base meant for creating home décor wreaths.  With the added flowers, my hat hints at a garden trellis for even more of a spring botanical feel to my outfit.  That wire base was cheap and easy to start with, as well.  I merely wrapped silvery gray tulle netting to cover it transparently before I tacked down the flowers, giving me a greater base for the stems to stay down.  By fixing my hair into a fluffy bun, the hat sits ever so effortlessly on my head without messing up my hair.  I put the roses above and below the brim to even out the weight and give me changing options of appearance.  Dior outfits always seemed to be a whole look, with plenty of accessories, and my hat nods to the original 1950s “New Look” style which always had extravagant millinery.

    As was mentioned above, this dress comes from the time when Marc Bohan was the creative director of Dior. The brand’s founder had died in 1957, and a young 21 year old Yves Saint Laurent succeeded him.  When the 34 year old Bohan took over in 1960, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) claimed he “rescued” the brand from Laurent’s revolutionary design ideas.  Marc Bohan’s so called “conservative” fashions were considered a return to “wearable, elegant clothes.”  His designs were favored by royalty, the rich and the famous of his times.  He created many wedding dresses which made headlines such as those worn by Diane Von Furstenberg or Princess Caroline of Monaco.  Nevertheless, in 1978, the financial backer/operator of Dior filed for bankruptcy, tying the assets of Dior with his company’s ailments.  A second bankruptcy came in ’81 followed by a successful leadership under the businessman Bernard Arnault.  Marc Bohan continued until 1989 as design director, seeing the couture house become united and globally successful.  My 1975 dress reflects a time when the house of Dior was revisiting the ideals of its founder in light of current trends and found superiority amongst luxury brands through made-to-order clothing.

Marc Bohan poses for a portrait at his home in Paris, France on October 15, 1975.

     Marc Bohan, being at the helm of Dior for 29 years, was one of the longest serving creative directors.  He died at the age of 97 in 2023.  I love that his designs have a dreaminess and approachable elegance about their simplicity, overall being very wearable versions of Dior’s grandiose clothing.  Not that his designs weren’t sumptuous, it’s just that he saw himself as the guardian of classically inspired elegance.  Bohan was trained at the great fashion houses of Robert Piguet, Edward Molyneux, and Jean Patou, and therefore knew how to create visionary designs on many levels.  He was not exclusive, but offered over one hundred and fifty official Vogue sewing patterns during his tenure and the men’s, children’s, and youth lines of Dior launched under his direction.  In the 1990s after leaving Dior, Bohan started designing under his own name, continuing to offer his unique abilities to a small clientele.  

     He might not be a director that is as well-known as others who have led the house of Dior.  Bohan preferred to stay in the background so he could focus on designing “clothes for real women, not for models or fashion magazines.”  Yet, he helped the brand be as thriving and persistent as our flourishing backyard patch of lily-of-the-valley.  It’s a good thing he escaped his father’s chosen career in finance to nurture his special talents for fashion design!

Could this Dior dress from 1974 be related to my 1975 design?

     To create my own version of a Dior dress in the spirit of Mark Bohan, I had to dive into more of his ideals, and reading quotes from him helped me get personal with his own goals as a designer.  “What I am trying to do is create luxury, quality…something very refined, not showy at all,” Marc Bohan once said in a 1989 interview with WWD.   “That is true elegance.  And so few understand it.”  To accomplish Bohan’s refined look with this sewing pattern, I wanted to keep the simple design of this 1975 Vogue dress unfussy, but also avoid plainness.  Thus, my starting point was to settle on a fancy silk jacquard with a subtle sheen and unique weave to have a high-end looking dress.  The fabric is not at all basic, yet also lacks excessive busyness.  Furthermore this is not just any silk, but the best of the best – a hypoallergenic Mulberry silk. 

     The shop overseas that my fabric came from had different color ways available, yet I found myself drawn to this unique hue amalgamation.  Bohan often channeled vibrant colors to have an ever-so-subtle nod to the pop culture and psychedelic trends of the 1960s and 70s.  A lime-tinted chartreuse paired together with a blue-gray is not something easily found.  The sheen of the silk means the colors are shifty and change tones when in the shade versus full sun.  This is a chameleon-style fabric that keeps me in amazement (yet is tricky to photograph properly).  Chartreuse is a color that had a big comeback in the 1960s and 70s, but my color choice is more symbolic than that.  The fresh, bright green of my dress makes me think of the fresh brilliance of spring, which I only fully notice in nature during May.  The dusty steel blue reminds me of all the gray, rainy days that make the May lushness possible.  Both together make for a great combination.

     I have used a mulberry silk before (see the post about this dress) but never yet worked with it as jacquard weave.  I found this particular variety to be the most challenging, fussy, delicate fabric ever sewn.  It was shifty to sew, it snagged too easily, was fraying like crazy (more about this later), and is a bit thin.  Seeing and wearing the finished look makes the hours of frustration worthwhile in the end, nevertheless.  This special jacquard really elevates this dress in just the way I was expecting, bringing it to a level of discreet extravagance that I would expect of Marc Bohan’s Dior.  Exclusive fabrics and unique colors in a garment with exceptional fit are the hallmarks of his style.  I have found all of that in my interpretation of this Dior dress.

     Marc Bohan told USA Today in a 1988 profile article, “I am designing for a woman who wants to look her best.”  He is credited for redefining the silhouette for women’s apparel, focusing on a slender shape (dubbed his “Slim Line”), creatively cut skirts, and interesting waistlines.  This dress certainly fulfills that order by possessing all of his trademark details at the same time, while balancing out everything so well!  I love how this is so comfortable to wear despite its finery.  It is easy to move in, has handy front pockets, is a flexible vintage style, and always fits great due its adaptive waistline.  There are no closures needed (even though the pattern calls for them) and its combo of the forgiving elastic front waistline with the back ties keeps this a pop-over-the-head dress.  Just the year before, in 1974, Marc Bohan’s clothing styles were dubbed “The New Look (referencing 1947) with modern comfort.”  I like the thought of that approach.  Many dresses in general don’t offer half of the benefits which this dress has, but that is not because it is Dior.  High-end fashion doesn’t have to equate to impractical, if you are sewing Marc Bohan’s style.  Cutting out my dress barely used a yard and a half of material, so a small amount of fabric can get you far with this design, too!

     “Things must look simple,” he insisted in a 1989 interview with WWD.  Even though this design appears to be relatively straightforward, it was also deceptively challenging to construct.  Such is the mark of a truly inventive garment.  I was impressed at the cutting stage, understood the process upon glancing through the instruction sheet, but then fought with the pattern to the point that it almost had the best of me.  This was my sole sewing project for the entire month of May in 2024.  The front waistline was genius, but mind blowing to sew.  The skirt is equally amazing, cut with just two pieces.  There isn’t a side seam below the waist but the back panel wraps around to meet in the front so that half of the skirt ends up being on the bias.  The slightly raised waistline was odd to account for, neither at an empire nor natural height, and so it was tricky to adjust for my petite frame at the pattern stage.  The pattern’s hipline was so slim, I had to add in so much extra width.  The sleeves restricted my reach room in the bodice.  I did eventually nail the fit (as you can see), despite the fiddly, slippery fabric. 

     Beyond my sewing setbacks, I did have some problems with the design itself.  The basic sleeves had me hating the way the dress looked on me, and the bodice had a very plain neckline that was not doing me any favors.  I actually liked the dress on me sleeveless, but didn’t want to stick with that option.  I realized a decorative neckline was needed but always wearing a bold necklace sounded restrictive.  It was decision time…but which idea was the best one to pick?  This is was my turn to be the designer, relying on my own ideas and adapting for my taste or body type.  So focused on creating a homemade version of Marc Bohan’s work, I had taken instant success for granted.  I needed a reminder that the purpose of home sewing patterns from designers is to offer the possibility for creating unique and accessible high-end fashion.

     To honor Marc Bohan’s training under the great designers of the 1930s, I reached for a pattern from the same era to find replacement sleeves.  The decade of the 1930s had the most creative, most varied sleeve designs to be found in last hundred years, so the volume of my options was overwhelming.  I was able to narrow down my ideas once figuring out what sleeve shape would help balance out the dress on my body.  A uniquely innovative year 1936 design was pulled from out of my pattern stash.  It achieves what looks like a ‘normal’ puff sleeve in a fun and unusual way.  This sort of great creativity under the guise of straightforwardness is what Marc Bohan was all about!  The sleeves are shaped with darts which radiate out from the lower armscye curves.  Since the pattern was altered to make it a short sleeve, I added a thin casing of elastic gathers to turn the hem into a puff.  The bell shape to the sleeves reminds me of the bell shape to lily-of-the-valley flowers, and I am so happy to have such a mental reference.  

     My neckline was inspired by seeing an Anna Sui #1134 Vogue designer pattern.  That Anna Sui pattern is from 2009, but strongly 1930s inspired.  I had no idea how that gathered neckline was constructed, so I adapted the general idea to work for my need.  

First, I cut the restricting neckline open enough to be able to pop this dress over my head.  Then, I measured the neckline and cut out a bias strip which was three times that circumference and gathered it down in a circle as if a necklace.  This gathered strip was sewn down in a way to finish the raw edges at the same time.  Another bias band was used as a facing inside for a fully finished clean edged neckline.  Many hours of hand stitching was required.  This process was experimental, exhausting, exasperating, but overall successful.  This neckline detailing is such a special part to my dress. 

     When you peek inside (at left), you can’t tell what the right side out of this dress really is!  It has the most deluxe raw edge finish I’ve done.  A ¾ yard chunk of fabric was leftover from this economical pattern, and I couldn’t see any good reason for saving this as a scrap for another future project.  It found a much better use being cut into numerous bias scraps to cleanly finish all the inner edges.  This fabric frayed and shredded apart something terrible as I sewed, and left lots of thin fibers behind on my clothes and hands.  I needed cleanly bound edges for several reasons.  As this fabric has reversible sides, I went so far as to use the opposite side of the jacquard for my bias tape for a special touch of contrast.  Not that anyone really sees my well-planned details (except though the pictures of this post).  Yet, I know I am enough of a reason to warrant taking the extra steps to help me feel special in this dress.  Also, however, sewing with high quality fabrics, or even just using a designer pattern, encourages me to indulge in the nicest work I can muster.   

     The spring 1976 collection, shown on the runways of Paris in October 1975, was 80% separates as reported in The New York Times.  It’s a shame the brand was steering away from dresses because this one is magical.  Then again, my own Marc Bohan dress has me now believing that anything he offers can become absolutely fabulous.  Sadly, I only appreciated this pattern in my stash once I learned Bohan had died.  I wish his obituary had not been what prompted me to pull out this dress pattern! 

     It is always important to appreciate people when they are still with us.  During such a busy month, May always reminds me to take a moment for others.  Keeping up with all the birthdays, celebrations, and social events of each month is a great way to be there for family, friends, or the community, if you approach it with a mindful outlook of more than just ‘being busy’.  Lily-of-the-valley signifies happiness.  I hope this month brings you a dose of the symbolic joy associated to “May Bells”.