AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Not Used Except For Pocket DATE: 6:18 AM ----- BODY:

"Not Used Except For Pocket" -- that may, in fact, be my epitaph. (Wouldn't that look good on a gravestone? It's surprising how much time I spend thinking about my grave marker considering that I intend to be cremated, isn't it?)

Anyway, memento mori schemento mori, look at this pattern! It's lovely (even if the pic is a bit fuzzy). I likes it. And I want to know why someone opened it up and only used the pocket. Imagine how good the other, pocketless dress had to be to be more worth sewing than this one!

This one is on sale from Penny at Antique Dollhouse of Patterns -- she's offering 35% of through Sunday (Paypal orders only, though). So you can browse through her site until you find the pattern that's annotated with "Used -- No Pocket Piece", right?

Oh, and here's an idea: who wants to start assembling a "found poetry" page on the Vintage Patterns Wiki based on things written on pattern envelopes? With almost 28,000 (!) patterns, there must be a number of interesting notes to choose from!

Labels: pockets, sales, Vogue_8122

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

quinn DATE:Apr 23, 2010 7:34:00 AM I'm wondering what is so amazing about this pocket!

Does it have secret compartments?

A lock, and fingerprint recognition entry?

Is it a portal to another universe?? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sigrid DATE:Apr 23, 2010 9:16:00 AM " A devil to sew but results fantastic"
is my all time favorite found poetry on a pattern envelope. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joni DATE:Apr 23, 2010 9:32:00 AM My favorite pattern notation was found on the cover of that 1950s men's pajamas/nightshirt pattern: "Too large for Jim." Oh, Jim, you poor sap... your wife thinks you're not big enough, you know, in the bedroom. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pattern Junkie DATE:Apr 23, 2010 11:56:00 AM I LOVE pattern notations! I think a found poetry category is pure genius -- I already spend too much time on the vintage wiki, I might start marking that new category.

Two of the best notations I've found are "God-awful big neck" and "goofy great" (on separate patterns.) There was also an adamant "No pockets!!" once -- on a pattern that had pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 23, 2010 1:25:00 PM In The Power of Style, Pauline Trigère is shown wearing a dress like that in black satin, as she's lighting candles on her dinner table. (I imagine she was expecting guests, but who knows?) Her hair is pulled back in a twist and she wears a double strand, pearl choker. I'm a little neutral on the dress, but Pauline would have liked this pattern! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

dulcet DATE:Apr 23, 2010 2:34:00 PM That pattern brought to mind a cut of brocade stowed away in a dresser at my Mom's house. It's an orange background with gold flowers. Maybe I'll ask her what it was intended for. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa @ the Vintage Fashion Library DATE:Apr 23, 2010 7:36:00 PM That is a fabulous pattern! And did you know that the wiki is now the fifteenth largest wiki? I personally think that's pretty awesome, and we owe a big debt of gratitude to Petite Main and Tarna. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Johanna DATE:Apr 23, 2010 8:13:00 PM That is a classic comment on the envelope! Makes me want to start my own feedback right on the packet, instead of using a separate notebook.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Vegan DATE:Apr 23, 2010 10:45:00 PM Not quite poetry or a comment, but I once found a little scrap of boucle with a bound buttonhole on it tucked into a 1950s coat pattern! It seems the sewist was practicing her bound buttonholes before making the coat! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miri DATE:Apr 24, 2010 4:37:00 AM I need some new patterns, thanks for the heads up =)

Mystique-Glamour ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 24, 2010 1:50:00 PM Idea for the found poetry title:

"I'm seeing a pattern here..." ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Leslie DATE:Apr 26, 2010 7:25:00 AM You've inspired me to begin making notations of my own patterns. I really like that it's dated (and that happens to be the year my parents got married). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 26, 2010 11:23:00 AM that is one sexy dress! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sheila / Out of the Ashes Collectibles DATE:Apr 27, 2010 11:32:00 AM My favorite "poetry" is written on a pattern I have that says "Don't loan to Beth" - wow she must have done something bad! Wish I had time to help you Erin - it would be quite fun to contribute but not to run for me! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lynn DATE:Apr 28, 2010 9:51:00 AM I have been loving your vintage patterns. The old measurements are wild. 38 inches size 20! 34 inches, size 16! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MinaW DATE:Apr 30, 2010 11:57:00 PM Erin - about your grave-marker thoughts - a hospice volunteer told me that for those intending cremation, there should be markers anyway for the benefit of genealogy researchers... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Ready for Anything DATE: 6:00 AM ----- BODY:

Isn't this dress magnificent? It's from Lanetz Living.

I desperately want to make this up in a heavy black silk/cotton. You could wear it to ANYTHING. I'd wear the collar open, probably, with a scarf (if I were feeling dashing) or colored beads ... I wouldn't wear a brooch or pin for fear of getting it caught on something and ripping the dress.

If I had just one spare day's worth of time in the next two months I would buy this pattern outright. (I, um, already ordered that fabric. Black silk/cotton for $6.99/yard? Please.) But lately I've been trying not to hoard patterns that I know I won't sew right away; it doesn't seem quite fair. I just trust that when I have the time, the universe will make the pattern available to me. (I wish I could feel that way about fabrics, but they are SO much harder to search for ...)

This one deserves a good home. That skirt! Those pockets! I like the short-sleeved version best (although I probably would leave off the cuffs -- they're so lumpy under a cardigan).

This dress doesn't have to be dressy -- it would be marvelous in a red-and-white embroidered cotton, too. So sporty! You could wear it with red Keds and it would be adorable.

Labels: pockets, utility_infielders, Vogue_7597

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

sarade DATE:Apr 6, 2010 6:49:00 AM I adore pockets in a dress, and I agree, at least where I live, fabrics are nearly impossible to find in any sort of good quality. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joni DATE:Apr 6, 2010 7:40:00 AM Erin, please tell us where you got the fabric! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

patsijean DATE:Apr 6, 2010 8:02:00 AM Joni, just click on the link in her post above--"heavy black silk/cotton"-- and it will directly to the fabric at Fabric Mart. They had 32 yards available at the time I posted this comment. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kim DATE:Apr 6, 2010 8:50:00 AM Snatch up that pattern, girl! I just heard about a study (and I found a pdf reference here: http://tinyurl.com/yd3k82r) that people tend to miss out on pleasurable experiences because they put them off till the future, when they believe they'll have more free time. And nobody ever has MORE free time in the future. Depressing, but I think we can twist it around to justify hoarding. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Just Jess DATE:Apr 6, 2010 8:58:00 AM Love this dress! I recently found a similar pattern, but without pockets. Pockets are my absolute favorite thing! Thanks for posting! Can't wait to see the final product! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gertie DATE:Apr 6, 2010 8:58:00 AM Aw man! It's sold already! How could you introduce this delectable pattern and then take it from me all on the same day???? Pattern, I hardly knew ye. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pattern Junkie DATE:Apr 6, 2010 10:07:00 AM It IS a great pattern! It's one of those dresses that could work for running errands, chasing after kids, going to work and going out...all depending on what fabric you use. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

"Cornelia Jackson" DATE:Apr 6, 2010 10:36:00 AM I want to wear that dress every single day for the rest of my life. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joni DATE:Apr 6, 2010 11:00:00 AM *durr* Yes, there's the fabric link.

This is the kind of dress that reminds me of my grandmother. I could see her in something like this: she was a schoolteacher in the early 1950s and then went back when her children were older, and she LIVES in men's buttondown shirts with a scarf or necklace. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

melina bee DATE:Apr 6, 2010 11:08:00 AM that pattern is awesome. I love 50s style "shirt" dresses because they are easy to dress up or down to any degree really.
melina bee ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Packrat DATE:Apr 6, 2010 11:29:00 AM This is a "must make". Buy the pattern - now! :) This is another "Heidi" in that it could be made 50 times each being a tiny bit different, and no one would know it was the same dress.

PS: I have yet to order from Fabric Mart. It must be okay to shop there? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Erin DATE:Apr 6, 2010 11:34:00 AM I have been really happy with Fabric Mart! Super-fast shipping, and the quality is top-notch. Half their stuff I covet and the other half I wonder why anyone would buy. :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Packrat DATE:Apr 6, 2010 11:48:00 AM Thanks, Erin! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jana @ Weekend Vintage DATE:Apr 6, 2010 4:14:00 PM Love that front pleat on the skirt!
Jana ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 6, 2010 5:27:00 PM I love the long sleeve version. I love long sleeves and I love pockets. I will not get or wear a dress, pants, or skirt unless it has pockets; deep pockets. The red is my favorite. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 6, 2010 8:49:00 PM I agree -- go ahead and get the pattern Erin and then MAKE time to do it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 7, 2010 2:46:00 PM CORNELIA: I want to wear that dress every single day for the rest of my life.

COOKIE: I want to wear that dress every single day for the rest of my life, and then be BURIED in it! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Tuesday is Gratuitous Pockets Day Here At Dress A Day HQ DATE: 8:21 AM ----- BODY:

Let's start with this one, sent to me by Kristin:

And then there's this one, submitted by Maranda, which apparently I've posted about before, since the pattern image was already saved to my hard drive:

I realized lately that I talk about pockets all the time but I never say what I need those pockets FOR. So here's what's in my pockets today:

-- my pedometer
-- my lipstick (in "Urgent!")
-- a check I need to deposit, and a pen
-- my Palm Pre

I often also have my keys, my wallet (like this one, only black and with two zip pockets), and other assorted things, but those are in my backpack today.

What's in your pockets today?

Labels: McCalls_9378, pockets, Simplicity_3233

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Serenity Love Sincere Peace Earth DATE:Oct 6, 2009 1:10:00 PM My cell, perfume and a quarter ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ashlea DATE:Oct 6, 2009 1:22:00 PM Oh! I actually have pockets today! But they're only filled with a tube of lipstick. (Which is called 'Champagne,' but is actually bright pink.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nathalie DATE:Oct 6, 2009 1:23:00 PM Nope. Nothing. That's what bags are for. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Packrat DATE:Oct 6, 2009 1:53:00 PM Dirty Kleenex. You asked. LOL

Love the top dress. I like the second one, but the pockets are almost too big. Would be great for someone that has no hips to speak of. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Teresa aka MarieSews DATE:Oct 6, 2009 2:03:00 PM I rarely have anything in my jeans' pockets but in my sweatshirt kangaroo pocket are my wallet, cell phone and keys. Only problem with putting them there is that I forget where they are and spend HOURS searching for them. Like looking for glasses perched on my head! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 6, 2009 2:26:00 PM do coat pockets count? car keys and gloves (was cold this morning). My phone was there before I put in on my desk.

I tend to not put things in my pocket...see earlier post about someone with no hips...which does not describe me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

pirate DATE:Oct 6, 2009 3:14:00 PM I normally wear jeans (so I don't have to take along a purse, which I generally despise). I have in my pockets:

right front: car keys. always.
left front: chap stick, cell phone, miscellaneous coins.
right rear: wallet. always.
left rear: nada. :-)

I always know where things are cuz they are in their appropriate pockets. :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Oct 6, 2009 3:20:00 PM Most everything is in my purse or the life support system as DH says. I love purses. I also love pcokets. No skirt pocket today. In my coat pocket was a a list of supplies my dad gave me last spring to fix the Duncan Phife chair I bought for $10 in an antigue store, a Publix reciept, and and empty candy wrapper. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sara DATE:Oct 6, 2009 3:23:00 PM Chapstick and my keycard for work. Just like in high school, except substitute the keycard for my student ID. ;) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 6, 2009 3:58:00 PM Nothing - love pockets but never put anything in them cos it ruins the line. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Altissima DATE:Oct 6, 2009 4:44:00 PM Pockets can look quite pretty (like the loop shaped ones on the first picture in this post), but should never never be used for holding anything heavier than a kleenex. As a few other commenters have pointed out, carrying your day's requirements in pockets spoils the line of the outfit. Use a bag or purse! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Oct 6, 2009 5:00:00 PM right front: keys, money (both bills and change)
left front: cell phone
right rear: small, card-carrying-case type wallet, for ID and debit card
Shirt pocket: ciagarette pack (sorry!) with lighter tucked inside
Hanging from neck of shirt: dark glasses (in season) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa DATE:Oct 6, 2009 5:24:00 PM Earlier:
receipt from the thrift (had to return pants that didn't fit)
cell phone used for miscellaneous calls to the men in the family, none of whom would answer promptly. And a call from the daughter who got the highest grade in her college biology test. YAY!
lipstick in "Wine on Ice." ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lydia DATE:Oct 6, 2009 6:03:00 PM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lydia DATE:Oct 6, 2009 6:03:00 PM Putting things in my pockets may ruin my line, but so does walking and sitting. I'm willing to sacrifice my line for these things.

I'm wearing a skirt with one big interior right hip pocket, and a fleece pullover with a kangaroo pocket. I had my wallet, my iPod Touch (only in the fleece pocket, and only when I needed to use both hands to fix the copier), my watch (I usually put it on as I walk to work), and an ATM receipt in there at various times. I usually have a handkerchief, but left it at home today for some reason. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marcia DATE:Oct 6, 2009 6:13:00 PM "Gratuitous pockets"?

Isn't that an oxymoron? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marcia DATE:Oct 6, 2009 6:14:00 PM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

angldst DATE:Oct 6, 2009 7:00:00 PM I had jeans on earlier, with money in one of the pockets (yay money). I put side seam pockets in the skirts of most skirts & dresses I make. If I'm wearing one of those, there's a handkerchief in one pocket (gets pulled through a beltloop if I'm wearing jeans; I *always* have a handkerchief and make them myself out of leftovers from cotton projects), and my mobile or ipod in the other. If I'm wearing an apron in the kitchen, my ipod is in the pocket and I'm rocking out to hair metal while making jam. ;)

-d ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Erin DATE:Oct 6, 2009 9:17:00 PM When patterns call for pockets, I skip that step. But, if I had the pockets in that second pattern I would probably keep a lap dog in each one. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sarah DATE:Oct 6, 2009 10:43:00 PM Bobby pins, coins and an ipod.
:) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

AlasMyDear DATE:Oct 6, 2009 11:05:00 PM i've got pockets on my top today!

what's in them? my hands, keys, and access pass.

no bowling balls, i'm afraid ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joni DATE:Oct 7, 2009 7:16:00 AM Twenty-one dollars in cash that I found in the laundry. [it was mine to begin with, so I didn't get TOO excited!]

Pockets only spoil the line if you're wearing pants that are too tight, or a really fitted skirt, or if the pockets are the ridiculously small pockets that they always put on women's flat front dress pants. Otherwise, you can at least fit a chapstick [I can't live without chapstick], a cell phone and a slim wallet.

I've actually recently started *carrying* a purse after years of pocket-stuffing... does that mean I lose my D-a-D credentials? In my defense, it's a vintage-style Liz that I found at the thrift store... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

JustGail DATE:Oct 7, 2009 8:16:00 AM a bit of change, and tube of Blistex or gloss, everything else I don't normally need during the dayis in a bag. I would put lipstick in my pocket, but I haven't mastered putting it on well without a mirror. I usually don't put much in pockets - don't need the added bulk!

Erin - does the more frequent postings the last week or so meant you're getting settled in from the move/company startup/etc ??? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 7, 2009 9:43:00 AM I don't usually keep much beyond tissues and grocery lists in my pockets. I did just check though, and had a good laugh. I found my cat's eye drop medicine, which I had put in this morning in hopes of catching him and administering the drops. (He doesn't like his eye drop and runs.) --Karen ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Out of the Ashes Collectibles DATE:Oct 7, 2009 9:45:00 AM I love pockets! Especially those tiny little "penny" pockets on a bodice. Okay not useful but so cute! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

jessica DATE:Oct 7, 2009 10:03:00 AM Lint. I love that first dress, it's dang cute! I wish I could wear dressed like that but how do you get around the whole bra thing? Strapless, I suppose... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Oct 7, 2009 10:49:00 AM PS: When I'm in drag (which is only for a few hours, not a whole day), I always carry a small clutch that's stuffed to the brim with makeup, and tissue for blotting...in addition to the more mundane stuff. I guess powder and lipstick is all I ever use once I'm out, but am always afraid I'm going to get hit in the face by a breaking wave -- even though I live in the city -- and will have to repair everything. I actually do need lipliner and a bit of foundation handy, too, in case someone kisses me vigorously. And what's life if you don't leave room for that? (PPS: The real trick with heavy makeup is to take your time applying it using a 3-way magnifying mirror turned to its brightest setting. You can buy one from the 70's at a garage sale for $3. If you can get it so your makeup looks okay in that, it will look flawless out-and-about in real life.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Oct 7, 2009 10:52:00 AM PPPS: Rouge Passion by Max Factor -- available at drug stores -- is a good, classic red, with a navy undertone. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Oct 7, 2009 11:05:00 AM PPPS: For a very etched, defined look with your Rouge Passion, lightly outline lips with MAC Beet, then trace the tiniest bit of their Burgundy on top of that when you're all done. Don't forget the very inner corners of your mouth. Lipstick can easily bleed outward from there, but not pencil. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Oct 7, 2009 11:29:00 AM PPPPPPPPS: The bigger the lips, the bigger the tips. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

What-I-Found DATE:Oct 7, 2009 1:09:00 PM Oh, Cookie. I don't have much call to use these make-up ideas since I spend most of my time in KOA campgrounds, but it's nice to know that if I have occasion to go out where people might see me I now know exactly how to do my lips. And get tips.
Very good info to have! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

monika DATE:Oct 7, 2009 1:23:00 PM Left skirt pocket: tissues and mobile phone
Right skirt pocket: wallet
Left jacket pocket: keys
Right jacket pocket: bus card ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gretchen DATE:Oct 7, 2009 4:09:00 PM In my hoodie after getting the kids from school- One oak leaf, one tiny maple leaf, my glasses case, one shiny penny, two large woodchips, one smooth rock and one perfect acorn cap.

Why yes, I have a small naturalist with me, who hands me stuff and says "can you put this in your pocket for me?" even though he had four of his own pockets... just makes me check pockets extra well before laundering! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

minya. warrior seamstress DATE:Oct 7, 2009 6:42:00 PM In the "pork chop" pockets of my wrap skirt:
one hair scrunchie
one half-used tissue
safety pins
two store receipts
Blistex complete moisture stick
$20 bill
business card & research notes ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Oct 7, 2009 6:43:00 PM Cookie.
I have been desperately seeking the right color of red lipstick. I am quite sure once I find it I can take over the world. AND thanks to the makeup tips...7 of us are going as the 7 Deadly sins and want to do elaborate makeup. I wish I had a drag queen friend here to do it for me. sigh. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

peanut DATE:Oct 7, 2009 7:30:00 PM In my jeans: A hankie (as always) in my right pocket, and my ipod (slightly unusual and indicating that I realized I could make a boring afternoon at work much much better with the application of music) in my left.

In my coat: My keys and another hankie in the right pocket, a roll of doggie bags and an old receipt in the left.

Everything else important lives in my purse and is either too bulky for my pockets or something I don't ever want to have to search through last weeks pockets for. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 8, 2009 6:49:00 AM What aa beautifully designed sundress! Won't you make it, please? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 8, 2009 6:50:00 AM If you have allergies, you know that pockets are for tissues. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

CEMETARIAN We Dig Memories DATE:Oct 8, 2009 9:38:00 AM Cookie, if you pop back in..........I finally got that other 4 Yard Line Pattern listed on the website....it's Butterick 2168. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Oct 8, 2009 11:46:00 AM << I don't have much call to use these make-up ideas since I spend most of my time in KOA campgrounds >>

Quitter!

This is what you can do to meet lipstick halfway: Put some Vaseline or an oily lipbalm on your lips, then dot some lipstick on top. (Not as much as you would use on dry lips.) Smooth it around together, and you will end up with a nice, transparent stain. And since it will be sheer, it will not look awful if it moves around outside your lipline at some point. And while you're at it, you can groom your eyebrows by rubbing a very small amount of Vaseline over them, then brushing them into place with an old, soft toothbrush. This can encourage eyebrow growth over time, though, so pluck them into shape beforehand if you don't want heavier brows.

Makeup artist Bobbie Brown says the most invaluable lipstick to have for everyday is one that matches your own lip color as closely as possible (it will naturally harmonize with the rest of your coloring), so try experimenting with one like that, in addition to reds and burgundies, etc. (You can also pick out good eyeshadow colors by looking at the colors that already exist in your eyelids and under-eye area.)

Let's go! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Packrat DATE:Oct 8, 2009 12:43:00 PM Cookie, thanks for the tips. I'm allergic to most makeup but I can use Vaseline. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

evalyn DATE:Oct 8, 2009 12:44:00 PM Well, I have pockets and I have keys and lip balm. Some combination of the above at all times. Meaning, I never know which pocket has what until I've search them all. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cathy DATE:Oct 19, 2009 2:06:00 PM I am a sucker for a dress with pockets. They're just so much more comfortable. =) Fun blog. Cheers! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Nov 18, 2009 5:25:00 PM I love pockets! Every blazer jacket, skirt, dress, and pants I have has pockets; deep pockets. I keep a small wallet with all the things I need plus my keys. I wear overalls alot and they have lots of pockets. Oh I always have pockets for my hands, I always have my hands in my pockets! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Three Pocket Items DATE: 8:18 AM ----- BODY:

This is Vogue 8577, which STILL doesn't have any reviews (that I can find) on PatternReview. C'mon, people! I don't have time to sew modern stuff that hasn't been reviewed on PatternReview! (Luckily, this dress has plenty of reviews. But no pockets. I can add pockets, though ...)

The Guardian has a piece on "how to wear dresses with pockets", which I'm not sure needed the depth of treatment they gave it (and I think their presenter, Jess Cartner-Morley, either thought the whole thing was a bit ridic herself, or it was the morning after the night before, as she wasn't able to work up much enthusiasm for the subject). Anyway, it's a video, just so's you know. (Thanks to Lolita for the link!)

Liz sent me a link to a pocket exhibition in Australia. I was pretty excited (not booking-tickets-to-Australia excited, but still excited) until I saw that the exhibit was of ONE JACKET, and "a collection of small, stand-alone pockets, made from materials such as leather and fabric". Hmmph.

At least I'm almost done with a skirt that has exclamation-point fabric pockets. Now there are some pockets to be excited about!

Labels: pockets, Vogue_8577

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Jul 13, 2009 9:56:00 AM That Guardian thing - really? How to wear a dress with pockets - put your hands in them. Bit like those serving suggestions you get on tins and packets - try putting it on a plate!

I quite liked the dress she was wearing, but the rest were very sack like as she showed them on hangers. Pockets are for putting things in dear. Like you said Erin, she didn't seem to be able to work up much enthusiasm for the subject!

That Vogue dress looks comfy - the right fabric and could be pretty too. I hope someone is up for a test drive of the pattern soon!

Only thing better than an ! is an !? Which is, of course, called an interrabang. Love them, I do. Can't you tell!? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

E2D2 DATE:Jul 13, 2009 10:06:00 AM I just finished making this dress last weekend and love it! The pockets are nice and deep and the whole thing was easy to put together with well drafted pieces. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lydia DATE:Jul 13, 2009 10:07:00 AM I keep looking at this pattern, but I know those gathers at the shoulders would *not* flatter me. And I'm too lazy to redraft the pattern piece to eliminate them. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kristy DATE:Jul 13, 2009 10:07:00 AM Wow, I love that Vogue dress. If I wasn't sick at home with the flu, I'd start it today :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cindy DATE:Jul 13, 2009 10:34:00 AM I have both patterns but haven't tried either! I have to say--I have always had luck with vogue dresses esp. the easy sew (I am not sure if either falls in the easy sew catagory). Can't wait to see your version--I might try the one with pockets soon! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jul 13, 2009 3:57:00 PM Will they do a video on How To Wear Shoes With Laces next? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

El Notable DATE:Jul 13, 2009 4:02:00 PM I love your blog. Such amazing ideas and patterns!
this is my blog if you want to take a look:
www.elnotable.blogspot.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

brocadegoddess DATE:Jul 13, 2009 4:32:00 PM Say, have you ever heard of/read the article by Barbara Burman entitled "Pocketing the Difference"? It's a really delightfully written article on women's pockets mostly during the 19th century and issues surrounding them. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jill DATE:Jul 13, 2009 4:45:00 PM I made the Vouge 1086 after you posted it here this spring. I agree with most of the reviews- definitely low cut and wide arm holes, I wear a cami under it for work. A couple comments I didn't see in the reviews... If you follow the directions for the neck facing, you will end up with a blob of fabric in the front rather than a nice point. I had to get a second opinion on how to fix it, and if you go with instinct rather than the instructions you should be fine. Also, if you use a directional print fabric and cut according to the pattern grain lines, the yoke front print will end up sideways. Overall, glad I made it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marjie DATE:Jul 13, 2009 5:49:00 PM How to wear pockets. Next week's symposium covers how to wear sleeves, with the bonus discussion: "Shoes: are they right for you?" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa Simeone DATE:Jul 13, 2009 6:13:00 PM Remember that Seinfeld episode where Elaine gets mad at the guy she's dating because of exclamation points? He didn't use one in a note he wrote to her relaying a message from a friend who'd had a baby. "You know," says Jerry, "I thought I've heard everything. I've never heard a relationship being affected by a punctuation." ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Jul 13, 2009 11:43:00 PM i found the cure to my insomnia (almost) the pocket video! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 14, 2009 3:13:00 AM Hmm, I like the look of that dress (V8577), however there was a comment on pattern review to the effect that why was it shown as a drawing rather than on a model? And would it make those of us with chunky waists look even more chunky? I am also waiting to see a review of it, glad it worked out for you E2D2, do you have pictures?????????

Anon in Ireland ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Latter-Day Flapper DATE:Jul 14, 2009 8:32:00 AM Now women need instructions on wearing dresses with pockets?? That's it--Western civilization is coming to an end.

I kind of like 8577--it has that waist-yoke-button-front-1940's-housedress-ish thing going on. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jul 14, 2009 12:29:00 PM << Next week's symposium covers how to wear sleeves, with the bonus discussion: "Shoes: are they right for you?" >>

THIS JUST IN: The groundbreaking Understanding Underwear video has just been green lit!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Latter-Day Flapper DATE:Jul 14, 2009 3:23:00 PM Adding shape? My hips don't need any more shape!

How about "Not dropping your stuff" or "Sneaking fun-size candy bars into that summer rom-com matinee"? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 14, 2009 4:59:00 PM I love dresses with pockets cus you can where them up or down there so versatile,

Please visit my blog http://onestopbeauty.onsugar.com/ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kim F. DATE:Jul 15, 2009 9:32:00 AM I've been waiting for a review on 8577, too. It's been on my wishlist for quite some time since it looks good and vintage-y to my eye. 1086 I'm trying to get up the nerve to make a muslin of soon in the hopes that it will work in silk charmeuse for my 20th high school reunion! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Rachel DATE:Jul 16, 2009 8:33:00 AM Thanks for the link to the pocket exhibition... it's in my city! I'm gonna head on down this weekend or next week!! :D ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julie DATE:Jul 16, 2009 10:19:00 PM Holy moly, Vogue 8577 has been added to "the list", IYKWIM. Really cute. I don't know when I'll be able to buy it, though -- anyone know why Vogue Patterns are so friggin' expensive? Last time I looked (at a large Canadian chain) they were like $25.99.

Erin, did you get the MEAT fabric yet? I sent it some time ago and I haven't had Internet access to check for successful delivery. (Thanks to an anonymous neighbour I have rejoined society... but I shall say no more.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Erin DATE:Jul 17, 2009 10:28:00 PM oh! no meat fabric yet, but I haven't been to the post office for days ... I'll check on Monday! Thanks! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

brocadegoddess DATE:Jul 20, 2009 5:06:00 PM "Last time I looked (at a large Canadian chain) they were like $25.99."

Julie: which chain are we talking about here? The only one I know of in Canada (I'm Canadian too) is Fabricland, where they sell them most of the time for something like 50% off the MSR. Notably, they constantly have pattern sales, cycling through the Big 4 companies + Burda. They end up having Vogue patterns on sale for $5.99 about 4 times/year. You can look up sales on the website www.fabricland.com It's the only time I buy vogue patterns. They are actually on sale this week (July 20-26) in most Ontario stores! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

CHICKDOWNTOWN.COM Kyra DATE:Jul 23, 2009 7:27:00 AM Absolutely love these dresses! So timeless and classy ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Everything's Cooler with a Cape DATE: 10:15 AM ----- BODY:

I think this dress is aDORable. The pockets! The buttons! The CAPE! So cute. Even though the women in the illustration are obviously deciding which of the cater-waiters they will later kill, dismember, and eat.

This is also one of those rare pattern envelopes where I would follow the suggested color schemes slavishly. Red gingham-y print? Sure. Yellow poplin? You betcha. Then I'd make one in grass green, with white trim.

Even better? This pattern is on sale! That's right, Lisa at yourpatternshop is celebrating her one-year anniversary with a sale going on now. All items have been marked down 15% and can be used in combination with the "dressaday" code for free shipping to USA and Canada buyers. Happy Anniversary, Lisa!

Labels: pockets, sales, Simplicity_2042, sundresses

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Packrat DATE:Jul 7, 2009 11:11:00 AM Love this dress! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Jul 7, 2009 11:41:00 AM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Jul 7, 2009 11:42:00 AM WOW! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 7, 2009 12:07:00 PM This reminds me of a lovely blue roses Easter dress with a matching cape when I was 6. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Trudy Callan DATE:Jul 7, 2009 12:23:00 PM I agree. This is an adorable dress.

www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

fabricgirl DATE:Jul 7, 2009 3:40:00 PM What a cute summer dress!
I love how the envelope reads "Half Size Slenderette", letting the buyer know that this was a slimming style. I remember that 'half-size' was code for what was called 'chubby' teen and children's clothing. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

AE DATE:Jul 7, 2009 4:19:00 PM Interesting! So that's what "half size slenderette" means. I Googled the phrase without much luck and thought maybe it referred to petite lengths. "Half size slenderette" has been running through my head all afternoon. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jul 7, 2009 4:55:00 PM Personally, I prefer the CHUB-DEB line of patterns for those post-holiday months, but the Half-Size Slenderettes sound intriguing, as well. (Are we ALL half-sizes now, since the 1950's and 60's foundation garments have been tossed out?) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Packrat DATE:Jul 7, 2009 5:59:00 PM Note to comments: Half sizes were for short women with a fuller or mature figure. For example my 5 foot tall, 110 pound grandmother wore a 10-1/2 to 121/2 half size. She was slender with a mature figure. She would have looked ridiculous in an 9 or 11 junior petite which were made for young people. I wish the pattern companies would bring back patterns for us shorties. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nicci DATE:Jul 7, 2009 6:09:00 PM You're right, it is so cute! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 7, 2009 8:08:00 PM ha! I have this pattern, and the fabric I intended to use.....two summers ago! it IS adorable. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

natashaviva DATE:Jul 8, 2009 7:13:00 AM Awwwwwww, What remarkable dresses, masterpieces, charm. http://www.picktorrent.com I love it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Latter-Day Flapper DATE:Jul 8, 2009 7:37:00 AM Y'all just solved a mystery for me!

I've got a dress pattern that's a half-size and, when I made it up, the "natural" waistline ended up just under my bust. But if half-sizes were for petites, that totally makes sense, since I haven't been petite since I was eleven years old. I didn't think I was that incompetent at following patterns!

* * * * * *

I love that dress, but those are some sly-looking women. Secret agents? The one on the left could be Natasha from the "Bullwinkle" cartoons before she hit the vodka too hard and had to take up with Boris. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jul 8, 2009 11:16:00 AM I agree they're scary dames. It's like these two women have turned to a life of violent crime to compensate for their half-size state. Kind of a Napoleon Complex for girls? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Melissa DATE:Jul 8, 2009 1:15:00 PM It's the crime-fighting duo of Halfsize and Slenderette! Whenever an innocent citizen of Gingham City is in danger, they whip on their minicapes and super-pointy shoes and fly to the rescue. Slenderette is having a chuckle over the fact that none of the other reporters at the Daily Pleat recognize her when she's wearing white gloves. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Jul 8, 2009 9:30:00 PM oooooooooooooooh no wonder half size patterns fit me better===5'2" with ahem a mature figure ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jul 9, 2009 1:27:00 PM Theresa: I believe we all saw you looking pretty d@mn swell in a dark blue wrap dress you made for the office once? When everyone posted pics of sewing projects? What's with this farkakt "mature figure" caca? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 9, 2009 7:56:00 PM I've made one dress from a half-size/slenderette pattern. I am 5'6" with a full bust, and I found that if I lengthened the torso to fit, the bust was full enough without any adjustments. I now look for the half size whenever I'm shopping for patterns. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Now All I Need is A Ball To Attend DATE: 8:11 AM ----- BODY:

Thanks to Lulu Yen, I know now of the existence of Vogue 890. Sadly, the one above on eBay isn't my size, but I'll get you, my pretty. I will.

So the plan is:

-- get pattern in my size, or a close approximation thereof
-- make pattern in fantastic fabric (maybe my brown roses fabric, which is still looking for a home?)
-- await invitation to ball, which at this point is going to be one I attend as the duenna of my granddaughter, but that's okay. (For point of reference: my son is nine.)
-- attend ball, carrying numerous useful items (sewing kit, handkerchief, cough drops, band-aids, bowling ball) in my capacious POCKETS!

I think it's a very good plan. What say you?

Labels: ballgowns, balls, pockets, Vogue_890

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Libby Fife DATE:May 14, 2009 8:36:00 AM Will it be the Ball of Super Tall Women? I am afraid you will have to grow by several feet in order to attend. Good luck. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 14, 2009 8:55:00 AM another plan is to get said pattern. Convince Vogue that the Dress a Day people will flock to get the Vintage Vogue modern copy. Let Vogue resize it for you. Put the Dress a Day logo on the front of it. Be a hero to thousands of fans.

Then we can all gather in Chicago in our new dresses for a stimulating celebration of the dress. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lydia DATE:May 14, 2009 9:01:00 AM Erin,

Seems to me you could fudge something very similar using a basic square-neck princess seamed pattern and your method for inserting pockets into a six-gored skirt. Just make cuff the pockets!

Why go hunting around for a pricey vintage pattern when you can cobble something quite similar with what's on hand? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Krista DATE:May 14, 2009 9:12:00 AM I say that you make the short version up as a fabulously swingy sundress and flaunt it now. Just saying.

Oh, and pocketz! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

dulcet DATE:May 14, 2009 9:18:00 AM Of course, I had to image-google Sybil Connolly. Wow. You must take at look at this dress. Piping, lovely color, tiny pleats all the way down!
http://www.antiquedress.com/item4352.htm
(Wish I knew how to make that link.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Trudy Callan DATE:May 14, 2009 9:54:00 AM I second Krista on making the shorter version and Lydia on making it up in your size. It would be so lovely.

www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tart Deco DATE:May 14, 2009 10:23:00 AM Or- you can get the dress and resize it yourself- http://tartdeco.blogspot.com/search/label/resizing%20vintage%20patterns ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Beth Dunn DATE:May 14, 2009 11:16:00 AM I love that gown. So pretty! xoxo ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 14, 2009 11:35:00 AM Love it as a sundress. As a formal? Meh.
-Sandra ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Chantelle DATE:May 14, 2009 11:55:00 AM OMG I love it! A ballgown that's gorgeous AND practical! I think I'd like to have the pockets over carrying a clutch or purse, because a purse has to be put somewhere. And I like to have everything in easy reach.

I think the pattern could work in the shorter length as a summer party dress as well.

I guess it would be possible, not to mention less expensive, to reconstruct the dress from another pattern in one's size (note that this process is much easier if you can see the back of the pattern so you know exactly what the pieces look like). My SO often tells me that I should just reconstruct the dresses instead of buying all of these patterns.

But... there's something about being able to see the illustration and work with the original pattern and instructions that I like. I guess that it's part of the magic of working with vintage patterns.

Chantelle ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sam DATE:May 14, 2009 12:19:00 PM What's the name of the designer on that pocket: XXXXX of Ireland ??? seems funny.. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

val DATE:May 14, 2009 12:44:00 PM If there is no occasion, the best thing to do is MAKE ONE.

I have told friends that all attendees of movie night must be smartly attired in a dress or skirt. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

verobirdie DATE:May 14, 2009 1:11:00 PM OK it is practical, but I cant get to the idea of a ball dress with pockets :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Krista DATE:May 14, 2009 1:16:00 PM Oh, you must check out Dulcet's link. I clicked on it and was all SQUEEE infinity! What a masterpiece and an incredibly artful zipper installation! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miss Rayne DATE:May 14, 2009 1:29:00 PM Lots of dresses from this period had HUGE pockets, no need for an actual reason for them, just the fashion.
Personally I find it hard to be without pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

--ginger. DATE:May 14, 2009 2:44:00 PM I think it's a totally excellent plan. Especially the part about the bowling ball. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

smalltownmom DATE:May 14, 2009 3:46:00 PM I love the POCKETS! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miss Amelina DATE:May 14, 2009 4:04:00 PM FYI...I just passed along a sisterhood blogging award...You are a busy bean, so no need to respond. I just wanted you to know that your words have been a delightful source of inspiration over the last couple years. And I know that I am not alone in wanting to thank you for your sense of humor, honesty and talent! Sew on!!
I hope you find your ball!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marjie DATE:May 14, 2009 5:03:00 PM It would also be an awesome mother of the groom dress. Of course, you have to wait a while for that, too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Maggie DATE:May 14, 2009 7:14:00 PM Erin, I never cease to be amazed at the pockets you (with help from your friends) find all over the place. How cool on a ball gown/dress. You have identified yourself so much with pockets that I never see a pocket embelishing something without thinking of you. You sprung to mind just yesterday while I was perusing a book with great shots of Jackie Kennedy's coat for the inauguration. Gorgeous pockets designed by Oleg Cassini.
Marguerite ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:May 14, 2009 7:43:00 PM If you wear this to a ball once your 9-year-old is grown, the pockets might be put to good use if filled with spare change/gold dubloons. I am watching The Tudors right now, and the queens are always handing out coins to the poor when they're in public. If our economy crashes further and further, there could well be swarms of hungry savages surrounding that ballroom in 15 years, BUT if you carry enough coins with you in those pockets and distribute them as you go, you JUST might make it safely inside! GOOD LUCK! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

*Sandra* DATE:May 14, 2009 8:57:00 PM Cookie, the Queen still doles out Maundy money, but these days it's to worthy souls rather than to poor souls. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Heidi DATE:May 14, 2009 9:15:00 PM If you wore that to a ball, I can guarantee you'd be incredibly popular: "Oh dear, I've pricked myself with a rose!" "Not to worry! I have a Band-Aid in my pocket!" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Alaina DATE:May 14, 2009 10:21:00 PM Oh my goodness, I just made a dress out of that brown roses fabric! Not for myself, unfortunately. And not a ballgown. But you're right, it's amazing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8383227@N07/3532827342/ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 15, 2009 2:28:00 AM Or you could make the cocktail dress and hold the entire cocktail cabinet in your pockets. Or keep one for an ice bucket. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:May 15, 2009 7:08:00 AM A ballgown with POCKETS! Genius!More proof, as if we needed it, that vintage patterns and designers are WONDERFUL. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pinup Dresses DATE:May 15, 2009 9:06:00 AM My pretty is right! In either form, a shorter more casual or a ballgown :) Sometimes a gal has to overdress. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

brocadegoddess DATE:May 15, 2009 9:36:00 AM Oh, but this would be so so easy to grade! Go ahead and get it, I also noticed that it's so far pretty cheap. I'd be going for it myself if the seller shipped to Canada, but they apparently don't, Boo-urns! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:May 15, 2009 11:53:00 AM << Cookie, the Queen still doles out Maundy money, but these days it's to worthy souls rather than to poor souls. >>

Great...so now you have to prove your WORTHY of some beggarly coins, with which to buy food? Rickets isn't enough anymore? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:May 15, 2009 2:04:00 PM If I'm not mistaken, Vogue has recently re-run an amazingly similar Vintage Design, V2267 - it's the short version, and it has a little short-sleeved cropped jacket. It's in the "Out of Print" section, but still available there. I actually picked up my copy from Lanetz Living, I believe. It doesn't have the long version, or the pockets, but surely you might be able to cobble it up? Or to combine it WITH the original pattern here? If not, Vogue 8577 (current) might be usable - it certainly has its own very large pockets!

I had forgotten how utterly beautiful that brown roses fabric is. You MUST make it up and wear it! Please? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 1, 2009 12:59:00 PM Erin, you are definetly "Ms. Pockets". Just like Susan Graver on QVC, you both love pockets. This is a nice dress. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Caped Avengers DATE: 6:30 PM ----- BODY:

Sheila at Out of the Ashes sent me a notice that she's having a big spring cleaning sale this week -- 15% off, use the coupon code SPRINGCLEAN to get the discount.

This dress calls to me, more for the totally adorable pockets than for the kind of "huh?" capelet. And perhaps, just a little, for the green polka-dot hat. Some day when I don't have anything better to do I'm going to wear a green polka-dot hat, just for the hell of it. And whenever anyone says anything about it, I'm going to pretend I have NO IDEA what they're talking about.

Them: "Nice hat!"
Me: [blank stare]

I think I would have to do the same thing if I ever made a dress with a capelet, like this one. Either that, or I'd be humming the old Mighty Mouse theme song all day long. (HERE I come to SAVE the DAY!)

You know what else I can't see myself doing? Wearing a scarf that sticks out from between two buttons of the bodice, like Pink Dress in the background. I think the other two women are talking about how she crashed their Kapelet Klatsch without the necessary accouterments. (While doing their Seekrit Kapelet Klatsch Elbow-Shake, of course.)

Green Hat: The *nerve* of her! And what's with the scarf?
Floral Dress: I know! But pass the Kapelet Kahlua Kocktails round again, will you, darling? I'm losing my buzz!
Green Hat: HERE I come to SAVE the DAY!

Labels: capelets, pockets, Simplicity_1998

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Christine D DATE:Apr 27, 2009 8:09:00 PM Perhaps Pink Dress is losing some of her (ahem) "enhancing" tissues... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Apr 27, 2009 9:32:00 PM Pink dress also looks like she has a wacky hat on that is shaped like a giant, brain sucking daisy. It probably made her pull that scarf trick. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Genevieve DATE:Apr 27, 2009 10:27:00 PM You are completely demented! Keep it up! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 28, 2009 1:32:00 AM delurking to say... you are very funny! Yay! :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Apr 28, 2009 2:29:00 AM No, no, that's not a pink dress, that is her uniform as the restroom attendant where they hold their Kapelet Klatsch meetings. You pull on the end and tear off to dry your hands.

I loved Mighty Mouse. Your inspired nonsense always saves the day ;)!

Yes, the wearing of green polka dot hats should commence forthwith, especially ones that you deny wearing.

Cheers,
AJ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

anniebelle DATE:Apr 28, 2009 5:29:00 AM I've got to quit reading your posts at 6:00 AM while drinking coffee. I almost woke the whole house up (not to mention what almost hsppened to the monitor!)
Thanks for the needed laugh,

Nancy ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 28, 2009 6:39:00 AM Midori, the female violinist, was in concert this past weekend, wearing a gown with a capelet, almost exactly like this one. The rest of the dress was different, but I have to say that was the first capelet I've seen in many a year. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gwensews DATE:Apr 28, 2009 7:06:00 AM Pink dress is actually incognito as she is actually a tissue dispenser!

You are such a stitch! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

heiligeglut DATE:Apr 28, 2009 7:59:00 AM HaHA! You just made me snort milk all over my keyboard with the "*blank stare*" bit. Thanks!

(oh, and the Mighty Mouse theme is now stuck in my head for the remainder of my morning, I think) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 28, 2009 8:22:00 AM I've seen a lot of vintage pattern with the scarf sticking out of the bodice bit and frankly, I don't get it.

Jsut like we had International Wear a Dress Day, we should have International Wear a Polka Dot Hat and Act Oblivious Day. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Melissa DATE:Apr 28, 2009 8:44:00 AM Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Joan Crawford and the MadCaps!

The capelet reminds me of Fred and Ginger's big kiss scene in "Swing Time."

Fred: I like your dress.
Ginger: Thank you.
Fred: I like the sleeves.
Ginger: Oh, it's a... it's a cape. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Rebecca Z. DATE:Apr 28, 2009 9:12:00 AM flower dress's bones have turned to some Gumby-like rubber, perhaps because she lost her hat?

I only wish the green pumps were polka-dotted, too. And I'd embroider the green capelet with polka dots, but rainbow colors, not white, and paint my nose red, becoming the most feminine klown at the klatch. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 28, 2009 9:48:00 AM Ooh... the seams on the back of the skirt that turn into inverted pleats are tasty! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 28, 2009 1:14:00 PM The capelet is...interesting. I guess when you're trying to entice pattern-buyers, manufacturers put a little of everything out there. But I wonder what the illustrator thought as they were reading the assignment; "Bodice folds downward from V-neck into short cape...WTF????" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Thoughts on Life and Millinery. DATE:Apr 28, 2009 1:24:00 PM I want that green polka dot hat.
And once you get a bit older, capes that hide upper arm wobbles might become more appealing... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cathy DATE:Apr 28, 2009 1:52:00 PM Reacting to the dress and not the story (wonderful as the thread is) - my mother made this dress in a deep purple. I think she had another version, too, but that's the one I remember.

I believe there was a hat involved at first, but I don't remember it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 28, 2009 2:17:00 PM Flowered dress looks dammned excited about something ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sara DATE:Apr 28, 2009 4:26:00 PM I've been really enjoying your site. Love it! I just bought a green polka dot skirt.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

50sgal DATE:Apr 28, 2009 6:51:00 PM It's funny your saying that about the hat, as I am often wearing my darling 1950's hats (being in 1955 and all) and will sometimes get stares, which I usually respond with blank stares or BIG smiles, though I actually get more compliments than I thought I would. I really think ladies WANT to wear hats but are afraid or think they can't for some reason. It is odd, that we have such freedom in what we are 'allowed' to wear and yet most people wear boring jeans and t's all the time. I adore this pattern. I have not been able to sew for a month or so no, but promise myself in May to make at least a few dresses and skirts. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 28, 2009 7:01:00 PM I like that green dress. It will go great with my black gloves & boots. Oh, the pockets. Hidden but right there to put your hands in or something else in. Don't really care for the floral print; I wear solid dark colors mostly. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Summer DATE:Apr 28, 2009 8:07:00 PM You are so funny..This post just made my day complete.Thanks for sharing..Have a wonderful day too.;D

http://www.soloden.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Solo DATE:Apr 29, 2009 1:30:00 AM That was so funny.I love this post,an hoping to see more like this.;D

http://www.solofoodtrip.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Linda S DATE:Apr 30, 2009 11:21:00 AM I actually saw some anchor on the news this morning wearing a jacket (bright yellow) with a similar look to the pink dress. My thought was wtf??!!! Funny to see this post now. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Betsy DATE:May 5, 2009 12:43:00 AM It is dangerous for me to come to this blog because I get lost in it when I need to be sleeping (I really need to be sleeping). But everything about A Dress A Day is so much fun. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Holly DATE:May 7, 2009 12:58:00 PM you are hilarious! thank you for blogging. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sharon DATE:May 9, 2009 10:28:00 PM I love your stories. Wish I had a hat to send you :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MoreBecoming DATE:May 12, 2009 2:00:00 PM I SUPER love crazy people! That means I SUPER love me, and I SUPER love you!! This blog is the best thing that has happened to my life . . . that includes me being born--I'll tell my mother. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

shellebelle DATE:May 12, 2009 11:19:00 PM The...only problem I have with the green dress is that it's the same color that they used to wear all the time in hospitals.

Though it is a cute dress! ;) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Patsy DATE:May 13, 2009 5:04:00 PM Great stories! I think little "Miss Pink Dress" just came out of the cloak closet where she has her own Kahlua hid. No sharing with the other ladies...chance of infection you know~
OMG she has a doily on her head! Just like the one I wore for my First Communion! Must have been 1971! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: This Week's Pattern Story DATE: 7:00 AM ----- BODY:

WANTED: for racketeering, aggravated assault, shoplifting, and littering (gum):

FEMALE, blond, 5'3", approximately fifteen years old. Last seen in gray long-sleeved dress with black handbag.

FEMALE, brunette, 5'4", approximately fourteen years old. Last seen in maroon and pink short-sleeved dress. No bag.

SUSPECTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

Suspects are wanted for questioning in connection with a robbery and assault in Weinberg's Drug Store on Tuesday, April 14. Taken were multiple lipsticks and powder compacts, several hairbands, and an unknown quantity of chewing gum. Suspects tripped the store proprietor when he gave chase and doused him with a combination of flour and orange soda. Suspects may have one or more unknown accomplices, given the amount of gum missing.

$5 Reward for information leading to the arrest and grounding of suspects.

(Thanks to Janet at Lanetz Living for the image!)

Labels: Butterick_4050, patternstories, pockets, whatsthestory

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 16, 2009 2:15:00 PM The blonde reminds me of Naughty Nan, who came to Plumfield in Little Men and immediately wreaked havoc all OVER the place. Obviously, the crime spree was her idea. Brunette's not a bad kid, just impressionable. And her mother's been ill for a long time.

But I think it was these same two girls who went on to found the International Sewing Conspiracy later, when they got fed up with a semester of routine Home Ec assignments. And for that, we must give them credit. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 16, 2009 2:27:00 PM new information in the crime spree of two teens this morning: bottomless pockets! the girls in question it seems have created the bottomless pockets in an attempt to carry more chewing gum than should be humanly possible, no news yet on whether the girls will share their secret with the public; more at 11. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

micky DATE:Apr 16, 2009 3:28:00 PM You'd think someone who wanted pockets in order to slip in a few lipsticks and packs of gum would have placed them a little more convieniently. How is one supposed to gracefully slip a compact into a shoulder pocket without looking like a contortionist? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 16, 2009 4:25:00 PM The shoulder pocket might be merely a distraction...see how it's sewn on at a hypnotic angle? Who knows how these criminal minds work! Also, that might be where the hankie of flour is kept, to pull out with your teeth and blow at a pursuer when your hands are full of loot. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

indigotangerine DATE:Apr 16, 2009 5:30:00 PM blonde has had previous offenses, but has never been caught. Theorists believe that she head a crime ring that has been terrorizing Walgreens and selling Bubbilicious on the black market.
-indigo ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 16, 2009 5:45:00 PM After careful consideration, I've concluded the (unlined) breast pocket is but an entryway/chute, leading to a hollowed-out brassiere. The girls pretend to try on a lipstick shade at a targeted drugstore counter, then drop the lipstick into the pocket when unobserved. From there it rattles down into the bra, where it remains concealed. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pinup Dresses DATE:Apr 17, 2009 1:02:00 AM aww man.. teens get such a bad rap. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 17, 2009 3:23:00 AM And they look as if butter wouldn't melt...?

Cookie I had to laugh 'who knows how these criminal minds work' comment - and yet you've suggested the most ingenious things?! Love it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Latter-Day Flapper DATE:Apr 17, 2009 8:06:00 AM The pocket on the skirt is clearly one pocket over another, like a false-bottomed trunk. So if they search your pocket, they can't figure out where all the loot went.

Wearing Marian Martin 9359 today, which is more housedressy but about the same vintage. I'm finding the late 1940's-early 1950's is a favorite era of mine, dress-wise. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Melissa DATE:Apr 17, 2009 9:36:00 AM These kids! First it's racketeering; next thing you know it's rick-racketeering. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 17, 2009 10:38:00 AM all of you are hilarious. Especially rick-racketeering! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Apr 17, 2009 1:54:00 PM Latter-Day Flapper: Oh, same here! Given my druthers, I'd pick patterns from 1947/8-1952; I love the classic New Look patterns, and get SO FRUSTRATED over all the lovely ones available for the 32" bust. I might have had a 32" bust in grammar school. Early in grammar school. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Happy Tax Day! DATE: 9:00 AM ----- BODY:

Okay, no one is excited about Tax Day, but here's a fantastic dress, made entirely of tax forms, to distract you:

(thanks to Kariann, Renee, and Lisa for the link!)

Also: the winner of the pockets haiku contest is ...

Pocket—something there?
Feel doe-soft ears and paw pads;
Kitten stowaway!

The winner is Shay, of Little Gray Bungalow! Congratulations! (Kittens? Always win.) Shay, email me for your copy of Singer Perfect Plus and the coupon for $10 off your order at MOMSPatterns (thanks to Jen).

Labels: contest, haiku, pockets, taxes (and not death)

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sal DATE:Apr 15, 2009 9:10:00 AM Hahaha, that dress is fantastic! Perhaps a mite itchy ... but still a great concept. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jimena DATE:Apr 15, 2009 9:19:00 AM wow that dress is original ... i like ur blogs ..Its cool
xxx ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Alyssa DATE:Apr 15, 2009 9:59:00 AM How does that fasten!? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Krista DATE:Apr 15, 2009 10:37:00 AM Duh, it fastens in the back with IRS red tape. LOL! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Shay DATE:Apr 15, 2009 11:21:00 AM Gobsmacked. Seriously. I never so much as won an essay contest when I was a kid!

Thanks, Erin. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Melody DATE:Apr 15, 2009 1:40:00 PM I love that dress. It is so pretty and creative. I liked Krista's job about IRS red tape, LOL! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

karooble DATE:Apr 15, 2009 2:03:00 PM Oh, I loved that haiku! It was my favorite. Kittens are just irresistible. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marjie DATE:Apr 15, 2009 2:17:00 PM Even that dress couldn't solve my dearly beloved's foul mood today! Not-Happy Tax Day to You! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Glamour Girl DATE:Apr 15, 2009 4:49:00 PM Favoloso!! Love the soft pink color -- how did they do that?

Finished my taxes a week ago -- whew! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Apr 15, 2009 4:55:00 PM Oh, excellent! Congratulations, Shay! Anybody who brings in kittens brings in teh winz, as far as I'm concerned! I loved your haiku! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

LIsa Simeone DATE:Apr 15, 2009 4:56:00 PM Oh, I just checked out her website, where she explains it:

"I mostly used the beautifully pink Child and Dependent Care 1040A forms plus some paler pink Individual tax forms."

She's selling it on eBay. So far, the bids are at $306 and counting! Proceeds go to the great organization Heifer International. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gwensews DATE:Apr 15, 2009 6:54:00 PM Fabulous! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 16, 2009 8:37:00 AM I love the weaving on the midriff...wouldn't you all love a fabric version of that dress? I know I would. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tracy DATE:Apr 16, 2009 8:48:00 AM Hi,

My name is Tracy Jackson, I'm the Affilate Manager here at Fabric.com. We have an exciting promotion that I'm sure you and your readers would be interested in.

In celebration of our 10th anniversary, we're giving away a trip to Italy! Yes Italy, along with many other fabulous gifts. Here is the link to all the information you'll need to register.

http://csi.fabric.com/sew_much_fun?cm_re=4%2f15%2f2009-_-Home-_-Sweepstakes

"Sew" please pass the word along and good luck!

Thank you

Tracy Jackson
Affiliate Manager
1-888-455-2940 ext. 214

p.s. Would you like to earn up to 10% commission? Don't leave money on the table, call me or email me at tracy@fabric.com. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tanya DATE:Apr 16, 2009 8:57:00 AM Love the hovertext! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pinup Dresses DATE:Apr 16, 2009 12:59:00 PM YAY for Kitten & Shay! Too cute :)

I like the weaving too on that dress. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen ~ MOMSPatterns DATE:Apr 16, 2009 3:05:00 PM Oooh! I just added my mom & dad's pic from 1962! That is so cool! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jesa Christ DATE:May 21, 2009 11:49:00 AM Oh, I would love this dress! When my mom was little they would buy dresses made out of paper for fancy occasions (you know how hard kids can be on nice clothing). You could only wear it once or twice, but you would look fabulous at a fraction of the price!I wish they would bring that back. I'd have more closet room... I can't seem to throw anything away, and I hate wearing the same thing over and over again... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: P-P-P-P-Pockets! DATE: 9:53 AM ----- BODY:

Lisa (at Miss Helene's) sent me the link to this little number:

I kinda love it. Doesn't it feel weirdly postmodern, though? I mean, imagine it a foot shorter, made up in black nylon taffeta, by a designer whose name ends with a vowel, and worn with a rat's-nest hairstyle, ripped tights, and platform witch boots. See what I mean?

(And yes, I realize that it's terrible that she has those two pockets on the side where she's MISSING an ARM. So inconvenient!)

Labels: pockets, WomansDay_3227

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lauren DATE:Apr 13, 2009 12:12:00 PM Maybe she has a prosthetic and keeps it in the bigger pocket when it's not in use. She has two pockets so she can keep other stuff in the little one. Very practical garment. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Deirdre DATE:Apr 13, 2009 1:32:00 PM I absolutely love the three button front of this dress.

That's a pretty big pocket, there. Two pockets! At first I tought it was one pocket with the flap in the upright position.

Also, I love the stitching detail down the front all the way to the hem! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen ~ MOMSPatterns DATE:Apr 13, 2009 2:34:00 PM That's a GREAT pocket pattern! Lisa & I were just recently talking about how the older Women's Day patterns were underrated.. or just so hard to come across that they don't get remembered for their unique styles? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Wild Gypsy DATE:Apr 13, 2009 2:37:00 PM It does look as if she gave an arm and possibly a leg or so to own this dress.

Too funny. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 13, 2009 3:04:00 PM I think this dress, done in a rough grey cotton, was featured in either Prisoner Cell Block H or Women Behind Bars. Having the pockets on the same side makes it quicker and easier for the matrons to check for contraband and concealed nail files...which happens several times daily. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 13, 2009 3:47:00 PM Oh, yes...I'm sorry to be graphic, but the wraparound style facilitates impromptu body searches, as well.

Tragic. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

mickey DATE:Apr 13, 2009 5:03:00 PM My first thought was 'Surely the designer didn't put the pocket(s)there... it looks like an afterthought!
I'd put pockets in the seams and leave the line of the skirt alone! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gwensews DATE:Apr 13, 2009 5:20:00 PM This is a stenographer's dress. The large pocket holds her steno pad and pen, while her one hand is busy fetching coffee for the boss! Or whatever! Like Mad Men! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Coffee with Cathy DATE:Apr 13, 2009 5:24:00 PM Another example of the what-goes-around-comes-around theory of fashion design! Thanks, as always, for sharing and prodding our imaginations. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

andrea.at.the.blue.door DATE:Apr 13, 2009 6:06:00 PM And the pocket should be done in acid green ripstop or fur or something. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 14, 2009 3:09:00 AM Its a kangaroo dress! Large pocket at the back for the baby and smaller one at the front for the spare nappy and bottle? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Melissa DATE:Apr 14, 2009 8:28:00 AM OK, there's a lack of pointy shoulder, but I still call Airship Hostess on this one.

I cite:
Sharp, pointy V-neck
Asymmetrical closure with snazzy buttons
Martian pockets (I couldn't think of a better adjective)
Helmet hair

Not only can she keep a safety manual and a hot towel in her pockets; they double as a brochure rack for the airship company.

(Awesome hovertext, by the way.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 14, 2009 7:18:00 PM Pockets! Oh we love our pockets! Every dress or skirt I have has pockets (real deep pockets). Plus all my blazer jackets & pants. There is always something to put in pockets. I always have my hands in them all the time. Like that song on Sesame Street said "What would we do without pockets?" ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Reaching New Depths DATE: 8:28 AM ----- BODY:

Beth B. sent me this, from SoVintage Patterns. Now, THOSE are pockets, yes?

I'm pretty sure that they don't really go all the way to the hem, but are, instead, given a kind of apple-pie-bed treatment. Right? Otherwise I see a LOT of things going through the wash that shouldn't go through the wash ...

And I don't know about you, but I think those buttons are overkill. Giant pockets, center zipper, AND button trim? Girlfriend is trying a bit too hard. (Plus, I think she's only pretending to read. That book is too far away and I have a sneaking suspicion it's upside-down. It seems odd that all the lines would be right-justified ...)

Oh, and thank you all SO much for your wonderful response to last week's charity drive kickoff! We're already nearly halfway to the goal of $1500 for Books Through Bars ... and I forgot to mention the end date, which, this year, will be Epiphany. (Seemed appropriate, and if money's tight before the holidays, if gives you a little longer to donate ...) A few folks have had trouble with the Network For Good widget interface, so I'm going to ask Books Through Bars if they have alternate avenues ... Overseas/UK folks *can* use the widget (which asks for state/zip code) by putting their equivalent geographic locations/postal codes in those fields, btw. Don't forget to put "Dress A Day" in the "Dedication" field so that we can track the donations ... to donate TODAY, click here. When you get your receipt, forward it to me, since one lucky donor have a character named after him or her in my forthcoming novel, "The Secret Lives of Dresses"!

Labels: ModesRoyale_154, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

cathylwood DATE:Dec 8, 2008 8:53:00 AM This reminds me of an early Barbie-doll dress, but in a solid fabric, not stiped. Was it the one where she was a babysitter? Or am I just making that up???? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Dec 8, 2008 9:42:00 AM I AM IN LOVE!

I bet I could fit my dogs in those pockets.. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Dec 8, 2008 10:05:00 AM I love overkill so I am infavor of the button trim. WHAT if the Pockets do go all the way to the hem? You'd need those buttons (to actually be buttons and not trim) to get to everything.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

selvedge DATE:Dec 8, 2008 10:32:00 AM Ah, I can tell you why her book is so far away.. She is farsighted, but vanity does not permit her to wear glasses so she must keep her book at arm's length so that she is able to read it...

Why, yes I am farsighted. And I wear glasses. Since age two. Before that it would have been pointless, as I was blind. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nadine DATE:Dec 8, 2008 12:17:00 PM To me, for some reason, those pockets look like doors. That lead to . . . Narnia, or The Unknown, or Honeydukes, or something. The buttons look like doorhandles. ALL GOOD. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pattern Junkie DATE:Dec 8, 2008 12:46:00 PM It's the Alice In Wonderland dress! Those pockets lead to a topsy turvy world where books are backwards and stripes are king. By the way, I LOVE the added overkill of the bias stripes...genius, I tell you. As Oscar Wilde would say, "Nothing succeeds like excess!" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Dec 8, 2008 1:04:00 PM << for some reason, those pockets look like doors. That lead to . . . Narnia, or The Unknown, or Honeydukes, or something. >>

I don't mean to be vulgar, but the BACK of the dress looks sort of like some doorway, too. What is that "curtain" effect?

And congratulations on your book!!! If only it were out now, it would make a great holiday present for a FEW people I know. Can't wait to read it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

evilrooster DATE:Dec 8, 2008 1:54:00 PM Off topic: I just ran across a contest that might be of interest:

The Make it With Wool Contest, for which entrants make garments of wool fabric or yarns.

Prizes/scholarships of up to $2000, but the contest ends in late January. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sandy DATE:Dec 8, 2008 2:13:00 PM I love the pockets. She keeps her books in them.

I used to have a coat (when I was a teen and lived on a farm) the pockets were the kind with a bag between the outside and the lining. The pocket fabric had perished and I could fit a book into the pocket opening and hide it in between the outside and the lining. then I could go settle myself in the hay barn and read (instead of cleaning the barn.)

It wouldn't work now...my bosoms would get in the way. 8~D ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kimmer DATE:Dec 8, 2008 2:48:00 PM She's not reading the book. She's listening to someone just out of frame (probably a child) read the book to her. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lucitebox DATE:Dec 8, 2008 6:15:00 PM I like it! I like to bring magazines with me to ...well, just about anywhere I can get away with looking at them. This would be perfect for stowing my mags and a lot less cumbersome than a messenger bag.

I also think this would be great for a mom who picks up toys and stuff when cleaning. Fill the pockets and then dump 'em in the toy box.

Congratulations on the book, Erin! I'm so excited to read it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Altissima DATE:Dec 8, 2008 6:31:00 PM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cel Petro DATE:Dec 8, 2008 9:10:00 PM I LOVE those buttons, and the stripes, yes, and Nadine, the pockets do look like doors, it is a dress as performance art! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

apparel clothing DATE:Dec 8, 2008 11:28:00 PM i like this post ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Denise DATE:Dec 9, 2008 6:01:00 AM It looks to me like she just fell over while trying to reach to the bottom of one of her pockets while holding a book in her other hand. Being the lady that she is her face belies no pain or grimace with the stumble. She smiles demurely, laughing a little at herself, as she gracefully struggles to get back on her feet. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Erin DATE:Dec 9, 2008 6:24:00 AM Shoot, I messed up, overseas folks can only use Paypal. :-( ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Latter-Day Flapper DATE:Dec 9, 2008 8:05:00 AM No, I like the buttons. Or, at least, I think the buttons could look awesome in the right context. In for a penny, in for a pound, after all.

I've never heard short-sheeting called an "apple-pie bed" before. Learn something new every day. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tommy DATE:Dec 10, 2008 5:53:00 AM I like the buttons and the stripes, but the pockets are a little over sized !

congrats on the book :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Jan 7, 2009 8:04:00 AM Something about the stiffness of the skirt's flair, as well as its stripiness, puts me in mind of this selvedge dress (which I'm pretty sure you've featured here before):

http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/2008/10/big-selvedge-project.html

Though you'd have to lose the pockets using selvedges. Bulk would be unworkable.

Yes, I'd be tempted to go with buttons. Maybe these fabric-covered punctuation beauties: http://www.mjtrim.com/Catalog/Product/7/32053/32053.aspx

"! & ?" would add a pleasing sense of intrigue, yeah? ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: An Interesting Failure DATE: 8:45 AM ----- BODY:

I can't remember when I bought this pattern, but it was recently, and I was so excited about it ... the simple bodice plus the pocketed skirt seemed PERFECT. I even made a special trip to Vogue Fabrics to buy black denim! But what I got was this:

Not what I pictured

Unfortunately, the neck is too low, and the soft pleats, when made in denim, stick out in a bunchy and annoying way.

And here's the back, with more bunchy pleats:

Not what I pictured

The pockets are edged with metal zipper (and now I'm not so upset that the waist seam didn't match exactly when I put in the side zipper):

Not what I pictured

And I used the last of my Futura-font fabric to make the neck facing (I figured it pops up every once in a while [yes, even with tacking it at the side seams and understitching] so I might as well make it fun):

Not what I pictured

I'm calling this an interesting failure, because, well, when you get right down to it, all failures are interesting. I love to know the "why" when things go wrong. This dress *should* have been a success: pockets, black denim, scoop neck, zippers ... no construction issues, no fitting issues ... and yet, when I tried it on, I went "Ugh!"

I think this may be salvageable, though. I can take the waist apart (another ugh) and change the pleats to darts. Not much I can do about the low neckline for this version, but I could make a note to bring it up an inch the next time (remembering to make a new facing pattern). I could also (again for next time) use a slightly lighter-weight fabric (this denim is just a bit too heavy). So perhaps this is not a total failure, but instead a very, very detailed (and possibly someday wearable) muslin ...

Labels: erin_sewing, pockets, Simplicity_4561

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:08:00 AM Could you add some lace material / font fabric to create a fake T-shirt look - this would raise the neckline. Did that make sense - I can visualise it but not explain... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ladygrande (Texas Marie) DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:22:00 AM What were the recommended fabrics for this pattern? I'll bet denim was not one of them. It needs a softer fabric, I believe - one that "moves". ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

ShannonAnn DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:39:00 AM That bottom part would make a great skirt as is. I think it's the top that's not working. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Myra DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:39:00 AM Could you steal a stand-up collar piece from another dress, you know the ones that are two pieces, left and right, and meet in the middle tapering down? That would add neckline coverage as would a lace insert or a ruffle between the bodice and facings. Also agree with darts over pleats. They usually do nothing for me on the bodice. Also, the zipper detail is cool, but may make those pockets too heavy. Try piping or rickrack. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa Simeone DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:43:00 AM I'm realizing why dresses in the flesh are so often disappointing when compared to their illustrations: women -- real women -- simply do not have waistlines that small. The waists of the women in the illustrations are always TINY. Unbelievably tiny. 99% of women don't have that enormous measurement gap between their busts/hips and their waists. It's a total fantasy.

I've been noticing this about the pattern illustrations especially, because there are so many of them posted here; but you also see it in those lovely vintage fashion illustrations. Even with a girdle, you can only shave off so much from your middle (I know, I've tried!).

So now when I look at an illustration, or at the dresses on certain eBay sellers' va-va-va-voom mannequins, and think, gee, that's a beautiful dress, I have to remind myself that I don't have that body and that said dress will not look like that on me. (I don't know if that's what was going on here, just observing that it's been my experience.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

laura DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:52:00 AM I agree with shannonann. Cut the bodice off and turn it into a skirt. The bodice, in denim, is too heavy IMHO. It just looks heavy. I like the zipper pocket detail. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

fidelio DATE:Oct 21, 2008 9:55:00 AM You know, washing that denim with heavy things like towels and jeans several times will soften it up right away. (I won't suggest you follow the example of the industrial blue jeans agers and wash it with rocks, since you probably aren't all that interested in buying a new washing machine just now.)

The suggestion from Anonymous above about adding an insert to fill in the neckline might work as well.

I usually wash my fabric before I cut it, and since I have a piece of embroidered denim awaiting attention at home, I think I'll take this as a warning to wash it a few times more before touching it with scissors. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Andie DATE:Oct 21, 2008 10:22:00 AM The dress pattern reminds me of The Advance 8434 pattern you have about 3 or 4 posts down from this one. View #2 has some sort of collar attached to the scoop neck. Perhaps you could create that collar with a bit of a stand to help fill in the low neckline. Also, the view 3 on the same pattern handles the low neckline with a bit of ribbon. You may be able to hide the pleats with a wide belt or a sash around the middle (think duro jr. dress) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 21, 2008 10:23:00 AM Hello! Love your blog. I wanted to mention that Vogue Patterns is having a sale on it's website that ends today-5.99 patterns. Most of them are 5.99. Have fun! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Angélica DATE:Oct 21, 2008 10:25:00 AM Actually I thought the outcome is not as pathetic as you described. Maybe you to post it in Sew Retro to share? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

scmtngirl DATE:Oct 21, 2008 10:48:00 AM I guess I just don't see what is so bad about it! I think it would be lovely if you added some decorative trim to the neckline and pockets like the original drawing, pair it with some some bright tights, an equally bright belt, and a pair of black stilettos and call it a Winter Dress.

Then again, I like to funk-ify classy vintage dress styles like that, so that may not be your style, but I think it could still totally work. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Helen DATE:Oct 21, 2008 11:03:00 AM Maybe that's why the pattern illustration has the chain trim detail? I actually like it as is -- it looks like something you might wear in the prison laundry in an old movie about girls gone wrong.

Sorry, too much TCM lately.

But, I agree about changing the tucks to darts -- it would shape the bodice better. I love the detail on the pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Allison DATE:Oct 21, 2008 11:07:00 AM @ Lisa - I have the same problem about pattern illustrations! I am 5 feet tall with short legs, so the dress/jacket/top never looks the same on me as it does on the envelope. It's so depressing!

One thing I've read about (but, full disclosure, never tried myself) is using something called a croquis (see a short article here: http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/th_125_051.asp) which is basically a paper model of your body. If you have one drawn on lightweight or tracing paper, you can then trace the important parts of the pattern design from the image on the envelope onto your body, to see how it will work out.

Like I said, I've never done this, but I bet someone here has. Anybody? Has this prevented a serious fashion disaster for you? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lydia DATE:Oct 21, 2008 11:19:00 AM This is the exact same pattern that made me swear off scoop necklines forever. I'm a 32D and the alterations required to keep the neck from gaping to the point of public indecency are more work than I'm willing to invest. So yeah. No scoop neckline patterns for me.

Hm. You know, this might be one of the patterns I sent you...probably because of the pockets.

Lydia ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Caroline DATE:Oct 21, 2008 11:48:00 AM I love the skirt part could you salvage that by adding a waistband?
I have to say it looks better than anything I could hope to make! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Deborah DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:01:00 PM I like the dress but agree that the pleats in that fabric are a little bulky. This is a problem I oftenhave - unable to visualize how a pattern would look in a particular fabric. I often choose too heavy fabric for the pattern. I do read the pattern suggestions but even after all these years will go, "Hmm. That might work." yeah, I know. I live in a dream world. I think I would try darts then if that doesn't work, make the bottom half into a skirt. It's too nice to rag-bag it. Just my opinion, for what it's worth. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stacie.Make.Do. DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:02:00 PM I think you should wear a chiffon scarf like they do with the regency dresses in Sense and Sensibility.

http://janeausten.info/moviegowns/sands1995/Marianne/maribrown.jpg ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

tea DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:05:00 PM Huh. It must look a lot worse in person than it does in the photo because I rather like it! :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lavon DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:06:00 PM I like the look of the dress. Yes I would put in darts.

I also think that the demin should have been washed a couple of times just to soften it up.

I really do not think it looks bad at all. You wanted a simple dress and it is that. Maybe when you do make it again using a diffrent type of fabric you will see the dress you really want.

I had a simple dress pattern. It was exactly what I wanted and when I had made it in my favorite floral print material, I hate it.

It looked like something Mama would wear on Mama's Family with vicky Lawrence. I was so disappointed! I never wore it. But I made the dress from a different fabric and it was the dress I dream it could be. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:16:00 PM The neck doesn't look VERY low. Is it a matter of brastraps showing? Too exposed for the climate? Or just personal preference?

How about raising the neckline by making another piece of the black denim (or perhaps a contrast fabric), that would echo the neckline but a couple inches higher and sew that in underneath? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

aurelia DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:19:00 PM Fix the waist pleats and wear it for gardening next summer. Everyone in your neighborhood will want a denim gardening dress! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

colour by number DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:20:00 PM It definitely looks salvageable! Could you put in princess seams in the front? Or...add darts at the waist and soft pleats gathers in the middle of the neckline...don't give up on this one. I think, it could work! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:26:00 PM lisa simeone - just have to say, just because 99% of ladies may not have such proportions, it doesn't mean the remaining 1% aren't "real". I can appreciate seeing unusual body shapes being presented as the norm being highly irritating, but the ways the term "real women" are thrown about these days are just as insulting and annoying.

(sorry! dont mean to be internet-mean!) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gidget Bananas DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:49:00 PM On the body shape issue: women in the 40s and 50s started wearing waist-cinchers and girdles in their teens, so many did have a 10-inch difference between their bust measurement and their waist measurement. I always marveled at the waist of my Mother's wedding dress, which seemed impossibly small for a well-endowed woman, but photos of her and her friends all showed the same silhouette.

Dior used to put his of-course-very-thin models in waist cinchers and then pad their hips and busts to get that impossible New Look hourglass, leading Coco Chanel to say "Dior doesn't dress women, he upholsters them."

Women's shapes have really changed over time as they've thrown out their girdles, become more athletic, grown taller, gotten breast implants, started driving everywhere and eating more, etc., etc.

The vintage dresses from the 1930s I've looked at have all been unbelieveably narrow, especially through the hips, leaving me to wonder about what people got to eat during the Depression.

It's unrealistic to assume that a vintage pattern will fit a modern body (alas!). Anyway, I'll take 60s trapeze dresses for $50, please. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:Oct 21, 2008 12:59:00 PM I wouldn't call this dress a "failure". It's more like that plain gal in the old movies who lets down her hair and takes off her glasses and suddenly looks more "interesting" to Our Hero. You just need to apply a little "something" to bring out its best features. A belt? a neckline treatment? I imagined a zipper trim around the neckline. That's only one possibility. Or something else creative. The dress's bones are good.It's not a failure, its a design opportunity. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sold A Moke DATE:Oct 21, 2008 1:06:00 PM Ugh,I hate it when something doesn't measure up to expectations. My guess is that the denim was just a tad too heavy for this project. Maybe a lighter fabric would have let the pleats behave. The seam with the Zipper is a bummer, a long time ago something like that would have had me relegate to the back of the closet or worse... By and large you do such great work normally, this just proves to the rest of us that you're human. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 21, 2008 1:07:00 PM I like the idea of zipper trim around the neckline, then wear it over a turtle neck with matching tights. It's winter, after all, layers are good. Turning the gathers into darts would decrease the bulk around the waist. I'd wear it with a belt. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ms. D DATE:Oct 21, 2008 1:14:00 PM I haven't read all the comments, but denim wouldn't have been my choice of fabrics. A Liberty of London cotton, a swiss dot, a seersucker, something like your facing fabric, perhaps....what did the pattern say? The pleat problem is clearly caused by the thickness of the denim. I would also bet the mismatch of the waist seams is caused by the thickness and lack of give in the denim. If you want a crisp, heafty look, the heaviest fabric I might choose would be a dark navy weavers cloth. There also seems to be a problem with pressing. Does the denim have lycra in it? For now rip the bodice off and toss it. Cut a new waist band and have a really neat denim skirt with those great pockets featuring the zip trim. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julia DATE:Oct 21, 2008 1:18:00 PM Erin, I think that denim, even lightweight, might have been a tad heavy for this pattern and honestly, these dresses with fitted waists were NEVER supposed to be worn without a belt. It's intended to reinforce the seam AND it will softn those pleats you aren't happy with. Self belt or contrast, it needs a belt. Just sayin'. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gabriella DATE:Oct 21, 2008 1:44:00 PM I actually don't think it's that bad. Replacing the pleats with darts would help immensely. As for the too low neckline...could you wear a blouse under it. I'm thinking someithing with a cute peter pan collar...but maybe that's too twee? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gaby DATE:Oct 21, 2008 1:49:00 PM Hi Erin
I think this has been all said before but as I read your post I saw "denim" for the first time, looked at the illustration again and thought "ooh, is that going to work so well?" I love black denim but I don't think it is the answer here. That said, if you make the dress a little more structured you may still pull it off. Re neckline, could you add a strip of bias (maybe the last tiny scrap of the facing fabric) to sit within the neck and fill it in a little? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nadine DATE:Oct 21, 2008 2:20:00 PM I agree with the suggestions for a dickey and a belt (I'm thinking obi-style). And of course, both made of the Futura-font, if at all possible. Otherwise, I agree with the make-it-a-skirt brigade.

Thank you for posting about your 'failure' - most illuminating! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jean DATE:Oct 21, 2008 2:58:00 PM Someone else mentioned something that I figured would work, or at least part of it! By washing it, with towels etc... it will soften it up quite nicely. Also, you might try pinning (temporarily)the shoulders to see if that may help with the neck line. If the pinning takes it to where you need it, then, you can take then in! If you work from the neckline towards the sleeve, and do a tapered to a point next to the sleeve... then you don't have to take off the sleeve and re-do all that! Good luck! It really is a cute pattern. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

kathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture DATE:Oct 21, 2008 3:48:00 PM I think this dress is cute and par for the course for making a dress without a mock up first. I have done this so many times in the past! I turned them into my "homespun " look!

I would just put some darts in the front and wear a belt - its cute and denim softens up with wear. You can never trust an illustration - its an artists rendition in order to sell a product. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen DATE:Oct 21, 2008 4:37:00 PM Interesting the Kathleen Crowley would respond, as her post recently on her blog, really is very informative about this 'vintage re-creation' issue (http://kathleencrowley.blogspot.com/2008/09/vintage-patternsand-why-they-dont-turn.html)
But what interests me most is that the pattern she shows in this post has an 2" or 3" wide band around the neckline--a perfect solution for filling in a low round neckline, in an historically appropriate style. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

BeckyW DATE:Oct 21, 2008 5:54:00 PM Goofy suggestion, but here it is. What about adding denim loops around the neckline? Then thread a scarf through the loops and tie on one shoulder. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Rachel DATE:Oct 21, 2008 5:59:00 PM I'd wait and remake it in a linen in summer. Navy would be nice, and you could wear it with one of those snazzy cardigans you love (can anyone say "yellow"??) in late spring, early fall, when you would want to be able to take the sweater off, but might need it in the cool morning/evening air?

I think that the denim was too heavy, though..washing it might help, a bit, and either a matching belt or one in yellow or red...maybe patent leather? Hmmmmm....I'm seeing a terrific vintage matching purse/shoe/belt combo with this one...

LOL...sorry for the ramble...hope it works out better next time! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Alex DATE:Oct 21, 2008 6:49:00 PM Hi Lisa Simeone - don't fret about the "internet mean" poster. The fact is that the models during that period wore both padding in their bras and on their hips and were very thin. This gave them an hour glass figure. So not "real" even then!

But as far as the dress goes, I find that if I think about the Dior "trick" and balance top and bottom and then give the illusion of a smaller waist, I get the same feel as the picture (even if I am bigger). Since I am large on top, I always add more skirt fabric as it gives more volume and use either a small belt or a cumberbund of matching (or counter) fabric. This is comfortable, gives me a wasit, and gives the impression of an hour glass.

This dress could be saved (IMHO) if you either recut the skirt to make it fuller OR if you don't have more fabric, took the skirt apart, created an "under skirt" in a contracting fabric and used the denim as an over skirt. Very 1950's and it would give the pockets more give and you could use the same contracting fabric in a colar to raise the neckline.

Alex ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Emilee DATE:Oct 21, 2008 7:01:00 PM Nothing about the dress, but Erin, I've wondered about trimming the pockets with zippers before. Don't they scratch your hands when you use the pockets? I have zip-shut pockets on a few jackets, and they always hurt my hands. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

froginthepond DATE:Oct 21, 2008 10:31:00 PM beckyw's suggestion is really interesting - adds contrast and fixes any problems with the scoop neckline. I see what you mean about the pleats not working, and I agree (sorry!) that denim probably wasn't the best choice, but bodice and skirt are recoverable if they're removed from each other's company and greater contrast added.

I'm planning a summer dress in a similar style and I'm already thinking about some pattern mods like raising the waist an inch or two (shortwaisted) or neckline details to suit. Then there's the pattern re-grading - I may have a very hourglass figure, but it doesn't mean I have a ten inch waist! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Oct 21, 2008 10:43:00 PM beckyw,

Your denim loop and scarf idea is WONDERFUL!

I'm losing weight and expect to find the neckline of a favorite dress getting too large and gaping by spring. I may try that to try to extend the wear before I have to give it up. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Uncle DATE:Oct 22, 2008 1:10:00 AM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Oct 22, 2008 1:13:00 AM I vote for the tab and scarf deal. I think that would look really great.

I also think a number of trips through the washer and dryer (throw tennis balls in the dryer) would do wonders for the fabric.

If you don't want to take the entire skirt off and have to contend with redoing the zipper, you could rip the seam only where it is pleated. Then, form your dart and stitch the bodice and skirt back together.

I do have to pick on you a bit, though. Some simple marking would avoid the misalignment at the waist. It doesn't take long and is worth the effort.

I think a belt is in order, too. You could make a cummerbund of the alphabet fabric and do a scarf in white or black.

I think this is a very salvageable dress. But, if you just hate it all, turn it into a skirt and chalk it up to experience. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Oct 22, 2008 7:26:00 AM Erin, did you pin-fit the pattern bodice to see where the neckline ends up? If you don't, generally, you might want to next time you use a new pattern; it's easier than the fix-it! You can raise the neckline with a matching piece; I'd pipe the seam where the two pieces meet, just to make it look as if I really *meant* to do that. Or you could cut down the sleeves, and make it a jumper - AFTER you make those bunchy gathers into darts. I have to say, gathering denim in the bodice area would never be my own first choice; it's too sculptural a fabric for that, and I LOVE making denim dresses! But it is fixable.

LisaSimeone, because you don't have a 10" bust/waist/hip difference doesn't mean other people don't. It doesn't mean that they aren't "real" women, either. It just means that you and they have different figures. And while Dior may have padded his models - and he did - Chanel chronically underpaid hers, and expected them to take lovers to pick up the economic slack, so: I'll take Dior, because the padding, if needed, is less offensive a choice; and I'll take Dior anyway, because I can wear his New Look cuts, and not Chanel's. There are plenty of women with a 10-to-14" B/W/Hip difference; they are the ones who can never find a doggone pair of jeans to fit, too. Even the women who aren't busty may have that difference between their waist and hip measurements; those would be the pear-shaped among us.

Just because it doesn't fit your proportions doesn't make it a total fantasy; read the measurements on the backs of the envelopes. Even without constricting undergarments, a lot of women can use those patterns as is, since the vast majority of vintage patterns actually have a 6" bust/waist difference, and a 9" waist/hip difference. Then they have to be altered by the women who DO have a 10" B/W/H difference, since there are actually fewer patterns with those measurements. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

LisaB DATE:Oct 22, 2008 7:55:00 AM I love that skirt and think it is worth saving.

I awoke with this dress on my mind! I envisioned it with a white linen top (neckline adjusted to meet your preferences) and a wide, black patent leather belt.

Or I think you could play with the idea of making the white linen top to meet the pattern's dimensions, adding a strip of the black denim to narrow the neckline. Your linen would need to be hearty for this idea, I think. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Oct 22, 2008 10:07:00 AM I like Becky's suggestion as well ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa Simeone DATE:Oct 22, 2008 10:53:00 AM I give up!

I DO have a 10-inch difference between my waist and bust/hip measurements. Most women don't. But that wasn't the point anyway.

I never mentioned a measurement in my original comment. I only said that the illustrations on patterns were crazily exaggerated -- they depict women's figures with waaaaay more than a 10-inch difference between waist and bust/hips.

Good grief. Talk about taking things out of context. I wasn't impugning anyone's figure or insulting anyone's body type. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 22, 2008 11:15:00 AM I'm afraid it was still within context for your comment to be reacted against in the ways that it was; you mentioned that 99% of women dont have whatever. That still does leave 1% of people within the original, railed against "measurements", who were then talked out of existance by the rest of your comment. I'm sure you didn't mean to be insulting and I wasn't assuming then that you were, but nevertheless, your comment *was* carelessly worded and thus casually dismissive.

Please don't feel that you're thought a terrible villain. It's surely wiser to note that bodies do come in a wide range of shapes and sizes when it seems that variety's honour is at stake than to let any maybe-sort-of-possibly suggestions to the other way go by, and see even more of a THIS WAY IS NORMAL AND NO OTHERS assumption grow. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 22, 2008 11:30:00 AM I made a vintage denim dress and I found the same problems. Just too stiff of a fabric, even after I pre-washed it. I had lined the bodice in a crepe backed satin and noticed how nicely it laid with the darts. I'm going to revisit it next spring with a different fabric. Also, with dresses that I'm not happy with, I just turn 'em into skirts. It's usually the bodice that doesn't work so just cut the darn thing off and make a skirt.
jilly ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

-E DATE:Oct 22, 2008 1:45:00 PM Belt :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

mand DATE:Oct 23, 2008 9:47:00 AM Happened upon you via Laura's Cafe au Laine blog, and i love your attitude: all failures are interesting. Reminds me of my grandmother - the sewing also reminds me of her, i can design wonderful garments in my head but have three left thumbs with needle or machine! 80) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

theresa DATE:Oct 23, 2008 2:16:00 PM I went back and read Lisa S comment. Honestly, I don't see what all the fuss was about. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Oct 23, 2008 4:31:00 PM Since the 1950s princess pattern lovelies I find are usually in a Bust Size 28 or 30", and I am so not, I look at the shape of the pattern pieces on the back of the envelope. Generally on 1950s princess patterns, the waist is more sharply indented - there's a definite, pronounced cut in, then flare out, as opposed to the oft-recommended "gradual taper" for the waist curve on modern princess patterns. It's not necessarily a big cut in, but it's sharply angled (so there may be some seam clipping to do for it to lie open or flat properly). The 1950s princess pattern - even for the 30" bust (still sized for a B cup, remember), ALSO includes bust darts. Yes, bust darts in addition to the princess seams; this sharpens the fit over the bust. If you have a favorite princess pattern already, you can use it to make a paper copy with the above changes. If you increase the flare at the bottom of the pattern pieces to widen the skirt to a good 120" or more (to taste), and the length as well (if necessary or desired), you will have a good, usable, fits-you-properly 1950s princess pattern in your very own size, regardless of whether ebay or our beloved vendors actually carries one in your size. You can use this to make up dresses or jumpers as you see fit, while you keep an eye peeled for that elusive vintage original in your very own measurements. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Oct 23, 2008 4:41:00 PM A separate comment, so it doesn't get swallowed by all the Princess Seam Denim commentary:

Erin - and anybody else who really doesn't want to go through the whole pin fit (which doesn't take but a couple of minutes, but sometimes you Just Don't Feel Like It) of a bodice to make sure the neckline isn't too much (or not enough), make a duplicate of a bodice pattern you have used before and like (I recommed using a graph-type gridded paper, so you can see how many inches or fractions of an inch more easily, but wax paper or freezer paper's pretty darned good), and keep it pinned up on a bulletin board, or wherever you keep your Handy Stuff in the sewing room. When you have a new bodice pattern, lay the new one out on top of the Faithful Fitted Friend pattern, matching the shoulder seams at the top of the shoulder. You will see at a glance, or at least get a pretty good idea, of where the new neckline will hit you, as compared with the neckline that you usually wear. As it happens, of course, I tried to GET THAT PATTERN that didn't quite do it for you, Erin, and I expect that in fact that neckline hits just where it works for me, because it has to work a whole lot harder to cover ground. But such is the adventure that is life. If you think this particular pattern is not going to be All That for you, I will gladly buy it, so you can drop me an email if you'd like to just make it go away and buy one you like better. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

melodie DATE:Oct 23, 2008 5:38:00 PM @la belladonna--thanks so much for the info on altering a princess to a 50's style princess. I'll be sure to wear by best cross-your-heart 18-hour bullet bra when I make one. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pat DATE:Oct 23, 2008 6:00:00 PM looks like a dress for someone in prison...wrong color, wrong fabric ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MinaW DATE:Oct 24, 2008 3:34:00 AM Lisa Simeone and others,
I think that this problem pattern is a good example of what I call the "Why didn't they just make the pattern like the illustration in the first place?" syndrome.

(Yes, I know that this illustration was probably done for the pattern envelope after the pattern was made, but the original designer's sketch was first.)

Whatever the person's measurements, that skirt is not flared enough to be like the illustration, and if it were flared enough, it would hang more gracefully in any fabric, and be just fine in denim. Looking at the illustration in the lighter color, each gore should be at least twice as wide at the hem as at the waist, but it looks even more like 3 times as wide.

That flare would make it fit in to the waist better. And clearly the dress itself is not flared anything like that much.

I say, if you have to make the drawing of the dress flare so much more to look good, and be so much longer to be well-proportioned - you should draw the pattern that way in the first place.

MinaW ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Oct 24, 2008 6:55:00 AM Minaw, OH, how I love thee. You speak a great truth, which I will now (as is my wont) elaborate upon:

If you ladies have a favorite dress width, either memorize that width, or write it down. Keep it not only with the Faithful Fitted Friend bodice pattern in your sewing room, keep it in your wallet, or your Electronic Whatever. If you have a dress or skirt that's just right, and you don't know how wide it is, measure it. Always compare this measurement to the measurement on the pattern you are contemplating buying. Speaking as a sucker for - I mean, afficianada and collector of - princess dress patterns, the fuller the better, I have often been dazzled by the lush, flowing, graceful sweep of a New Princess Pattern - only to look on the back, and read: "Hem width: 88 inches". And at least the hem width is LISTED on old patterns. The heck, folks - nowadays everything else BUT that is listed on the back of a pattern, but you're supposed to read the hem width on the pattern itself! Not even on the instructions - the pattern pieces! No, I will not be buying you after all. Anyway. As it happens, an 88-inch hem width doubtless has its function in life, but not my life; I'm looking for 120" and over, and will whip out my trusty yardstick and Make It So, if the want for the pattern is overwhelming. But I'll be peeved. I know that 120" works for me; I wear my skirts long, and for a fitted and flared 50s style, the longer it is, the fuller it needs to be, for proportion's sake. (I am 5'6" [down from 5'7", alack], and I will buy anything from a 34" bust to a 38" bust, and alter it to fit, because I always have to alter it to fit; I'm an XLarge hourglass, 36D, with a short backwaist, long arms, a REALLY LONG front waist, and a lower belly pad. I give these measurements so you have some idea of Skirt Width:: La BellaDonna Height/Width.)

Fifties dresses actually come in an extraordinary number of widths, from pegged wiggle dresses (comfy and practical for a day at the office, running up stairs and lugging file boxes! or ... not), to straight, to modest flares with gores, pleats, or gathers, to Really, Really Full!! I think for a good many of us, we are drawn to the fit and flare of the New Look silhouette (Bar, how I love thee! It's a different love from Minaw, but a true love still.), so we are looking for that fitted shape and full skirt. So many pattern illustrations seem to promise that, and then you look at the measurements on the back - before you buy, hopefully. Then it's Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire. Now, if you shorten your own patterns - I know Erin prefers her hems shorter than those usually provided - you have to be careful about where you shorten them. If you just whack X number of inches off the bottom of a pattern to shorten it, you are also reducing the width of that pattern. How? Well, the widest part is at the bottom. So then it's not really the pattern's fault. If you need to shorten it, and there's no "shorten here" line (there probably won't be, on a 50s pattern), then pick a spot up about midway down the skirt. Fold up the pattern up evenly right across the entire skirt half the amount by which you want it shortened [i.e., fold it up one inch if you want it two inches shorter, two inches if you want it four inches shorter], and take your trusty yardstick and smooth out the jagged bit you get when you fold up something flared. I recommend doing this on a COPY of the pattern, and not the original pattern itself, because maybe you'll want to sell the pattern one day. Maybe you'll want to make your own copy of the pattern, sell the original, and buy another pattern! It will be much easier if you haven't altered the original pattern itself.

My own trusty Personal Fitted Princess Dress Pattern actually started life in the 1970s, when it was Brand New. (*sigh*) I don't know that I made it up then, as a matter of fact, but I know it was well underway by the late 80s/early 90s. I started with a not-very-full ankle-length version of a sweetheart-necked dress with straight sleeves, and the mother pattern would be hard put to recognize her grandchildren, which are generally sleeveless, scoopnecked, very fitted through the torso, somewhat shorter than the original, and well over a yard wider at the hem; maybe two yards. A lot of brown paper has gone under the pencil since I started. It is possible to get the result you want, even if illustrations lie, and it's possible to get a 50s dress, even if you're Hard To Fit, large or small, in whichever direction your individual variations lie. Mostly it takes a pencil, a yardstick, and a lot of brown paper and determination. It doesn't hurt if you've laid in a stash of fabric that no longer is predestined for X, because it may take several iterations to get what you want. You will then have some very pretty (if unlikely) dresses or jumpers to lounge around in, or even sleep in, if you wind up using that bunch of Christmas or Halloween print fabric to practice on. If you're thinking of laying in some muslin (which dyes!) or cheap prints for practice, and you don't know how much to get, what with needing New Layouts for the wider pieces, I usually reckon one full body length per piece (that is, the measurement from shoulder to hem, plus hem width). A princess dress is generally Front, Side Fronts, Side Backs, and Back - seven pieces, whether it opens in the front or back (or side - a center back seam is just easier to fit), so you would buy your fabric Body Length X 7. Now, this is probably enough to make yourself the longest, fullest princess dress imaginable; five to seven yards, between 45" and 60", is usually enough for an average, middlin' sized person to work with. If you're very tall, or if you are large, and want that 50s princess dress, I would recommend using the formula (which is about 9 yards on me) to acquire fabric.

Yes, that can be a lot of fabric, and there are ways to make a 50s dress out of a lot less fabric, but the classic princess dress is made without a waistline seam. Once you throw in a waistline seam, per the pattern that Erin used here (you can use your precious fitted princess dress as a base pattern, remember!), you can move the pieces around on fabric to get a better layout. A 50s dress can be pinched out of 3 or 3 1/2 yards of 45" fabric, and still have a hem 120" around, if you make a half-circle skirt and cut a sleeveless bodice out of the remnants. Some folks can even get sleeves as well as the bodice out of that much.

Melodie, hee! I'll pass on the bullet bra, because it would look more like Weapons of Mass Destruction - but the one I wear definitely works on the principal of Nearer My God To Thee! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Oct 24, 2008 7:38:00 AM N.B:
For those of you who do NOT currently have a princess dress pattern which fits the way you'd like, and who may be a trifle daunted at the prospect of flinging around a whole lot of fabric and paper, trying to get the fit right, we have yet another Sneaky Sewing Trick:

Take your base princess dress pattern, and mark where the waist is on all the pieces. Draw a horizontal line across on each piece at the waistline. Draw a second horizontal line approximately four inches below this. Now copy the TOP PART OF THE PATTERN ONLY, down to the SECOND HORIZONTAL LINE. (The extra four inches is to cover any fitting challenges you may have in the front or back.) Working with this new pattern, ONLY FIT THE TOP PART OF THE DRESS. Yes, all by itself, until you're happy with it. Now, generally a full princess skirt on a dress pattern skims a lot of body anomalies, and may not need to be fitted separately. Then again, you may have a swayback, as I do, or a high hip, etc., so you may, in fact, want to fit the skirt. You have the waistline marked on your original pattern; mark a second line two inches ABOVE the waistline (I recommend using a different colour to mark this than the one used to mark the seams copied for the top), and copy the skirt section of your pattern, and fit it, all by itself.

Once you have carefully fitted each pattern section, top and bottom, in fabric, MARK THE NEW WAISTLINE SEAM ON EACH, TOP AND BOTTOM, ON THE FABRIC. If you are busty, have a bit of a belly, are swaybacked, etc., I can pretty well guarantee that the waistlines you've marked before fitting your patterns have shifted.

Now you get to take all those pattern pieces with their new markings and adjustments, and transfer them to paper! Yes, you want to do this, because paper doesn't stretch out the way fabric does, and your fitted muslins WILL stretch out. After you've marked your separate paper sections (which you might as well hang onto, because: gored skirt! fitted bodice!), one more pattern gets made: lay each bodice pattern section on its corresponding skirt section, MATCHING THE WAISTLINE SEAMS, yes, right on top of each other, and secure them. Trace all around and transfer any markings, and you now have a fitted princess seam dress pattern of your very own. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 24, 2008 8:03:00 AM See, this is why my costume design students are taught to read the back of the pattern for suggested fabrics. A light weight denim would have worked much better. Or how about a batik print? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Oct 24, 2008 8:15:00 AM I've just finished making up a denim dress of my own which has a darted bodice and a similar skirt. I think perhaps I was using a lighter-weight denim because my skirt seems to lay quite nicely with the little pleats -- not "bunchy" at all.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/MBVoelker/sewing%20projects/Denimdress.jpg ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MadeByAmanda DATE:Oct 24, 2008 9:35:00 AM I think ya'll are all being pretty hard on her about the "recommended fabrics". I hardly ever consult recommended fabrics, because often the designer (I'm talking to you, Vogue patterns) has a very narrow view of what exactly would work with a pattern.

I've only had a couple of clunkers, less as I learn more about the way different fabrics act. We're only looking at a picture, and it could be that the fabric FELT to Erin to have better drape than it actually had. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Elle DATE:Oct 24, 2008 9:49:00 AM I seldom even follow the recommended fabrics, but I do take into account the drape and behavior. I try to get something that drapes like the fabric and/or/also alter the patter to fit the behavior of the fabric I use.

In Erin's dress, I'd of added bodice darts instead of pleats and darted the soft pleat of the skirt down several inches to make it lay flat across the stomach, or in denim, avoided it all together.

Necklines I don't bother with. I'm busty and pretty much if they fit without gaping, I call it good. Erin, tho, I might add a faux dickie or something to raise it, or embellish the top to raise it as it's been stated. Me tho, I'd show the girls off :D ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Judy DATE:Oct 24, 2008 10:14:00 PM Hi Erin,
I love reading these comments. I can hear all the various voices too - like the queens, or the ones who say something like "just being honest here but are you crazy using denim," and I especially like the ones who are earnestly trying to help. I heart real people. Good post. You should eff up more often. :)
ps What would Diana Vreeland do? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 25, 2008 10:53:00 AM I have the opposite problem--a denim skirt with some stretch (1% lycra?) that is too drapey. I wanted to achieve a more rugged, constructed look, but it has washed into something that just looks like light blue cotton blah.

Love the zipper pockets a lot. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 25, 2008 10:55:00 AM maybe a black chambray? if such a thing exists? I am conceptually behind this dress. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Terry DATE:Oct 25, 2008 3:36:00 PM re the neckline: a little voice is whispering to me "camisole!"

I second the motions about turning the gathery stuff into darts.

I suggest that instead of what appears to have been medium weight denim you try a rayon/linen blend. Or outright rayon, which would have been used at the time I suspect.

Just a thought.

Karen
ps I personally am not thrilled with those pockets. But I don't like them on the sketch either. YMMV. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 26, 2008 3:43:00 PM My question would be did you use 6 ounce denim. It is very hard to find lately but might have been okay. I too have noticed that patterns do not always deliver what they say they do. I have been sewing for 48 years and I used to be able to throw together something straight from the patter, but lately the pattern illustrations tell me lies. A tee shirt pattern will show a simple sleeve and then the pattern has a huge sleeve cap that just will not work for the look. And most directions are from the old days when sewers knew the various methods that can be used as alternatives and did not need them mentioned. I think you ran into something like that. You should have just 'known' to adjust the neckline to your taste, not what was on the pattern. Make it into a skirt or jumper either one will work. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

goldilocks DATE:Oct 26, 2008 4:16:00 PM Add me to the list of people who blow off the "recommended fabrics" list all the time. Gamblers unite!

My favorite day dress is made out of home-dec twill, which is at least as heavy as most denims out there. (mebbe slightly drapier, though.)

And it's actually not even made from a real dress pattern; it's a heavily modified maternity blouse. (and I'm not even pregnant anymore.)

Whatever works. Or, in this instance, doesn't. You win some, you lose some, right? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kay aka dkswife DATE:Oct 27, 2008 10:44:00 AM Okay a belt would be good once you remove the pleats and add darts. Also you could add a faux neck edge to give it a "lift" so to speak. I think it looks good anyhow :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 27, 2008 3:07:00 PM Also, many sins can be hidden by a jacket or sweater. That little ballero jacket might give just enought coverage at the neckline and just enough shape to the bust area to complete the look of the dress. -Evalyn ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miss Kitty DATE:Oct 27, 2008 7:21:00 PM Awwwww. I'm so sorry to hear about your Dress FAIL. It sucks when that happens. :-(

However, with the link to Vogue Fabrics, you've now given me one more fun site to browse. Thanks! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 28, 2008 3:07:00 PM My 2 cents...the choice of denim (and black, yuck) was the 1st mistake, it's dreary looking enough in a pair of pleated 80's jeans, has a mean, sad, dish-moppy look in what should be a pretty light weight summer dress, and the zipper trim is a slightly (no, a lot actually) out-of-date idea. There's only so many times since the 1970's when you can see it and go "Oh, what a clever idea!", it's just half of a zipper, not handmade lace, beaded trim, or even humble ric-rak, and I'm guessing you are way too old to be trying to do "punk", come on, have you seen Betsy Johnson lately, she's a fright...and not making a belt when you can see one on the pattern picture is why the waist darts/pleats show so much, I mean, they're naked! Also, the facings really should be unobtrusive, neat, and as invisible as possible, otherwise you get that dreaded look-at-me, hand-madey look, sort of like wearing your underwear outside of your clothes. Unless that's what you were going for. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Oct 28, 2008 3:36:00 PM Here, troll-y, troll-y, troll-y ... Oooh, I didn't have to call after all, one came all by itself!

There's a certain ... repetition in these boorish, cowardly little posts. I'm guessing either no one visits your blog, or you got a review you didn't like. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

atomicliving DATE:Oct 30, 2008 9:31:00 PM if this pattern did recommend denim I bet it was really what we would call twill today. Not the heavy denim we now have. I could be wrong, but I love that pattern, I also collect vintage patterns. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

SambearPoet DATE:Nov 12, 2008 1:53:00 PM I was wondering about the drape on this fabric: maybe black denim's not the right way to go? Or maybe it's just *this* black denim. Anyway, I love the idea of dresses with pockets. I wish more of them came with them; I am a pocket aficionado. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Dec 1, 2008 11:57:00 PM you really need to have a belt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Pockets! DATE: 7:50 AM ----- BODY:

Mindi sent me this picture of Laura Dern at the Emmys -- obviously, because it has pockets. I'm not a fan of purple (although it looks great on Ms. Dern!) and I admit to having an urge to yoink that bodice up a bit, but for pockets, all is forgiven.

(Do you think the woman in the background carrying a wrap in the same color and two clutch handbags is Ms. Dern's assistant? I do.)

And now, to go from the sublime to the ridiculous, I present the first bad mirror self-portrait of the week -- taken, not in my hotel room, but in a fairly posh corporate bathroom.

Laura Dern at 2008 Emmys

This is this dress; I've been trying to wear it on days when I think good things will happen, and so far it's working. The sweater is from Lands' End. I'm pretty sure the light wasn't good enough in the bathroom, thus the fuzzy photo, but the flash reflected in the mirror, so ... any self-portrait photography tips are appreciated. (I have a Canon PowerShot 1100 IS btw).

Labels: Emmys, erin_sewing, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

colour by number DATE:Sep 23, 2008 8:10:00 AM I love self shots! You look great. I am making my first shirtdress...will finish today! You inspired me...only took me 6 mos. to get around and make it...have a good day. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Sep 23, 2008 8:25:00 AM You look so cute! I'm not any better at taking self-shots. For self-modeling, I use a tripod and put the timer on 10 seconds, then run madly into place. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Toiling Ant DATE:Sep 23, 2008 8:40:00 AM Turn off the flash. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

choiceofpies DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:07:00 AM Ooh, I just got that same camera (after dropping and breaking my ancient PowerShot S410) and I love it! I don't have any tips, though, since I'm just getting used to it myself.

Erin, I remember when you made that dress. That post is so beautiful and touching. I just reread it and it made me tear up again. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

em DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:12:00 AM Cute dress!

Mirror self-portrait tip: Frame the shot, then stop looking at the camera's veiwer and look up at the mirror instead. Also, experiment with holding the camera at your hip or somewhere it won't obscure your face or garment you are trying to photograph. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:21:00 AM I didn't watch the Emmys but I've seen the Best and Worst Dressed lists. They all looked pretty bad to me. I didn't see Laura Dern on either but she looks a lot better than most of them (that dress isn't my style, mind you, but it works on her). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:43:00 AM Laura Dern looks REALLY tall in that pic, too. But yeah, I'd want to yank up that bodice too.

Erin, I'm so glad that you have taken the idea of wearing that dress on days where you hope for good things to happen. That's such an empowering viewpoint, considering it could've stayed in the back of the closet.

And yeah, that post made me cry all over again too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

enc DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:56:00 AM Self shots can be tricky!

I guess I'd say always go for as much light as you can get, and hold the camera as far away as you can possibly manage, so we can see your whole outfit.

You look great! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Sep 23, 2008 10:13:00 AM With all its memories, must be like wearing a hug! Nice to see it again.

Night settings take longer to expose the picture, capturing more of the available light. BUT also more likely to suffer from camera shake. How about a gorilla-pod, I think that's what they are called, super bendy grabby thing for cameras, and using the self timer.

Either that or tip a waiter to take your picture!

BTW I love posh bathrooms! Especially the ones with the supercomplicated taps/sinks.

Is it just me or is Ms Dern's assistant making a finger gesture?

Cheers,
AJ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miss Amelina DATE:Sep 23, 2008 10:26:00 AM I was blindsided by the link to your dress...and now I am am a weepy mess. And a poet, evidently. Very pretty. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Chantelle DATE:Sep 23, 2008 10:51:00 AM I also remember when you made that dress and that post makes me tear up again... too, too many people are gone this year, including my own dad a month before yours.

I am glad that a) you're still wearing the dress because it's gorgeous, and b) you're wearing it on good days. We all deserve good days! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

theresa DATE:Sep 23, 2008 11:10:00 AM I remember that dress. I didn't wear a dress I go t bad news in (a friend had committed suicide) for a year. Then I took it out and wore it on my birthday and it wasn't a sad dress anymore. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

beth DATE:Sep 23, 2008 11:49:00 AM Self portrait tips:
1. If you are standing 10 feet from the mirror, don't focus the camera on the mirror (the photo will be blurry). Focus it first on something 20 feet away.

2. Look in the mirror at the camera's lens - NOT in your own eyes, and ABSOLUTELY NOT at the physical object in your hand. (Or, just look aloofly off to your side.)

3. If you can't get enough light to take a steady photo without the flash, find a place to set the camera down (in lieu of a tripod) and use the self-timer. This process takes more iterations to get right (you have to run back to the camera, see what you did wrong, adjust, try again...) but ultimately gets higher quality results than the mirror method.

I'm happy to report that Target has two styles of WINTER dresses - thick fabric and lined, such that I almost thought they were coats at first. And they had POCKETS! Whoever designed them intends for women to wear them as an everyday dress throughout the colder months, and still have a place to put their keys! What practicality! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

baylibrarian DATE:Sep 23, 2008 12:01:00 PM There are not enough self portraits in posh corp. bathrooms, and I love 'em too, so thanks for remedying this. You look really fine in that dress--it would make me want to trust you with the English language, (which I do anyway). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

belphebe DATE:Sep 23, 2008 12:08:00 PM I do like purple, so I love the color of Ms. Dern's dress. And obviously I love that it has pockets. I don't like the bodice, but I do admire her for being brave enough to wear that style.

I echo the suggestions about using the timer for self-portraits, and a mini-tripod to set the camera on. You can even balance the camera on a pile of books or something if you don't have a tripod.

I do miss using my old 35mm camera at times. With that camera, I was able to hook up a shutter release cable so that I could get in position and then take the picture when I was ready, not when the timer was ready. I don't think you can do that with a digital camera. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Sep 23, 2008 12:24:00 PM That's a very graceful pose....you and the dress look great : )

I think having a handler/assistant at a red carpet event is on the babyish side. Do these adults really need a sitter to walk them through a black tie evening? Maybe having one with you is seen as a status symbol. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Amy B. DATE:Sep 23, 2008 12:33:00 PM For self portraits in a mirror, don't stand directly in front of the mirror. stand just slightly to the side so the camera is pointed at an angle and the flash will flash off at an angle (picture a cue ball bouncing around a pool table) instead of directly back at the camera. It might take a few shots to get the angle right, but that's what digital is for, right? ;) I do agree that you need to look up as you take the picture and not at the camera.

The dress is beautiful. It's so good to have a good day dress. :) Mine is red. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

this vignette DATE:Sep 23, 2008 12:47:00 PM Ever since Citizen Ruth, I have noticed that Laura Dern has a ridiculously long neck/chest area. It's downright ill-proportioned which is why I think you want to pull it up. Her decolletage is longer than average! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Valerie DATE:Sep 23, 2008 3:09:00 PM That long necklace of hers is doing nothing to remedy the long neck/chest situation (neither is the dress). But the pockets are way cool and she does look very pretty.

There should also be a setting on your camera for taking pics under florescent lighting. It will probably be under some manual setting called white balance. This should get rid of the green tinge. Often it's a picture of a florescent light bulb with a number by it (at least with all the cameras I've had it is). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nadine DATE:Sep 23, 2008 4:20:00 PM If your camera has a setting called 'P', use it. (It's the exposure-priority setting.) Don't use the flash. OR, use the manual setting with the aperture as wide as it will go (a LOW number like 2, not 8) and set the shutter speed for 1/60 of a second. You could also set the 10-second timer and put the camera on the bathroom bench.

Pose it up, my darling. Put that other hand on your hip, lift your chin, hold the camera away from your face/neckline (I like it over my head, but that's quite a contortion!). Your feet look lovely - very elegant! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

cindy b DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:11:00 PM I'm glad you are wearing the dress again. I cried all over again reading the original post.

Can't help you on the camera stuff though. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Sep 23, 2008 9:44:00 PM Re: the pockets in the purple dress... don't they look too low to anyone? I thought Ms. Dern could hardly reach her hand into the one showing.

Re: mirror shots, all good suggestions. I would add, my Canon (old now, an A85) has a portrait setting that works well when I have to use the mirror image approach. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

beth DATE:Sep 23, 2008 11:50:00 PM belphebe: many digital cameras support an honest-to-god remote control. Sold separately, of course. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Penny DATE:Sep 24, 2008 12:00:00 AM Erin, you portray such an elegance and I love this shot of you in your very special dress... Way to go!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Sep 24, 2008 1:19:00 AM Dang, LD looks great! I don't care for the dress, the hair or the necklace. But, she and I are the same age and I am starting to look dumpy. I'd better get to the gym!

The dress looks great! I can't offer you any better photo tips than what you have already received. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

flurogoddess DATE:Sep 24, 2008 4:06:00 AM I'm going to have to read the link!

I love the purple. I want the purple. I must make the purple... *dribble* ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Hana DATE:Sep 24, 2008 6:32:00 AM This is good news with the Emmy dress. Not that it would be my style, but at least now I know I can put pockets into formal gowns that are!

When mirror shots are concerned, I can't help much, the only thing I thought of was shooting it a bit from the side, so the glow from the flash isn't in the middle of the picture. I usually take self-timer shots instead, though. Sometimes I need to take a lot of them before I'm satisfied, but it's easier than always looking for a big enough mirror with enough room in front of it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Sep 24, 2008 5:44:00 PM Love the purple on LD but the dress looks slightly too big for her. Maybe pulling it up at the neckline would fix that. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Sep 25, 2008 1:37:00 PM IMO, the issue with the purple gown bodice is the lack of a proper, strapless, long-line BRA. Braless busts droop and all the plastic surgery in the world won't prevent gravity from having its way.

A good bra would pick her bosom, and her bodice, up several inches -- making her figure look better proportioned and younger as well. She's over 40 and ought to be old enough to have figured that out.

Erin, your dress and cardigan combination are great. I can't help with mirror pics, but isn't there someone around whom you could ask to spare a moment and take a picture for your blog?

Maybe its the small-townness of me or the fact that I live in the south, but I've always seen people more than willing to do the small favor of taking a picture as long as the camera isn't something esoteric and complex. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

saidee DATE:Sep 25, 2008 2:10:00 PM Well, I like LD's purple dress: the 2-toned insets are a nice touch. Also, I think the bodice fits her very nicely and looks much better, for one so low, than most of the over-exposed lines of dresses at these sorts of events. Of course, I too love that it has a pocket! An assistant seems quite practical to me: LD needs to be seen and photographed because of the business she is in and the assistant is there to assist! BTW, LD is one of my favorite actors--she always does a bang-up job.

I want to see a better photo of your dress, Erin; it looks lovely. Will link to read more in a second. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

saidee DATE:Sep 25, 2008 2:12:00 PM Correction: the insets are not 2-toned, but a darker purple, which makes for a subtle, 2-toned gown. Writing...sigh. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

saidee DATE:Sep 25, 2008 2:19:00 PM The next photo of this dress needs you in it (just checked the link, so sad and touching, still,of course)...after implementing the self-portrait suggestions. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Oct 8, 2008 8:31:00 AM I would like to add side pockets to a dress with a bias skirt and am looking for instructions and tips on how to cut this pocket. Pockets do not feature in the pattern that I have on hand. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Core Competency DATE: 7:51 AM ----- BODY:

I know I've posted about this one before, but this time I actually bought the pattern. (Don't worry -- Beth sent me a link to another one, available here in B32, if you want one).

I'm still turning over in my head what I want to sew for the fall and winter. I'm thinking I might do some more pocket skirts, but I also wanted a simple dress pattern that 1) had pockets and 2) could be worn under a cardigan sweater easily (meaning -- no fancy neck details).

This seems to answer my RFP nicely, doesn't it? I am thinking about these as (for lack of a better term) competency dresses. Dresses you could carry a stack of heavy books in, go up and down a ladder in, duck under a desk to re-route cables in, keep a pocketful of pencils in, etc., but which still look neat and tidy. The skirt's not too narrow or too full, the neck's neither too high (strangle-y) nor too low (cleavage-y) and the simple lines mean that you could go a bit wild with your fabric choices.

Plus, it looks as if the pattern calls for piping -- both versions here have it.

I think I'd like a black lightweight denim one (with the skirt slightly shorter, maybe just below the knee) with the pockets trimmed with metal zipper; a gray poplin one trimmed with red; a dark teal with yellow piping ... the list goes on.

Labels: pockets, Simplicity_4561, workaday

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colour by number DATE:Sep 8, 2008 8:16:00 AM deja vu--I just pulled out this pattern for fall! I was thinking a soft corduroy in a petit fall floral or grey with the piping! cindy ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa DATE:Sep 8, 2008 8:24:00 AM Darn menopause! I'd get too cold with that neckline in the winter, and the hot flashes mean no sweaters. I love the lines of that one, though. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Debra DATE:Sep 8, 2008 8:29:00 AM This is the kind of dress I used to think of as a work dress, house dress or a teacher dress. You could put it on and go and do about anything you wanted in it. It's a wardrobe staple! Nice choice. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

San Antonio Sue DATE:Sep 8, 2008 8:49:00 AM It looks a little "housewifey" to be but in today's political climate, you'll be right in style! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

the_lazymilliner DATE:Sep 8, 2008 8:50:00 AM I love the red bolero jacket and matching shoes. And the gloves! They're the height of elegance. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Sep 8, 2008 9:01:00 AM A real bolero & great pockets! What more could one ask for. Great pattern. What is the Grey Lady holding in her left hand? Is that the grey bolero?

Teresa ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marjie DATE:Sep 8, 2008 9:08:00 AM And don't forget to stitch in the wasp waist that obviously comes with this one. Wait! Sign me up for this pattern, too! I want my waspish waistline back....

It is a great dress! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Sep 8, 2008 9:30:00 AM Ha, I want the wasp waist, too!

This is a great pattern, I agree on the neckline. I think I'd cap the sleeves a bit, though. The trim made me think of this immediately: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/2720870066_03fd6bf968_m.jpg
But that wouldn't go well under your sweater.

Have you ever made a pocket protector for your skirt pocket? I was thinking how geek chic that would be. It could be bound with matching fabric.

Speaking of being on ladders: I just finished installing new framing, sheeting and windows in my house. My husband commented early on that I was going to be the talk of the town, being out on the scaffolding in a skirt. I laughed and told my brother and him that I didn't understand why they didn't all wear kilts. My brother actually said that might be a good idea... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:Sep 8, 2008 9:42:00 AM Red Jacket Lady looks like she is about to say something very catty indeed to Grey Dress Lady. Something like, "You wouldn't have to hide your hands in your pockets when Mr Right sees you if you'd remembered your gloves, missy!" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Sep 8, 2008 9:52:00 AM Well you know I am going to say that I love that little bolero.

But I also think this could:

Be worn as a jumper
Be made into one of those dresses that looks like a top and a skirt (make the bodice in one color and the skirt in another)

This pattern's list of things to love just keeps on growing. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

goldilocks DATE:Sep 8, 2008 11:10:00 AM Now, San Antonio, what is so dreadful about "housewifey?" I look that that all the time, but maybe it is okay since I AM a housewife. ;)

Anyway, very cute and practical. And you could make half-a-dozen of them in a week if you wanted... there is a lot to be said for a simple pattern in that department.

I'm looking for a pattern that opens in the front (for nursing convenience) and is otherwise similar in style. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lydia DATE:Sep 8, 2008 11:53:00 AM I second Lorrwill's suggestion to wear this as a jumper. Boat necklines just do not work with my build. They always always always gape. =(

Can't wait to see what you come up with, Erin! I'm sure they'll be gorgeously sassy. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Sep 8, 2008 12:12:00 PM I can't imagine coping with sleeves that short, but I suppose you are used to it. I like EVERYTHING else about the dress for exactly the reasons you describe. Well not that I'd be that active in a day, but the simple lines and the pockets, opportunities for embellishment with piping and so on and so forth and please do, in all those colours and then some! (which sentence I'm sure breaks multiple grammar rules, but I hope you follow anyway.)

Cheers,
AJ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sara DATE:Sep 8, 2008 12:31:00 PM I LOVE thinking about things to make for fall and winter...I am currently on the hunt for the perfect scoopneck A-line dress pattern, to be made out of every color of wool gab I can get my hands on. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

julia m DATE:Sep 8, 2008 1:11:00 PM but why is the red-dress lady wearing only one glove?? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Penny DATE:Sep 8, 2008 1:42:00 PM goldilocks I have several nursing patterns in stock at antiquedollhouseofpatterns... some are specifically for nursing mix and match..elizabeth lee has a large variety and #207 has a dress and other pieces... . and surely there would be some on the internet that would be retro and cool like this dress and bolero..I like the way the neck seems to lay flat... Penny ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Terri DATE:Sep 8, 2008 3:04:00 PM Thank you for reminding us about your pocket tutorials. Pocket skirts are on my list for Spring! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:Sep 8, 2008 3:34:00 PM Red Jacket Lady has her second glove in her gloved hand and a delicate handkerchief in the other hand. She had to take off the other glove to use her handkerchief, gently patting her perfectly powdered cheek. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Sep 8, 2008 4:41:00 PM A wonderful, basic dress indeed.

@Lydia,
If the neckline gapes when you make the muslin fold out a dart to take up the slack. Try taking slack out vertically at the center front, by lifting the shoulder seam, or pinching it up horizontally above the breasts then swiveling that to a shoulder dart.

I've gotten to be an expert at the gaping neckline adjustment because my FBA always leaves a saggy mess of extra fabric there. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Allison DATE:Sep 8, 2008 8:54:00 PM This dress is so perfect that for a moment, I truly thought B32 was my size. (It's not). I have no idea why. Perhaps it was just wanting those pockets and little cap-like sleeves and something simple for work that made me delusional. sigh. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sondra DATE:Sep 9, 2008 10:04:00 AM I just returned home from an 8-day trip. I wore a summer cotton dress every day. And every single day at least one, sometimes more, random stranger stopped me to compliment me on my dress. Maybe the time is ripe for "Keep America Beautiful". ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Sep 9, 2008 4:19:00 PM How skinny are those waists!!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Sep 16, 2008 1:39:00 PM << What is the Grey Lady holding in her left hand? Is that the grey bolero? >>

Yes, Teresa, that IS a bolero in Grey Lady's hand :) I clicked on the link, and the pattern is for both the dress and the jacket. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Omega605 DATE:Sep 16, 2008 10:25:00 PM This dress is very versatile...endless possibilities! :) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Beyond Cruelty DATE: 8:30 AM ----- BODY:

Do you know why the woman in this illustration looks as if someone is poking her with a red-hot iron? Do you see how she can barely bring herself to touch her skirt with her right hand? It's because the pockets on the skirt she is holding out so gingerly are FAKE.

Yep, that's right. FAKE. They're applied with transfers, like so:

Simplicity 4301

Obviously, the woman in the background is sneering at the poor deluded woman in the foreground who thinks fake pockets are better than no pockets at all. If anything, fake pockets are worse ...

Thanks to wundermary for the images!

Labels: fauxpockets, pockets, Simplicity_4301

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

the_lazymilliner DATE:Aug 11, 2008 8:35:00 AM Is it possible that the woman in the background is also a fakery victim? The halter top seems to be imprinted on her short-sleeve top. Either that or her top is so very sheer you can see her bra underneath. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Rachelle DATE:Aug 11, 2008 8:43:00 AM Perhaps the lady in the background is wishing she got the appliqued pockets instead of the appliqued bra! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Aug 11, 2008 9:21:00 AM I'm intrigued by the packet description: "Pockets are make believe". Surely that depends on the perception of the viewer, not the intention of the sham-pocket creator? OK, semantic hair-splitting, but interesting choice of words.

The "handpainted effect" - is that achieved via the transfer? Does this make them DOUBLE sham pockets? Oh, the shame of it!

I'll just take a moment to make believe that I've made this skirt with sham pockets (I'm thinking bottle green to set off those gold tassels)and move swiftly on - possibly to a "real pockets/sham skirt" project (in an attempt to redress the balance). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:Aug 11, 2008 9:21:00 AM Why go to all that work to put on fake pockets? Real ones would actually be easier! What fools the Fake Pocket Cabal must think we are... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Aug 11, 2008 9:43:00 AM Fake pockets, sham pockets, pocket 'effect'and make believe pockets. Trompe l'oeil pockets?

I think the look on her face has something to do with having used gloss exterior paint for the 'effect' and it hasn't dried yet. Either that or she's just realised she'll have to keep her hankie up her knicker leg ;-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 9:52:00 AM Erin, and fellow readers, I need help! I'm going on the first annual Bettie Page Theme Cruise (google it, it's going to be awesome) in October. Any suggestions for wonderful vintage dress patterns to make up? My walk-away dress turned out well (Remember my modifications? Success!), I may make another, but what else?
-Sandra ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gry DATE:Aug 11, 2008 9:57:00 AM I am also annoyed by the blouse on the lady in front. It looks very lovely and simple, but you could not construct a collar like that without more seams. I know this is a skirt pattern and that the fake collar was probably invented by the illustrator, but I feel a little cheated anyway. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

theresa DATE:Aug 11, 2008 10:06:00 AM anonymous - I would use one of the wonderful pattern links on the side and look for Wiggle dresses - very Bettie Page.

FAKE POCKETS! What a travesty! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Justine DATE:Aug 11, 2008 10:06:00 AM The sham pockets are to detract from a "baby bump". This chick is a starlet and she has decided not to show her "baby bump" in public until People Magazine pays her at least 7 mill! :)

Real pockets would be easier, perhaps the designer put faux pockets on to keep anybody from putting a hankie in the pocket an "ruining the line". :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Amy G. DATE:Aug 11, 2008 10:17:00 AM Pockets should never, ever be make-believe. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gail DATE:Aug 11, 2008 10:38:00 AM All fauxpockets are bad; and all slacks and jackets should have real pockets.
Recently the fashion columnist for the Wall Street Journal said that she cuts the pockets out of her jeans and sews them shut so it doesn't "ruin the line". A good way to ruin a good pair of jeans.

I have been reading this site for months and love it and the comments. Finally decided to put in my 2 cents worth. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 11:17:00 AM But you know, you could use the tacky "color transfer" as a guide to make REAL pockets and put REAL trim on them - thus foiling the evil fake pocket cabal and having lovely big pockets!

Toddson ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Janel DATE:Aug 11, 2008 11:29:00 AM lol ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gladys DATE:Aug 11, 2008 12:34:00 PM As others have said - put the time and effort into real pockets! They wouldn't be hard and could be exactly the size anyone wanted.

I really do not understand the point in the fake pockets----- ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

marcia in austin DATE:Aug 11, 2008 12:45:00 PM Gail-- I have noticed a trend toward truncated pockets in women's pants and jeans. The pocketing opening is there, and real, but it opens into a little half-inch faux pocket, or in the case of front pockets it will end just below the hip crease-- just enough room to put something in and be guaranteed it will fall out.

This. Annoys. The. Crap. Out. Of. Me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Chantelle DATE:Aug 11, 2008 12:54:00 PM If anything, I would also make real pockets and possibly use the transfer as a guide for trim. I might omit the tassels, or else use real ones. Fake pockets are bad; fake "handpainted" is worse; but fake tassels? That's the worst for me.

I thought that the illustrators made the tops look realistic for skirt patterns. Perhaps this illustrator was so disgusted by the fake pockets that s/he had to draw unrealistic tops to go with them.

Sandra/anonymous, have you watched The Notorious Bettie Page? That movie should give you a good idea of the styles that she wore, which did include pencil skirts and wiggle dresses. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 1:03:00 PM Chantelle- You bet I've seen "The Notorius Bettie Page"! I'm a big fan of the styles of the era. I was wondering if anyone had a specific pattern they really liked that they'd like to share with the class.
On the cruise, there's going to be a lecture on fashions of the fifties, as well as burlesque performers and a pin up class!
-Sandra ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jean DATE:Aug 11, 2008 1:26:00 PM Bravo to all the above! Yep, I'm with everyone that said to just make the pockets and use the fake ones as a pattern! Such simpletons thinking that they could get away with out putting pockets on! Makes you wonder how many people bought the pattern thinking that it actually had pockets! I'm thinking that a lot of people were pretty ticked off w/Simplicity! And they didn't have the internet to sound off at them! They had to snail mail their gripes!
Oh well... hopefully they learned their lesson. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Hana DATE:Aug 11, 2008 1:34:00 PM Ouch.
Chantelle's right, fake tassels are the top of it.
Even though fake pockets are the craziest thing. Where would I put my keys and my handkerchief without pockets, huh?
And, Gyr, you're right too. :D The first thing I thought was "I'd love to get a pattern for that TOP."
I think Erin and everyone here warm my heart with their attitude to pockets. :-) I'm like without hands without pockets. Exactly like the lady on the picture - "Where should I put my hand?" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 1:46:00 PM Instead of the gold and the tassels, this poor lady needs "Harold and the Purple Crayon" pockets. Just draw them on as the pattern says, make-believe, and they instantly BECOME REAL POCKETS! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Aug 11, 2008 1:52:00 PM Perhaps this is a 1950's "Designed BY Women, FOR Women" thing, where more experienced wives groom teens to be appealingly helpless and dependent upon men? This way, he'll not only have to unlock the door for you when he drops you off, he'll have to carry the key! The housewives group also discourages the carrying of a purse, so the date will always have to pick up the tab. Stocking tops are outfitted with a special elastic band to hold a lipstick and a dime for emergency phone calls (to the group.) Interestingly, the daughters of two women from this movement went on to write The Rules. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 2:17:00 PM Oh no. Those pockets are Make Believe according to the packet. Not fake. That's an entirely different category. You can put Make Believe stuff into Make Believe pockets. Fake stuff will not fit in Fake pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Aug 11, 2008 2:50:00 PM ooohh...there's probably a special Sisterly Ceremony where the Make Believe wedding ring carried throughout courtship in the Make Believe pocket is exchanged for the REAL ring! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Rachelle DATE:Aug 11, 2008 3:17:00 PM LMAO Anonymous! The only problem is remembering to take your make believe lipstick out of your make believe pockets, otherwise you get make believe stains all over your skirt! Imagine the horror! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Aug 11, 2008 3:24:00 PM The model looks REALLY dismayed to be trapped in that skirt! I think it was a photo taken at her initiation ceremony into the [Future] Dependents of America group. The lady in the background is one of the group leaders, reading off its mission statement, secret oath, rules, regulations and strategy. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Aug 11, 2008 3:54:00 PM Cookie - Are you kidding me!? Stocking with lipstick and dime holders? I am intrigued. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Aug 11, 2008 3:55:00 PM PS I am so glad you have stuck with your real photo cookie. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Aug 11, 2008 4:16:00 PM THANKS! Strangely...I do seem to remember someone designing a stocking or garter that had a little pocket for essentials. Maybe in the 1920's? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Aug 11, 2008 5:42:00 PM Can we bring back the chatelaine, maybe? In addition to full, real pockets, of course.

And as class toady, can I offer a shiny red happy birthday apple to Miss Erin? Have a lovely, pocket-filled day! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gremly Girl DATE:Aug 11, 2008 6:51:00 PM I burst out laughing when I saw this -- it's FABULOUS!

I think I'd make the skirt with side seam pockets but also use the transfer pattern to add Make Believe Pockets. It would be the most confusing skirt ever. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 7:38:00 PM Let me add my best birthday wishes!
-Sandra ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Adrienne DATE:Aug 11, 2008 8:15:00 PM Real pockets or fake pockets, either way, make one's hips 'Hippo-size.'

Bulge on bulk is never slimming. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 11, 2008 8:35:00 PM A cupboard in my kitchen that is under my stovetop has a handle on it - but it doesn't open. It's a fake drawer. I hate that. Plus, my kids keep trying to open it, and someday that handle is going to get ripped off.
My husband hates fake things so much that he wouldn't buy a dresser that had four drawers but was made to look like it had five. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kylie B DATE:Aug 11, 2008 10:33:00 PM LOL, they were very lazy sewers back in the day, though it dose look like it could be a nice skirt! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sarah DATE:Aug 12, 2008 1:49:00 AM I do believe some of the steampunk kids are making and selling garters that hold assorted goodies, including lipstick-sized things - likely available on etsy, although who knows what you'd search for. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Aug 12, 2008 2:33:00 AM Bwa, it is a bizarre deal, make believe pockets that are supposed to look like you painted them; so wrong on so many levels. The transfers are actually French's Mustard yellow, not exactly a color to go with everything. The pattern itself is a classic half circle skirt and a cumberbund, very straight forward.

I just pulled a 40's collection of "thermographs" out of a previously unseen stash of my Mom's. It has some wild V for Victory stuff and a transfer of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's head, wonder how that would look on a skirt... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Aug 12, 2008 5:26:00 AM Yes! Fake drawers are SO annoying!

I'm intrigued and repelled also by fake windows - here in the UK you often see odd gaps where windows should be, sometimes painted black with white cross-frames. This curious practice dates back to a hefty window tax introduced under the wonderfully named Act of Making Good the Deficiency of the Clipped Money, 1696 - according to Wikipedia - which served to incentivise this peculiar fenestral fakery. It was also alleged to be the origin of the phrase "daylight robbery", but Erin could probably put us straight on that one.

This was in lieu of income tax, by the way, which was way too controversial and unpopular to introduce at the time. But you can see how it would tend to tax the wealthy.

So, which of the presidential hopefuls over there would have the gall to suggest a real-pocket tax, I wonder? - on the grounds that those with lots to put in their big pockets can afford to loose a little. My, how we'd all suffer here on DaD! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Aug 12, 2008 8:09:00 AM If a fake bolero is a fauxlero is a a fake pocket a fauxect?

Happy Birthday Erin ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen ~ MOMSPatterns DATE:Aug 12, 2008 9:10:00 AM I was thinking more of the lady with the fake halter top as wearing a fauxlter top! OH the Fauxness you've started, Erin!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY a lil' bit late! 29 again is a FABULOUS birthday to have.. trust me, I've had over 10 of 'em! :D ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miss Kitty DATE:Aug 12, 2008 12:40:00 PM I just spit my Diet Dr. Pepper all over the monitor--who'd've thought a post on pockets would make my day?

Thanks, Erin. And you're SO on target about both the necessity of pockets in a shirtdress AND what the ladies on the front of this pattern are saying/thinking. :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Aug 12, 2008 1:19:00 PM Here is a prime example of a fakery we live with every day, in all communities: SHUTTERS BOLTED TO BUILDINGS THAT WOULDN'T EVEN COVER THE WINDOWS IF CLOSED! This started to drive me crazy once I noticed it. You'll see a long picture window on a Colonial Revival house, flanked by one slender shutter at each end, perhaps even sporting cunning cutouts. You're fooled into thinking, "How quaint...how pretty. What lovely contrasting shutters in Williamsburg Blue." Then the shock sets in, for one does not have to be an MIT graduate to grasp that those dinky little shutters would NEVER span the window's length. You trespass and grasp at the shutters, vainly trying to prove your theory by closing them...but the nightmare continues as you realize they're fixed in place, and what you have in your trembling and soon-to-be handcuffed hands are shutters that will never actually SHUT! How can we expect our nations children to grow up honest when THIS is what we give them?? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Aug 13, 2008 8:21:00 AM Cookie, this is my second reply on fake shutters (the other is in tomorrow's post, time travel being one of my many wonderful qualities I've attained since passing 40) and I realised I was so wrong to state that Britain has no shutters. It does. But they tend to be of a certain age and internal, located in shutter boxes to the sides of sash windows. The house I live in has them in every room (how embarrassing of me to overlook that!) BUT, alas, most of our shutter boxes are empty, the folded shutters that should hang inside having been dismantled by a previous occupier, possibly as firewood some extended cold winter long ago, I imagine. It's a real pity because they work beautifully to keep the warmth in during the winter as well as the heat/glare out in the summer. So, this isn't precisely fake shutter territory, but maybe we could file it under "shutter disappointment".

Looks like I need a holiday (preferably in a Tuscan farmhouse with adequate shutterage). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Aug 13, 2008 1:33:00 PM I know the type you mean! We have them in some finer Victorian homes over here...and yes, sometimes the shutter boxes are empty. BUT sometimes they have been painted or paneled over and ignored for decades, and a lucky dweller suddenly discovers they have hidden shutters throughout their whole house! Our exterior shutters I think were originally there not so much for privacy or warmth, but to protect windows from being lashed by heavy east coast winds, which in some locations can actually tear shingles off houses! It is THOSE exterior shutters, which once did such an upstanding job, that have been reduced to a mere mockery of their former selves. Thanks for your post! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Those Crazy Kids! DATE: 9:03 AM ----- BODY:

Cecelia sent this to me (because of the pockets, obviously) and isn't it just neato keen? It's a teen pattern, which makes me think that probably someone, somewhere, saw this dress made up and clucked over the ridiculous habits of "kids today," with their enormous pockets and their lack of respect for authority.

This illustration, all by itself, is the plot of a Hayley Mills movie, isn't it? About orphan teen bank robbers. They (both roles played by Ms. Mills) are on a two-girl crime spree (and hunted by the police and all the papers, who think that they are not teens, but master criminals, albeit of very short stature) until they are befriended by a kindly bank guard (played by Morgan Freeman) who inspires them to change their ways. Somebody make that for me, okay? Thanks.

Oh, and speaking of crazy kids, do y'all remember Rebecca (of course you do, she designed this) and Trish (of CraftyPlanet.com)? They're currently working on a book called "One Yard Wonders," and are looking for really cool projects that can be made with no more than a yard of fabric. More details are here.

Please submit projects because I have a LOT of one-yard leftovers that I would really like to use up ...

Labels: pockets, Simplicity_3996

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

the_lazymilliner DATE:Aug 7, 2008 9:29:00 AM One Yard Wonders Sounds like a cool book.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Aug 7, 2008 9:50:00 AM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Aug 7, 2008 9:52:00 AM Since in addition to being an aspiring dress-maker, I'm a quilter, too, a full, contiguous yard left-over is on the order of a unicorn sighting.

I think I could comfortable curl up for a nap in one of those pockets.

And for the movie: a nice social worker or school teacher with a heart of gold but who could never really reach the 'terrible two' and who becomes a love interest for Morgan's character would be a nice subplot. Actress for this role: please discuss. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

sixties sewer DATE:Aug 7, 2008 10:14:00 AM When I saw the Vivienne Westwood show in SF last year, I learned that she started her sewing life by making dresses for herself from just one yard. Of course it was the 60s and the dresses were up to HERE! But, could it be done today? I would love it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marjie DATE:Aug 7, 2008 11:15:00 AM Skirts for my daughters! I just made 6 for the daughter who's starting law school. Now, granted, she's a skinny girl (not anorexic, just a fast metabolism, the lucky duck!), but it only takes a yard for a straight, knee length skirt for her. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

fourkid DATE:Aug 7, 2008 11:32:00 AM I do pillow cases with 1 YD. of fabric. I absolutely love the ones I make much better than store ones (unless of course you can afford to buy the really expensive ones - I can't!) Just fold, stitch bottom and one side - turn for a 4" edging - and you have a great, personalized pillowcase - and it covers the whole pillow, none of that peeking out on the end from commercial cases. This is also a beginner project for young and old alike. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:Aug 7, 2008 11:43:00 AM I make pillow cases too. The homemade kind are much nicer than the bought kind. A little effort makes them fancy. These are especially fun for gifts. A fun gift for kids is pajamas and a matching pillowcase. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Little Hunting Creek DATE:Aug 7, 2008 11:46:00 AM Other one yard options are shorts, scarves, sleeveless shirts, and tablerunners and napkins [one yard makes four]. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Aug 7, 2008 12:03:00 PM I hope we'll see Morgan Freeman in ANY movie again -- he's recovering from a bad car wreck I hear. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sara DATE:Aug 7, 2008 12:44:00 PM I like to make mix-and-match placemats with 1-yard pieces -- you just need some coordinating colors, and you can make 'em double-sided too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Justine DATE:Aug 7, 2008 12:56:00 PM You know those two bank robbing teens smuggle all the cash and safety deposit box contents out in the hidden pockets inside those skirts!

Everyone is distracted by the plunging necklines and don't notice the crinoline overload in the skirts! :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Angela DATE:Aug 7, 2008 1:04:00 PM I like the 1920s one yard bias apron found here: http://www.decadesofstyle.com/product_info.php?products_id=10 ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Liesbeth DATE:Aug 8, 2008 3:33:00 AM I saw the movie Married Life yesterday, and one of the things I loved the most about it were the gorgeous costumes.
And would you believe it, one of the dresses worn by Rachel McAdams looks very much like the striped one on this pattern! Stripy fabric, same collar, pockets: http://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/a481/MarriedLife.jpg
Love it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Aug 8, 2008 4:15:00 AM Oh, a one-yard fabric project! That is SO up my street that it's just walked in my door and is cosying up on the sofa! I'm getting goosebumps. It's just the kind of thrift project our post-credit-crunch world needs. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Meg DATE:Aug 8, 2008 6:23:00 AM Pockets big enough for masks AND guns? Just watch out for pigs, man. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Meg DATE:Aug 8, 2008 6:23:00 AM And parents. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Pick-a-Pocket, Any Pocket DATE: 6:10 AM ----- BODY:

Jim sent me this old fabric ad -- and can we just all agree that it's awesome? Leaving aside the weird fringe trim? And possibly the color beige?

I am thinking I really need one of these multipocket skirts -- especially the "hopscotch" version. I would like to make all the pockets close with contrasting bright plastic zippers (for just a tinch more security and a bit of extra wtf? sauce).

My favorite part of these old ads are the guarantees. This one states "GUARANTEE: 'If any article made principally of an Indian Head brand cotton fails to give proper service because of the fading or running of Indian Head colors, or if the fabric shrinks more than 1%, we will make good the total cost of the article.' Make sure the name INDIAN HEAD is on the selvage or hang tag."

I can't believe, though, that Indian Head cotton comes in 39 colors and BEIGE is the one they decided to feature. Beige. You know how they say the opposite of love is indifference? The opposite of color is not colorlessness, it's beige. I mean, I AM largely beige and I hate that color.

I should apologize for the spottiness of the "A Day" part of "Dress A Day" lately -- lots of travel. (I'm typing this at 6 a.m. in an airport departure lounge, actually ...) I'm on my way to Tokyo and Sapporo! Expect more Japanese fabric pictures and the concomitant Japanese fabric BUYING.

Labels: ads, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 27, 2008 8:59:00 AM I agree with you as far as beige goes. I think they just wanted to show off the other colors on a neutral background. Grey would have looked better. Is the big long pocket for an umbrella or witch's broom?
You should consider a skirt like this in grey with all the various bright colored pockets covering the entire skirt,in a mondrian pattern edged in black seam binding (not fringe)and closed with invisible zippers.
Sorry to be Anonymous I still haven't figured it out
Colleen ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nancy (nanflan) DATE:Jul 27, 2008 10:01:00 AM Ahh, Indian Head. My mom was devoted to that brand of cotton! Agree with you on the beige, too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 27, 2008 10:13:00 AM Your blog makes me want to sew...and makes me want to go to Japan. I purchased from Japanese cotton from a local fabric store last week and am very excited about the dress that will result (although my mom will probably end up making the dress for me). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Zoltar Panaflex DATE:Jul 27, 2008 11:07:00 AM Maybe the beige was chosen for the contrast with the other colors.

I found a 50's British royalty-fan magazine and it has fashion ads in it, I can't wait to scan those up.

The reason I have the magazine: A friend of mine gave me this navy leather shopper bucket handbag, and there's an ad for the same bag in the magazine! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

kagitsune DATE:Jul 27, 2008 11:26:00 AM This dress would be so awesome in some of those Japanese fabrics you bring back... 8D So many adorable prints they have over there.... <3

What takes you to Japan this time, Erin? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 27, 2008 11:56:00 AM No! I will NOT leave aside the weird fabric trim! The weird fabric trim is awesome!
Although, so is your idea of zippers.
-Sandra ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

brocadegoddess DATE:Jul 27, 2008 1:21:00 PM I'm with Colleen on this, I think the beige was for display, and yes, grey would have been better. I am tempted to make this up myself, although I'm away from home until the end of the summer and may forget by then - not that I'll have time anyway.

Instead of the zippers, what about really big fabric covered buttons? You could mix n match using the same fabrics as for the pockets! Or maybe I'll just keep that idea for myself ;oP

I'd say I was super jealous that you're going to Japan, but since I'm spending the summer in London, England I guess I can only be sorta jealous, lol. Looking forward to what you bring back! All I'll be bringing back from trip is knowledge. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

krissy DATE:Jul 27, 2008 2:20:00 PM I love this skirt, and love your idea of bright zippers, too! Ok, am I too new to the blogoshpere, or just uncultured? The only thing I know about Sapporo is that it's great beer...You make me want to sew, too. Thank you! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Jul 27, 2008 2:39:00 PM I feel the same way about beige. They say beige hides dirt but that's because its the color of dirt so whatever you do in beige looks dirty from its birth.

I rather like the swag pockets -- from a time when women weren't afraid to admit that they had hips.

And I love the graceful hang of the skirt. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:Jul 27, 2008 3:13:00 PM I assume they intended to highlight the colorful-ness of the other colors, but I agree that beige doesn't do anything for me. What's even weirder is that, like many ads of that vintage, the colors are sort of supersaturated, so it's . . . ULTRA beige. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

john DATE:Jul 27, 2008 3:25:00 PM that is not beige, that is mocassin ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

3KillerBs DATE:Jul 27, 2008 4:02:00 PM John,

A beige by any other name is just as drab. ;-) :-D LOL ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

EmilyJ DATE:Jul 27, 2008 4:08:00 PM Hey, I'm going to have to stand up for beige a little here!!

Completely agree that it's not the most eye-catching colour for advertising purposes, but generally, in life, when accessorised properly, and in an expensive fabric, it can be a lovely neutral to base your outfit on.

I wouldn't necessarily put it with multicoloured pockets though! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nana is Dreaming In The Theatre DATE:Jul 27, 2008 5:53:00 PM The idea is yummy! I kind of want to see like a neo-goth version, I think it'd be really amusing. Like, leather and neon green and pink zippers? Hmm.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Jul 27, 2008 6:48:00 PM Nay to that particular shade of beige here too. Had it been a few steps lighter...maybe...If the goal was to make the colors pop then I think perhaps something more like an oatmeal or muslin color or pretty much any shade of gray; black would have been very dramatic.

I like the Technicolor zipper idea, too.

Of course there is always rick rack... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 27, 2008 7:00:00 PM hah! an instant before i read your 'weird fringe trim', i thought, "ooh! pockets with mustaches!!"

>giggle< ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 27, 2008 7:02:00 PM and -

hey! some of my favorite band-aids have been that shade of beige! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

tiddleywink DATE:Jul 27, 2008 10:54:00 PM Okay, the beige is weird, but... WHAT is she putting in (or taking out of) her pocket? An oversized, orange-dyed Brussels sprout? A strange fungus? A bouquet of pom-poms? And why does she look surprised to see it/them? Do the pockets also have MAGICAL QUALITIES? Ooooh, I want to make this magical skirt tout de suite! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Jul 28, 2008 3:50:00 AM Did you hear that news story a few years back about how astro-physicists had figured out that the most common colour in the universe was... beige?

Happily there was a retraction some time after: it's now thought to be turquoise or something far more pleasing.

I figure that several astro-physicists just misunderstood the question first-time round and thought they were being asked what colour knitwear they were wearing that morning. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Jul 28, 2008 7:47:00 AM Beige: the colour that has no excuse for existing. You KNOW that if the end result of all the cat hair mixing together = beige, that can't be good.

As far as beige making a suitable background for Joseph's Dress of Many Pockets, not only would grey have served perfectly well, so would black, and so would white. In fact, so would any colour that would actually be flattering to its wearer. Sure, if it's a spring green, maybe she'd be pulling out a Pocket Full of Violets instead of A Pocket Full of Zinnias, but that's okay; violets are awfully nice flowers.

[ makes note to self: All beiges go to Emilyj, stat. ]

Congratulations, Emilyj! You are apparently the one person for whom beige is an attractive neutral! We knew you had to be out there somewhere! I suspect the rest of us, however, will resort to other neutrals. Any other neutrals. On the other hand, at least the cat hair won't show up on it!

Erin, safe trip as always. I can't wait to see the treasures you bring back! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Morzel: DATE:Jul 28, 2008 7:49:00 AM You will find a wonderful fabric store in Sapporo called Kanari at Odori (a central park), in a street parallel to the park. Be sure to look around all five floors. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gladys DATE:Jul 28, 2008 9:34:00 AM Once when I took my son to library story time, they had a guest who wore an apron covered in large pockets. In each pocket was an object that related to a different story. Kids were called up to select a pocket, and that decided which story was told. This skirt so reminds me of that apron!

It would be awesome to have so many pockets and not need to carry a purse! If only I could remember which pocket contained what I needed-----

Have a great trip! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Jul 28, 2008 10:01:00 AM I think this beige looks like a brown paper bag. Just.not.good. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

EmilyJ DATE:Jul 28, 2008 12:42:00 PM Lol, I have so given the impression that I'm a beigeaholic!

Seriously I have a couple of tops and a skirt, I like colour too!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 28, 2008 12:43:00 PM Not defending the beige, but.... for the ad layout, it works well. Contrasts with the background nicely and shows a sharp image. Grey wouldn't work so well against the white. White wouldn't work at all and black would be too harsh.

Now if it were me making such a skirt, I'd do it in a lovely drapey black and fussy cut the pockets out of large scale florals with piping. But I do not have the time, what with the 3 baby quilts I'm supposed to have done already and fall wardrobe needs piling up on the cutting table. So little to do, so much time. Wait - stop - reverse that...!
carol ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Florence DATE:Jul 28, 2008 12:44:00 PM so the thing I don't understand about this design is why are all the pockets on one side? if you actually filled all those pockets you would be totally lopsided! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenny DATE:Jul 28, 2008 12:52:00 PM I loved IKEA's ad campaign "Be brave, not beige". I have taken it to heart for my home and my wardrobe. Beige is no longer welcome in my closet - especially now that my hair is developing a Rogue-esque silver streak (I'm not yet 30!).

Beige = BLAH
Beige + silver hair = ULTRA BLAH! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

EmilyJ DATE:Jul 28, 2008 3:10:00 PM Ah well, I'll admit beige defeat!

This is making me really hanker to make something with pockets though, I'm off to have a search on ebay for some exciting fabric. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jim DATE:Jul 28, 2008 5:09:00 PM Just a comment re-biege. This is a mid fifties ad and for better or worse, biege was very popular in that era. I was 5 years old when that was on the magazine stand, and I remember every room in our house was painted in some shade of beige. I hated it then and I have not changed much. I had no idea this would cause such a stir, I just knew Erin loves pockets. Glad to see some of you are interested in making it. I thought it was very cute and totally over the top. If I can find some time I am going to make one for my granduaghter. She will probably die then to wear it, so may be I should ask her first. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Jul 29, 2008 12:39:00 AM WOW! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jul 29, 2008 12:40:00 PM Proof that one CAN have too much of a good thing. Two pockets are more than enough on a 50s skirt like this. Anybody who requires more should really consider wearing cargo pants and a fishing vest. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jul 29, 2008 3:43:00 PM Wouldn't one tip over if they had stuff stored in that many front pockets? Or about the 70th time wearing it, the over-stressed seams might just rip and you'd be suddenly naked? (Always a concern for drag queens with secrets!)

Scarily enough, I believe one of Princess Grace's favorite fashion colors was to dress in up monochromatic "Honey Beige". Maybe this looks good with dark blonde hair, and those 60's and 70's shades of frosted lipstick? I don't know. A real tragedy in MY life is that I don't look good in this color, which rules out camel hair coats, etc.

If you ARE forced to wear beige, most people will probably find it more flattering if it has a pink, rather than a yellow, undertone. Wear heavy necklace AND earrings in your favorite color, to bring life to your face. Also, pray. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Jul 30, 2008 4:42:00 PM OK, let's admit that we've indulged in a particularly vicious streak of beige-bashing. That wasn't really fair. Actually, Problem Pocket is brown, and it's the diffidence of the colour choice in that particular location of prominence that is what offends me. Was the reticence born of 1950s gynecological coyness, dya think?

Reference lop-sidedness with full pockets, you'd have to limit yourself to a bit of loose change and a hankie, though I'd pay to see a litter of kittens popping their cute little heads out. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Adrienne DATE:Jul 31, 2008 8:28:00 AM Interesting. Great for a costume, I guess. God Bless1 - Adrienne ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Linktastic Thursday! DATE: 8:10 AM ----- BODY:

Jane sent this fabric, which is on sale at Hancock's of Paducah ... she also sent earlier some even better alphabet fabric from Fashion Fabrics Club ... which is now unavailable. (I'll take my own pic and post it when mine arrives.) She also sent this text-based fabric, if you just can't get enough typographical goodness.

Kathy found this pattern at a yard sale for 33 1/3 cents (she got three for a dollar).
Simplicity 3233

Needless to say, I love the pockets.

Speaking of pockets, Kim sends this brilliant Sesame Street video about their social importance. (Watch for the über-Seventies carpenter pants pockets.)

Nancy found near-perfect ginkgo fabric from Marimekko. I can see I'll have to start a special savings fund for this one. (Warning: site loaded badly in Firefox 3.)

Cookie found the fauxlero to end all fauxleros, at the Antique Dollhouse of Patterns:

I think that pattern is also a dirigible hostess dress, for sure, from the late, waning, Pan-American days of the industry.

Heather sent this wonderful ruffly number.

Melissa sent this comma necklace. Want.

Kate in Texas sent this really cute bee fabric from Hart's Fabrics -- which doesn't let you link directly to items, frustrating! So search on "bee" if you want to find it.

I would make a very serious tailored dress out of this ... it's $8.99/yard and only 45" wide though, so maybe not this week.

Another "not this week" fabric (I missed the auction!) is this:
swiss dot fabric

I have not a single, solitary idea what I could have made out of it, though, even if I had gotten to the auction in time, since it was only 4 yards of 36" wide ... from seller emt-mom-70.

Marilyn wants to know if there are charities that would take her cedar chest full of wool fabric ... and I'd like to know if there are charities that would like a lot of cotton scraps, since mine are getting outrageous, and -- let's be honest -- the chances of me making that charm quilt I keep muttering about? Are infinitesimal.

I haven't seen the Sex and the City movie yet (I know!) but HotPatterns (spoiler alert) has a related pattern ... now I think I really should go see it.

But not today. Today I have 500 emails to answer. Wish me luck!

Labels: Butterick_9262, linkylinky, pockets, Simplicity_3233

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Amy B. DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:09:00 AM I love the alphabet fabrics. ;)

as for the scraps, you could try leaving it with a Deseret Industries near you. It's the the thrift store run by the LDS church. Just let them know you want it to go to the Humanitarian Center. The fabric will be used to make quilts and other items for needy people. Most of the blankets that are made go oversees to disaster victims and the ultra poor, like the recent earthquake victims in Asia. They can't take scraps smaller than 10"x10" because that's their standard quilt block. If you don't have a DI near you, call an LDS church on a Sunday. You should be able to get ahold of a Bishop (they guy in charge of the congregation. ;)) and he can help you get your donation where it needs to go.

I'm LDS and our local Humanitarian center has been begging for fabric for months now. People just don't sew like they used to and they keep running out of fabric donations. I know they would be happy with whatever you can give them. With all the disasters that happen the world over, the need is always there for these quilts. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gaile DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:32:00 AM I would bet cash money that you could bag it up and show it on your blog and folks here would love to have it. if you're just trying to get rid of it, that is - I've seen more than a few crafters give away bags of scraps to their readers. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Doris DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:45:00 AM Love the pocket tribute...the tomato juice in the pocket? Priceless. Also love that gingko fabric... I don't really have to eat this month, do I? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:46:00 AM Fauxlero dress: do the under-bodice in a sheer fabric. Sek-seee! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mary DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:47:00 AM If you are in the San Francisco area, you can donate fabric and all sorts of craft items to SCRAPS http://www.scrap-sf.org/ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:49:00 AM i like that the alphabet fabric spells "seam". i wonder what other words you could find in a larger piece? i'm sure if i saw someone wearing it i would make them uncomfortable from all my staring! very cute though!
i, too, love those pockets but wonder how ridiculous they would look on me? i think they would be terrific for carrying a small child. and how perfect would that be? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Fran DATE:Jun 19, 2008 10:59:00 AM Re: Amy

Thanks for that information! I'm LDS too and wasn't sure of the regulations for donating fabric, but over the last year or so I've sent probably 50 pounds of scraps and yardage to DI, hoping they'd have a use for it somehow! It's good to know I wasn't wrong. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Monica DATE:Jun 19, 2008 11:03:00 AM My goo'ness! Those pockets are large enough to fit a baby kangaroo! Love em!

Does this really qualify as a fauxlero? Perhaps not a fakety fake fake one, since the lapels/bolero sides actually move. This is one I'd actually make. Nothing beats the crisp chic of a would-you-like-tea-or-me outfit. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cathy DATE:Jun 19, 2008 11:10:00 AM Enter "donate quilt fabric" in Google and you get lots of ideas for that one. I was going to list them, but there are too many. (Or check at a quilt store for clubs who make quilts for various charities.)

As for wool - I needed to figure this out after my mother died and left lots of very good quality pieces. We knew somebody at the local university who was interested in it for some clothing construction and fashion courses. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jun 19, 2008 11:14:00 AM Does the woman on the left have flowers growing out of her big pocket? They could be "walking window boxes"! A very green idea. And to expand on the handy child-in-pocket thought, one pocket could hold a toy doggie, and the other treats. Lugging them around would be good exercise, too. The more I look at it (and this is the inherent evil of the fauxlero), the more I like the blue one, buttoned. It would be a subtly distainful outfit to wear to a wedding you didn't really want to attent...where you don't want to make the full effort. The outfit sort of says, "I'm here, aren't I?" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

LadyT DATE:Jun 19, 2008 11:32:00 AM I know several artists who specifically take scraps of any fabric that others would throw away and make new items out of them (I make purses). I could give you their emails if you wanted. But it sounds like a local LDS church might be an easier option....less shipping. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

rboston DATE:Jun 19, 2008 11:35:00 AM If any of the people with wool would willing to email me (msbelle at earthlink dot net)pictures of it, I am on the hunt for wool to make skirts out of. I will most certainly pay for postage and am happy to discuss a per yard price.

I would love the idea of a fabric swap via the Friday linktastic posts. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Penny DATE:Jun 19, 2008 11:45:00 AM Love those alphabet prints that keep popping up... I just listed a circa 1940s house dress pattern and on the picture they have used a similar alphabet print, a little softer...Butterick 3895 so these alpha prints have been around for decades it seems!!!! Thank you for a great way to start the day Erin!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Chantelle DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:06:00 PM I finally broke down and bought some of the alphabet fabric - I've wanted it for a while and I can't ignore that price :) Fortunately, I don't wear big skirts (they make me look shorter and chubbier than I am) and I'm short so I can usually make a dress with 3m of fabric.

Has anyone else noticed that many fauxlero patterns are found in larger sizes? I wonder why the designers thought that the fauxlero would be slimming on larger women - all the bolero benefit without the bulk, maybe?

I have to say that I've actually bought a couple of fauxlero patterns, because I liked them and didn't really notice how fauxlero-y they were until I received them. I'll have to go and add them to the wiki :) I also just received a 4 yard line pattern that I don't think is dowdy, possibly because the drawing uses plaid fabric and plaid is my favourite colour. I'll add this one, too.

I have quite a few fabric scraps in a variety of sizes as well. Some are cottons, some knits, and some polyester shiny drapey stuff. I don't quilt, either, and I don't want to just throw away the scraps. I need to find something to do with them in Canada. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:11:00 PM What a great Sesame St. clip. But didn't it look like the girl shoplifted that fruit? Didn't see her paying anyone before sticking it in her pockets. I guess Sesame St. was *really* street-wise back in the day. Heh. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MadeByAmanda DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:24:00 PM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MadeByAmanda DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:28:00 PM Anonymous - I thought the same thing. I kept waiting for the line "pockets can help you steal fruit", but they passed up that educational opportunity. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Claire DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:30:00 PM I just bought 3 yards of the alphabet fabric (right after I told myself I wouldn't make any more purchases on my debit card!). I've been wanting to make a stunt Duro for the summer for a while now, and now all I need is a white-on-black small-scale number print for the banding. Any ideas? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:53:00 PM Schools! If you can find a school helping the Vast Sewing Conspiracy cause, please donate your fabric to them.

LOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEE the fauxleros (and the little hat, too!) I so wanna be a hostess.

Hey Erin! I think you started a new art and fashion movement: dirigiblepunk! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ladygrande (Texas Marie) DATE:Jun 19, 2008 12:54:00 PM I guess I'm just a strange one...I love the dirigible hostess pattern. Oh, for the days of a slimmer body to wear those skirts!

The alphabet fabric is really nice. It would make a lovely hat! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jun 19, 2008 1:04:00 PM Chantelle: you're right...I just looked at the 4-Yard-Line collection again at the wiki, and the patterns aren't specifically "dowdy". I was too quick to judge. The 2-piece dresses kind of strike me as having a potential dowd factor, though. But I bet anything can be made to look that way. AND I LOVE 2241 (I think everyone knows that by now.) I wonder how many patterns were in the line? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Jun 19, 2008 1:31:00 PM Ha, I thought the same thing about the girl with the apple! I rememeber being lectured by my Mom never to put anything in my pocket at the store.
Ooooooh, the ginko fabric, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH, the bee fabric! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen ~ MOMSPatterns DATE:Jun 19, 2008 2:53:00 PM And if my babysitter works out.. I'm having COFFEE WITH ERIN in the morning! Hopefully she'll allow me to share any photos I capture to prove that we're both real people and not men in drag ;)

Since it's sorta linktasticky today, I'll share that I've just moved about 100+ patterns to a SALE code on www.momspatterns.com and you can find the link to them on the main page. Cheap, cheap cheap. :D ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Jun 19, 2008 3:30:00 PM COFFEE WITH ERIN?? This could be a fabulous book, like "Mornings with Maurey" or whatever that title was. Try to build this into a series, and take notes! Yum! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Jun 19, 2008 3:30:00 PM Well, I'm glad at least three of you have already performed a citizen's arrest on that young lady with the pilfered fruit! How lovely to wallow in a bit of Sesame Street again. Thank you!

If I weren't so far away, I'd put myself on the "I Want Your Scraps" waiting list, but that would just be silly, and not the wisest thing to do with fossil fuels these days. But good for all of you keeping tabs on the scrap-hungry of North America - I'm just glad you're all out there, using increasingly tiny oddments of material. Is there a scrap fabric grading system out there, I wonder? What happens when it's just a nub of frayed ends - who wants that? Someone will say, I'm sure. Textile artists, surely? Working copiously with Bondaweb (sorry, you call that Wonder Under). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

AlwaysMod DATE:Jun 19, 2008 3:33:00 PM Thank you for the mention! If anyone would like to send us the problems they're having with Firefox and our blog we'll look into it. Works fine for us in Firefox, so we're not sure.... thanks again!

mod {at} alwaysmod.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 19, 2008 4:38:00 PM Bee Fabric at Hart's:

http://www.hartsfabric.com/40433.html

I've been to their store in Santa Cruz, CA. Lots-o-fun. They have a nice selection of Japanese imports:

http://www.hartsfabric.com/jaim.html

CMC ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Myra DATE:Jun 19, 2008 5:11:00 PM Another suggestion for the scraps is to contact any church closest to you to see if they have a quilting group or even the local quilt shop for a project Linus group/volunteer as they make small quilts for the preemies. I do like the fauxlero shown, but some are too much... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Jun 19, 2008 5:38:00 PM My friend was wearing a fauxlero shirt today. i nearly died of the giggles and had to go into a long explaination. I've been seeing a lotof fauxleros in the stores...the fashion industry conspiracy is eaves dropping on us! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 19, 2008 6:51:00 PM I think that fauxlero dress is also a mood dress. Open and freindly / Closed and aloof. But definately a dirigible hostess pattern.

And now we know what happened to the coma, I mean. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

baylibrarian DATE:Jun 19, 2008 7:17:00 PM Those pockets are so big they would scare small children--imagine being eyeball to pocket with one of those monsters... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lulu DATE:Jun 19, 2008 8:09:00 PM re fabric scraps: maybe a senior center or retirement home? A friend of mine just donated a bunch of fabric from her mother's estate to a local retirement home (after checking first to see if they wanted it). At my grandmother's retirement community (not the one my friend donated to) there's a quilting club, and some very talented quilters/artists. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 19, 2008 9:28:00 PM Regarding the Marimekko site not playing nice with Firefox: get the IE Tab plugin. It embeds Internet Explorer in Firefox. I generally open links in new tabs, so as not to disturb the pages that are working. If you have a tab open that's being balky, click the little Firefox symbol all the way down in the right hand corner of the browser. It allows you to switch the mode for the tab. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Chantelle DATE:Jun 20, 2008 1:00:00 AM cookie, I think you're right; the 2-piece 4 yard line dresses could be dowdy. Personally, I prefer the 1-piece dresses anyway as the others seem to be a boxy sort of jacket or top atop a pencil skirt. That silhouette looks sort of shapeless.

I totally agree with you that 2241 is adorable! I think I might change the sleeves just a tiny bit, though, as they might be a bit long for me. I love how the box pleat ends at the placket. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Hana DATE:Jun 20, 2008 1:43:00 AM I think I need to start a special funding, too. The new Marimekko prints are gorgeous, and, as chance wanted it, there happens to be a shop with Marimekko stuff on the street where I live when I'm at university... so maybe some of them will arrive there! Oh no. But I've always wanted SOMETHING Marimekko anyway... so it can very well be a gingko print. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 20, 2008 5:38:00 AM Hmm
I dont think those are bees.. European wasps perhaps! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 20, 2008 5:32:00 PM There is a quilt guild in LaGrange and a Project Linus in Northbrook. I'm sure they would love your scraps. (I would, too, but am trying to contain the habit.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Carol DATE:Jun 20, 2008 7:11:00 PM I think that first dress would make an awesome pocketed wedding dress. Who needs the bridesmaid to hold the groom's ring and the bouquet? Just stick it in your pocket.

I would wear it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Nov 6, 2008 7:24:00 PM I love that sesame street clip on pockets. It is my very favotite. Whenever it was on, my mom would sing along or when she put overalls on me or put her hands in her pockets. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Linktastic Tuesday, All-Pockets Edition DATE: 9:44 AM ----- BODY:

The pattern above (click on the image to visit the eBay auction) is not only a great, easy dress, but it also inspired me to post some pocket links, or quasi-pocket links. (The one above is a B32, but there's also two B38s on eBay right now, too.)

Michelle (of Green Kitchen) sends this great link to Bitter Betty's site, where she posts a pocket tutorial.

This (sent by Mary Beth) isn't actually a pocket, but I think they're missing a significant use case by not including a stealth pocket in it. Considering how many women do keep things in their bras, why wouldn't you add a pocket to a bra accessory? Seems like a no-brainer to me. (Of course, I don't think I'd ever buy one of those things, as they seem uncomfortable and liable to wiggle around, but hey, I admire their problem-solving gumption.)

Also in the thing-that-should-have-pockets-but-doesn't category, Pretty Bourgeois posted a link to a dress that looks like the LL Bean Tote Bag. Too bad there's only one monogram option.

I missed the original auction for this one, sent by Ginger Lane:

But if you click the image there's a B34, sans envelope, up on the 'bay right now. I'd rather not have the envelope -- for some reason, the pictures on that pattern creep me out.

And one more pocket link, from Summerset. Seriously, this link, which explains how to put a pocket and an invisible zipper in the same seam, changed my life. Do you know how many 1950s side-zipper dresses I can put pockets in now? EVERY ONE OF THEM.

Labels: linkylinky, pockets, Simplicity_3301, Simplicity_4561

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Apr 15, 2008 11:12:00 AM I think the girl on the pattern creeps you out because she looks like an evil extra from The Lottery. Put a rock in her hand and she'll be good to go. I'm sure she'd put her gloves in those giant pockets first, to avoid soiling them. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

smonster DATE:Apr 15, 2008 12:01:00 PM Oh my goodness, those Winkee things... I see the point but they really just look like the front panel of some underwear. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 15, 2008 12:04:00 PM I think it's that the feet are too small for the skirt..or that they could be hiding small children in those pockets!

About the Winkees - why buy a triangle of fabric plus "winkee dots" to attach it when you can spend the same money at any Old Navy, Target, etc and get a whole camisole or tank that is ever so much more versatile? Plus the tank wouldn't ever slip out of alignment. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Apr 15, 2008 12:42:00 PM Winkee - I thought it was a bra in a pair of knickers! I can see advantages, modesty being the main one, but also it means having no added extra layer of a vest (ok cami) and fewer shoulder straps. Not sure about the dots though...

Pockets in everything. Absoblinkinlutely.

Cheers,
AJ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sue DATE:Apr 15, 2008 12:52:00 PM Thank you, Erin! I've been waiting with bated breath for a pocket link extravaganza! I can rest easy knowing the knowledge has been mined and gathered for all of my near future pocket endeavors! Thanks again! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

bettyninja DATE:Apr 15, 2008 1:54:00 PM Great pocket links! Very helpful I will hold on to these for when I finally get a chance to try them ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 15, 2008 2:25:00 PM I think the big pockets on pattern 2 could hold a medium sized embroidery hoop, or a fire extinguisher. But really, with pockets that deep, wouldn't it be awkward fishing for things, such as change for the subway? (I am compassionate, though, and am working on some "support song" lyrics: Bless the beasts and the pockets, for in this world they have no voice...) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jonquil DATE:Apr 15, 2008 3:25:00 PM I covet the exquisite bolero in number one Sooooo much. Hmm. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

cindy DATE:Apr 15, 2008 4:08:00 PM I just won the B38 dress on ebay...you said "easy" which sold me! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 15, 2008 4:15:00 PM I think the winkies are a fantastic idea. of course, rather than buying them I'll make one or two, and use tiny snaps. what is up with the winkie-dot, that seems overly complicated. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

karooble DATE:Apr 15, 2008 6:52:00 PM Whew. It's a shame that the only monogram available on that dress is 'BBW.' I know it's for 'Built By Wendy,' but it's also a very well-known anagram for 'Big Beautiful Woman.'

It's rather like if she'd anagrammed it "WTF," "BJ," or "UFIA." Unfortunate marring of a cute dress. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lorem Ipsum DATE:Apr 15, 2008 7:42:00 PM Robots yesterday, a Creepy Doll today... tomorrow had better be a Half-pony Half-monkey Monster to please us! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Apr 16, 2008 8:29:00 AM For anyone else who has ever wondered how Lucy Locket managed to lose her pocket, just about everything you'd want to know is revealed here at the 'Pockets of History' project: http://www.vads.ahds.ac.uk/collections/pocketsofhistory.html
Worth following the useful links too.

If you happen to be in Britain, there are examples of historic pockets in the V&A collection (London) and in the Fashion Museum (Bath). ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: I'll Fly Away DATE: 7:08 AM ----- BODY:

Check out this great pattern (at Cemetarian). Dawn sent it to me thinking I would enjoy the winglike pockets -- and she thought right. Wow. Those are some pockets. They're ideally suited to that awkward moment when you have three children awaiting ice cream cones, but only two hands! You could put a double-scoop strawberry in a sugar cone on the right and a rainbow sherbet on the left, and still have a hand free for napkins.

I do really love this pattern, though, and if only I had a triangular cell phone I would snap it up in a second. Look at that collar! And the pockets that are lined with contrast fabric!

If you want it, click on the image to visit Cemetarian's site. It's only $8 ...

Labels: Advance_6254, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Apr 1, 2008 8:29:00 AM Damn tiny patterns! Oh well I have a shirtwaist waiting to be finished anyway. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Laurie DATE:Apr 1, 2008 10:58:00 AM Make sure you don't live in Kentucky, though! It's illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket. Alabamans should be okay, because it's only illegal to carry ice cream cones in your back pocket there. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Apr 1, 2008 11:13:00 AM Damn it! I almost sent you this link, too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Apr 1, 2008 11:34:00 AM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Apr 1, 2008 11:49:00 AM Oh, nice details, all around. I'd never dare fly with two buttons on the bodice, I wind up with concealed snaps in between.
I am wondering about the construction of the pockets. I visualized half of the pocket inside the skirt, then realized that you could make one big kangaroo pocket that connects on either side. You could slip your derringer in there. It would be much more convenient than in your garter and with the ice cream cone thing going on, no one would suspect a thing. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julie The Vintage Goddess DATE:Apr 1, 2008 12:50:00 PM I love those pockets.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Apr 1, 2008 1:39:00 PM This, more than the other shirtwaist patterns we've looked at, makes me think it would need to be thoroughly ironed and starched to look good before each wearing. I REBEL! (Though it is attractive.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 1, 2008 1:46:00 PM Seeing the subtle little hat on the design makes me think- do you do hats as well? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

kim p. DATE:Apr 1, 2008 2:19:00 PM Those pockets are perfect for triangular pieces of pita bread. Pita Pockets!! [Groan] ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

becky f. DATE:Apr 1, 2008 2:56:00 PM I love that the blue lady has her hands tucked into her collar instead, as if the pockets are just too bizarre for her to bother with. :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

angldst DATE:Apr 1, 2008 6:24:00 PM Oh, my, that might just have to be mine.

That sort of style is right up my alley, making contrast collars/cuffs/pockets.

-d ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 2, 2008 8:49:00 AM but but, the wings are just the RUNWAY (to carry the analogy along) into a DEEPER FULLER INTERIOR pocket.

The dress has HIDDEN DEPTHS, or could.

That makes it _SO YOU_ Erin. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

BellaKarma DATE:Apr 2, 2008 6:08:00 PM The lady in blue appears to be giving the bird to the lady in red. At least it goes with the whole "wing" theme. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

CityMouse DATE:Apr 2, 2008 6:44:00 PM I see that what we not know to be a size 2 was a size 14 back then. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Claire DATE:Apr 3, 2008 3:49:00 AM Wow. Love the wing pockets! And the striped contrast fabric on Mrs Blue. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Stripes and Pockets Forever DATE: 7:53 AM ----- BODY:

Frequent link-sender to the blog Robin is making a little room in her closet by listing some dresses on eBay, including this wonderful 1940s stripey dress. Robin thinks it may have been a candy-striper's uniform ... but it could certainly have a new life at work or play, no sponge baths required. Think of it with little navy wedge shoes ... It's B36/W26.5.

I love these 1940s striped outfits -- they're so precise! And that center-front zipper is just perfect. This is a no-nonsense, get-it-done dress, but it can still have fun.

I think Robin has the right idea, too. If you're not wearing something, you should set it loose into the world to be free and be loved by someone who will wear it. (Which reminds me, I should REALLY do a purge of my own over the next month or so. Especially of shoes!)

Labels: 1940s, ebay, pockets, stripes

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

the_lazymilliner DATE:Mar 31, 2008 8:14:00 AM I looooove this dress. I would lose to wear it. I'm afraid it's going to be out of my price range, so I'm going to have sew something just like it. Sigh. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Toby Wollin DATE:Mar 31, 2008 8:14:00 AM ooo, too fancy for a candy striper - look at all those decorative buttons. Just a great dress - sigh, my waistline left THAT particular station about 20 years ago, so I can't take advantage, unfortunately. But a great inspiration piece. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

nuranar DATE:Mar 31, 2008 8:22:00 AM Wow, that is NICE! It's not a work dress at all; the front zipper and the length make it a variation of the house coat or hostess gown. The gathered puff sleeves, curved front yokes, extensive gathering, and even the high-waisted impression, all look straight out of the late 1930s to me. Maybe 1939. It certainly isn't a wartime dress - way too much fabric! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 31, 2008 8:32:00 AM I wish it was my size, I would buy it in a heartbeat!

Linda ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Viviene DATE:Mar 31, 2008 8:48:00 AM Gorgeous dress! Now please correct me if I'm wrong but did I see purge and shoes in the same sentence!

Simply make it a point to wear a different pair of shoes each day. Then there's no need to purge the shoes!

Years ago I made a bet with some co-workers that I could wear a different pair of shoes for a month. I won the bet handily and wore different shoes for 45 days in a row. My nickname henceforth was Imelda Marcos LOL. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Mar 31, 2008 8:59:00 AM What tidy pattern-matching there!

I was just staring very closely at a Kaffe Fassett shirting's quilt yesterday: lots and lots of square boxes, of three different sizes, each made up of 4 triangles of striped shirting. They were extremely sloppily matched in comparison - though the end result was still startlingly beautiful. I guess when you use hundreds of well-chosen fabrics in a glorious arrangement you can break some other rules. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joni DATE:Mar 31, 2008 9:27:00 AM Just thinking about matching those stripes together is making my head swim. I think I need to go lay down for a little while... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Mar 31, 2008 9:32:00 AM I love the miters! This dress rules. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nora DATE:Mar 31, 2008 9:43:00 AM Amazing. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Mar 31, 2008 9:53:00 AM I too could not squeeze into that dress...oh but how I wish I could! It's amazing. Purge -shoes????? What size? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa DATE:Mar 31, 2008 9:59:00 AM That dress is adorable! Definitely not candy striper though, cause candy stripers usually wore jumpers with white button front shirts underneath, and the neckline on this one wouldn't have been appropriate. It's not utilitarian enough. But man it's cute! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Deb Newton DATE:Mar 31, 2008 10:08:00 AM THIS is STRIPE STYLE at itS VERY best!!!! Is there a link Erin? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 31, 2008 10:11:00 AM Take a look at the book Decorative Dressmaking by Sue Thompson for some more wonderful ideas like this ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cathy DATE:Mar 31, 2008 10:35:00 AM Deb Newton-click the picture. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 31, 2008 10:49:00 AM This dress is beautiful. I have absolutely no idea how to go about matching patterns on fabric, but this is making me want to try it. Amazing, amazing details.

-EClaire ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Mar 31, 2008 11:56:00 AM I need to do a shoe purge too. Beat up looking shoes are a no-no. I just hate parting with a comfy pair of shoes - but some just have to go.
heavy sigh. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Eirlys DATE:Mar 31, 2008 11:57:00 AM If you click on the photo, Deb, the link to eBay should pop right up. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Pamela DATE:Mar 31, 2008 12:01:00 PM I just adore this dress! I would agree with other posters that it is more likely to be late 30s because of the incredible sweep of the skirt.

There is nothing which speaks more to the onset of warm weather than cool, crisp, laundered stripes. This dress has details which are new to me, such as the mitered midriff continuing down the front the skirt. I also like the horizontally striped yokes combined with the horizontally striped sleeves. Such inspiration!

It reminds me I need to reclaim my 70s striped and mitered Giorgio di Sant Angelo skirt from my daughter!! Why are clothes not made today with such precise attention to detail? Thanks for the eye candy! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wundermary DATE:Mar 31, 2008 12:58:00 PM Stripes with perfect miters: check. Pockets: check. Perfect little gathers: check. Set-in sleeve: check. Zipper and buttons? Check!
This dress is the checklist for an A project in home ec. and if a person were to receive a spongebath from someone wearing it, they would be stunned into submission. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

anthrokeight DATE:Mar 31, 2008 1:11:00 PM That's a really lovely dress. Want, desire, want. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gwen DATE:Mar 31, 2008 1:16:00 PM Erin,
I’ve been enjoying your blog for almost a year – I’m sorry that I’ve done more lurking than commenting to let you that I’m part of your regular audience. In any event, I recently got an “Excellent Blog” award, and an obligation to pass it on to other excellent blogs. Yours was one of the first that came to mind! If you would like to accept it, you can find it here:
http://afterthedress.blogspot.com/2008/03/rated.html
Take care,
Gwen ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sugardale DATE:Mar 31, 2008 5:50:00 PM Oh man! I just love it when stripes (plaids, dots, houndstooth, . . .) match up perfectly. It's all about taking time and paying attention to detail. Imagine if the stripes were just slightly off. Ruined I tell you, ruined! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

QueensSewer DATE:Mar 31, 2008 9:13:00 PM When I was 13, I wanted to be a candy striper just for the dress. What's not to love? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

kagitsune DATE:Apr 1, 2008 12:44:00 AM OMG, Shoes?? 8D

xD In all seriousness, what size do you wear? I always love your shoe-related posts... you have a great sense of style there. ^^ If you wear US size 9's, I might be interested in what you "purge" from your closet. xD

About the dress: Well, I admit that at first I didn't like the shaping (especially near the bust/shoulders), but then you made me imagine it with those navy blue shoes, maybe a nice little hat... I can say I appreciate this dress for it's beauty and craftsmanship, now! ^^ ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 1, 2008 1:04:00 AM The dress, OH, the dress ... the matched stripes ... the gathers under the bust ... the midriff... the full skirt...

Oh, oh, ooooh.........

SWOON!

CMC ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kak Khaty DATE:Apr 1, 2008 2:57:00 AM ...inspirational...
that's my waistline 25yrs ago. thought of making something loose. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

robin DATE:Apr 1, 2008 7:32:00 AM you know, i never somehow got past the red and white stripes to realize that of course it's earlier than the 40s. it's just got such a huge full skirt, too, that i was imagining it creeping out of the 30s slim silhouette into a more 40s-50s fullness. I think Nuranar is absolutely right...except for one thing that still doesn't jibe for a hostess dress...the dress isn't homemade, and has a stencil (just a few letters) on the inside collar facing, like it was a garment that would end up in a hospital or military laundry. that's also what threw me. -robin ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

robin DATE:Apr 1, 2008 7:41:00 AM that's just one of about 11 vintage dresses we're setting loose in the world this week, fyi. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Meg DATE:Apr 1, 2008 5:10:00 PM She has the figure for it! She must have some seriously great clothes if this is a cast-off. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nancy Bea Miller DATE:Apr 2, 2008 2:28:00 PM Cute dress! I see it with red or natural straw wedge lace up shoes. And a big matching hat and bag.

If you are serious about purging your closets please give us DAD readers a chance to purchase your cast-offs? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Apr 2, 2008 3:49:00 PM Great dress! Red and white stripes never go out of style! Especially when they are displayed in this kind of fashion! I saw some similar dresses on http://www.monstervintage.com/
This style is eternally classic! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Rainbow Warrior DATE: 8:14 AM ----- BODY:

Robin sent me this eBay listing this morning (click on the image to visit the auction page) and ... well, I don't even have to tell you, do I? You could go out loaded for BEAR in this dress. Cell phone, iPod, paper and pencil, wallet, business cards, breath mints, five lipsticks ... and that's just the red pocket in the front!

And, yes, I realize it's a bit extreme, but sometimes you need to be extreme to make a point. Or to carry all your stuff. And is it any more extreme than this?

I could fit my SON in that bag. And he's EIGHT. (And he doesn't go anywhere without his Nintendo DS, so the bag would also play tinny Japanese videogame music.) In fact, I almost expect a bunch of clowns to start extricating themselves from that handbag. (The last one out toots a little horn, and looks suspiciously like Tom Cruise.) Also, that bag costs more than many people's houses, while the dress is at only $26 right now!

Now, I know I carry too much stuff around with me (the four issues of New Scientist is not negotiable, though maybe I could clean out some receipts and lollipops) but the alternative is being bored out of my mind when the inevitable delays occur. Maybe I should take up meditation?

Labels: ebay, handbags, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

FaerieLady DATE:Mar 25, 2008 8:46:00 AM That dress is gorgeous... but I have to wonder about anyone who wants to carry a bag big enough to stash a body in! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marjie DATE:Mar 25, 2008 8:56:00 AM My diaper bag for: 3 kids plus extra shirts because you know little boys pollute themselves way too much plus crayons and coloring books plus a camera (35mm SLR) plus my wallet wasn't as big as that red thing. Plus, it had cute little bears and duckies on it, so at least everyone knew I wasn't toting spare body parts! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stephanie DATE:Mar 25, 2008 8:58:00 AM It actually looks like she might, in fact, BE smuggling Erin's son. Look at how fiercely she's clutching the thing--her veins popping from the strain of something very heavy. Either that, or she's so undernourished that the bag is completely empty and it's just that hard to lift.

Anyway, fantastic dress. Mental note to self: try buying unprinted fabrics so I can make things like this. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Toby Wollin DATE:Mar 25, 2008 8:59:00 AM That dress is the female version of this: http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/85388.aspx?feature=Product_3&kw=skills
A vest that has morphed from a toolbelt. Rather than carry hammer, nails, measuring tape et al. on the hips - you wear the entire rig. Actually, the dress is better. As for Katy Holmes and her luggage-cum-steamer trunk, all I can think of is that scene from "Marry Poppins" where Julie Andrews reaches her arm down up to the armpit into her Gladstone bag and hauls out a floor lamp. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa Simeone DATE:Mar 25, 2008 9:10:00 AM OMG, I thought that was Anna Wintour until I clicked on the picture! Scary gaunt. And scary big bag. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Secret Lentil Clothing DATE:Mar 25, 2008 9:31:00 AM meditation? heck no, go to chiropractic school. everyone who carried these bags will be lined up at your door, slumped to one side. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

steelebjm DATE:Mar 25, 2008 9:38:00 AM I have problems finding my cell phone or keys in the smallest of bags...good thing she has assistants to do everything for her! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ladygrande (Texas Marie) DATE:Mar 25, 2008 9:52:00 AM That dress is awesome. Perfect secretarial dress. Pocket for pencils and pens; pocket for dictation tablet; pocket for small scissors; pocket for tissues, etc.

But I'd keep those back pockets (if real) empty. Would not be comfortable for sitting.

Also -- great dress for teachers!
The dresses in the 1950's were so great. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ladygrande (Texas Marie) DATE:Mar 25, 2008 9:55:00 AM P.S.

And I forgot to mention Rick Rack Rules!

Those large bags contribute to all kinds of back problems, too. Cause we tend to fill them up! I'm so out of fashion --- I still try to use small purses for my good stuff, and a rolling bag for all the other necessaries in day-to-day work/living. Much less stressful on these old bones. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Mar 25, 2008 9:56:00 AM I like a big handbag - you never know when you need towhip out your divorce degree, birth certificate or complete change of clothes...but that is rediculous. The dress - fantastic! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Thoughts on Life and Millinery. DATE:Mar 25, 2008 10:06:00 AM "Rainbows and Ric Rack"

Great title for a book don't you think? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Dana DATE:Mar 25, 2008 10:15:00 AM Haha! I love your commentary on Katie Holmes' bag-- that thing is out of control. This one made me laugh out loud. Great post! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen DATE:Mar 25, 2008 10:25:00 AM Crikey...give me the dress! That bag is just ridiculous. Who wouldn't like to know what's in there? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

RachelMM DATE:Mar 25, 2008 10:45:00 AM Now THAT is an amazing dress! Is anyone going to make one???? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julie The Vintage Goddess DATE:Mar 25, 2008 11:17:00 AM Anna Wintour scares me too, glad that is Katie....she is just not so fierce...

I almost expect a bunch of clowns to start extricating themselves from that handbag. (The last one out toots a little horn, and looks suspiciously like Tom Cruise.)

hahahahahahaha
Thanks for the morning giggle.

I do have to say that until The Boy (16) was about 6 or 7 I too carried a bag you could hide a human in. There was just so crap I had to lug around. Now I go out of the house with just a few things in my pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:Mar 25, 2008 12:02:00 PM Holy Hannah--my vintage Samsonite luggage is smaller than that bag.

I think that might be the ultimate kindergarten-teacher first-day-of-school dress (I mean that in a good way). It has pockets. It could have pockets all the way around if you copied it and made it that way. You could keep lollipops and novelty erasers in those pockets to hand out to your students. It sort of looks like one of those things of watercolor paints. Little kids would love it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Mar 25, 2008 12:03:00 PM Erin, I beg of you not to stash so much stuff on your person. If you ever fall off a bridge or a boat, you will sink like a stone, and that would be TRAGIC! Cause of Death: Deep Pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mary Sue DATE:Mar 25, 2008 12:24:00 PM Glory Lord Almighty, I think when I get a minute or thousand, I need to make a dress like that.

I might even buy the fabric this weekend.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julia DATE:Mar 25, 2008 1:27:00 PM Knitting, you should take up knitting. I believe knitting needles and several jumbo skeins of yarn will fit nicely in that adorable dress. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Whitestone DATE:Mar 25, 2008 1:46:00 PM http://revel217.blogspot.com/2008/02/from-famine-to-feast.html
Read my blog post about today's huge handbags. I like your photo better than the one I purloined off the net. LOL
Whitestone ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Costume & Retro Kellie DATE:Mar 25, 2008 2:07:00 PM I've been following your blog for the better part of a year and finally had to jump in ! That dress is outrageous! Thanks for always posting such fun and interesting stuff! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

baylibrarian DATE:Mar 25, 2008 2:22:00 PM I read your last sentence, "Maybe I should take up meditation?" as "Maybe I should take medication?"

Anyway, I say both, 'cause these day one needs a whole bagful of tricks to survive, ya know? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tracy DATE:Mar 25, 2008 2:28:00 PM I agree with Julia...take up knitting, its mediative and you could end up with some cute socks or a killer cardigan!!

OK you gotta help me out here, this dress reminded me of something. Last Sept. you purchased 200 yards of ric rack and taunted us with a secret project. Did I miss it??? What did you make with all that ric rack??? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

xstpenguin DATE:Mar 25, 2008 3:10:00 PM 'Nother vote for the taking up of knitting. You like cardigans, you could knit cardigans. And working from an unseen ball of wool hidden in a pocket - great idea. Just be careful of the pins when you sit down, maybe consider learning to knit with circular instead of usual type.

I tend to carry my life when I go out, so I have my 'handbag' type bag with things like keys, money, ID, medicines, water, emergency snack, tissues... and the overspill (!) in my large shopping bag. That would be umbrella, lunch, jumper and possibly actual shopping.

I miss going out :-(

She's not very big KH-C is she? Maybe that thing isn't as big as we imagine. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julie DATE:Mar 25, 2008 3:19:00 PM Oh, My! That dress looks like the modern version of the multi-pocketed garb favored by the intrepid Victorian lady Egyptologist, Amelia Peabody, created by the intrepid contemporary Egyptologist and mystery author from Chicago, Elizabeth Peters.

We, like Peabody, could always be ready for any exigency, from rampaging pseudo-mummies to tomb robbers with questionable hygiene habits. All it needs is an umbrella to complete the outfit. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa Simeone DATE:Mar 25, 2008 3:27:00 PM Dare we say it? Is not that bag merely an expression of . . . conspicuous consumption? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

suzanne DATE:Mar 25, 2008 4:18:00 PM Tracy,

You can see one thing Erin did with rickrack here:

http://www.craftzine-digital.com/craft/vol06/?pg=121&search=erin+mckean&u1=texterity&cookies=1 ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Melissa A. DATE:Mar 25, 2008 8:17:00 PM That dress is really cute.

I usually carry a book, some knitting and an mp3 player to keep me amused, or try to. One time I was on the way home from work on the bus, there was an accident on one of the 2 bridges and I was stuck there for an hour. My MP3 player died and I had nothing else to do, so I walked home. Good times.

But yeah, that purse is insane. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Mar 25, 2008 8:27:00 PM Very interesting dress
Hilarious post
Lesson learned:
Carry at least a book or magazine at all times for the inevitable delays instead of torturing people with Jedi mind tricks.

(My Insight and a Mini Cooper would fit into that purse) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 26, 2008 1:38:00 AM I'm thinking a dress like that is the perfect way to use those quilting fabrics that are too expensive to make a whole dress out of.
/Monika ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 27, 2008 7:01:00 AM Public meditation--NOT a good idea. I once fell asleep on the train during meditation and woke up at the end of the line missing my bag and shoes. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

robin DATE:Mar 27, 2008 7:35:00 AM erin, you are a woman after my own heart--4 issues (at least) of new scientist! good thing the damn mag is so skinny. I unsubscribed b/c i got annoyed they kept using models swathed in tulle to illustrate every feature on astronomy, yet i have to visit the website a few times a week.

even after i unsubscribed i think i still carried around multiple issues for months just to get caught up. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canuck DATE:Mar 27, 2008 7:52:00 AM What an amazingly ridiculous bag - do designers think everybody has an assistant standing by to hold onto it? If you need both hands, it's too heavy to slip on your wrist - you'd have to put it on the floor? clamped between your legs? If you go somewhere to have a cuppa, it won't even fit on the back of your chair. This must be that special breed of "walking" bags. It's about the only thing you can look good at when you carry it.
All my aunties say you should NEVER set your purse on the floor, it means your money will run away!!
LOVE the dress! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

cindy b DATE:Mar 27, 2008 9:06:00 AM Sock knitting. You can fit it in a pocket, and waiting is no longer a chore...you HOPE you get to wait. As for the woman leaning on the "mantle", there was a time in the 60's when plastic everything was all the rage....furniture, clothes, you name it. Now I'm not saying it's practical, but maybe she's leaning against a clear plastic mantle/wall, and the other lady is in the other room. Or better yet, they are in a glass house! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 28, 2008 2:26:00 AM i thought it was vic beckham. free katie!

jenn ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sheryl Wong DATE:Mar 28, 2008 9:37:00 PM oh, love the dress! the colors are fabulous! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: It's not a shirtdress, but ... DATE: 8:43 AM ----- BODY:

I had to have it. You understand why, don't you?

First off -- those little button flaps! Adorable! I really, really hope they actually button, but if they don't, well, I have ways of MAKING them button.

I've made variations of this pattern every summer for years -- short kimono-sleeved bodice and big full skirt. They're cool and breezy to wear and make up great in lightweight cottons -- even quilting cottons, which often don't hang right in a narrower skirt.

And the six-gore skirt is just ideal for adding pockets; it's so easy. (Figure out where you want the pocket to hit on the side gore. Trace the side gore pattern from that spot down to where you want the pocket to stop. Add seam allowances to the top and the bottom of traced pocket piece. You can either line/face the pocket or finish the top with bias binding. Finish the top of the pocket -- may I suggest piping? -- and turn under the bottom seam allowance. Top-stitch turned-under bottom of pocket to gore. If you don't like the top-stitched look, sew pocket to gore across bottom, right sides together, and press the pocket up. Sides of pocket will be secured when you sew the side seams. See? Easy!)

Whew. Sorry for that pocket-making digression. Anyway, I can't wait to get this pattern (from Best Vintage Patterns) and go to town.

And -- as for what the women in the picture are saying -- I think Yellow Dress just said something like "Check out that guy's butt!" and Black Dress is about to inform Yellow Dress that "That Guy" is in fact the boyfriend of Black Dress. But that's just my take. What's yours?

Labels: Butterick_6183, buttons, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miss Kitty DATE:Feb 20, 2008 9:39:00 AM I love your "conversations" between models on the front of old patterns. Hilarious! In this one, I think there's a conversation about "Do you ever get that not-so-fresh feeling?" going on. But that's just me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Feb 20, 2008 9:44:00 AM I think yello dress just told black dress "I can't believe we both wore the same dress to this party! I am absolutely mortified!" Black dress is about to say something snotty, like "But it looks so much better on me!" *Grins*

Linda A-Z ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julia DATE:Feb 20, 2008 9:56:00 AM It's adorable! I just have to find it in my size now. Wish me luck. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Libby DATE:Feb 20, 2008 10:12:00 AM Yellow Dress: "I can't believe it, Dahling, we've been waiting all year for the Bumble Bee Convention and now were finally here!"

Black Dress: "Oh crap! We forgot to swap our center gores!" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Feb 20, 2008 10:48:00 AM Yellow Dress: My girdle is killing me!
Black Dress: At least your dress doesn't look like it was designed for breast-feeding mothers.
Just my take--Karen ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Wendy DATE:Feb 20, 2008 11:25:00 AM I love this dress! What a great way to showcase vintage buttons.
Wendy in NM ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

R.M. Koske DATE:Feb 20, 2008 12:14:00 PM This pattern brings up a question for me that I'd love love love for you to address, if you can and don't mind.

I thought for ages that I didn't like dresses (horror!) when the truth is that I don't like back zippers. Yes, there are ways to make them manageable if you don't have a helper to get dressed, but I still don't like them.

I was really excited with I discovered the concept of side zips, and immediately tried to convert a back-zip pattern to a side zip. It was a miserable failure. The dress was too tight through the shoulders to get off without the extra zipper space even though the neck was big enough to pull over my head. I thought I was going to have to get someone to cut me out of it.

Do you know anything about how one could make that conversion? How do you tell if there's enough ease through the shoulders for this kind of thing? Or did fashion (apparently) abandon them precisely because they only worked okay and the shoulders are always a problem? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

SteffS DATE:Feb 20, 2008 12:23:00 PM This post has been removed by the author. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

SteffS DATE:Feb 20, 2008 12:26:00 PM Yellow Dress (leering at "that Guy"): "Do you think he's wearing underwear under those tight Levis?"
Black Dress: "Well, I know, for a fact, that he is, since I see him put them on every morning. I also know that he's got a thing for his wife, so maybe you'd better back off, Sugar, unless you enjoy being publicly embarrassed." ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Feb 20, 2008 12:28:00 PM Black Dress to Yellow Dress, "You could at least let me borrow ONE glove!" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Elle DATE:Feb 20, 2008 12:32:00 PM Yellow Dress: "We'll take him out after the cake is served. You'll have to do it, I don't want to mess up my pretty white gloves."

Black Dress: "Oh, must I(anxious wringing of ungloved hands)? You know how I hate it when the little wire thing goes around their necks and they make that gurgly noise before their eyes role up to the back of their heads. At least I did wear black; white would have been impossible."

BTW, the only thing my parents could say when they saw my now extensive vintage pattern collection (and I don't mean 80s patterns, I refuse to think of those as vintage) was: "But you have so many similar patterns. Why do you need more?" Details, details. Can't get enough of the details. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Feb 20, 2008 12:40:00 PM The illustration seems to show buttonholes, and bound buttonholes would be really nice on this ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

the_lazymilliner DATE:Feb 20, 2008 1:21:00 PM They're not talking to each other at all. The gal in the canary-yellow dress is distracted by someone who just walked in the door. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

belphebe DATE:Feb 20, 2008 1:28:00 PM I love these dresses! They would be so much fun to wear.

A favorite blouse pattern that I have made for myself is that short-sleeved kimono-style top. Although, mine consists of just two pieces: the front and the back. It would be much more flattering if I made it with princess seams.

As for the pockets, I prefer inseam pockets, so I would either add them to the side seams or the side front seams. But maybe I should try your suggestion and see how it looks. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joanna DATE:Feb 20, 2008 1:47:00 PM Do you think you could pretty-pretty-please post photos now and then of people (yourself or others, makes no difference to me) wearing some of these vintage patterns? I love this one and lots of others that you post, but I have great difficulty picturing how real people (i.e. with normal waists and hips and all) would look in them... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

zimmersarmy DATE:Feb 20, 2008 2:13:00 PM I spend a great deal of time in the company of my five year old.

Recently she picked up a book called "The Contrary Kid" by Matt Cibula.

My favorite line from the book is, "You ask me how I'm doing and I say 'The Porcupine.' You ask my favorite animal, I say 'I'm doing fine.'"

So in my child infused mind, lady in black just asked yellow how she's doing. Yellow answered "The Porcupine." Black responds "Lady in yellow dress say what?!"

Or maybe I just want to use The Porcupine into my daily life and am now projecting it on to envelope people.

-Janet ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cookie DATE:Feb 20, 2008 3:26:00 PM For some reason, I imagine so many of these prim style dresses in gray flannel, worn with white gloves up on a witness stand. Perfect Little-Wronged-Wife outfit, circa 1951.

Yellow Dress: I'm going back in there! I forgot to mention he promised to build me a sewing room once, and didn't.
Black Dress: We got the house and the car, and those twins of yours give me hives, anyway. The court will NEVER let us raise them together! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Cheryl DATE:Feb 20, 2008 3:31:00 PM There is definately some trash talking going on! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mel.J DATE:Feb 20, 2008 6:46:00 PM Yellow lady is commenting on the lack of pockets, see she's trying to put her gloved hand in. Black lady is she's suggesting that a button detail on said pocket would be an attractive idea. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

enc DATE:Feb 20, 2008 9:48:00 PM Black Dress is about to say: "Tough darts for you, Yellow Dress, but that guy is gay!"

Beautiful pattern! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:Feb 21, 2008 8:04:00 AM I'm a big fan both of kimono sleeves and side zips (thought I've never tried to convert a back-zip pattern to side-zip). It would be inexcusable for those button flaps not to be functional; they are too cool.

No, they're definitely scoping the butts. Black Dress doesn't look peeved enough to me, though, so I think she's an accomplice rather than an adversary. In fact, I think she looks slightly shocked, as if pastel-demure Yellow Dress just dropped a hint about exactly how well she was acquainted with that musician that was in the newspaper yesterday. Jazz guitarist. Terrible, wild reputation. Her parents made her come back east to get away from those beatniks in California and she tries to play the part but, oh, once you've had a taste of the bohemian life . . . ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mary DATE:Feb 28, 2008 10:21:00 AM I love the dresses you make they're so cute! i found a lot of great ones at artfulwears.com- you should check them out! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Spoiled for Choice DATE: 8:57 AM ----- BODY:

I'm so sorry I didn't post yesterday -- there were some internet-connectivity issues, and then there were some "I have to give a talk downtown" issues (compounded by the snow issues), and then there were the "back from a long weekend" issues. I guess I "have issues." (Except for issues of the magazine, which are the only issues I want to have. THOSE are still at the printer!)

Of course, any day on which I don't post is NOT a day in which I have NOTHING to post -- I usually have the OPPOSITE problem, as in, I could post so much every day that I would do nothing else. For instance, just in the last 36 hours or so, I was sent links to:

-- this incredibly cute squirrel-print sundress (sent by Julie)
-- a reminder that PurlSoho has new Liberty cottons in stock (from Rebecca)
-- a link to a wedding-perfect satin dress WITH POCKET (from Kai, and let's just see a picture of that pocket, okay?)

-- some paper art dresses (sent by Theresa)
-- an Anne Fogarty polka-dot midriff-emphasizing dress on eBay (sent by Robin, and let's just peek at that one, too, shall we?)

And there were several more links that I will save for another day. Aren't I the luckiest blogger in Blogdom? Thank you (and keep 'em comin')!

Labels: Anne_Fogarty, art, linkylinky, novelty_prints, pockets, polka_dots, wedding

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jill B DATE:Jan 23, 2008 9:41:00 AM DRAT!! I am loving that Anne Fogarty dress, but I couldn't fit that waist line even if I had nothing but water and rice for a month. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

julia DATE:Jan 23, 2008 11:05:00 AM *Ahem*...I do not believe that pocket is for your keys and cell phone! Looks like a drop box sort of pocket for envelopes and loose bills. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nora DATE:Jan 23, 2008 12:03:00 PM Gray with orange and pink polkadots!!!?!?!?! That dress is killing me. But I'm with jill b on the waist line - especially since just looking at that dress makes me want to eat cupcakes with sprinkles on them, out of sheer sprinkly joy. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

sixties sewer DATE:Jan 23, 2008 12:04:00 PM The Fogarty dress....sigh! I don't think I ever had a waist that small, even when I was young. Outstanding! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jan 23, 2008 1:15:00 PM I love the wedding dress, its so simple but still cute and modern. I received a pearl necklace for x-mas and it would fit in perfectly with the dress. I am so happy that you posted this......I have the necklace, need a dress and a future husband!!!! JK ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

enc DATE:Jan 23, 2008 1:31:00 PM I feel like the luckiest bloggee (read: reader) in blogdom. That polka-dot dress is divine. And I don't ever use that word. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Toby Wollin DATE:Jan 23, 2008 2:40:00 PM Well, that wedding dress would be very useful if you are the sort of person who has the sort of family that gives checks at weddings. Now, I've heard of some customs where the money gets actually pinned to the dress. But this would be so much handier. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kai Jones DATE:Jan 23, 2008 3:39:00 PM I thought you'd like the dress. I love the asymmetry of the large, voluminous, decorated pocket against the simple lines and fabric of the rest of the dress. I'd want to wear a huge jeweled bangle on the opposite wrist with no other jewelry, or very simple earrings. And purple or green faille shoes. (Red would be too expected.) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jan 23, 2008 4:01:00 PM Since Erin has "issues," I have to share the funny kid story about issues. My nephew gave his son (6 yrs) instructions on how to do something & told him to let him know if he had any issues. Another great nephew responded, "Don't say issues! We don't like issues!" He's only 4 and knows about issues!

Lori ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

jeannie crockett DATE:Jan 23, 2008 5:39:00 PM I'm pretty certain that is a skunk! But an adorable dress.

Have you since this blog for vintage fashion? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

jeannie crockett DATE:Jan 23, 2008 5:40:00 PM And this is the link:
http://bibigreycat.blogspot.com/search/label/mode

Feel pretty silly over here.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

lorrwill DATE:Jan 23, 2008 9:55:00 PM sigh. The rice and water thing would get me to that waistline. The bust would then be 4 sizes too big.
:-( ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anna DATE:Jan 24, 2008 5:46:00 AM I did a google search for acorn fabric ... check out this Japanese squirrel print that looks A LOT like the one used for the vintage sundress:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8739879 ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:Jan 24, 2008 8:06:00 AM Oh. My. God.

Yo quiero squirrel-print sundress.

Actually, this is a fun post. I bet that satin dress wouldn't be too hard to copy, and the Fogarty one has a cool neo-1840's fan-bodice thing going on. Wacko. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen DATE:Jan 24, 2008 8:48:00 AM What a treat! Dresses, dresses, and more dresses! Especially the paper ones, after last night's episode of "Project Runway." Amazing what a creative eye and more time (than the PR competetitors have) can accomplish.

I LOVED the squirrel dress! We call my eldest daughter a squirrel because she keeps all sorts of things -- leaves, nuts, rocks, pieces of paper, etc. And she's 17! Has done it since she was wee little. I sent her the link and told her to look closely.

Oh, the goodies you have today Erin! Thank you! Thank you! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

real-vintage.com DATE:Jan 24, 2008 12:03:00 PM Thanks for the mention on the squirrel dress! Its one of the cutest prints I've ever seen....that etsy one is similar! Strangely, the ones on my dress have yellow eyes....guess its a colorway thing.

~Ang ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

floribunda DATE:Jan 27, 2008 10:32:00 AM the dresses are great, but wow! -- Verbatim! I subscribed to that magazine a million years ago, like in the early 80's, and had totally forgotten about it. thanks for the reminder and the link so I can check it out again. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

bec DATE:Jan 29, 2008 9:28:00 PM The wedding dress...I just found it's twin in my closet this weekend...it's in black, but has the exact same pocket. Anyone have an idea of era or designer? Mine is missing her tag too. http://fisherfolkfarm.blogspot.com/2008/01/if-its-not-houses-its-dresses.html ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Rebecca DATE:Jan 30, 2008 10:39:00 AM and again - great dresses.... the pocket, though --- i'm just not sure what to think about it!
it's ummmmmm. large. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: So easy. Sigh. DATE: 8:20 AM ----- BODY:

Doesn't this pattern (from Linda's Sew Be It) look just SO EASY? I mean, it's probably not something you can make in an hour, but then, the cuter stuff never is. (It takes time to grind the cute into the fabric, you know. Laboriously. By hand.) But it looks so easy TO WEAR.

I love those patterns that want ONE HUGE BUTTON, because my One-Huge-Button collection is vast; it contains many, many One Huge Buttons picked up hither and yon. (I used to, in my less discriminating/more magpie-ish days, buy completely ratty, holey, unwearable vintage, just to cut the two remaining buttons off of it. Then I would lose one of the buttons. This is how One Huge Button collections are born.)

I'd make this out of a ditsy floral, I think, green and yellow, with a big green button and green piping around the pockets. Or a red and black geometric with a red button and piping. I might even pipe the yoke. Except I'm not buying this one, because it's slightly too small for me (Size 14, B34, I think). So one of y'all do it, okay, and then send me a picture of the dress you make?

I have to say that I've made quite a few of these Anne Adams newspaper patterns, and they're usually very good -- clear directions, go together well. As soon as I get a new battery charger for my camera (I can't find the one it came with, which leads me to believe I left it in some hotel room, somewhere, grrrr) I'll take a picture of a couple Anne Adams dresses I've made that I really liked. If I remember. Nag me, okay?

Labels: AnneAdams_4754, buttons, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Megan DATE:Jun 2, 2007 11:27:00 AM I have only recently discovered your lovely site, and while this dress is darling I mostly just wanted to thank you. I feel such a breath of fresh air reading about dresses and sewing and fabric instead of worrisome world news for a little bit each morning. Your sweet endeavor brings beauty into the world (and inspires me to dust off my portable Husky Star). I thank you. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Jun 2, 2007 11:54:00 AM Look at this one! http://blog.higherthings.org/superanan/article/2739.html It's mine!!! Mwahahaha!

-Anan ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Margo DATE:Jun 2, 2007 9:47:00 PM What a beautiful pattern! I know what you mean about that yoke making it look so easy.
I have a nagging question and I'll just fit it in here: when you measure bust, do you measure the fullest fullness or is it something else? I'm confused and I'm not about to bid on some delicious pattern that, heavens, I'd have to try to alter (I'm rather inexperienced YET). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Donna DATE:Jun 2, 2007 11:27:00 PM Erin, do you actually wear dresses on a daily basis? If so, did you always, or is it something you decided to do that required a change from the daily jeans/pants/top uniform of most women in America today? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Janet DATE:Jun 2, 2007 11:38:00 PM Thank-you for featuring a mail order pattern.

These hold such a special place in my heart. I think such patterns might have been the root of my pattern/fabric/sewing "thing."

I remember cutting the ads out of the paper and coloring them.

I love Anne Adams, too! Thanks. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

suzie DATE:Jun 3, 2007 8:25:00 AM Margo,

Sewing patterns assume we all wear a b cup. If you wear a c cup then buy patterns by the high bust (just under your arm pit) and make the dead easy full bust alteration. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Laura DATE:Jun 4, 2007 1:06:00 AM I love Anne Adams and the other mail order patterns too - I have several Marian Martins & AAs waiting to be made. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Keri DATE:Jun 4, 2007 1:14:00 PM "It takes time to grind the cute into the fabric, you know. Laboriously. By hand."

LMAO because this is SO TRUE!!!!!!!

I made a top over the weekend I'd surely have thrown out half way through (all that %&$*&$ basting!!) if I hadn't been loving it so much!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

saidee DATE:Jun 4, 2007 6:58:00 PM There is something wonderful about those newspaper patterns: I remember always looking at them in the paper as a young teen, but they were outdated, or too old for me, then. I do have some from the fifties, children's patterns that my mom and my aunt ordered. They are in their mailing envelopes with the postmarks, clear dates, The Modesto Bee, and Marian Martin on the outside too? I can't remember now. I adapted a little girl's sun dress for my final flat pattern class project a few years ago. It worked! I was amazed! Toddler pattern to half-scale mannequin to size 10 dress form and the dress actually fit the form! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

saidee DATE:Jun 4, 2007 7:14:00 PM forgot to say I love BIG BUTTONS too! And using just ONE is fab. I hope I live long enough to use all of mine, and yes, buying old stuff for the buttons: a time-honored tradition where I come from! Related to this: my mom always cut the buttons off my dad's worn-out shirts(she made all his work shirts)because they chose fabric and buttons for them together! The buttons were always so cool they were definitely worth saving. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sasha DATE:Jun 6, 2007 11:28:00 AM Cute! That reminds me of a Marian Martin dress pattern I've been thinking of making, it has a similar easy-to-wear feel to it. No big button or pockets though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39083467@N00/532809207/

I just found an Anne Adams apron pattern at the thrift store and I always think that cute apron patterns are just a few modifications away from being a dress, if I could ever actually get to that. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Renee says "Don't Diss My Pockets!" DATE: 3:03 PM ----- BODY:

Costume Institute Pockets Renee Zellwegger

Anna sends me a link to this site where the OBVIOUSLY RHETORICAL question of "pockets: hot or not?" is being asked.

The blogger (who, I think, is also named Erin, in some bizzarro-world faceoff of Pockets!Erin vs. No-Pockets!Erin) says:

But they [pockets] defy the very purpose of dresses, that is, to make you feel pretty and girly. Jamming your hands deep in the pockets of a dress does nothing for your shape (think hunched shoulders, stumpy arms and two big wads of fabric adding unnecessary bulk to your hips).

Needless to say, I disagree. I think what defies the very purpose of dresses (which is to make you feel happy & most like yourself) is having to haul along a giant shoulder bag: think lopsided leaning, aching arms, and a huge goiter of a bag adding unnecessary bulk to your everywhere.

I also don't think women should have to decide between having a place to put a lipbalm, some ID, and their keys and looking as slim as possible. Jeez, there are worse things in life than bulk on the hips, especially when it's apparent to anyone with the sense God gave a junebug that it's Something In Your Pocket, and not that you were Happy to See a Twinkie. (And, might I add, so what if you were, at one point, happy to see a Twinkie? I am getting so very tired of machinations of the Diet-Industrial Complex ...)

I'd say "go leave a comment" but the site is all whirligiggy with popup boxes and too many flashing things and whatnot, so don't bother. You can comment here, I don't mind.

[Thanks to Dara for sending the picture!]

Labels: pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nancy Bea DATE:May 11, 2007 7:06:00 AM I am all for pockets, even in ball gowns. Erin, I think you could write a book called The Hundred Pockets, based on this quotation:

When one has much to put into them, a day has a hundred pockets.

Friedrich Nietzsche ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Šárka DATE:May 11, 2007 7:21:00 AM I am pro the pockets on dresses, though I don´t think I would for example put a bunch of keys into one on such a lovely dress :-) But why bother with a handbag when you for example go shopping and need two empty hands for actually doing something? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

twollin DATE:May 11, 2007 7:33:00 AM isn't it better and certainly more independent to have pockets in one's dresses (and skirts too - let's vote for pockets in skirts) rather than have to drag around a bag or even worse, have your escort drag around your bag or plunk your lipstick, cell phone, keys and teeny wallet into THEIR tuxedo pockets? My dear mama always told me to make sure I had "car fare" (hey, she was born in 1919...they called it "car fare" in those days)in case my escort got "fresh". Where would I have had the room to put said car fare and the lipstick et al. if I had not had pockets (or an evening bag that was bigger than an elongated hamburger which is the size I see these sweet young things carrying about these days)? In the case of this lovely dress worn by Miss Zellweger, I have to say that if she'd put anything larger than a quarter in there, I'm sure we would have been able to see it like an x-ray since the dress has been rather closely fitted for her, but also, I doubt that she was all that concerned that a couple of internal flaps of silk were going to put any viewer in the mistaken thought that she had gained a bunch of weight (please note the rather prominent clavicles and shoulder bone structure which, as we all know now, is the advertisement that the super-thin actresses and models use to let the rest of us know that their body fat percentage is a whole heck of a lot smaller than ours is). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Dawn DATE:May 11, 2007 7:35:00 AM I can't stand not having pockets. I need a tissue available at all times! it's also nice to have a couple bucks in case the ice cream man goes by. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Julia DATE:May 11, 2007 7:54:00 AM I don't like pockets because they flop and jingle when I move. Doesn't that bother you? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Henriette DATE:May 11, 2007 8:00:00 AM Isn't it great that we can just decide if we like to use our pockets or not - that's a decision which certainly shouldn't bother anyone at all? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

whitelacelullaby DATE:May 11, 2007 8:14:00 AM I like having the choice of whether or not I want pockets. Some days I just don't feel pockety, other days I do.

There is nothing un-lovely about pockets (in fact, pockets are VERY lovely!), and I am thrilled that I can choose pockets or no-pockets whenever I want to! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Miz Shoes DATE:May 11, 2007 8:14:00 AM Frankly, I think someone should force-feed Miss Zellwegger a Twinkie or two. Or a cheeseburger. What is wrong with a little body fat? That dress would look smoking on a body with some T&A.

As for pockets? I'm with this Erin. There should be more pockets. Patch pockets, welted pockets, pockets on a seam. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:May 11, 2007 8:50:00 AM I'm a die-hard pocket convert. In addition to being useful, pockets are a terrific opportunity for decoration (all those 1950's aprons with novelty patch pockets!). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

nuala DATE:May 11, 2007 9:03:00 AM I find it interesting that they say that pockets belong on pants or shorts only. Pockets on pants or shorts can really ruin a clean line, and many style guides insist that people sew their pants pockets closed to maintain that line. There is room in most skirts or dresses to put a pocketfull of stuff without making a nasty bulge, whereas on pants a pocketfull of stuff can make one look as though one has a tumour. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 9:08:00 AM Yes, pockets!! I have all my lovely grandmother's dresses/suits/aprons and they all have pockets which tells me they must be cool because she only wore fabulous things all the time!!
Wearing a dress makes one feel like something special could happen and having pockets makes the "mommy I need a tissue" response so much more elegant than looking for a restaurant napkin or what have you! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jen DATE:May 11, 2007 9:53:00 AM Good heavens, what silliness! Pockets are a fine thing in a skirt or dress, and far more so than in pants, as Nuala points out.

Furthermore, while I'm usually not happy to see a Twinkie, I'm nearly always happy to see ice cream. Or fudge. Or cupcakes. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 10:04:00 AM Pockets are a YES. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

canadian sadie DATE:May 11, 2007 10:18:00 AM I love pockets, and I actually love this dress. I hate not having a place for my lipstick and my keys. I HATE a purse more than i hate eating liver, so Pockets? Heck yeah! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Charles DATE:May 11, 2007 10:27:00 AM What I don't get, is the idea that just because one has pockets on your garment, that it is an Imperative of Nature that one must shove your hands into them and then spend the rest of the day in that posture.

Pockets are for stuff.

Gloves are for covering your hands.

Don't use pockets as gloves.

"hunched shoulders, stumpy arms and two big wads of fabric" problem solved. :-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Archivarian (An Archival & Library Mistress) DATE:May 11, 2007 10:36:00 AM I'm a fan of pockets in skirts ever since I discovered they were big in Banana Republic's fall '06 skirt line. I have a charcoal bubble skirt as well as a gold and a black satin a-line skirt (yes I did buy both of them), all with pockets. Perfect for keys, lip balm and I still can carry my cell and other necessities in a tiny clutch (if needed) when I'm out on the town. Since the skirts are are the fuller side, you don't notice any bulk. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:May 11, 2007 10:36:00 AM Personally I love seeing that some designers are putting pockets in evening dresses. I properly constructed (and fitted!) dress, skirt, or pants with pockets will not bulge or flop or do anything to ad bulk. I see no bulk on Ms. Zellwegger. I used to buy men's blazers instead of womens becuse they have more pockets. I hate fake pockets - so useless! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 10:43:00 AM Because pockets in pants are so icky in the clean line way and because I have bodacious ta-tas, I have always subscribed to the theory that the best pockets are in the "treasure chest."

While the diet-industrial complex does tell us we should be as slim as possible, bootylicousness and gravity defying ta-tas are also de rigour. I propose to solve this problem with judiciously placed pockets.

An exterior chest pocket augmenting the front of a bodice could be well stuffed with id, cash, plastic card and electronic thing-a-magiggies, and then padded out the front with a supply of kleenex or "sanitary supplies," thus saving us huge amounts of cash in surgeons fees and doctors fees from the later degradation of our intra-chest jewelry.

Similarly, a booty pocket could be made to serve the same purpose, (though sitting down would be much more hazardous) but so many more of us already have the bootyliciousness going on, it might only really be in demand for those who have starved themselves so much that they could use a greasy cheeseburger. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

LL DATE:May 11, 2007 10:59:00 AM Hear, Hear! Pockets on everything! A well-executed pocket will not ruin the line of any garment and it is up to the person wearing the dress not to stuff it full of crap and/or not to stand around all schlub-like, elbow-deep in their evening gown.

Goodness gracious, people. Women carry ID and money and perhaps don't want to have to hold a damn evening bag all the time. Is it really *that* novel of a concept?? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Christina DATE:May 11, 2007 11:22:00 AM I must say I prefer pockets for chapstick and cell phone, but unless said pockets zip or snap, I'll put my valuables in a purse because I'm paranoid of stuff falling out of my pockets or being stolen. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lori Jean DATE:May 11, 2007 11:23:00 AM Yeah pockets, but in the case of this dress, I don't think it was necessary to embellish so heavily to draw attention to the pocket seams. Subtle decor or decor elsewhere to draw attention *away* from the pockets would have been a better way to build it... in my humble opinion. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisa DATE:May 11, 2007 11:55:00 AM Totally off topic but why can't they ever seem to make decent pockets on pants? If the pants fit then the pockets aren't really useable but if the pockets are functional the pants fall off you!

I'm pro-pocket. Especially those cute little patch pockets on dresses and skirts. They look so nice and work so well without getting twisted or looking bulky. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Gail DATE:May 11, 2007 12:11:00 PM I love pockets also, but pockets in the particular are that they appear in Renee's dress and a few patterns I have seen presents an image of a woman scratching her 'private parts'. These pockets are way too far in front. I also think a grown-up doesn't need to have her hands in her pockets at all times either.

But I do love pockets on the sides or patch pockets in the front. I guess the way hers are constructed remind me too much of major league baseball players when they forget the camera may be on them. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 12:57:00 PM I heart pockets, and was really cheered to see many ads in Vogue this past winter featuring dresses or skirts with pockets. Real ones, you know, that you could actually put things in. Not that I'll be buying the Vogue dresses, but I hope to see this trickle through the fashion industry.

As someone who usually carries a purse, I am always asked by my boyfriend and various friends if they could just stick their wallet/keys/inhaler/gloves in my bag, so they don't have to carry them around. I do it, but it drives me nuts.

goldilocks ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Laura DATE:May 11, 2007 2:06:00 PM I discovered the wonderfulness of pockets two weeks ago while visiting my best friend. I borrowed a dress for a night out, an adorable little soft cotton black swingy thing with pockets sewn on the front. I held one of the pockets shut with a cute pin and it was just the right size for my id, cash, and lip gloss. It was so great not to worry about lugging around a purse while dancing and I had the best time! Hooray for pockets! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

phoenix DATE:May 11, 2007 5:00:00 PM I'm on the side of pockets on dresses too. I bought one last spring in London and love love love it, though I didn't use the pockets for practical reasons because I'm a bag whore. :)

This dress in particular on Ms. Z is perfectly tailored so that the pockets lay flat - I somehow doubt that she's got a lipstick and cabfare tucked away in there though... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

mamafrog DATE:May 11, 2007 5:07:00 PM I can remember being a little girl about 40+ years ago and having a fit because my grandma hadn't put pockets in the dress she was making for me! Now that I'm a "woman of a certain age" I have pockets in absolutely everything. I love men's shirts since they seem to hang better on my roundish figure, and there is always a pocket for my glasses so they don't get crushed in my purse. I do carry a purse, with everybody else's stuff too, but pockets are for the things I have to have right now and don't want to look for! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Charissa DATE:May 11, 2007 5:29:00 PM Yay for pockets! I always need a place to put my ID, debit card, and the occasional hot wheels car.I hated not having pockets in my maternity pants. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Laura DATE:May 11, 2007 6:12:00 PM I, for one, am waiting for the return of Pocket Panniers.... No, I'm not mocking the pocket lovers, I just can't get over the idea of these contraptions that: A) store more things than a purse without needing to carry one, B) widen and hide one's hips so that nobody is worried about how theirs look, and C) when paired with a bodice that comes to a V in the front, makes those who are not actresses or supermodels look like they have a much narrower waist. Who can go wrong??? I'm off to find reproduction patterns now.... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 6:37:00 PM I understand not wanting to carry a purse... I mean, I hate dealing with a purse, finding a place for a purse, dragging the purse around, hitching the purse straps back up onto my shoulder. My only question is this: If you don't carry a purse, where do you put your BOOK? Because I can stick my keys in my pockets, but not the latest work from Diana Gabaldon or George R.R. Martin. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:May 11, 2007 7:28:00 PM Laura, I recommend http://jpryan.com/ladiespatterns.html
for your pocket panniers. Ryan's pattern for panniers is the same pattern shown in Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines, and they're quite comfy! I do recommend wearing a pair of pockets inside the panniers, which tend to collapse occasionally. Which is good, actually, for getting through doorways, but can be a trifle disconcerting.

I'd like to point out that, of course, there is no real need to place pockets where the contents thereof are going to make you look your lumpiest. If you're wearing a long evening gown, put the darned pockets in seams lower down than your hips! And velcro or button or tie them shut! There is no law of which I am aware that says Thou shalt place bulgy pockets over thy hips. Since I am late to adding pockets (because of the bulges, and my tendency to bag up and carry enough detritus with which to emigrate), I've been known to tuck items into my bra - or the tops of my boots. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

daisyfairbanks DATE:May 11, 2007 7:47:00 PM Yes, pockets.
And too-thin starlets should fill them with sandwiches. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 7:51:00 PM Well, I don't know about an evening gown, but as my company gets more security conscious, I find myself having to carry my electronic fob key around my neck - an ugly lump of grey plastic. If I ever get time to sew those shirt dresses I keep meaning to make, you better believe they'll have pockets.
What I don't get is, why is it the more expensive store-bought clothes that are pocket-less, while less pricy stuff is practical and pocketed? If I'm paying more money, shouldn't I get even more pockets? Just wondering... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 11, 2007 10:33:00 PM Pockets on a dress are fine. "Wearing" them as Renee demonstrates here, not so fine. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Hoardmeister DATE:May 12, 2007 7:40:00 AM Dahling, that photo is positive terrifying! I personally adore pockets on a dress, simply because it can give you something to do with your hands when you don't want to shake hands with the great unwashed.

But what has happened to Ms. Zellwegger? Has she been living on a can of Ensure every other day? And the clavicles! For my recent blog on clavicles being "the next gaunt thing" in the New York Times (not that I would ever stoop to such a shameless plug, Erin dear), you can click the link. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Emily DATE:May 12, 2007 8:46:00 AM Totally off topic but why can't they ever seem to make decent pockets on pants? If the pants fit then the pockets aren't really useable but if the pockets are functional the pants fall off you!

Pants should have a waistband with 0-2 inches of ease on a standard fitting pant. Most people will find 2" of ease on the high side. The hips should have around 4" of ease on a flat front pant, more for pleat front. The pocket should be sized to take your entire hand to about 2" above your wristbone.

Most manufacturers make their pants for women with a rectangular frame (minimal difference between waist and hip circumference). I've measured women's pants that had as little as a 6" difference between waist and hips. So if you have real hips with a 10" or more difference from your waist, you'll end up with serious fit problems. If the manufacturer compounds their error by using a poorly designed crotch curve, you end up with pants that will fall off if the hips fit, not let your hips in if the waist fits, *and* if by some miracle there's an in betweenish size, they'll reveal your underwear to the world if you sit down. Even if they're traditional rise. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Meghan DATE:May 12, 2007 9:35:00 AM I love pockets, and think they certainly work well on many (if not most) garments. However, the placement of the pocket on Renee's dress is a little unfortunate. I could see the use of that pocket looking a little un-ladylike from the wrong angle. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

kathi s DATE:May 12, 2007 11:08:00 AM Love pockets, but I tend to cram them. That's my bad, not the pocket's! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 12, 2007 12:15:00 PM I went and read the article, and I love how the author assumes that since most dresses you buy today at the store don't have pockets, obviously pockets have always been a "pants only" thing.

I think most of the reason that women don't wear dresses more now is that dresses have lost most of thier utilitarian aspects. They're just for "dressing up" and aren't practical for wearing in everyday life (for example, no pockets, and too short, cut too narrowly and tight). A good practical skirt falls somewhat below knee-length, to avoid the possibility of inadvertently flashing passers-by, a slightly full to circular cut (to allow freedom of movement-sit down, stand up, step over obstacles in your path), and pockets of any sort, for the obvious reasons. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Maddy DATE:May 12, 2007 3:46:00 PM It is a well known fact that I LOVE pockets on dresses, especially wide trapezey ones. I can understand why she wouldn't see the appeal in a slim-fitting dress, but even on those, I still think pockets are a-ok. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

AmeliaB DATE:May 12, 2007 5:01:00 PM I love pockets! Love the picture too. :-)

~Amelia ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

iopine DATE:May 13, 2007 9:14:00 AM Miz Shoes said...
"Patch pockets, welted pockets, pockets on a seam."

May I expand on that idea?:

Patch pockets,
welted pockets,
pockets on a seam.
Dresses without pockets--
They make me want to

SCREAM! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Elrond Hubbard DATE:May 13, 2007 11:43:00 AM I would agree with those who say that pockets in dresses are yet another step toward women's equality with men, for they allow women not to depend on their escort to carry things for them. But I also agree that one of the most important things to carry in a pocket, keys, can not be carried very well in a dress pocket. So really, this issue is far from resolution.

This brings us to another ongoing frustration with dresses, which is where to hide the wireless microphone transmitter for movie production. It weighs a few pounds, so even if it could be stored in a pocket, it would make the dress hang oddly. Another solution is to tie an ace bandage under the dress around the narrowest part of the woman's waist and clip the transmitter to the bandage in the small of her back. But the bandage needs to be tied tightly if the transmitter is not to sag, and this can be uncomfortable. And with really tight dresses, the transmitter can still make an ugly lump in the back.

Then there's the option of tying the bandage around the upper thigh and clipping the transmitter inside the thigh, but this brings in a whole new set of frustrations.

So I say to the dress making community, what can be done to help audio guys with microphone transmitter placement? As with alternative fuel possibilities, if we all get our heads together on this, maybe we can make something happen. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kimberley DATE:May 13, 2007 1:24:00 PM I once added pockets to a bridal gown for a very cool, practical girl!

Almost everything I make for myself has pockets, even it's just a hidden one in the waistband big enough for a folded bill, a lipstick and my bus pass.

Definitel Pro-Pockets, here. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

bani DATE:May 13, 2007 3:24:00 PM I'm just taken with the whole parallell universe Erin thing.

The mind boggles.

Gudrun Sjöden, a Swedish designer, often makes little ickle bags that are like portable pockets. Possibly a compromise...? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kate DATE:May 13, 2007 4:23:00 PM I just discovered that my new Isaac Mizrahi dress from Target (chintz dress in aqua) has side-seam pockets. I'm so excited! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Marie DATE:May 13, 2007 11:52:00 PM I just want a cheeseburger, with so many people talking about them in the comments.

Anyway, the dress. The pockets. I wouldn't put keys in them, that would be ugly in these pockets and look silly. A tissue and an eftpos card and a $20 bill would probably work well though, although I'm not sure if these pockets are completely horizontal and thus stuff would fall out. in fact, that looks like a generally weird place to put pockets - on the front between the stomach and the crotch... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Myrte DATE:May 14, 2007 3:40:00 AM Such a coincedence. I saw the picture on thirsday and kept it to send it to you today!
No more need for that.
I think it looks'new'. You know, breaking with the usual tradition to not put pockets in a evening dress. It looks lovely and new, that's the point, and not the discussion itself- pockets or not.
At least that's my opinion.
Take care-
Myrte ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Allison DATE:May 14, 2007 8:05:00 AM My grandmother's evening gowns ALL had pockets. A well-designed dress (or skirt) can have pockets that won't ruin the line. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 14, 2007 11:40:00 PM I don't think pockets work that well in such a fitted dress. I put pockets in my wide skirts, and don't buy jackets without them, but on the dress in the picture I think they look ridiculous. Unfortunate placement, and they don't look practical at all.
/Monika ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Myrte DATE:May 16, 2007 3:44:00 AM Let's just let the thought go that things have to be practical. It's so limiting. Especially when you consider fashion as a form or art which you are confronted with every day. No rules. Lovely! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sara DATE:May 17, 2007 11:37:00 PM Pockets on a dress is so unexpected... and it can work. I wore a dress with pockets to a wedding last year, and I LOVED it! It's probably one of my all-time favorite dresses. And, if anything, it made the dress even more feminine. There's just something playful about it-- and all the while chic... I'm all for pockets. Every girl should wear a dress with pockets at some point. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

STL Mom DATE:May 21, 2007 8:48:00 PM Pockets in a dress, yes. Pockets in an evening gown - not if they can be seen.
The whole point of a gown is that you should look like you have "people" to carry your keys and such for you. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:May 22, 2007 10:19:00 PM Personally I think that the "whole point of a gown" is to make you look like you NEED someone to carry your stuff for you. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

angldst DATE:Jul 8, 2007 7:15:00 PM rather rather late to this posting, but I am SO pro-pockets, that I've drafted them into most of the things that I make for myself, skirts AND dresses, if they don't already have them. Even pencil skirts. My pencil skirt pattern has back welt trouser-style pockets, the better to hold a chain wallet. (you can dress the girl up but there's till a tomboy element....) If you put a lining in the skirt and slip the pockets between the lining and the outer fabric (and don't cram them too full of stuff) they'll hang just fine and look just fine on a slim skirt or dress.

-d ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Carol G. DATE:Aug 30, 2007 6:52:00 AM Women need pockets! We are always hearing about purse snatchings. Well, duh.

Pockets don't need to diminish the style factor. I'm so glad when I find a skirt or dress with pockets, because I carry my wallet with money and credit cards in my pocket.

My purse holds hair items, a compact, and necessities that won't ruin your life, if stolen. I say hurrah for pockets for women's clothing! Go Pockets! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Nov 6, 2008 9:49:00 PM I Love Pockets. I put everything in them and I put my hands in my pockets all the time. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: Pockets = Freedom DATE: 7:46 AM ----- BODY:

(Above illustration from The Workwoman's Guide [and it's a downloadable PDF, thank you Google Book Search!])

Are you unsurprised, as I was, to learn that the V&A website has a whole section on pockets? It's a good one, too (also unsurprising) and traces the initial demise of the pocket and rise of the handbag to the radical change in women's fashion of the 1790s, when dresses became too narrow to admit of the wearing of separate pockets tied around the waist under the dress. Because of this, women began to carry little bags, called reticules, which accommodated much less than the capacious separate pockets.

Last night I walked about fifty blocks (intentionally, and with a glad heart). The weather was beautiful -- it was a warm soft wet night (okay, I admit it, I like walking in a light rain), and I wasn't carrying a bag.

I had ditched my purse-cum-laptop-bag as it was just too big to dangle off me all night while I stood around clutching my club soda at a party (and I didn't bring a smaller bag with me on this trip). Besides, between the pocket in my skirt and the pockets of my coat, I could carry the essentials (ID, money, lipstick, treo, ipod).

Without a bag, I barely noticed those fifty blocks. It was amazing how freeing it was, to not have a bag to deal with, to shift, to move around to the front of your body and then to the back, to switch from arm to arm. Your arms swing unencumbered; you walk differently, faster. You can shove both hands in your pockets; you can put your hands on your hips while waiting impatiently for a light to change. I also noticed that some people gave me funny looks; whether it was "There's a woman without a bag!" or "Why the hell is she wearing a circle skirt in a grass-green camouflage print?" I couldn't tell.

On my way uptown, as an experiment, I counted women without bags. I saw one. I think she was eight years old, but she could have been nine. (Since this was about 11:45 p.m., I don't think this was a representative sample, and it's not like I stood around the busier intersections making sure I checked everyone, but hey.)

Now, I love bags, I obsess about bags (mostly about whether they have the right size and number of pockets ...) and I carry a bag most of the time. But when you have enough pockets, or the right kind of pockets, you can escape the bag and just enjoy the freedom to stride along unencumbered. You should try it ...

Labels: handbags, history, pockets

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

bonnie-ann black DATE:Mar 23, 2007 9:13:00 AM erin: i couldn't agree more! i've always been a schlepper of big bags because i carry a lot of my life around -- my writing notebook, my sketchpad, my camera, the book i'm reading, the backup book (in case i finish the first book and i have to stand on line somewhere without a book), wallet, business cards, keys, etc., etc., etc. but on the weekends, i wear this great long man's coat with about a hundred pockets and i just stick money, keys, a small sketch book and camera and go about my business. few things more freeing -- or better for straightening out your back and shouldeers. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Susan DATE:Mar 23, 2007 10:18:00 AM I will often go out without a bag, so if you see a woman in her mid-40's strolling down North Michigan Avenue without a purse, say "hi", because it's probably me. :)

I have a tiny ID zippered wallet with a key chain. It's large enough to hold my work ID card, my cash and my debit card - it's the only wallet I use (even if I am carrying a purse) On the key ring, I have my house key, and the fob to enter security in my condo. I don't usually walk around with my makeup (I keep my makeup purse in my desk, and another one in my vanity at home).

In my opinion, there is nothing worse than seeing a woman regularly travelling to work with 3 bags - her laptop bag (or briefcase), her purse, and some kind of shopping bag. When I come to work, I carry my laptop bag, and nothing else. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

India DATE:Mar 23, 2007 10:32:00 AM Sigh. This is very appealing to me since I got my handbag stolen last week.

For years I refused to carry a bag, to my mom's spluttering irritation. I kept telling her there was no point, as I didn't carry any of the crap she did--lipstick, tissues, datebook, etc. I just carried an Altoid tin with some cash and cards stuffed into it, and my keys. In fact, when I was in high school, I wouldn't even carry my keys: our mailbox latch was broken but you wouldn't know that unless you tried to open it, so I would often throw my keys in there when I went out. My family was appalled when they found out I was doing this, because of course it was very stupid (this was in Manhattan), but no ill ever came of it.

Then, at some dark moment during my twenties, I turned into a girl. Never been the same since.

I try not to be the three-bag woman, or even to carry two bags very often, but it's hard with all the electronic gear, and notebook, and umbrella, and lipsticks, and hair clips, and keys, and . . . ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 10:35:00 AM How timely for me. I carry a lot like Bonnie-Ann and have been trying to think of how to lighten my load. I have to carry a dorky backpack on my commute because I carry so much, and it does not make me feel very cute. Of course, complicating my situation is that I have to carry water and medicine on me... but maybe I could get smaller bottles and ditch my back-up book.

Thanks, Erin and all the interesting commentors! I'm not a sewer, but reading this blog for a few months has inspired me to sign up for beginning classes at the Stitch Lounge here in SF. https://www.stitchlounge.com/index.htm

Goldilocks ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 10:39:00 AM I love not carrying a bag. And I love pockets. I try to only carry a few things, ID, keys, chapstick and a small sketchbook and a good pen. Since reading your blog, I have been putting more pockets in my dresses. I love it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

La BellaDonna DATE:Mar 23, 2007 11:13:00 AM (Raises hand) That would be me. I have the pocketbook, the gym bag, and the Bag O'Shopping. I don't care for it either, but since I go to the gym, I need the gym bag (can't afford the locker fees, or to have my clothes shrunk); I need the pocketbook (money, keys, inhalers, meds, etc.), and I also need the Bag O' Shopping, unless you will be kind enough to come and do it for me. And sometimes it's two really big Bags O' Shopping, since I don't have a car. I'm lucky it's not a Bag O' Cat as well, with me on the way to the vet with my son meowing all the way. It doesn't mean I don't want pockets, which are very handy for kleenex and card keys; just I have no way at the moment of divesting myself of them.

FWIW, "reticule*" is generally conceded to be a Victorian nicety; at the time of use, the bags were generally referred to as "ridicules."

*despite the fact that it's a word many Regency romance writers use ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

marcia in austin DATE:Mar 23, 2007 11:34:00 AM A year or so ago I order a couple pairs of pants from a catalog. They fit beautifully and looked for all the world like normal jeans and chinos, but all the pockets were-- by design-- truncated. Apparently this is to accommodate those women who think the pocket bag creates an unattractive lump. I was annoyed beyond words. I use my pockets as pockets, not as fashion details. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 12:11:00 PM Erin (and fellow sewers and pocket lovers), are you familiar with the Saf-T-Pockets line of patterns? Jackets, vests, coats, pants, skirts deliberately designed with as many pockets as possible, some hidden.

The designs are aimed at travlers and tour participants (tramp all day through museums or whatever without a bag!!), however, I think every serious fabric shopper needs a Shopper's Vest with 10 pockets - and both hands free to fondle fabric.

http://www.saf-t-pockets.com/patterns.asp

CMC ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kiru Banzai DATE:Mar 23, 2007 12:24:00 PM There's an article of clothing I've seen twice, on two different girls, but I've never been able to find it to buy (or been disciplined enough to make my own): a pocketed corduroy belt. It was broad, and fastened with velcro (or something) over a skirt or dress, and widened at the sides to accomodate wallets or cards. I continue to covet this item. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 12:27:00 PM I carry a smallish handbag, which can still be cumbersome, but without it I feel like a body part is missing. However, I recall fondly the immense feeling of freedom and lightness when first able to venture out into the world without a diaper bag (though it has now been MANY years) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Theresa DATE:Mar 23, 2007 12:32:00 PM My Bra is my pocket - keys, ID, Cash, cell phone. On occasion lipstick. It's in there. My kids hate it but hey -- my hands are free. :>) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lisette DATE:Mar 23, 2007 12:50:00 PM This is why I created my Rocket Pockets! Erin, anybody really I'd love for you to give me your opinion!
www.swaggerdesign.etsy.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Laura DATE:Mar 23, 2007 1:19:00 PM This is why, despite not generally being a blue jeans kind of girl, I have a couple pairs of jeans that I wear for goin-out-havin-fun.

Key in one pocket, ID and money or credit card in the other. Done!

My everyday bag is very well designed; it feels almost like not carrying a bag at all, but I don't want to take it clubbing with me! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Karen DATE:Mar 23, 2007 3:08:00 PM I carry a small purse every day. I also carry a backpack for school, and a tote bag for shopping and wedding planning days. My purse has essentials - wallet, phone, candy, chapstick, USB drive, pens, scratch paper - `and of course - my list of fabric yardage requirements. I suppose YOU can get by without the last one. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

stefani DATE:Mar 23, 2007 4:17:00 PM how lovely! What a care-free image you describe... you've inspired me. Now I'm going to try to have a bagless outing one of these days to feel the freedom! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Booty Vintage DATE:Mar 23, 2007 6:11:00 PM I had to laugh when I read the bit about the concerned glances at your purse-less-ness. A couple weeks ago I was working out of our LA office, staying at a nice hotel in Burbank. Not wanting to take a cab for only 5 blocks, I walked, purseless, to a restaurant. Quelle shock! Purse-less and car-less in LA!! Clearly I was a deviant, or that's the vibe I got from passing drivers.

anna ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 6:47:00 PM living in the tropics our school uniform skirt is a little on the short side, aka 20 years ago fathers wouldnt let daughters out of houses wearing them. the hassle of continual shaving in winter aside they have a rather annoying habit. Our schoolbags, backpacks i guess you might call them, grab hold of our skirts while we walk and inch them up bit by bit which leads to continual yanking down. the solution? take a boy with you let him carry it for you, terrific! youre freed up just like erin said wonderful advantages plus said boy feels manly and is trained up in noble ways.

hooroo
steph ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Laaw-yuhr DATE:Mar 23, 2007 9:09:00 PM Oh so true so true! I love how you write about seemingly mundane things (e.g. walking without a bag) that reminds me how delicious some everyday activites can be. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 10:47:00 PM This totally does not belong here as a comment, but maybe you will plug this organization...
http://www.sewmuchcomfort.org/
A woman started this organization in order to make adaptive clothing for people with special medical needs.
They need sewers (How can you make that NOT look like plumbing transport for waste water, and look like people who want to sew??) to adapt clothing for people such as veterans who are recovering from war wounds, like burns or amputations.
Go to the website...she can explain it better than me. Thank you. Love your blog, and the sometimes beautiful, sometimes quirky dresses. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Mar 23, 2007 11:39:00 PM Ah, the security theater skirt.

Which reminds me of this from the fug girls. I thought it was kinda cute.

http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2007/03/the_dukes_of_fu.html

--andrea ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

well-rounded dresser DATE:Mar 24, 2007 2:07:00 AM I have an REI handbag and it is perfect for the usual things. To keep the purse from getting too heavy, I have a tote bag for less usual things. To keep the tote bag clean, I have a separate lunch bag. There's the portfolio thingy with a shoulder strap, and a gym bag (with an enclosed shoe bag) for exercise clothes. Finally , there are the canvas grocery bags I use instead of paper ones. The one who dies with the most bags wins. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

poppy DATE:Mar 24, 2007 2:20:00 AM I've had so many bags stolen (last count was three, no, four), you'd think I'd learn. Random bit of info: the wearing of (or even having possession of) camouflage-style clothing is illegal in Zimbabwe. This includes camouflage prints on clothing, hats, bags, etc. Should you be found in possession, you could receive a fine, or six months in jail, or both. The authority has the right to detain you for up to 48 hours without officially charging you. This really makes you appreciate our many freedoms, including our freedom of choice and expression. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

LuceLu DATE:Mar 24, 2007 7:32:00 AM Pockets... I had nothing green for work on St.Patrick's Day so sewed up very quickly a scrub top. No jacket to match (I must have a jacket at work for the pockets). I found a lovely little 3/4 sleeve white duster at (of all places) "V"almart--on an errand for sewing machine oil. Trouble is... no pockets. So those went on last --big green cotton patch pockets. And they served me well.

Now going bagless.... Outside of work, (where I carry my id badge, debit card and cpr card in my little ID plastic clippy and everything else in my pockets) I have no real occasion to travel sans bag. I used to-- punk rock shows, meetyeatda-pub-athappyhour, and taking long walks. But since marriage and child (15 years ago) I have had bags and by extension, vehicles that have doubled as bags. I'm freaking surprised I don't travel around in a Winnebago. BTW I am totally with you on carrying a small library (book and magazine), knitting, needle or patchwork project, phone, sketchbook, mints, gum, fabric coupons, pens, spare toothbrush, kleenex, motrin, oilblotters, flashlight, little notebook, and wallet. Now, I don't have an Ipod.... and I should start including my camera even though my phone has one because I haven't yet mastered the art of the good phone picture. hmmmm.

Sometimes I am a rebel and don't take my cell phone. I never carry my laptop around. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lori DATE:Mar 24, 2007 10:37:00 PM Gotta have pockets. Even as a teenager sewing formal (or long, at least) gowns for the Masonic Job's Daughters and Rainbow Girls, I *always* added in pockets. Even my prom dress had pockets. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Canine Diamond DATE:Mar 26, 2007 12:02:00 PM I can't believe the number of perfectly good skirts I've ruined because I neglected to put pockets in them. Then I spend all my time dropping small items because I try to put them into the pockets that don't exist. Never again. Everything from now on must have pockets.

My purse is a homemade cloth square. I'm about to make a bigger one with internal pockets for small items (cell phone, etc.) that keep getting lost. I don't take it "out" though. If I'm going out at night I take as little as possible (money, ID, phone, keys) in a pocket and safety-pin the pocket shut if I have to. Thus, I have no bag to lose or to be grabbed. I've even got a method of putting a "secret" pouch pocket in the skirt/waistband seam of my skirts and dresses so I know things won't fall out. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Minya, Warrior Seamstress DATE:Mar 26, 2007 6:27:00 PM Sigh... that was me once. Then my roommate insisted I start carrying a cellphone. Only one garment (a pair of black cargo pants) has pockets sufficient to carry the phone, ID, bank card, keys, chapstick, nail clippers, and bus pass. If I'm not wearing the cargos, I carry a purse. I feel old and frumpy! I miss being bagless. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

wisechick DATE:Mar 30, 2007 4:36:00 PM I love stashing stuff in my pockets and avoid carrying a purse whenever possible. Anything extra, I hand off to my sweetie to carry in *his* pockets. (What are boyfriends for anyway?)
Speaking of pockets... a few years ago, I spotted a pockets only pattern online, from one of those pattern places like sewingpatterns.com. Maybe it was from CJpatterns or Brown Paper or something like that. Anyway all the pattern featured was pockets! Say like 8-10 different ones. Very cool. I've been searching online for hours for it and can't find it anywhere and it's driving me crazy. Any of you pockets afficionados know what I'm talking about? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

<a href="http://m1.aol.com/CoryDyer55/index26.html">phentermine plateau</a> DATE:Oct 26, 2007 1:08:00 PM DgkCVC Please write anything else! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

<a href="http://m1.aol.com/IvySalas33/10_261007.html">board chat meridia</a> DATE:Oct 26, 2007 2:20:00 PM Good job! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Erin TITLE: HOW TO: make a three-panel skirt have pockets DATE: 1:54 PM ----- BODY:

Okay, I've been putting off doing a HOWTO here because, frankly, I'm not really a great seamstress. I've never taken a formal class, and every time I read an issue of Threads I say to myself "Huh! That *would* be a better way to do that." But I figured I'd post this one, for a couple reasons. First of all, even though I'm not that great at it (nothing like Summerset, for one, or Rostitchery, for another!) I really do enjoy sewing, and so at least I can reassure people than even if you aren't couture-caliber you can make stuff that fits and have fun doing it. Secondly, I figured if I post this people will tell me what I did wrong, and that way next time I can do it faster/better/more attractively. And finally, I just HATE PATTERNS THAT DON'T HAVE POCKETS. So by posting this I can rescue one more pattern from the evils of pocketlessness.

Anyway. There it is.

So, what will you need to do this project?

a sewing machine

an iron and ironing board

flat space to work

scissors, tape measure, ruler, pencil or marking implement, etc. etc.

Diet Coke or similar beverage

music with a good beat but off-kilter or oddly nihilistic lyrics (I like Soul Coughing, They Might Be Giants, Magnetic Fields, etc.)

fabric (about two yards of 45" wide for the pattern shown here, 1 3/4 yards if it's 60" wide)

a suitable pattern (see below)