New (to me) patterns

All sorts of problems and distractions have prevented me from doing any sewing this week, so instead here's a short post about my latest vintage pattern acquisitions.

First up is this Style pattern.

Style 1451

I'm getting increasingly fond of late 1950s/early 1960s 'Style print' patterns, and am building up a bit of a collection - you can see some of them here. What attracted me to this one was the view A illustration. I have a remnant of blue and grey plaid in my stash which is quite similar, and it struck me that this might be a good use for it.

I have no current plans for this DuBarry pattern, I just liked it.

DuBarry 1658, 1937

According to A History of the Paper Pattern Industry, DuBarry patterns were sold exclusively in Woolworths stores and produced for Woolworths by Simplicity. The DuBarry patterns I own were all printed in Canada, and most have the UK price shown on a stick-on label. This is the first one I've come across with the price given in both U.S. cents and British old pence.

What can I say about my final pattern? I've posted many times in this blog about my love of the 1940s revival styles from the late 70s/early 80s, and nothing can shift my fondness for a (subtly) defined shoulder. But this, well this is something else.

Hollywood 1516

Despite what has been written on the envelope, both Blueprints of Fashion and the Commercial Pattern Archive date this pattern to 1945. The, ahem, remarkable shoulder feature is described in the pattern pieces as a "flange", and is set into the side-front seam at the front and the sleeve seam at the back.

Pattern pieces and back view

I don't think that Hollywood patterns (a budget offshoot of Vogue) were ever sold in the UK. Certainly this pattern, with its ornamental buttons, multiple seams, deep pleats, and associated hefty fabric usage, would have contravened the CC41 clothing regulations.

Yardages for bust sizes of 28" to 36"

Resizing it to fit me would be quite an undertaking, but I am tempted to try. Probably view three, though. It may be the red and black, but I'm getting distinct Flash Gordon vibes from those flanges - and that's not a look I need in my wardrobe!