A 1940s dress from a 70s pattern

Made in 2010


This dress is made with the help of a 1970s commercial pattern, Simplicity 5968. This is not as weird as it sounds, since much of 1970s fashion was inspired by the 40s. Patterns from the 70s are much easier to find in larger sizes, in my case a size 20.


The biggest change in style was that I added puffed sleeves instead of the typical 70s wide sleeves which are rather narrow at the shoulders and wide at the cuff. And of course that I made the sleeves short.

The bodice pattern was changed in several ways:
* Making the shoulders much narrower - you don't automatically get linebacker shoulders from having a large bust or even a large ribcage.

* Made the bust gore wider - commercial patterns are made for a B-cup, while I have an F-cup. This means that even if the width is enough (actually a little too wide) over the bust it is shaped in the wrong way and makes the bust pull the armscye forward. It also makes you look larger than you are.

* Lengthening the front bodice, since a large bust takes up space also in this direction. * Taken the pattern in a little at the sides.

* Omitted the zipper in the back, it's possible to get in and out of it anyway.

 Here are the changes between the original pattern in size 20 and my pattern:


 I also shortened the skirt, since even the short length on the pattern ends mid-calf on me. I also added shoulder pads, which the 70s pattern of course didn't have. My shoulders are straight, but proportionally too narrow for my bust and hips, so shoulder pads is a good idea.

The material is dark blue seersucker and lilac pink thin linen for the sleeves and collar, mainly because I didn't have enough of the seersucker, which was a remnant.

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