Sunday, May 22, 2011

Next – 1940’s Dress


I love the fashions of the 1940s almost as much as the 1930s; however, I do not make a lot of 1940’s wear.  I have a number of patterns but have not been good about getting to them.

So next up is this 1940s dress: Simplicity 3835.  The short version; the long version is a nightgown.

I have no idea when this pattern came out.  It looks early 40s to me but on vintage pattern wikia it is listed as the late 40s.  Any ideas???

This is going to be done in a white swiss dot since I have yards and yards of this fabric in the stash.  I think I purchased 10 yards last year.  The pattern is small in the waist for me but weirdly the stated hips are big enough to fit mine.  So, some pattern adjustments will be in order!

Hopefully I will have more success than with the 1940s skirt!

5 comments:

Debi said...

Fabulous! I love this pattern! This is definitely early 40's since simplicity numbers and McCall numbers are very similar. I sewed up Simplicity 3529 (http://www.sewweekly.com/2011/01/fake-bunny-love.html) and my pattern said 1940 on the cover (on the lower front I believe) so I would say yours is definitely 1940 or 1941. Can't wait to see it all made up!!

Social Historian said...

I have a lot of Simplicity sewing patterns (seriously) so I can help a bit with dating.

Simplicity patterns from about 1944 through to the early 60s had the copyright year on the back of the instructions at the bottom. It jumped from column to column but was always there. I don't have any dated to a specific year between 1941 and 1943 but do have patterns that fall into those years. For some reason the copyright year disappeared for a while, perhaps they forgot to put it in when they redesigned the envelopes!

I have a 1939 pattern where Copyright year is on the front bottom middle on the envelope like on Debi's from 1940. In 1940 the font changed from the '30s Block Script to the one on your pattern, if it was printed pattern it would have a colour block stating that (they were making both types). By 1944 the price was in red on unprinted patterns and by '46 all patterns were printed and incorporated "Printed Pattern" in red type.

So you can reasonably assume yours falls between 40 and 43 as an unprinted pattern. I have one with same font, price and envelope style as yours which I have dated to 1941-42 using Cemetarian's catalogue reference method, according to that yours would have been circa 1941.

Cemetarian's dating method may not always be accurate but its often the closest we can get for dating some vintage patterns such as Butterick and Vogue which didn't always have copyright years.

sandra-kay said...

Hi! i LUV this Simp. 3835 pattern! (and can't find it for sale currently).
So, does anyone who already owns it want to make some $ by copying it on muslin, lt.wt. cardboard or some other medium for me? (size 18 is fine, 'cause i can enlarge it.)
Thank you so much!
sk (in New Mexico)

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone!
Can't find this pattern anywhere, so, is it possible for you to scan it in after which I can just piece it together... I have a few pattern back here which I have PDF'ed, and have more on the way. (butterick 2137) mail me on moa@moadickmark.com and we can exchange patterns... ;)
Oh, and do any of you ladies know how to get a hold of Du Barry 5357?

Have a lovely Sunday
Moa

Stephanie Alioto said...

Could anyone tell me where to get ahold of these patterns or copies of them?? I LOVE the styles of the 40's and desperately want to sew up a few for myself. I keep trying to find them but they're so expensive and as a single mom and college student I can't afford it right now. I would love any tips on where to get some. Thank you!