SHANNON'Sdresses

1940sdress

May 2010

This dress was made from Vintage Vogue pattern V2876, which was drafted from an original 1943 design. I bought the pattern and fabric at a half price sale at my local fabric store and from then on I was hooked. I had always wanted to get into 1940s fashions since seeing movies such as The Notebook and Atonement. I like how the fashion of the era was stylish and sophisticated while still being practical. Wartime saw women entering the workforce in droves, so the clothing of the time needed to be affordable and practical, but it still managed to maintain it's femininity and style.

This is my first real go at anything 'vintage'. It involves modern dressmaking techniques, but the design and cut is very different from anything else I have made from a modern pattern. And it was surprisingly complicated. But I managed to problem-solve my way through any mistakes I made, and it actually fits really well. I just wish I had a fascinator and gloves to go with it to make it look really authentic.