Patrone-Modele - Sport Ensemble

First half of the 1950s.  Mes amis, it is time to get the Citroen out of the garage and take a tour into the wine country to see the grape harvest.  Monsieur will be correctly dressed for the country in this sport ensemble of plus fours and jacket in wool.

The waist length jacket (blouson) is interesting.  In the Unites States, we've seen this style in working clothing as early as the late 19th century, with Cosmopolitan 800, the working blouse, and then around World War I, with Excella 1111, the men's jumper.  In the 1920s, even with the somewhat loose definition of "waist length," the style, now called a "windbreaker" shows up in outerwear for boys, Butterick 7031, and women, Butterick 7068.  By the 1930s, when the waist had risen just past normal to being a little high, the style was still popular, as seen in Pictorial Review 9051.  From here, it's a short hop of a few years to World War II and the British Army's re-design of its battle dress which included the waist-length jacket (also referred to as a blouse.) Today we typically refer to this style as an Eisenhower or Ike jacket, but it turns out that he himself borrowed the style from the British.

This is a nice interpretation, with a zip front closing, substantial pockets with flaps, and the large, wing-like spread collar so popular at the time.

The plus-fours are referred to simply as "pantalon" on the front of the envelope.  The slightly more detailed description on the back of the envelope calls them "culotte de golf," which Google Translate tells me is "knickerbockers."  It seems a slightly old-fashioned look, yet it must have been popular enough for Le Petit Echo de la Mode to produce a home sewing pattern for culotte de golf, particularly as patterns for men's clothing represent just a tiny fraction of their pattern offerings.

Although not visible in the illustration, by looking at the layout one sees that the fullness of these culotte de golf is darted into bands.

Even though it's tempting to explain away these plus-fours as a style for older gentlemen who had worn them in the 1930s and saw no reason to change, some fairly stylish interpretations of plus fours show up in the men's fashion magazine L'Homme in  Summer 1954 for young men, and as late as Spring-Summer 1959 for older men.  (Despite multiple searches in two languages, I've not yet been able to come up with any documentary evidence that french gentlemen actually wore plus fours for golfing in the 1950s.)

Source

Source

This unprinted pattern is unused.

And we're off!

1950s Citroen Traction Avant Six 15

Maudella 5059 - Anorak

Mens' utilitarian clothing can be very hard to date.  The shape and spread of the collar seemed to point to a late 1940's or early 1950's date, but the style of an advertising illustration on the instruction sheet seems pretty firmly 1960's.  

This is a very nice design as we get into the chilly winter months, particularly if, as the pattern recommendations suggest, a "fine woolen" lining is provided.

The Maudella brand was started by Maude Dunsford in West Yorkshire, England in 1937 (1.)  The brand seems to have lingered until the 1980s.  Maudella patterns show up for sale now and again.  The earlier patterns in particular seem very much more on the practical or utilitarian side rather than the high fashion side.

Though utilitarian, this jacket is not make-it-today-wear-it-tonight simple.  Getting the bound edges right on the zippered pockets will take a little care, and of course the lining will take some additional time.

This is an unprinted pattern.

(1)  See:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2002_32_mon_02.shtml

Butterick 7068 - Misses', Juniors' and Girls' Windbreaker

1920s.

This is the companion to the boys' windbreaker I posted in December 2010.

As with the boy's version, the maker has the option of knitting her own collar, sleeve, and bottom bands.  Since knitting yarns tend to come in a much broader range of colors than by-the-yard knit banding, the maker would have the potential to make a banding that complemented or contrasted with the windbreaker fabric in much more interesting ways.  Of course, that K1P1 banding is still pretty boring to knit, but sufficiently mindless to make a long bus or train trip go more quickly.

In the envelope with the pattern was this instruction sheet for the California Redwood Sleeve Board (Chicago Ill.)

This unprinted pattern shows some signs of wear.

McCall 3363 - Men's Office Coat

Latter part of the 1920s.

Home sewing patterns for men's coats this early are sufficiently scarce that I almost always bid on them when they show up on eBay.  This one was described in the auction listing simply as a men's coat, and the photograph was so fuzzy that I couldn't read the description, so it wasn't until the pattern arrived that I realized I had something even a little more scarce: a pattern for white collar work wear.

It's easy to imagine this coat made up in white poplin or Indian Head for a doctor or dentist.  Indeed, we can get a sense of some earlier sartorial problems with dentist's coats, from the book Dental Office and Laboratory, 1906:

"The 'crying need' of the dentist who would be decently dressed in his office is an office coat.  This should be of linen, duck, or similar material; washable, and plain even to the absence of pockets.  Those now in general use, decorated as many of them are with four pockets, a belt and four sets of frogs make the wearer look like a ring-master just escaped from a dog-circus."

But it turns out that the term "office coat" is much richer.

From Good Housekeeping, 1888, we see that, much like the housewife's apron, the office coat was not meant to be seen on the street:

"...Mr. Willis came up to us, asking Mrs. Wheeler if the letters were ready for the post.  On being told they were not, he changed his office coat for another, and went out."

In the magazine Success, Volume 6, p. 313, in an article by Orison Swett Marden, 1903, the office coat appears to be defined only by use rather than any specific attributes. It's a little hard to parse out the rules, but note that a young man is expected to arrive at work dressed in a good suit, and then don an office coat that will take the brunt of attacks by fountain pen or stamp pad ink, dust, abrasion, and splintery desk corners.

"Young men on the floor, and in the office, should dress in plain worsted, serge, or cheviot suits, made up with single our double-breasted jackets, preferable of one material.  Extreme cuts, turn-up trousers, and other peculiarities should be avoided, and an office coat, which may be any that is at all presentable, should be worn during the day.  It is a rule that all men in the office must wear coats, and those who hope to get along in this world will not defy the conventionalities in order to be comfortable."

From A Dictionary of Men's Wear, by William Henry Baker, 1908, we get a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, but also an interesting insight into how men abuse their clothing.  Remember that at this time alpaca is a relatively inexpensive suiting fabric:

"Office coat, usually an alpaca sack c., unlined, broadly any old c. not fit to be seen on the street, but good enough to wipe pens on."

From a periodical of the National Association of Letter Carriers, 1914, describing postal uniforms in other countries:

"Netherlands...The assistants receive...a linen office coat."

From Arnold Bennett's novel These Twain, published in 1915, in which a man's wife comes to his office to bring him an office coat which she has either made or modified:

"Edwin now tried on the new office-coat with the self-consciousness that none but an odious dandy can avoid on such occasions.

'It seems warmer than it used to be,' he said...

'Yes,' said she.  "I've put some wash-leather inside the lining at the back.

'Why?'

'Well, didn't you say you felt the cold from the window...?'"

By the 1920s the office coat has a distinctive social meaning.

Here is the recollection of how a promotion meant a change in dress, from the American Printer and Lithographer, Vol 73, 1921:

"The most proud experience was my first promotion from a 'jour' to a stock-man in the foreman's office, with the privilege of putting off the apron and wearing an office coat!" 

But there was bitterness as well.  In the story "With the Odds Against Him," in the Yale Literary Magazine in 1921, the office coat is used to illustrate the stalled career of a man no longer young:

"Mr. Audrey had not remembered his impending birthday until just as he was donning a linen office coat a few minutes before nine, and he stopped short in the middle of the operation.  Tomorrow he would be forty-six years old!"

Also in 1921, an intriguing insight into the social power of clothing from Munsey's Magazine.  This one is worth reading through, because the dress-suit in question actually belongs to the office-coat guy, who lost his self-confidence when he lent his suit.  (Spoiler alert: there is a happy ending.)

"He's a dress-suit gentleman and I'm an office-coat guy..."

And a year later in the1922 play "His Majesty Bunker Bean," we find that it is indeed the principle of the thing:

"BUNKER: (Ring, answers) Hello, oh, oh, yes, Mr. Breede, I'll come right over...Wage slave, that's what I am...Got to beat it across to Larabee's office.  More Letters.  (Takes office coat, as he gets to door L.)
BULGER: What's the idea of strippin'?
BUNKER: Don't like to wear an office coat crossing the street.  Principle of the thing, Max.  May be a wage slave now, but if I ever do rise, I won't be a misfit..."

This pattern is unused.

Simplicity 1961 - Man's Shirt

The Vintage Pattern wiki dates this one to 1943, smack-dab in the middle of World War II.  Note the obligatory sign of manliness: Mr. A's pipe.

This one shows up on eBay all the time.  At any given time there seem to be at least three or four listings for this shirt.  This is a good, functional pattern that will work both as a casual or work shirt, and when made up in heavier materials becomes a nice between-seasons shirt jacket (think of the old Woolrich shirt-jacs.)

Although additional research may reveal that the pattern companies limited their new style offerings during the War, I suspect that a large part of the pattern's appeal was its simplicity.  The front is simply turned under, rather than having a front placket.  Plackets have also been eliminated from the sleeve openings, in favor of simple facings.  However, the maker of this pattern (or the gentleman) apparently preferred sleeves with plackets, because the sleeve facing piece hasn't been used, and included in the envelope are the placket and underlap pieces from a dress shirt pattern, McCall pattern 5864, along with a clipping from the pattern sheet  showing how to apply these.  The maker used only the upper pockets and flaps.

Simplicity still assumes that the maker may not have a button hole attachment and that hand-worked button holes may be needed.

Pictorial Review 9051 - Boys' and Men's Windbreaker

Late 1930s.

This seems like an appropriate pattern to feature now that we move into blustery March weather.  Pictorial's patterns descriptions are always cheerfully breezy sales pitches:

BOYS' AND MEN'S WINDBREAKER. A sure way to any man's or boy's heart is by making this windbreaker. He'll like either the one- or two-piece back and slide fastener closing. Elastic webbing at wrists and waist and welt pockets feature View 1. View 2 has buttoned tabs at wrists and patch pockets.

This is a later incarnation of the 1920's windbreaker we saw in Butterick 7031.  By the '30s the waistline has returned to its natural position - in fact, by this time it's probably a little higher than natural.  The economies of the tail end of the Great Depression that led Butterick to believe that makers might knit their own banding have given way to purchased banding and those nifty new slide fasteners.

Illustrations for men's patterns frequently show the men doing manly things.  I'm not exactly sure what Mr. 1 is doing - checking his watch, or possibly a compass.  Master 2, throwing a stick for his fox tarrier, illustrates a suitably rugged activity. (There was a very famous fox tarrier at this time in Asta, who shared billing with William Powell and Myrna Loy in the Thin Man movies, the first of which came out in 1934.)  Smoking is one of the more popular manly activities illustrated, here seen on the back of the pattern envelope.

And in case you didn't quite get the drift from both the front and back illustrations, the illustrators take a moment on the instruction sheet to show you that this windbreaker is also suitable for fishing.

Butterick 7031 - Boys' Windbreaker

After 1923.

I bought this pattern because I was interested in the use of the term"windbreaker" at this early date.  The earliest use of the term found on Google Books is a February 1919 review in the wonderful Outing magazine, while Boy's Life magazine for May 1928 recommends a windbreaker as part of a bicyclist's kit of gear.

The Youngstown Vindicator for November 10, 1925 contains an advertisement for "the new wind-breaker  The newest thing for boys and girls." The Montreal Gazette for September 30, 1926, shows an advertisement for suede windbreakers designed to appeal to young women.  Some more sleuthing might find a parent of the windbreaker in the leather jackets worn by aviators, who probably knew more about wind than anybody.

We've seen the banded bottom used a little earlier on Excella 1111, Men's Jumper, as well as the much earlier Working Blouse pattern put out by the Universal Fashion Company.

Recommended fabrics for the Butterick windbreaker include:

Plain or Plaid Flannel, Camel Hair, Fleece Coatings, Corduroy, Duvetyn, and Suede Coatings

Fleece in this sense means a heavily fulled wool fabric with a somewhat soft, fleecy finish (as opposed to a smooth, sheared finish.)   Duvetyn is a "soft, filling-faced fabric made in a satin or twill weave with a fine downy nap...Its appearance is similar to velvet.  Originally made of soft wool in France." (1)  The soft quality of the fabrics accords with the view expressed by the reviewer in Outing that this firm, fleecy quality is what cuts the wind.

But possibly the most intriguing aspect of this pattern is the "instructions for knitting collar, cuffs, and band for View D."

Commercially knit banding was certainly available for the 1930's, when it's called for in the DuBarry Children's Snow Suit, but a substantial wool banding may have been harder to find, so Butterick enhanced the value of their pattern by providing instructions for knitting the straight bands for the collar and cuffs as well as a slightly shaped collar.  I must admit that I find knitting 1x1 ribbing just about the most boring knitting task possible.  However, a thrifty, thoughtful maker might buy extra yarn so that frayed or badly stained ribbing could be replaced to extend the life of the windbreaker.  My recollection is that Shetland Floss is about like our fingering weight yarn.

This unprinted pattern appears to have been used and is in reasonably good condition.

(1) See Sources Consulted

Advance 1686 - (Boy's Coat)

Latter part of the 1930's.  The yoke and lower back pattern pieces have been replaced with newspaper tracings from a Detroit paper that indicate a date of 1938 or '39.

I would describe this as a reefer or pea coat (the terms seem to be largely interchangeable.)  View 1 is a particularly elegant interpretation, having both hand-warmer and patch pockets.

With sixteen pieces and an expectation that it would be lined, this coat represents a lot of work for the maker.  As we did in the discussion of McCall 5327, we should consider the challenge to the maker in spending money on (remember that at this time the Great Depression is a recent memory for all and still a reality for many) and considerable time in constructing a garment that would be outgrown before it wore out.  Of course, if there was more than one boy in either the immediate or extended family, possibly the maker planned to make the coat for Older Brother who would hand it down to Next Younger Brother or Cousin.  It would be interesting to know if clothing was handled and maintained with greater care when it was planned to be handed down.  

Many of the pattern pieces are torn - something that often happens when you're working with thick fabrics - winters in Detroit are cold!

Although Advance is touting an improved step-by-step instruction guide, the entire set of instructions, including the layouts, is printed on one side of a 15" by 16" sheet of paper.  The written instructions are reasonably complete but necessarily very brief.  The maker is assumed to have good basic sewing skills such as basting, grading and finishing seams, pressing, etc.

Excella 1111 - Men's Jumper

Men's patterns can be hard to date, but I'd guess this one is from the early 20's. The term jumper is unusual. My Women's Institute booklet Miscellaneous Garments, with a copyright date of 1917, uses the term jumper in its discussion of making garments for men and boys.  It seems to be a regional term for what we call a barn or chore coat.   The term shows up in the Winter 1929 catalog from Charles Williams Stores (based in New York City):

The Chicago-based Montgomery Ward catalog for the same time features the same garment but consistently calls it a jacket, never a jumper.

The version with the banded bottom makes this a relative of the working blouse.  With a size 30 chest, this jumper would probably have been made for an older boy.

Here is a card of buttons that dates to roughly the same period or a little later.  These buttons have been dyed a shade of blue that will match chambray and denim very well.  Twelve buttons is more than you generally need for a single shirt, so you'll have some spares on hand.  Remember that this is long before electric washing machines with spin dry cycles; buttons sometimes cracked going through the ringer.

This unprinted pattern appears to have been used.

Originally posted on 8/3/2008; re-posted on 3/14/2010 with updated content and new graphics.  Reposted on 11/30/2017 with scan of envelope back.

Vogue 8053 - Hooded Coat or Smock

Late 1930s.

There is something very appealing about the illustration.  Our model is having a nice walk in the country on a sunny, blustery day.  Her rather more refined older sister is back at the house, arranging flowers for the dining table.

The pattern retailed for forty cents, good value for a garment that can be made up as a smock, jacket, and beach cover-up.  Although Vogue is marketing this pattern as "Easy to Make," they still offer you the option of putting in a lining.  And if you're not entirely confident of your sewing skills, you can get their sewing book right at the pattern counter.

I picked up my copy for $5.00

Blue chalk smudges are still visible on most of the pattern pieces, though not on the piece for the sleeve band.

If you've not seen vintage sewing patterns before you may be surprised to find that they're unprinted.  Vogue is somewhat unusual in perforating the name of the pattern piece - usually only the pattern piece letter or number is given.  All perforations have specific meanings, though the meanings aren't necessarily the same from one pattern company to another.  Unprinted patterns were produced as late as the early 1950s, even though McCall and Pictorial Review had both offered some printed patterns in the 1920s.

Advance 4674 - Kitchen Jacket

Mid 1940's.

Designed by the Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics, a branch of the U.S.D.A.

This pattern was featured in Dresses and Aprons for Work in the Home, first published in 1944. The University of North Texas has a nice digital copy here.

And here's the kitchen jacket made up. The copy indicates that this is really intended as a jacket, worn for warmth and modified for safety and practicality.

Pictorial Review 1435 - Ladies' Semi-Fitted Riding Jacket

Mid 1920's.

Note that underfacing E may be cut of rubberized material.  You can see the outline of the underfacing on pieces L, F, and H.

The finished length of the jacket is about 34".  The pattern is not printed.  No fabric recommendations are made, though interestingly, the layout is given for 54" material only.

This was probably meant to be worn with Pictorial Review 1438, Ladies' Riding Breeches.

McCall 9947 - Men's and Boy's Bush Jacket

with or without Slide Fastener Closing.

The copyright date on the envelope is 1938, the pattern could be a year or two later.

You get to the bush, of course, by flying your plane, perhaps a Stinson SR-10, which was first manufactured in 1938.  The film Test Pilot, starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy, was released in 1938 and was nominated for an Academy Award (losing to You Can't Take It With You)

Suggested fabrics include novelty cottons, suede cloth, velveteen (!), corduroy, woolens, flannel, linen.

Written in pencil on the front of the envelope, "Mrs White Pd"  I have a fair number of patterns with names penciled on the front.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a snapshot of Mr. White wearing his snappy bush jacket?