Nov. 3, 2009 - In Response to Your Question...

This is another response to a comment posted by an anonymous reader.

Here's the Comment:

"hey. As you might think I have a question. I am doing a fashion show for charity and I need to know what girls wore in the 1930s. Please respond asap..."

And Here's the response By Allison:

During the Great Depression, when so many people were without homes and food, fashion was certainly not a priority. Nevertheless, this era had a fashion statement, mostly influenced by movie stars and small budgets. A dress could be up to $6, a lot of money for a family in need. Still, people copied the latest fashions, in frugal ways.


Shirley Temple Pictures, Images and Photos
Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple type dresses were in fashion for little girls. Moms and daughters both liked these dresses; girls liked dressing like their favorite little actress, and the short smock-style dress was easy for moms to sew themselves, and it didn’t require much fabric. Bob haircuts that fell just below the chin were also in fashion for both adult women and children.


Film star Helen Twelvetrees, ca. 1936-7 / photograph by Sam Hood
Popular Hairstyle - 1936

Women’s fashion often had a V-neck top, with a skirt that was straight then flared out into a fuller skirt at the bottom. A popular style hat was called a cloche hat. Its name is French for “bell”. It got that name because of its bell-like shape.

vintage girls in black skirts
Some Girls during the 1930's


Many families could not afford brand-new, store-bought clothes, however. For that matter, many people could not even afford the material for new clothes. But if you had chickens or other animals, and you bought feed in feed sacks, you had some free fabric for the taking! Many families during the depression used the cloth that the animal feed came in to make new clothes. I have read many accounts from people saying what a treat it was to go to the feed store and pick out a specific pattern. The sacks would sometimes come in floral prints, or a different design (I heard of one that had ducks printed all over it.)

 It would take 2 or 3 sacks to make a dress for an older child or adult, but for small children 1 sack would suffice. People would also take plain sacks, bleach them white, and sew them into slips or napkins. Nothing was wasted, and every scrap of fabric was used and re-used. Although it might seem a little strange to make your clothes out of feed sacks, these clothes often were just as nice as store-bought clothes, and I have read quite a few accounts of how children loved these dresses, even though they were not store-bought or real fancy.

Here is a little story told by a girl who was a teenager during the depression. This story shows how she frugally made a homecoming dress for $1.20.

"I made many of my own clothes when I was in high school, but my senior year in 1934 posed a special challenge! As graduation time approached, the high school and 7th and 8th grade students cast votes for a senior girl as homecoming queen. I had made no special plans for homecoming, thinking I didn’t have a chance. But when the votes were counted, I had won!

Naturally, I was excited, but when I told my parents I would need a special dress for homecoming, they said we just couldn’t afford one. I was disappointed, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I knew I could make the dress myself, If I could just find the money for material! I sometimes worked in the principal’s office, answering the phone and helping with paperwork, and I knew there was a small cash fund used to buy supplies for needy students.

One day I got up the nerve and asked the principal if the school could give me just enough money to buy material for my homecoming dress. He said anyone who received such an honor should be willing to buy her dress. When I explained that I couldn’t afford it, he asked “How much money are we talking about?” I replied “I think I can make the dress for $1.20.” The principal just smiled and said, “Anyone who thinks she can make a homecoming queen’s dress for $1.20 deserves a chance to try”. And he gave me the money!

A friend drove me to the nearest village, where I bought 7 yards of cheesecloth for 70¢, three packages of white crepe paper for 45¢, and a small spool of thread for 5¢. I made a foundation garment from part of the cheesecloth, hand-stitched crepe paper to the bodice, ruffled a piece of paper for a collar, and then cut the rest of the paper into strips for ruffles, which I stitched in tiers from the waist to the floor. The rest of the cheesecloth was used to make a train. My crown was a piece of cardboard covered with gold foil, and I carried a bouquet of fresh apple blossoms from my parent’s orchard. The highlight of my reign was when the mother of a younger student said, “My daughter thinks you’re beautiful and she wants to look just like you when she graduates!”"

(C)Copyright Allison @ Vintage Attic

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Oct. 14, 2009 - Comment Response

Hey! This is just a quick response to a comment we got recently....
Here's the comment:

Hey I am 13 and i am currently writing a short story about a girl who is 14 in the Jane Austen time.
I was wondering what age the girls were introduced into society. Like the balls, dances, etc. Will you please answer. Thanks!

P.s I'm a homeschooler and a Christian too:)


That is so awesome that you are writing a story! Sadly, I looked and looked, but was unable to find any information about what age a girl would be introduced into society at. I hope you will be able to find the answer to your question! If you post it onto a blog, let me know. I would love to read it!

~Allison

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Sep. 5, 2009 - ePatterns

 


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Aug. 31, 2009 - Car hop costume how to

Here's a youtube video on how to make your own 1950's car hop costume!!!
~~Erin



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Aug. 31, 2009 - Home-made fairy wings

Watch this video from Youtube on how to make your own fairy wings out of stuff you have around the house!



 

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Aug. 26, 2009 - Sense and Sensibility - Be Inspired!!!

Click on the Picture for a larger view!

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Aug. 26, 2009 - Wives and Daughters - Be Inspired!!!

Click on the picture for a larger view.

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Aug. 18, 2009 - 1950's Inspirations

Want to make a 1950's outfit? Use these pictures as inspiration!!









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Aug. 3, 2009 - The 1930's

Here are some pictures of what women wore in the 1930's.

The big thing that was going on in the 30's-The great depression.

Another great reference for 1930's clothes would be to watch the Kit movie,made by American girl,staring Abigail Breslin and Chris O'Donnal.







The 1930s

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Aug. 3, 2009 - 1920's Inspiration

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Jul. 25, 2009 - The Soft Pompadour and Psyche Knot from The Girls Own Paper, 1911 Part 3

The Soft Pompadour and Psyche Knot

After all the tangles have been removed, a parting is made, beginning at the forehead and running backward through the centre to the top of the head, but not down the back.

A second and third parting are now made. The second begins on the line of the first parting about two and one-half inches from the forehead. It runs down the left side of the head and terminates an inch behind the ear. The third parting is like the second, beginning at the same point, finishing an inch behind the right ear.

The hair is now in three divisions, the two front ones and the back portion. Before making the pompadour, all the back hair should be carefully combed and tied back so as not to be in the way. The pompadour may then be put up. First smooth the left side, brushing it foreward, then up and finally back into pompadour shape. Fasten it at the top of the head with a hair-pin.

next the right side of the hair is smoothed out, brushed up into a pompadour and pinned securely at the top of the head, close to the place where the left side is fastened. This illustration shows the right side of the hair being pinned into place. After the pompadour is made, the hair should be carefully pulled out withthe hands so as to cover all three partings.

Now the hair is ready to make the psyche knot. Comb out the ends of the pompadour, untie the back hair and comb both it and the ends of the pompadour together. Brush the long hair up so it can be tied with a narrow black ribbon, close to the head, but about two inches above the nape of the neck. After the hair is tied in place, begin to twist the coil into shape.

Bring the twisted coil up toward the top of the head, shaping it into a psyche effect. Fasten it securely with two or three hair-pins as shown in the fifth illustration. Then continue to twist the hair until it is all used, coiling it at the same time, loosely around the first part of the psyche knot. Fasten the completed psyche knot with hair pins/

To complete the coiffure, fasten a wide slide just under the psyche knot. two plain tortoiseshell pins, as shown in the illustration, may also be worn.

An attractive hair-ornament for evening wear is a band of gold braid mounted on a velvet band, which is trimmed with narrow ribbon velvet and gold braid.

From Girls Own Paper and Woman's magazine, 1911.

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Jul. 25, 2009 - The New Classic Coiffure from The Girls Own Paper, 1911 Part 2

The New Classic Coiffure

The first step in making the Classic Coiffure is to brush all the hair toward the back, taking care that every tangle is removed. After the hair is smooth, a parting is made just a little to the left of the centre front. It commences at the forehead and continues to the top of the head.

Another part is made, beginning on the line of the first parting, two inches back from the forehead. This second parting runs down the side of the head and terminates just behind the left ear. then the hair is again divided, the parting beginning at this side parting and running parallel with the first.

First the lower division on the left side is combed and made into a pompadour. It is held in place with a side comb. Then the front portion is put up. The second illustration shows how this is done. The illustration above shows how to fasten the right side of the pompadour. Only one parting is made on the right side however.

This picture shows how to make the puffs. the ends of the pompadour only are used for this purpose. These long ends are divided into several small strands. Each strand is then rolled over the two forefingers, toward the head, until the full length of the hair is used. The puff is held in place with two hair pins, one at each end.

Each strand makes one puff, and care should be taken when fastening these puffs to arrange them in a soft graceful cluster. The shape of the cluster should be very like the psyche knot to be quite modish. The illustration above shows the hair after all the puffs are made and before the back hair is divided in two for the coils.

The back hair should be divided in two equal parts. The right division is twisted just enough to make it coil shape. It is then brought over to the left side, wound around the pompadour two inches from the cluster of puffs on that side, but close to the puffs on the right side, where it is securely fastened with an invisible hair pin.

It the back hair is long enough to completely encircle the circle of puffs, the left division may also start on the left side. If the hair is short, the coil should cross the back and start from the right side. This second coil should be outside the first coil on the right side, and inside on the left, the coils crossing in the front.

This view shows the completed Classic Coiffure ornamented only with a large handsome barrette which fastens through the coils and holds the hair firm.

One of the new coiffure bands of brilliantly coloured sequins mounted on gold braid and decorated with a buckle of the same makes a charming ornament.

Grecian bands as hair ornaments are modish.

From Girls Own Paper and Woman's magazine, 1911.

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Jul. 25, 2009 - The Coiffure Lesson - From the Girls Own Paper, 1911 PART 1

The Coiffure Lesson

A Picture Story which tells how to make the New Recamier Coiffure

The woman with a well dressed coiffure is like a woman who dresses well. She avoids extremes. To have her hair dressed in the fashionable way she no longer has a huge pompadour and an exaggerated swirl, but, instead, a soft low pompadour, a few pretty puffs and perhaps a coil or a cluster of curls made from the ends of her own hair. her aim is to have her coiffure look natural, and for this reason she will be interested in the now fashionable Recamier style.

This fashionable Coiffure can be made with little or much Hair

Although the Recamier is the smartest coiffure of the hour, unlike many other styles, it is one that every woman can arrange herself and with only her own hair. Whether a woman has much or a little hair, she can always develop it in a graceful way, if only she knows how. In this lesson is explained how the Recamier coiffure can be made making the most of little hair and disposing of what seems like almost too much hair in an equally satisfactory manner.

To make the Recamier coiffure, first brush all the hair carefully. Then divide it by making a parting from the crown of the head to the forehead, and again by parting on both sides which runs from the centre parting two inches back of the forehead to an inch back of either ear.

next brush all the hair forward. Comb it smooth and divide into three equal strands. Each strand is then drawn back and fastened at the crown of the head with a large hair pin. Do first one side strand, then the other, and, lastly, the front one. Pin each one seperately.
 

To secure a soft fluffy pompadour, like the one shown in this illustration, avoid the use of a pompadour roll where the hair is thick enough to stay in position. After the pompadour is all pinned securely in place, the next step in arranging the Recamier coiffure is making the puffs.

each puff is made by rolling a strand of hair over the two forefingers, beginning at the end of the strand and rolling toward the head. When all the strand is used up, the puff is pinned at the crown of the head with two hair-pins at both ends on the under side.
 

care should be taken not to place the puffs in stiff positions. The woman with little hair can only have the puffs, and for these she should use both the front and back hair. But the woman with much hair should use only the front portion in making them. The back division she uses for the soft coil shown in this illustration.

To make this coil, the back hair should be divided in two. the left division is twisted backward and brought over to the right side and pinned in place around the cluster of puffs. The same should be done with the right half, only bring it over the left side around the puffs. After the coils are in place pin in the fancy coil pins.

From Girls Own Paper and Woman's magazine, 1911.

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Jul. 24, 2009 - 1940's Bandanna Hairstyle

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Jul. 24, 2009 - Soft 30's Movie-Star Finger Waves

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Jul. 20, 2009 - Soon to come...



Soon to come.. my first hairstyling Tutorial.... inspired from the picture above!!

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Jul. 15, 2009 - 50's Bathing Suit / Circle Skirt

Threadbangers... How to make a 50's outfit/bathing-suit. CAUTION... a few things may be slightly controversial for some of you watchers... I'm just sayin'....


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Jul. 8, 2009 - Fashion through movies-Part Two - The Felicity Movie

One great way to find some costume ideas is to watch movies! The American girl movies have been really great costume references for the historical outfits! I am going to start a series of posts that dwell on movies like these individually,starting with the Felicity movie. These posts will be mostly pictures,mainly as a reference!




This first picture is really for the hat,and maybe the cape. I actually have this cape for my American girl doll!! As you can see,the hair is done in an up-do(a low ponytail),with some curls left to hang. The hair is then covered with what is called a "Mop cap". The next picture shows what a mop cap looks like a little better.




This picture shows the rest of the dress a little bit better! You'll see that the top looks rather like a corset,and the skirt is very large at the hips. I'm not really sure why,but I think it was to make the back end look larger. Apparently,that was the fashion,but I can't see why,frankly.


This next picture is from when Felicity and her friend,Elizabeth,go to the Christmas ball. This is purely for the hairstyles!! You'll notice the hair is pulled into a half ponytail,and then that tail of hair is rolled into a bun,the rest of the hair is curled. Not very much,but enough to give it a little body.Then,Felicity has what I like to call a "Toilet seat cover" on her head,but it's really a hat. RIGHT.




Now,girls didn't always wear mop caps.Sometimes they wore straw hats decorated with flowers,feathers,ribbon,or stuffed birds. Sometimes all at once. There is a ribbon tied at the chin,or just stick some hat pins into your hair to hold the hat on. I actually made one. It was pretty easy,and I got the directions from the Felicity Craft book. She has a coordinating cook book,as well.



This last picture actually shows what the men would have worn!


~Thank you for reading!!~

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Jul. 1, 2009 - *sigh* What a Dress!

Should one be allowed to love and want a dress as much as I love and want this?
White perfection from Etsy. Oh Yes, I am in love.

~~Allison





http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.70795910.jpg

http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.70796050.jpg

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.70795944.jpg

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Jun. 27, 2009 - Computor Wallpaper...

Here are some computer wallpapers. These were all made by Allison and are copyrighted (c)Vintage Attic.
Click on the image for a bigger view.

~~Allison

Pride and Prejudice (2005)
 "Sometimes, the only person in the world you want to be with...."
PandP

( 900 x 600)


"Plans For You" Jeremiah 29:11, Wives and Daughters
PandP
(900 x 600)



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