Resources for Making Your Own 1912 Fashions

[Shelley Dziedzic]

I advocate a trip to England- they seem to still have those wonderful things like "hose garters", sleeve garters, bowler hats, boaters, Norfolk jackets (mostly for hunting and country weekends), tie pins, cuff links, shirtfront studs and the like. There is, in Amercia a wonderful man who has produced myriad paperdolls of vintage costume both for men and women-his name is Tierney. Dover Press sells his books- they are only 5 dollars. I will look up some references for men My Dear. In the meantime, carefully examine old photographs- men's fashions have not changed so wildly as ladies' over the decades. Some modern day bits can be adapted with a nip and a tuck. Stay tuned- we are on a fashion quest!

 

[Kris Muhvic]

Oh! I hope I didn't sound too doomsday regarding men's vintage! Actually, like I mentioned before...the stagnant nature of male fashion...is actually a plus! Come on guys- we hold on to old clothes far more than the ladies do! So finding, and then re-fashioning an old suit is not that difficult. Back then suits were generally more fitted than the more loose, boxy shapes we see today. One can see in the lateral wrinkles in the vest in old photographs. And a traditional pair of shoes one can find in most stores can match any antique catologue example! Like Shelley said: a nip and a tuck...you're half-way there!

My socks a falling! Where are those garters!

Kris

 

[Shelley Dziedzic]

Great articles and printable patterns free for men, women and children's Edwardian clothing at this site-

The Ladies Treasury of Costume and Fashion

web.archive.org

 

[Alissa Barvin]

Patterns of the 1910s, 20s and 30s

Original sewing patterns of the 1920s

web.archive.org

has many scans of actual titanic-era sewing patterns. From what I have heard, though, sewing from antique patterns is quite difficult. If one happens to be experienced at pattern-altering however, the usage of authentic period patterns would likely produce beautiful results.

 

[deegarretson]

I know this is an old thread, but thought new people might be interested in something I found. There is a book out by Lavolta Press called The Edwardian Modiste and it has many details and patterns you can scale up to make clothing that is just slightly before the Titanic in terms of the latest fashions. It goes up through 1909 and has taken the patterns from the quarterly publication of the time, The American Modiste. Unfortunately, The American Modiste is not in our local library, but for those of you in large cities, you might be able to find old copies from the year 1912

 

[monica e. hall]

Hello, Dee.
This sort of thing is loads of fun, but you really have to be a good seamstress. We're so much taller and, as you say, we have to scale up. And do you wear the horrible corsets and take that into account when measuring? And are you going to use authentic materials for that authentic crumpled look, which even first class women had in 1912? I rather gave up on the Edwardian look, even though I'm a stick insect, and went instead (when younger) for reproducing clothes from the 1920 / 30s. So much freer, and more elegant. Though I have to say, trying to reproduce the pleats / creases Fortuny-style, was not a great success. I'm far too old for this sort of thing now, but there are always the daughters-in-law ... though I suspect they won't want my input to their wardrobes.

 

[deegarretson]

I am not a good seamstress at all, so my attempt will only be poor facsimile. It's going to be a summer project for my daughter and me, for her, because she is small enough to make it less difficult. And no to corsets! She's also young enough so that she thinks it's a fun idea. We've tried to make a dress that looked like one in the Narnia movie, and it looked good on the outside (you wouldn't want to look at all the inside seams.) If it turns out not be be a total flop, I'll post a picture.