Here is a lovely, slim day dress pattern. Isn’t the collar a wonderful contrast to the straight lines of the skirt?

I adore Shirley Temple and collected Shirley memorabilia as a teenager. Watching her films is a treat–even more so if you are a vintage fashion aficionado. It is truly fun to see how women wore the designs of the 1930s, and Shirley’s clothing is always amazing. Below are several shots taken as promotionals for Shirley’s [...]

The photo with Shirley posing as a flower girl shows those ruffly early 1930s designs. Look at all the frou-frou on the wedding gown and bridesmaid gown! Shirley’s mother designed and made Shirley’s gown for this photo shoot. At the far right is a profile shot of Shirley wearing the same dress. Thanks to Rita [...]

Here is a scrap from my own collection, showing Shirley on the set of “Just Around the Corner.” What I love about children’s fashions of the 1930s are the crisply tailored lines and delightful design details. Notice Shirley’s ruffled pinafore that isn’t “fussy” and the ribbon bows on the bodice front.

This is a wonderful 1930s pattern–very Shirley-esque–for girls’ dresses. I love the tailored look of this era.

This is a sharp-looking pattern from 1938. Note the long, slimming lines and the slight emphasis given the bustline by the gathers underneath.

This is a beautiful hand-colored photograph of a young woman dressed up for a special occasion (wedding? dance? tea?). The overdress looks like organdy or silk georgette, and her sleeves flutter in the breeze. Her ornament of choice is a big bunch of flowers pinned at the waist. This is probably from the early 1930s, [...]

A slim afternoon dress with tucked bodice and stitched-down pleats.

For some reason, I think of a Frank Capra heroine when I look at this pattern. It looks just like one of his “office” gals from “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” or another great 1930s film.

A wonderful double-breasted everyday dress from the late 1930s. Very crisply tailored.