Do you love those classic styles of the 1930s and 40s? Perhaps you have an affinity for Peggy Carter? Well, this the sew-along for you!

My friend Lorna McKenzie of The Tailor's Apprentice asked me in 2011 to review the Lilly Rose pattern she was developing from an original 1940s design. Unfortunately, I had just moved to Kenya and was expecting a new baby at the time, so I never did get around to sewing the dress. But I can't stand leaving a project undone, so five years later (!!!) I asked Lorna if I could still stitch up the pattern and provide feedback. She graciously sent me a review copy, and I got started!

I found your pattern (1940s Swing Dress) and it was the exact dress I was hoping to find in all the shops I had visited!

One wonderful accessory my late grandmother left to me that I wish I’d taken better care of was a pair of classic 1959 “cat” sunglasses. Those shades were of a heavy bakelite-style plastic and looked great with vintage dresses or just about any outfit. Alas, the plastic (while thick) was brittle, and one day, as I bent over to retrieve something I’d dropped

I was just checking out my usual Etsy shop (Midvale Cottage) for 1940s and 1950s dress patterns and stumbled across a link to your wonderful website! I bought [the 1940s Swing Dress Pattern] and downloaded it....

I thought you might be interested in pictures of the Swing Dress I recently finished. I made it for a murder mystery party set in the 1940s, but it's such a nice versatile dress I forsee it getting a lot of normal wear in the future, too.

I have always been inspired by vintage fashion since I was a young teen and thought the clothing so glamorous and practical compared to modern fashions today. As a young woman I wanted more dresses in my wardrobe, so in 2010 I sewed up Jennie's marvelous swing dress pattern for the first time. Since then I have completed two swing dresses from the pattern and always get compliments when I wear them.

I was always looking for a blouse for my 40's dresses and I was so happy to found your pattern for the "Swing Style Blouse". I had never expected to have so much fun while I was sewing the first one. The pattern is so well explained that I finished it in only 6 hours! I was so happy that I started with the 2nd one. For both blouses I used fine cotton and pearl buttons. Now my 40's dresses are complete. Thank you for your fantastic patterns.

My sister, Hannah (16), used your Swing Dress pattern and added her own nautical twist for this dress she made in the Spring. She enjoyed working with the pattern and was very pleased with how it turned out! ~ Sarah D.

In my first post, I covered my grandparents' early history in Hollywood up to the point where "Pop" asked his US Army Air Forces superiors to consider sending him overseas to join the air war instead of working in recruitment and training. They granted that request, and he immediately transferred to North Island to learn to fly Lockheed's brand new P-38 "Lightning" before joining the 48th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, serving in North Africa.

From my earliest memories, I have loved to play "dress up," and a large portion of my play wardrobe came from my paternal grandmother's cast-offs. I remember teetering around on silver high heels in a sparkly red chiffon dress liberally sprinkled with rhinestones. How I wish now that I'd known what I was wearing and saved it, but--alas!--that particular dress got worn to death and ended up in shreds long before I could appreciate its real value. Thankfully, my grandmother kept back a lot of her favorite clothes for me to enjoy as an older teenager, and I still have several beautiful pieces.

Even though I've made three versions of this dress previously, I am still not tired of it! I'm envisioning a springtime version in a pretty pastel with short sleeves for myself. This pattern is quite simple to sew up, offers a lot of options for deviating and making your own version. To top it off, Jennie Chancey based the pattern on a 40s design

My Romantic Blouse Pattern also works for the "Swing" Era (1940s-1950s) with its cuffed short-sleeve option!

(Looking for the paper version rather than the ePattern? Purchase from one of our many retailers worldwide! Please note that Patterns of Time carries my entire line and is well stocked.)

Hello Mrs. Chancey!The first time I saw the 1940s Swing Dress pictures, I fell in love with the style! I had been planning for a long time to buy the pattern, and when a wedding came up that my Mom was to sing at, it was

Here is my 1940s “Swing” Dress Pattern, inspired by an original Hollywood design, circa 1942. The design comes from the WWII days of fabric rationing, which meant narrower skirts and more tailored lines. If you like "Peggy Carter" style, this is the pattern for you!

(Looking for the paper version rather than the ePattern? Purchase from one of our many retailers worldwide! Please note that Patterns of Time carries my entire line and is well stocked.)

Laura Singer has put together a photo tutorial to show how she modified my "Swing" Dress pattern to work for a nursing mother.

Well, I finally finished the Swing dress last week. It's taken me awhile to get some photos together, since I had to lasso my Mom to be my photgrapher.

The 1940s Swing Dress class is a fun one for those who love the era of Glenn Miller, Betty Grable, Artie Shaw and Rita Hayworth. You'll create an authentic mid-1940s dress and learn about the colors and fabrics of the time period.

This knock-out 1940s Vogue pattern is very classy with its princess lines and back skirt panel (just right for dancing).The 1940s were famous for wonderful bodice and neckline treatments, and this one is no exception with its double bows below the V neckline. Gorgeous!

This 1940s Hollywood pattern features a fitted midriff belt with back ties, a V-neckline created by the crossover bodice and softly gathered shoulder yokes. It was my chief inspiration for the 1940s Swing Dress Pattern!