I love this mid-1940s Simplicity pattern for a woman's suit. Beautifully tailored and very appropriate for Fall and Winter wear. That feminine fitting is fabulous.

This is a Simplicity pattern for a tailored blazer with pleated skirt. It looks very collegiate. I especially like the short-sleeved version of this 1940s suit, shown in the center.

DuBarry 1940s fitted suit dress. Classic! I love the short-sleeved look. In an era of fabric rationing, ladies really learned to keep a feminine silhouette with limited materials.

This is a 1925 menswear catalog featuring the latest suits. I loved the cover and had to scan it to share the woman's very "together" outfit.

Here are three lovely pages from the National Cloak and Suit Company's 1910 catalog. The details on these outfits are dizzying. All of the inset lace, braided trims and minute pleats and tucks are amazing. I love the models with their Gibson-esque faces.

This is a friend of mine, showing off a beautiful 19-teens walking suit from her collection. Note the tabbed, offset closure on the jacket--typical of the 1910s. The jacket is also draped rather than more stiffly structured and has a softer, more comfortable look. Thanks for the picture, Errin!

These are extant Titanic Era garments. I costumed a Titanic documentary, titled "Women and Children First," in April of 1998. Here are two of the extras used in the filming (the one on the left is yours truly, complete with vintage glasses!). The dress on the right is straight out of a 1912 ladies' catalog and features beautiful draping and inset details. My outfit on the left was made up of a walking skirt and fantastic jacket with braided trimming.