Vintage Fashion Resource

In order to support their dealers, home sewing pattern companies published monthly booklets that highlighted their latest styles.  These wonderfully illustrated booklets were a free promotional give-away tool for retailers. They provide a glimpse of 20th Century fashions that were available at the time to the home sewer.  You can still find these booklets at flea markets, antique malls, and online.  Because they were printed on newsprint, they are often in delicate condition but are still an excellent resource for costume designers and collectors of vintage fashion.  The following scans of vintage sewing pattern booklets are from my personal collection. As always, click on the photos to enlarge.

McCall Style News

"Insist on a McCall Pattern - It's the short cut to Paris style."  Perfectly illustrating that point are 2 fabulous Fall suit ensembles from 1936 and 1938 respectively.

Prevue Simplicity Fashions

Both of these booklets are from December 1940 and 1941 respectively.  I love their use of vivid color and dramatic accessorizing.

Vogue Patterns

Published by Conde Nast, October 1939 for Marshall Field & Company in Oak Park, Illinois.  My favorite place to shop for the most fabulous fabrics was at Marshall Fields in Chicago.

New York Gold Seal Patterns

Young, flirty Spring styles from New York Patterns, March 1940 and February 1942 respectively.  New York Pattern Company was short-lived, approximately circa 1930 - early 1950's.