The e-Pattern for the new 1940′s Overalls pattern is live on my website!
This is available in three different size packs. You can purchase your size pack on this page here.
For more info on the new e-pattern, view the pattern listings on my website.
Happy sewing!!
I’m happen to announce the latest pattern addition to Wearing History, which is now available for Pre-Order!
A perfect addition to your 1940s wardrobe, these WWII Home Front Overalls, Playsuit, and Trousers are both functional and fashionable! Every WWII gal needed a pair of trousers or overalls when working toward Victory, and with this pattern you can make this vintage essential for your wardrobe!
This pattern features a lovely V neckline, straps that criss-cross at the back, a set in belt, and trousers with optional front pockets. This can be worn over a blouse (blouse NOT included in this pattern, blouse pictured is from Smooth Sailing pattern), but the overalls hit high enough that you could wear them without a blouse, as in the late 1930′s “Farmerette” fashion, or as a playsuit with shorts. The front of the pants have a tuck on each side, which is hidden when the pockets are used. The tuck will be visible if no pockets are used. If made without the top, these make excellent trousers, and when made in denim and with the pockets, they are great 1940′s jeans!
This pattern is a Wearing History Resto-Vival pattern based on an original period mail order pattern from the WWII era. Unlike the other Resto-Vival patterns, which are follow the outline of original period pattern pieces, this pattern needed serious corrections in order to make the pattern fit together properly. I have edited, corrected, and improved this pattern so you can be sure the pieces will go together as they should. This pattern retains authentic period fit, including the lower crotch rise length that is different than the rise in today’s trousers.
This pattern includes pattern instructions based on on the original instructions. Some notes have been added to the instructions to aid in construction.
This pattern was originally available in Misses sizes 30″ bust to 40″ bust, but this pattern has been graded to expand the sizes to MISSES size 30″ bust through 46″ bust. Larger sizes are based off the same misses size pattern and ARE NOT plus size.
This pattern is available in 3 sizes per packet.
Thanks so much for supporting my little indie small business! And if you love this new pattern don’t forget to share with your friends 
I just got a few lovely old Ladies Home Journal magazines. This one, from April, 1904, shows us the fashion in shirtwaist decorations from 109 years ago. Maybe you could take these designs and incorporate them into my Edwardian Blouse Pattern.
What is novel about the designs below is that they are adapted from e pretty flourishes and borders that are often seen in magazines of this period. These, of course, come from the Ladies Home Journal. In fact, the blouse just below the title has the same motif as the title decoration. Novel, isn’t it? If you enlarge the article you can read their suggestion for enlarging the designs for use in garments.
Click on the image for a larger version you can read.
Hello!
If you’ve checked out my Wearing History Patterns shop or my Etsy shop in the last month, you may have realized they were closed. Life got a bit crazy there for a bit, so I wasn’t able to fill orders.
Well, I’m happy that I’m able to open them up again! Hurrah!
Just in time to start sewing warm weather clothes, too 
You can visit Wearing History Patterns here for Wearing History Signature Style and Resto-Vival patterns
or buy original vintage patterns here in my Etsy shop.
Happy Shopping!
Do you see how thrilled the maid is in the above picture? Well, that’s me, over the new American Duchess shoes! I am in love!!
Lauren at American Duchess has done it again… I just adore these shoes! And I’m extremely impressed with her fabulous images for her ad campaign, too.
I was campaigning for the Astorias in Butterscotch, so I’m THRILLED that, in addition to black and ivory, she’s offering these in that fabulous color that was so popular at the turn of the 20th century through the 1910s. Though I have to say, these shoes would be fabulous for early 1920s as well!
I want some! Enter the giveaway for your chance to win a pair, too!
Just a heads up for my customers, especially international customers.
USPS is increasing their postage prices. The increase for domestic shipping is smaller, but still an increase.
USPS Flat Rate Envelopes, which I ship all Wearing History Patterns in, will increase to $5.60 for domestic shipments. For internaitonal shipping, this will raise to $23.95, which is a significant increase.
USPS First Class Mail International is raising 59% from current rates.
There are raises all across the board. Because of this, especially if you are an International customer, I urge you to get your pattern orders in before the change of mailing charges on the 23rd. Because of the high raise in cost, I will, unfortunately, not be able to honor the lower shipping rate charges of packages that are purchased after Jan 23, to allow me time to mail the packages before the shipping increases (the increase, for items that are sold at a lower price, like my patterns, will eat up all profit and make me end up in the hole, unfortunately).
Such sad news for all of us who are online sellers, as I’m sure this will impact small businesses like mine tremendously, and for buyers, who will not be as likely to purchase products as frequently as they had due to cost increase.
So, I urge you- get your orders in to me by Jan 23rd if you’ve had your eye on any products on my Wearing History Patterns website or on my Etsy store, before the cost of postage increases.
Thanks so much,
Lauren
Hello all!
I’ve not posted a blog for a while, but I did want to post a blog to let you know I’m still here (thankfully), and let you know what I’ve been up to these last few weeks.
Firstly, we wrapped up working building Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots at the La Jolla Playhouse, and I was just getting back into my self-employed groove with Wearing History when I got called back! I’m not working as a first hand at the La Jolla Playhouse/UCSD costume department! Totally fun, and I’m SO thankful for this opportunity. I had starting doing Wearing History full time after I was laid off from my last theatre costuming job, and it had been several years until a new position showed up. Now, like most theatre work, this isn’t going to be a full time job, but I’m So thankful that I have it! It’s mighty nice to get a paycheck every week with taxes already taken out, and it’s helped out our finances tremendously. It’s quite a struggle to try to be a one-woman self-employed show and make a profit! So hurrah for that and the good blessing it’s bringing for now. I’m very excited and thankful for the opportunity. But not to worry, Wearing History will still continue, it just might be a bit longer between posting of new products or creating new patterns. Thankfully I’ll still have one day a week to fulfill orders and do work on my own business, so I’ll still be here!
Secondly, I have some scary news. This weekend we were involved in an accident on the freeway late at night. We had spent the day visiting friends, and were just coming home from a Christmas party, when we were rear ended on the freeway by a driver, who we believe was intoxicated, who says she fell asleep at the wheel. We were going 60, so she must have been FLYING. We had borrowed my cousin’s truck, and we truly think that’s the only reason we’re still here. I guess God isn’t finished with His plan for our lives yet! If we had been in my car, we would have probably not been here any more. The other driver’s car is completely destroyed and she most likely totaled my cousin’s truck.
SO… my husband and I are both home from work today, nursing our sore bodies, and getting medical treatment from our doctor, to make sure all is well. We are SO FORTUNATE that all who were involved in this accident were able to get out of their cars and walk, with no broken bones. We were hit pretty hard, so our bodies hurt pretty bad, but it could have been MUCH worse. We’re just thankful to be alive.
I keep having this scripture speak to my heart:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:11-12
So please, I beg you, especially in this time of holiday parties but always, if you have been drinking, or if you notice someone else is who is getting in their car to drive- stop them and stay where you are! Likewise, if you are too tired to drive, PLEASE stay where you are. Don’t risk your lives and the lives of others. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS. We had such a close call, and we’re so thankful to still be here. We haven’t seen the police report yet, so we can’t say with certainty what was the cause, but I can tell you that, regardless, we’re just SO thankful to be alive.
I wish you a blessed and SAFE week and holiday season.
Much love,
Lauren
As mentioned in my previous post about my new-found allergies, I’ve got to do a big clean out! I’ve been listing some things in my Etsy store, including patterns and books, but today I added some pretty awesome things from my vintage dressmaking stash that some blog readers might be interested in
A really cool 1938 McCall Needlework Counter Catalog. These are hard to come by, and it’s got such pretty pictures!
A neat set of original lessons, the book that goes with the lessons, and the envelope they’re all stored in from the 1950s from Singer. Fun to see the original samples the owner made, and it’s great to compare with the book’s instructions if you’re learning to sew.
There’s a few more fun vintage dressmaking odds and ends up in my shop now, too. Don’t forget there’s the coupon for 20% off everything in my Etsy store through the end of November with code FALLSEWING2012
Happy to announce that my Wearing History Patterns gift cards have recently been restyled and look cute and festive for your recipient!
You do your shopping in your pajamas, support small business, avoid the shopping crowds, and your recipient pics just what they want. What’s not to love?
Ask for one for yourself, too!
Hello!
I just wanted to give a heads up that I have opened a CafePress shop! I have taken some of my favorite antique images that I have remastered for the blog at a high resolution (300dpi) and added them to products like t-shirts, mugs, holiday ornaments, and journals, so you can wear and share your love of fashion history. They’d make great gifts for the fashion history lover or costumer for holidays, too!
There’s lots more products to choose from featuring these images, and I’ll be adding more as time goes by.
Note that the address of the shop is “WearHistory”, not my normal name, so if you’re looking for it in the future without a link, that name will get you there!