Sunday, November 24, 2019

La Femme Chez Elle (June 1925)

La Femme Chez Elle was a French women's magazine, mainly dedicated to dressmaking and needlework.   The June 1925 issue had this pattern for a tunic to cover a worn, but not worn-out, dress.


En ce moment, où l’on cherche àfaire des économies, vous apprécierez particulièrement le parti àtirer d’une robe déjà usagée.  Vous avez retrouvé, dans votre garde-robe, cette toilette en crêpe Georgette entièrement plisée qui n’est plus assez fraiche pour être portée telle que.
Que faire?  Tout simplement comme vous l’indique la fig. 9.
Une tunique en forme de chasuble qui sera d’une confection assez facile, car le schema fig. 11 vous démontre que le tissue est taillé droite fil.
Une large encolure en pointe est bordée de biais de tons vifs assortis à la broderie dispose sur les pans de la tunique et sur les épaules.
Une grosse boucle en metal servira de fermeture sur le devant.  Pour cette tunique, vous emploierez du satin souple, noir sur une robe de tons vifs: rouge ou vert, et la broderie sera de tons assortis à la robe.
Si cette robe est sable, vous pourrez faire la tunique en satin marron avec broderie multicolore.


Once again online translators and a smattering of high school French come to my aid:

At the moment, when you are looking to save money, you will particularly appreciate the advantages to be had from an already used dress.  You've found, in your wardrobe, this fully plaited Georgette crepe outfit that is no longer fresh enough to be worn as is.
What can I do?  Simply as Fig 9 tells you.
A chasuble-shaped tunic that will be quite easy to make, because the plan in fig. 11 shows you that the fabric is cut on the grain.
A broad, pointed neckline is edged with sharp tones matching the embroidery on the panels and shoulders.
A big metal buckled will serve as a closure on the front.  For this tunic, you will use soft, black satin on a dress of bright tones: red or green, and the embroidery will be in tones matched to the dress. 
If this dress is sand, you can make the tunic in brown satin with multicolored embroidery.
Few of my modern readers will have a "plaited Georgette crepe" outfit hanging in their wardrobes, but the tunic would work well over—and add a definite 1920s touch to!—many different types of dresses.

3 comments:

  1. Very well done translation. I'd just change a couple of things. On "le parti à tirer" would be better translated as something advantageous when considering an old dress. I believe that instead of "cut in a straight line," you'd say in English "cut on the grain." I wrote a novel (Finding Cristina, by Emilia Rosa) and the backdrop is 1920s Rio de Janeiro (where I lived); I am planning a small 1920s wardrobe to wear during my book signings for the sequel. This tunic looks perfect! Thank you forsharing.

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    1. Thank you for the suggestions - I know what I wrote read clumsily, but for the life of me I couldn't think of a better translation!

      I'm really happy you're planning on making the tunic. That's why I put these patterns out there: in the hope that someone will try and make the garments! Good luck with your sewing and your book signing. I hope both go splendidly!

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    2. Not clumsy at all. Working on the sequel now and will take me a bit to make the tunic. I think a nice lace over a slip will do great.

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