A Year In Knitting (Stitchcraft 1964)

Women (the legend has it) took up knitting during World War War I, and have never dropped the habit.  What is certain, is that knitwear has been a staple of women's wardrobes since the 1920s.  These twelve issues of Stitchcraft show us designs for the entire year of 1964.  While Stitchcraft was modish, it was never at the cutting edge of fashion, so these styles would have been acceptable to most women.

 (Knitwear was not only worn by women, of course.  There are also a few patterns for men illustrated on the covers below!)

January 1964

January gives us a jumper suit—skirt and top were two parts of the same pattern.  Notice the way the collars and cuffs of the jumper match the colour of the skirt!

"The Light-Hearted Look of Summer" (Vogue Pattern Book, June-July 1963)

 Designed for outdoor living, this dress shows the casual elegance typical of the early to mid-1950s.

On the cover 5881: this is the shift that goes spectacularly this summer—a side-slit, ankle length sweep to be seen on the beach by day, on the patio at night.  It is carved of a magnificent Moygashel linen in sandalwood with white embroidery and stripes of lace.  And it happens to be "Very Easy to Make".

"Moygashel" was a high quality of Irish linen, and "sandalwood" and "stripes" were among the themes of their 1963 collection.

Summer Cottons (National Bellas Hess, Spring and Summer 1962)

You might be forgiven for thinking that 1960s fashions were all about exciting! modern! new synthetic fibres like Dacron®, Orlon® or Terylene®.  However, there was still plenty of room for more traditional fabrics like cotton (albeit treated in new ways to prevent shrinkage or creasing).  Below are a selection of cotton dresses from National Bellas Hess: very pretty, very feminine, and very summery.

THE DRESS
A full skirt... deep toned Schiffli embroidery... velvety ribbon beading... crisp woven cotton gingham checks — it's the look of Spring!  Velvety belt prettifies your waist.  Piping rims neck and sleeves, details skirt, too.  Back zip.  Washfast.

"Playgirl Sweaters" (Vanity Fair August 1961)

Vanity Fair (no relation to the US magazine of the same name) usually put photographs promoting  commercially available fashions on its covers. For some reason this issue was different, featuring models wearing holiday handknits (the patterns available inside).  

OUR COVER GIRLS wear playgirl sweaters, favourite holiday standby.  Knit them in softest Copley Orlon... which comes in pale pastel shades as well as deep brown, green, light navy and aubergine.  Quickly dries and should be washed in lukewarm water and laid out flat to dry—this way they will always keep their shape.

(Left: Short sleeved summer casual, and Right: Sweater shirt with three-quarter sleeves.)

If anything, Vanity Fair appears to be spruiking the latest Orlon yarns here!

Lana Lobell Fashion Magazine, Spring and Summer 1960

  ...And then there was the Lana Lobell catalog. To order and wear one of those dresses became the utmost in fashion snobbery 

"A Skill to be Proud of and Pass Along" by Ana Marciel, Threads Magazine (June-July 2004)

Lest you think that the sleek sophistication of Vogue was the only look in town, let me show you this bouffant confection by Lana Lobell.  In the 1950s and early 1960s, Lana Lobell fashions were aimed at a younger market.  They were advertised in magazines such as Seventeen, Mademoiselle, American Girl and Teen Magazine and the general look was one of youthful prettiness.

Style 500 . . . You'll turn every eye and charm all present as you move gracefully on the scene in this dress that every girl's dreams are made of.  Short bolero has crisp fresh trim at collar and cuffs of white rayon, edged with pleated cotton lace.  Under the jacket: a scoop-necked bare armed dress of unpressed pleats, floating on its own cotton crinoline.  Self belt with self bow.  Really the delicious on the fashion cake!  Washable and crease-resistant Cupiani in Navy, Powder Blue or Turquoise.

The catalogue doesn't describe the "cotton crinoline".  Though lightweight (usually plastic) hoops were available for women wanting to wear the widest possible skirts, I suspect that in this case the "crinoline" was a type of stiffened petticoat.

This dress could have been worn almost any time in the previous decade.  Only a few details give away the fact that it was made in 1960: the length of the skirt (a little below the knee) and the fashionably wide belt worn by model.

Vogue Printed Pattern News, 1959

 I'm now roughly three-quarters of the way through my survey of the mid-twentieth century.  And what better way to say farewell to the 1950s than a selection of Vogue Patterns, as depicted on the covers of Vogue Printed Pattern News?  They show most of the main looks of the year, as interpreted for home dressmakers.

Marvellous way to embark upon the new fashion year... this slim wool jersey dress in a brilliant explorer-blue. 9651

Vogue Knitting Book no. 52 (Spring and Summer 1958)

 "Chanel" appears to be the watchword for most of these elegant fashion knits.  For the rest, pastels and flowers are in vogue.

The Chanel touch—an easy V-necked jacket; cap-sleeved pullover and ribbed skirt.