"The National Money Saving Style Book" (1923)

The National Cloak and Suit Company was founded in New York in 1888 as a mail-order house specialising in—you guessed it!—women's cloaks and suits.  It expanded through the decades until it dressed men and children as well as women, and by 1917 it was:

"generally regarded as the Sears, Roebuck company of the wearing apparel field".

In 1923, the year of this catalogue, the National Cloak and Suit Company had net sales of $52,399, 782.   Despite its prosperity, however, the National Cloak and Suit Company was already in its final years.  It merged with Bellas Hess Co. in 1927 and thenceforth traded as "National Bellas Hess".

The dresses on these pages aren't quite what people picture when they think of 1920s fashion.  They have the straight, low-waisted silhouette typical of the decade, but the skirts are longer and fuller than the "flapper" dresses usually depicted in popular media.  

10 Plates from "The Delineator" (May 1903)

The Edwardian era at it's most luxurious and feminine—look at those sinuous, Art Nouveau curves!  Rich women bought their clothes from the great couturiers of Paris, and the rest of the middle class tried to emulate them by shopping at the new department stores, patronizing "little dressmakers" and making their own clothes.  This was greatly facilitated by the invention of paper patterns... like these, produced by Butterick.

The colour plate illustrates a "quintette of charming shirt-waists—all of which are of washable materials".  Then as now, a variety of tops were a wardrobe must!  All the examples here are elaborately ornamented with lace, tucks and embroidery—except for the pattern at top left which was described as a simple design that didn't "require a great deal of trimming".

These look like dresses, but they're in fact shirt-waists with matching skirts!  To the left is an outfit in tucked black taffeta with white ornamentation in lace and white taffeta.  To the right waist and skirt in shirred white silk mull with trimmings of "coarse antique lace".

Another pair of shirt-waists and skirts.  The one on the left is made of "cream-colored voile" with "Irish crochet adding materially to the dressy effect."  The one on the right is described as a "handsome visiting toilette" in "brown satin foulard with an appropriate garniture of filet lace."

Two more shirt-waists and skirts.  Of the one on the left the magazine says, "All-over lace and medallions have never been used so generously as at the present time."  Of the one on the right: "That this will be a "white" Summer is evidenced by the many charming creations exhibited in wool, silk, cotton and linen."

On the left we have another shirt-waist and skirt outfit, made in unbleached linen and ornamented with machine-stitched tucks.  On the right is a "charming toilette of white crash" embellished with hand embroidery.

On the left is a “severely plain” street costume made up in gray Summer weight cloth.  On the right the model is wearing a skirt and “a delightful little jacket called the “coffee coat” or “Monte Carlo coatee””, decorated with lace and ornamental buttons.

Both the figures in this plate wear capes and skirts.  “Jaunty capes”, we are told, “lend distinction to some of the latest and most attractive street toilettes.

On the left we have a “ladies costume” made in Swiss muslin “for informal wear”(!)   On the right is a shirt-waist and skirt.  “With the chemisette which the pattern provides” runs the description, “the waist will be appropriate for street wear”.

That dainty garment on the upper left is a jacket—specifically a “bolero jacket or coffee coat” made of lace, and described as a “jaunty and youthful” style.  The skirt it is paired with has shirred flounces and is bordered with satin ribbon.  On the right is a “ladies costume” in one piece, trimmed with lace medallions.

Lastly, for the boudoir.  On the left we have a “dressing-sack” worn over a “skirt petticoat”.  On the right a “Japanese” wrapper or lounging-robe.   The garment was probably inspired by the kimono, but with its set-in sleeves and shirred neckline, only faintly resembles its model.

Australian Home Journal, November 1933

I found this, at a ridiculously low price, at a charity book fair this weekend.  Sadly, the "4 PATTERNS ENCLOSED" that originally came with the magazine no long exist.

However, the instructions for the patterns still remain, along with suggestions for fabrics, so it's possible to envisage how a home dressmaker would have made them up in 1933.

Figure 1:  Is a "frock with the slight cowl in front [that] has charmed the fashion world this season.  The cowl front is cut magyar; this is of contrast with the floral material appliqued on the sleeves."

Figure 2: "A delightful frock" for "golf, tennis and endless afternoon occasions".

Figure 3: A "demure" child's frock, made in "blue Swiss muslin, with self or contrast bows trimming the front".

Figure 4: "The floral organdies are cool, fresh, and fascinating—the material suggested for this frock, with white organdie frills."

Bustle Dresses (from "Mode Pour Tous", 1888)

Fashion historians call the 1880s the "second bustle era" (as opposed to the "first bustle era" which was the 1870s).  The distinguishing feature of the 1880s bustle was the way it stuck out the wearer's lower back at a 90° angle—and, oh, have you ever seen any fashion so ridiculous?

No, seriously, it's a bizarre style.  And how was it created?  Well let's take a look:

Here we have a contemporary advertisement for a "dress improver" from Myra's Journal of Fashion.  This contraption was buckled around the wearer's waist, and it looks like a fiendishly uncomfortable Victorian torture device.  Notice the springs on the back: presumably they made it possible to push the bustle aside when the wearer wanted to do complicated things like sitting down.

Looking slightly less like a mad scientist's nightmare, is this "muslin skirt" offered for sale in an Altman's catalogue from 1886.  The "steels" holding it out could be removed for washing, which must have been a tedious washday chore.

Lastly, from Strawbridge and Clothier in 1885: another bustle.  This one is made of hair cloth.  It doesn't specify what species the hair came from (probably horse hair), but at least the article in question looks well padded and comfortable to sit on!