Styles of '65: Chanel-Style Suits (Simplicity Pattern Book, Autumn-Winter 1965)

 If there was one garment that persisted throughout the 1960s, it was the "Chanel-style" suit.  Consisting of a collarless, cardigan jacket and a straight skirt reaching a little below the knee, it was an almost  timeless style.  

To quote Chanel herself, "Fashion changes, but style endures".

The suit pictured above is not a Chanel original, but an imitation produced by Simplicity patterns made up in a natty houndstooth check.  An original Chanel suit was meticulously tailored, taking around 150 hours of manual labour to complete.  A chain was stitched into the hem of the jacket so it hung properly, and a ribbon around the waistband so it sat flat and the blouse could not become untucked.  Best of all, the pockets in a Chanel suit were real pockets, large enough to carry, keys, a handkerchief, a purse.

Going to All Lengths (Woman's Day August 1970)

In the 1950s, Paris dictated skirt lengths.  An inch or two either way decided whether your clothes were "In" or "Out".  In the 1960s the system came under stress, as the young rushed to wear shorter and shorter skirts and the older lagged behind.  By 1970, the system fell apart altogether, as designers tried to impose longer ("midi") skirts and many women just didn't want them.

What was a girl to do?  Well, (American) Woman's Day had some suggestions (in the form of Simplicity patterns) for fashionable skirts in various styles and lengths.  These ranged from a modest miniskirt on the left, to the longer but slit midi-skirt on the right which allowed you to still flash a bit of leg.

From left to right: 

THE SHORTEST ZIP in bold acrylic plaid.  Simplicity pattern 8739... Garland's clinging pumpkin sweater...
SO LONG KNEES—hello pleats, in wool flannel, newly-colored teal.  Simplicity patter 8842... Lady Arrow's frontier shirt...

THE WRAPPED SLASH in purple tweed-printed corduroy.  Simplicity pattern 8749... Over a cat-lady body stocking, by Irene for the McCallum Boutique...

THE BUTTONED SLASH in native-striped washable wool.  Simplicity pattern 8925... With Lady Arrow tab shirt... Also divine over one of your mini-dresses, giving you a split-level costume, another new look.

And if you were going out in your new skirts, you needed something to wear over them.  Woman's Day suggested coats, cardigans, capelets and capes you could buy.  From left to right:

SPONGE-IT-CLEAN TOPPER, in canvas, wipes clean with a damp sponge.  By Gangsters by Valstar of London...

STRING-BEAN CARDIGAN in chenille knit hs the elongated good looks just right for longer skirts.  By Garland...

KNITTED CAPELET with buttons down the front and swaying fringe is updated Victoriana for boutique fanciers.  By Garland...

PONCHO CAPE in henna-colored loden cloth is a versatile coordinate, has white topstitching.  By White Stag...

Styles of '65: Pinafore Dresses (Simplicity Pattern Book, Autumn-Winter 1965)

 The pinafore dress (or jumper) was usually considered to be a youthful fashion, so naturally it was popular during the youth-conscious 1960s.  These designs from Simplicity Pattern Book of Autumn-Winter 1965 were intended to be worn by sub-teens, teens and juniors.

6098 - Sub-teens', teens' and juniors dress or jumper

6134 - Teens' one-piece jumper with two necklines - Simple-to-sew

Pinafore dresses were also easy to make, which made them perfect for girls just learning to sew.  The designs above were both part of Simplicity's "How-To-Sew" series of patterns.

What We Wore in '74: Blouses (Simplicity Pattern Book, Spring 1974)

 I spent a lot of time trying to decide what to post in my second-to-last look at the styles of 1974.  In the end I plumped for blouses: a fashion staple in every decade since the 1890s.  Of course these examples come with that special 1970s flair.

Figures 1 and 2 are wrap blouses with a v-shaped neckline and ties fastening at the back.  Versions 3 and 4 are top-stitched blouses with a front slash opening collar.

Pattern 6192 was designed to be made in STRETCH knits only and fasted by a back zip.  Version 1 has long, set-in sleeves, while version 2 is designed with kimono sleeves gathered at the wrist.

If I had to say what these blouses had in common, is that they all skim their wearers' youthfully liberated figures: a very mid-seventies look!

Groovy Styles in Simplicity Patterns (1960s-1970s)

 I had something completely different lined up for this week—then I stumbled across someone selling vintage patterns out of an old plastic bag at a market stall.  Clearly it was a Sign, and who am I to pass up blog material when it presents itself to me?  It looks like the original owner of the patterns was a fashion-forward young woman, eager to keep up with the latest trends.

First, from 1966:

1966

... Blouses, with a choice of cowl- or turtleneck, either long-sleeved or sleeveless.  The blouses were fastened by a zip up the back.

What We Wore in '74: Dresses (Simplicity Pattern Book, Spring 1974)

 Dresses are a staple in women's wardrobes in any era, but each era has its own fashion in dresses.  

The mid-seventies was very much an "in-between" era.  The best word I can use to describe the dresses of 1974 is "moderate": not as short and skimpy as the dresses of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and not as long and baggy as the styles of the late 1970s.  Judging by the pattern illustrations below, hems hovered around or just above the knees, skirts had a slight A-line flare to them, and collars were often used as decorative details.

Misses' Dress

Misses' and Women's Dress in Two Lengths

Misses' Short Dress and Two-Piece Short Dress

Misses' One-Piece Short Dress or Short Two-Piece Dress With Detachable Collar and Cuffs

Misses' Dress

Sailors Ahoy! (1983)

 I've just noticed that the 1983 Spring/Summer issues of Simplicity Pattern Book and Style Pattern Magazine have suspiciously similar covers:

 

 

 

 

Simplicity Pattern Book

Style Pattern Magazine

... Both show short-sleeved jackets with sailor collars worn over summer dresses.  The Simplicity jacket is fastened with bows, the Style Pattern jacket with toggles.

Now there was a minor fashion trend for sailor-themed jackets and dresses—inspired, like many other early eighties fads, by Princess Diana.  However, Style and Simplicity Patterns were closely affiliated.  Could there have been some editorial overlap—or even some sharing of design ideas?

Simplicity "How-To-Sew" Patterns, 1965

In the mid-1960s Simplicity introduced their "How-To-Sew" pattern series.   They were simple designs, suitable for novice dressmakers, and they each came with a step-by-step "tissue lesson chart" on one aspect of making the garment in question.  Most of the patterns seem to have been aimed at  "teens" or "juniors" (evidently older women were assumed to know how to sew already!) though some were made in adult sizes.

I own the Spring and Autumn/Winter issues of Simplicity Pattern Book from 1965 where a number of these patterns were promoted.  The pictures below were scanned from these issues.

• The lesson: How to attach a collar.

Pattern 5285 - Misses' Blouses

• The lesson: How to apply a neck facing

Pattern 5655 -Women's and Misses' and Women's Half Size One-Piece Dress

 

• The lesson: How to sew special fabrics and leather.

Pattern 5656 - Misses' Pullover, Sleeveless Jacket, Pillbox and Bag

• The lesson: How to apply a waistline stay.

Pattern 5848 - One-Piece Dress with Two Skirts in Women's Sizes and Misses' and Women's Half-Sizes

• The lesson: "How to make a long bias dart"

Pattern 5850 - One Piece Dress and Scarf in Sub-Teens', Teens' and Juniors' Sizes

• The lesson: How to set in a sleeve

Pattern 6052 - Blouse in Sub-Teens', Teens' and Junior Sizes - Simple to Sew

• The lesson: How to apply trims.

Pattern 6096 - Teens and Juniors' One-Piece Dress with Detachable Collar and Tie

• The lesson: How to make and turn a tab and tie belt.

Pattern 6098 - Sub-Teens', Teens' and Juniors' Dress or Jumper

•  The lesson: How to join skirt to bodice.

Pattern 6103 - Jumper, Skirt and Blouse in Teens' and Juniors' Sizes

• The lesson: How to face a neckline.

Pattern 6134 - Teens' One-Piece Jumper with Two Necklines - Simple-to-Sew

• The lesson: How to line a skirt.

Pattern 6139 - Sub-Teens', Teens' and Juniors' Skirt in Two Lengths