If you’re into vintage fashion, you’ll love to hear about this: the Vintage Patterns Wikia now has over 80 thousand sewing patterns available for you to see! It’s amazing! They have the website organized by clothing types (dresses, pants, bathing suits, etc.), but the most amusing part is to check out the patterns by decade! They have it all organized for you from the 1920s til the 1970s and we love it! That being said, here’s a brief preview for you!
“I love history... everything is inspired by history, so that's why I love vintage and antiques.” - Kelly Wearstler
1920s
This decade was mainly marked by accessorization of women, the combination of hats, handbags, and jewelry were a huge hit. It allowed women to create a beautiful look and till this day we still have these items as a way to embrace the feminine style.
1930s
The ’30s followed the years of the great depression and as a result, the motto for fashion was “less is more” - which can be seen in sewing patterns during the ’30s that often used smaller pieces to maximize fabric usage.
In addition to that:
The 1930s were a representation of a elegant style, with the use of shiny buttons, sequins, and glass beads while also accentuating feminine curves.
1940s
The 1940s were marked by WWII and many people lacked the money to buy new clothes, so for that reason, home sewing creativity increased a lot! In the early ’40s, the style was overstated with:
- Padded chests
- Enormous shoulders
- Wide flowing trousers
However, after war ended, fashion then focused on a more rich and romantic style.
1950s
There were several styles of skirts back in the 50s, including:
- Slim pencil skirt suits
- Full circle poodle skirts
- Circle skirts
- Gathered skirts
- Pleated skirts
- Tiered skirts
A very common characteristic of 1950s skirts was the darted top of these skirts, which had the intention of highlighting small waists.
1960s
The ’60s had a wide variety of trends, from pleated skirts that followed the ’50s trends to the British influence of mini skirts and dresses. Still, one of the most noticeable trends was the flared skirts - which remained till the ’80s.
1970s
The 1970s also had a great variety of styles, especially due to the disco fever. That made fashion focus a lot on colors and 3-piece suits for both men and women - as well as wrap around dresses for women. The late ’70s, however, was the time for punk fashion.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this little piece of history over here and thanks for reading! Find more content on our Inspiration page or like our Facebook page to keep updated!
