Monday, September 15, 2014

Patterns From The Past: A Pair Of Cute Dresses From Simplicity

Two cute patterns today, since both were found on the same page of "Simplicity Fashion News" from March, 1973:
We'll start with pattern number 5513:
The dress is worn here by model Bonnie Lysohir:
Cutting and sewing directions:
Pattern back:
And the lovely Betsy Cameron wears a jumper made from pattern number 5511:
The front of the pattern - make it as a jumper or a summer dress:
I like all three of them.
I'd have been more than happy to wear any of them back in 1973!
The pattern back:
And that, my friends is your glimpse back into the fashion of the 70's for today.

6 comments:

Sheryl said...

I have wondered how you know the names of the models from Seventeen Magazine and the sewing patterns. Did they always list their names somewhere in the advertisement?
Sheryl

Tina Dawn said...

I would have worn them back then too, and that pattern would have fit me, even though I was a young mom at that time. Oh those were the days! LOL. Love T

Anonymous said...

I have the same question as Sheryl, my guess is you were a model too and you worked with those girls. How'd I do?
***Stacy Z**

Heidi Ann said...

To answer your question(s), Sheryl and Stacy Z: They did not list the models names in advertisements nor on the sewing patterns at all.
The only exception I can think of was in ads for Cover Girl makeup, sometimes.
My sisters and I read Seventeen Magazine for many years, and a lot of the models were favorites of mine back then. I remember many of their names from 40-some-odd years ago! In some of the fashion layouts in Seventeen, they would refer to them by their first names. Occasionally there would be an actual personal article about one of them, or most of the time, if they were on the cover, their name would appear in the back where they had a little blurb about the covers - their clothing, photographer's name, etc.
Sometimes, kind readers have commented and given me information. So many of the most popular models were in the pattern books and booklets, teen magazines, and department store catalogs ALL the time,so that I saw them often and just really liked them. I was really into fashion and decor, and could never really afford the "in" things, nor the best-of-the-best clothing, but my sister sewed so we bought patterns and spent time at our local fabric shop. And no, I only WANTED to be like the fashion models! I definitely was not one of them. (I wish!)

Anonymous said...

Ok so you weren't a model but you do have an awesome memory for names. The only modeling name I remember from that era is Season Hubley. Now I have another question for you, do you remember a magazine for young women in the 70's called 'Co-ed'? I distinctly remember them being readily available in home ec classes. Does that sound familiar?
***Stacy Z**

Heidi Ann said...

Hi Stacy - I don't actually remember "Co-Ed" magazine from back in the day. Maybe we never bought that one; I'm not sure. But I did find one issue a while back at a thrift store. It was the same place I found my one and only vintage Seventeen EVER from a thrift.