Carolyn Ramey Campus Modes patterns

 Seam Racer has a nice post about these here.

 I haven't found anything more.  They were offered from 1927 through 1941 and were aimed at young adult women.

  Announcement, December 1936

 I have not found a T-8500, if there was one.  Here is Campus Modes T-8501 from January 1937

 

Campus Modes T-8502, February 07, 1936

 Campus Modes T-8503, February 14, 1936

 Campus Modes T-8504, February 21, 1936

 Campus Modes T-8505, ad dated September 09 but was probably released in early March

 

 

New Facebook page

 

Instagram has changed how it uses hashtags and it’s making me pull my hair.  The IG will continue but there is now also a Facebook page, which I hope will give me a little more flexibility.

  

Peggy Roberts craft patterns, 1947

 Peggy Roberts craft patterns, 1947.

 

 

A note on "vintage bodies"

 

 

I’m going to start out by apologizing for getting all soapboxy today, but something came up on one of my FB vintage pattern groups and for the sake of all of our sanities, I would like to say a piece about it.

 

“Women were smaller then.”

“I don’t have a 1940s figure.”

“People were built differently.”

Etc.

Humans may have been smaller/thinner on average, but they certainly weren’t all smaller or thinner.  You do have a 1940s figure, you just aren’t wearing a 1940s girdle.  People were not built differently.

The women featured in clothing ads and sewing books were models.  They were selected for their figures to present clothing as appealingly as possible.  Then, as now, they were the exception.

Remember, though, that sewing patterns are, of necessity, drafted to averaged measurements.  They cannot fit every figure perfectly right out of the packet.  The whole reason those sewing books exist is because so many women didn’t, and don’t, have the median figure and needed to alter their sewing patterns to fit.  If everyone had looked like that, there would have been no need for those books.

Please, please, go through your family albums and pictures of non-model women online and observe all the shapes and sizes; big hips and thick middles; short legs, broad shoulders, and flat chests; plus sizes and hollow chests, and be kind to yourself.

Sue Burnett and Barbara Bell 1953

 This year worked out pretty well.  I can't find 8929 and I'm not sure about some of the 1400 series patterns, but it's pretty complete.

 Burnett and Bell 1953.

 

 

Marian Martin 1937

 This year was a mess--I'm not sure what was going on with the numbering, but I scooped all I could find.

 Marian Martin 1937.

 

 

Barbara Bell 1947 - complete run!

 Complete run of Barbara Bell mail order patterns from 1947!

Barbara Bell 1667

Barbara Bell 1652

Barbara Bell 1613