Anyone for Tea?

I will be hosting a 1950's tea party at Costume Con 26 in San Jose, CA and giving a talk about the history of sewing patterns.

This brings up the question - what do you wear to tea? I can't wear gloves, because I'm serving. I need an apron of course. You need nifty music and good cookies.

Vogue 9156 c. 1957

Hat, or no hat?

Anne Adams 4834



Vogue 9260c. 1957



Vogue Special Design 4565 c. 1955

Vogue 4004 c. 1959

Apron dresses - a dress, a jumper, an apron?

What is an apron dress? Simplicity and McCall's have taken a stab at this. Here is Simplicity's take on this dress. This is Simplicity 8869 from 1994.


Simplicity 8869


I happen to like the McCall's 1970s version of an apron dress. This is a freebie pattern that McCall's gave out in 1975. They use it as an apron, a jumper and a summer dress. It reminds me of the $200 + halter apron dress by Inhabit - though theirs doesn't wrap around, and I'm sure the Inhabit a stretch knit. My problem with all of these dress is, what do you do if you have the figure of a woman? How do any of these support you? Only the DKNY takes into account a cup size.


McCall's Sample B

Or maybe we should just keep the two ideas apart. Use the apron to cover us up and a dress to wear.

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