Grace and Glamour: 20 Vintage Pattern Covers from the 1950s
Collecting vintage sewing patterns is a hobby with no sewing skills required! Pattern covers of that era were works of art that captured the style, glamor, and mood of the 1950s. See how much has changed in the world of fashion and how much has come back in style.
Simplicity s.155 Party or Wedding Dress
Take a look at that glamourous up-do! This pattern might make you a lovely day dress, a sparkly cocktail gown, or a mid-century modern midi-length wedding gown.
Advance Patterns 5635 Sophisticated Gown
This evening gown had a cinched waist, stand-up wing collar, and stunning skirt details.
McCalls 4747 Sheath Party Dress
This flashy party dress featured an overskirt with lots of fullness. This lady’s pink headband is especially inspiring.
1950’s Rare Givenchy Dress and Petticoat Pattern
Designed by Givenchy, McCalls 4221 is a cocktail dress pattern that allowed women of that era to sew their own designer evening wear.
McCalls 4084 Sybil Connolly Dress Pattern
This sophisticated dress pattern from McCalls is all business in the front and sweetness in the back.
Woman’s Day 5072 Beachwear Pattern
Woman’s Day Pattern 5072 includes a weekend wardrobe that hints at what fabulous clothes a weekend away in the 1050s would require! This 4-piece weekend wardrobe includes a one-piece playsuit, skirt, waist-length jacket, and reversible halter collar. Slim playsuit pants easily hide under a full-gored skirt.
McCalls 9122 Bombshell Halter Gown
This rare pattern is the epitome of 1950s glamour. This pattern could show you how to sew a fabulous gown with a plunging V-neck halter bodice and two different skirt lengths.
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Vogue 636 Couturier Design Wedding Dress Pattern
A woman could sew the wedding dress of her dreams with a Vogue Couturier Design wedding dress.
Butterick 5627 Glamourous Wedding Dress or Evening Gown
The scalloped edge on that neckline is divine!
Butterick 5901 Susie Stephens Design Strapless Dress
A stylish woman of that time might sew up this ‘quick and easy’ evening gown.
Simplicity 2121 1950’s Rockabilly Beachwear Pattern
Simplicity 2121 allowed fashionable seamstresses to make a wing collar midriff crop top, high waist shorts, and a full wrap skirt.
Spadea 1272 Dress Pattern Designed by Harvey Berin
Sewing patterns from Spadea enabled sewists to make clothing from fashion designers of the 1950s and 60s. Spadea 1272 came with a label to sew inside the finished dress!
McCalls 3992 Slim Cocktail Dress Pattern
McCalls 3992 featured a striking draped square neckline, a low strappy back, and a waist cummerbund with a back buckle.
Vogue v2960 Original 1954 Design
This gown would fit right in today with a lovely corset top and full skirt. I think it would look stunning with a floor-length skirt, too.
McCalls 4255, designed by Pauline Trigere
Be a bold woman in this two-piece suit with a cinched waist. I love the ruched side details on the top!
McCalls 4271 Glamorous Women Housecoat
McCall’s 4721, printed in 1958, was a misses trapeze-type robe in two lengths. It featured an inverted pleat at the center back and a tie belt, which went through slashes at the sides of the robe to form an empire line in front.
McCalls 9827 Evening Dress Pattern
Women of the 1950s could sew this elegant evening dress with McCalls Pattern 9827.
Butterick 5739 Slim Dress Pattern
This dress pattern from Butterick must have been suitable for the day or evening!
Advance 9076 Beach Coverup or Evening Jacket Pattern
This classy pattern included a jacket that would be suitable for the beach or a party. Note that the skirt is not included (and neither are pants).
Simplicity 1770 Evening Gown Pattern
The bunches and bows on this dress suggest to me that it was released in the early 1950s. It certainly has a Scarlett O’Hara vibe. “Tomorrow, I’ll think of some way to get him back.”
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