Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of 1950s

Chapter 1Industry beginning and innovationsChapter 2:Marketing and MerchandisingChapter 3: Promotion and AdvertisingChapter 4: Manufacturing and DistributionChapter 5:Is all about the patterns and many are included, including some for kids.Chapter 6:Archival InformationApendixes,Endnotes,BibliographyThere are no actual patterns in this book just the front photo of the pattern.I bough this book with the intention of seeing an array of 1950's pattern to start pattern drafting some interesting designs.When purchasing this book, I thought it would be full of 1950's photo's of patterns-which it is but it also contains a lot of information about how the major pattern companies operated during the 1950's. The information was digestible, clear, concise and very interesting. I like the fact that the author was willing to state that more research needed to be done on certain topics.The only contention I have with the book is that I wish different patterns had been given. I see so many amazing patterns online from the big 4 at the time and some of the more intricate ones were not included.I would love to have had a book with them :( but, given this book was published in 1999- those patterns may not have been available to the author.

If you’re looking for patterns or tips then this isn’t for you. It’s more of a throwback look into the styles. Pictures from adds. If you can draw then you can look at these pictures and come up with your own patterns. That’s what I plan to do anyhow.

This selection went beyond my expectations, This collection is an amazing snapshot of sewing patterns from the 1950s - some of which I recall my mother using and others that both my daughter and I recently purchased from online vintage pattern sellers. On top of everything, are the narratives that put sewing during this period in historical perspective, especially from a business and promotional standpoint. I love it.

Bought this years ago and still use it. If your a collector of Vintage Sewing Patterns it is a must have. Dates the patterns and lots of great pics to drool over.It was written before the internet took off which helped the price of Vintage patterns to explode. Some now go for 100's of dollars. Worth the price just to date the patterns.

THIS BOOK, "BLUEPRINTS OF FASHION -- HOME SEWING PATTERNS OF THE 1950s", by WADE LABOISSONNIERE is truly a treasure-trove for those who remember, fondly, the sewing patterns of this era. In a book of 175 numbered pages -- most of them filled to the brim with beautiful full-colour pictures of dress-pattern envelopes, designs from store counter pattern catalogues, and advertisements of the era -- one cannot, of course, expect to find every dress pattern created during this era. But the author certainly gives as wide a sampling as possible! The paper is wonderfully "slick"...like that found in Vogue and other magazines, only, (wonderfully!) just a bit thicker! The author obviously feels deeply about the delights of his subject matter -- it shows, and comes theough with every page!The very beginnings of the pattern industry are shown, beginning with a dress pattern of 1856 -- published in a magazine, with pattern pieces given! Patterns from companies now, sadly, no longer in business, (or so I believe -- please correctr me if I am wrong!) -- "Hollywood", "Advance", "Spadea", and "DuBarry" are also featured. The history of dress patterns of the 1950s, of course, dominates this book...but it's very nice to have background of the years before, (and after...1960s and '70s patterns also appear, on fewer pages of course), as well!Pages devoted to the merchandising of printed dress patterns, and their manufacture, are also included, (with fascinating photos of same!) And printed patterns for MEN are not neglected -- though I wish more were shown.Whether the author is aware of this or not, he seems to have captured a genuine rarity in fashion-pattern envelopes. Most of the drawn models on fashion-pattern envelopes either seem to be sayinng, "Look at me -- I'm SO glad to be wearing this!" or "Look at me -- I'm so fashionable and 'smart' to be wearing this!" But on page 121, in a large illustration of the envelope for Simplicity Pattern 1889, are three views of a cloak, (cloak, cape and cape-jacket)-- and the "models" on this package envelope look so decidedly UNHAPPY! Still pretty, but very unhappy! One wonders what went on in the world, (or in the artist's life), to make these achingly sad expressions on these still very pretty faces....)Information in the back of the book includes how to store collections of dress patterns and dress pattern catalogues, an index of dating patterns, (for instance, McCall's patterns in the year 1949 ran from Number 7565 to 7867. A "Price Guidelines" guide follows, with pattern prices expected, at the publication date, (1999), for General Patterns, Specialty Patterns, Patterns of selected pattern makers, Sewing Books, Advertising Posters, Counter Books, Sewing Books, and even Vogue woven labels and Singer Molded-Tou Dress Forms, ($35-$85 -- I had never heard of them either, till I read this book!) A full page of "Notes" follows, and after this is a complete bibliography.This IS a wonderful book -- for all the reasons stated above. So -- why do I give it only 4 stars? The reason is because MOST of the beautiful, full-colour pattern illustrationsa are squeezed in, six to a page! This makes most of the illustrations only 2 1/2 x 3 3/8 inches in size! Some of the 6-per-page illustrations are a bit bigger, (2 1/2 x 4 inches)....bur this is still pretty small! NOT all of the illustrations are so small, however -- some even, (wonderfully!) take up a whole page! Layouts of pattern designs differ from page to page, to make the book all the more interesting to read -- but the majority of the pattern pictures are still far too tiny for my taste. (and, sadly, my eyes as well.) Pages 129 and 132, even try to put SEVEN illustrations on one page! True, each and every illustration has a welcome line or two of caption, with addtional important information. But, please -- less "white space" and bigger pictures!I know that "slick" paper produces the best reproductions -- and I am glad to see it used here. Still, if economically producing a book withslick paper entails micro-miniaturizing of a great majority of the pattern illustrations, I feel something should be done to remedy this error. My suggestion: If feasible, use not slick paper, but the highest-quality, non-acidic 20 or more pound typewriting paper. Then, I would keep the same size page, but put the binding on the short side of the page, instead of the longer side of the page. I would then have the majority of pages to have 3, same-sized illustrations per page as the usual format -- with 1 illustration-, 2 illustration-, and 4 illustration-per-page format given, to some fewer pages as well, to make the books format more "interesting". Maybe even, the present 6-illustrations-per-page format as well...but for one or two pages only...please!!!!P.S. A PERSONAL VIEW:.....Aside from too many tiny illustrations, this is one fabulous book! In this age where torn jeans and overalls masquerade as "fashion", (they could never be called "style", in my opinion), and too-revealing, too-sex-oriented clothing abounds, (why?), this book, and those like it, are oases in the clothing "desert" which now seems to engulf the world. Wake up, people -- torn jeans and overalls are a pre-packaged poverty look! How I wish more people honoured their ancestors, as I do -- ancestors who worked SO hard, though poor, to at least look presentable, and wear clothing that made them at least look up-and-coming, on the occasions that demanded it. One need not put on full Islamic "purdah", or a monk's habit, (unless one wishes to), to look neat, modest, and fashionable! The gorgeous fashions in this book -- dress patterns for formal and casual wear, for men, women and children -- can certainly be adapted for today's world! Either find similar clothing patterns, look for similar clothing in stores, (there still is some!), or demand that your favourite manufactures make STYLISH clothing...like that within this book...so that people may feel they are on the way up in the world, and not on the way down!

i love this series. it has many many photos of the fronts of patterns from the 50s. some are 6 to a page but i did not find that too small as it is a larger book. and many were 2 to a page.

This is a *wonderful* reference for anyone interested in vintage fashion or vintage patterns. Wade Laboissonniere tells the history with page upon page of breathtaking photographs of patterns from the past. Each page truly is more delightful than the last. I will be ordering Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s immediately and can only hope that Mr. Laboissonniere is working on the 1960s and 1970s.

good

Gorgeous book with lots of pictures if you into fashion it's a must

been looking for months for a really good book illustrating 1950's fashion and at last I have found it. it is all illustrations from dress pattern envelopes (no photos) but for me it provided a really good snap shot of the decade

You get a book full of pictures like the front of the book...Good for inspiration...