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Masquerade Costumes from the 20's

8/9/2013

5 Comments

 
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Check out the mice on the Pied Piper's belt.
All sorts of partying when on in the 1920's.  The economy was good and alcohol was illegal. We all have images of speakeasies and everyone doing the Charleston.  So, it is not surprising to find old photos of masquerade parties and lots of old patterns and pattern catalogs. There are so many costume patterns from that time, it makes me think all costumes were home made. Or, if you could afford it, custom made.

It wasn't call the "Roaring Twenties" for nothing, I guess.

I have a few things from this period that always bring a smile to my face when I pull them out of my storage boxes.  I think they will make you smile, too.
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This is the cover of a costume pattern catalog from the 1920s. The artwork is really good.
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I dont' think Mrs. Washington wore her dresses that short.
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Don't you love what these Earl Flynn kind of guys are up to?
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This is a pattern I own from the 20s also. These two patterns look very similar. I am so curious what this would look like made up. Is the bodice really that straight? This is something I should try ...
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Oh, and here are the entire instructions for this pattern except for the piece layout on the other side. People complain about the instructions in patterns now a days!! This only shows you a few parts of the garment contraction, probably the parts Butterick thought weren't obvious.
So, my son asked me ... were ladies really that flat chested?  Did people really look like these illustrations?  Here are some photo of actual 1920s people dressed for masquerade parties. 
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I hope I made these photos large enough to read the captions.
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Below are a few more patterns envelopes and catalog pages.
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Simplicity was founded in 1927, so these 2 patterns must have been published right around that time.
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This is called a Spanish Masquerade Costume.
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McCalls was way ahead of the game with printed patterns in the 20s and even colored illustrations on the envelope front. Maybe the dutch girl in the photo above used this pattern.
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1920s versions of historic costumes!
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But, judging by the photos I've seen and material I've read so far. The exotic east was the favorite theme for dress up.
I hope you are smiling by now, I am.
5 Comments
Maureen
8/9/2013 11:38:46 am

Love these! Having studied quite a bit of middle eastern costuming, both folkloric and cabaret, stage and authentic, I always enjoy seeing western interpretations of the real thing.

Some of these are very obviously from their period; others, like some of the "Shakespearian" costumes, not as much. I'd love to see some of these made up. What kinds of fabrics do you suppose they used?

"Habih" of the Arabian Nights collection looks vaguely Greek. And I'd love to get a look at the construction of the Nightclub "trouser skirt"; I wonder how they got those pleats to stand out like that?

Reply
Martha Kelly
8/10/2013 03:08:40 am

What a treat. Thank you for sharing a part of your collection of old masquerade patterns. I hope you'll show us more another time.

Reply
Val LaBore link
8/14/2013 03:10:12 am

OMGoodness, that Arabian Nights pattern with the peacock feathers is just tickling my fancy, and I have a pale jade green fabric with peacock patterns on it. I would have loved to have that pattern.
Val

Reply
Andrea Schewe
8/14/2013 04:06:49 am

I know! I would like it, too.

Reply
Subie link
1/15/2015 06:00:26 pm

How fabulous! You might enjoy seeing samples from my collection of 1920s French masquerade costume prints from "Album de Travestis"

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SusabellaBrownstein/128661763853917?sk=photos_stream

I've collected them for years and am currently doing research for a book; they appear to mostly be Carnival-inspired costumes, but there are also theatrical and historic cultural ones as well...

Thanks,
Subie

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    I am a commercial pattern maker who is now "sewing over 50"!
    I love to sew and hope to encourage others to come back to sewing.
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