Modern Stylist Magazine - 1947

This is the only copy of this magazine I've seen. And I haven't found out much about it, but it's a treasure trove of late 40s styles and fashion, including several projects to make. I'll show more this week, stay tuned!

2704: Blouses are all important in a warm weather wardrobe, especially when they can be both day and night beauties - like this one that flips a pretty peplum. There's the new influence of scallops too - scallops that scoot around the low neck, cap sleeves and button front.
2221: For your dress rehearsal - a datetime frock that launches the new longer body lines and swings a fuller skirt, making it one of the freshest, brightest eyefuls on the summer scene. All this - and an authoritive shoulder yoke with comfortable cap sleeves too.

"Sew a magic skirt in wonderful wool" -1955

"...with the most amazing zipper ever, the Magic-Tab Talon Zipper!"

Flapper Apron, Costume Slip, Baby Bunting - 1927

This ad is for the Frederick Herrschner Inc. catalog. It contains "the largest display of high grade Art Needlework in America".

Hackett-Carhart "Uncommon Goods" - 1905

Isn't he a fine specimen of a man? He must have looked at their "Style Book showing the authoritative fashions for men and boys." Or maybe he sent away for the "set of drawings"..."that show the characteristic poses and physical development of the American athletes who made the year 1904 great in the annals of athletic history."

"You Can't Buy Love" - 1934

"But you can buy and be Irresistible" This mysteriously exotic fragrance stirs senses...thrills...awakens love. It makes you divinely exciting, glamourous, utterly irresistible"

The Dorchester Hotel Presents The Hollywood Starlets - 1936 - Part 2 The Scandal!

I was looking for information on the folks in this program and wasn't finding much about the producer, Clifford Whitley. He apparently produced other shows of this type, but this one caused some trouble. This article from Time magazine (July 29, 1935) makes quite a few accusations.

Coolie Chorines

In London native cabaret girls are plentiful & cheap but, to pick up the imported U.S. article, choosy Englishmen must drop in at Mayfair's two new topnotch hotels, Dorchester House & Grosvenor House.
So long as sporting Major Oliver Stanley, younger son of King George's sporting friend the Earl of Derby, remained Minister of Labor there was no interference with this strange monopoly. The new Minister of Labor is bourgeois, Bible-quoting Ernest ("Bashan") Brown, the loudest and fastest talker in the House of Commons. Very quietly last week good Mr. Brown did his duty as he saw it. Grosvenor House and Dorchester House were given two weeks to get rid of their 26 U. S. dancing girls, and a Minister of Labor spokesman explained nothing by frostily explaining: "It has been a general policy not to give working permits to foreign cabaret artists. Heretofore, we have been making an exception in these two cases." "Before these American girls came over here the Dorchester was losing money hand over fist!" said Manager Clifford Whitley of its "Leroy Printz Hollywood Beauties." Chimed in Manager Felix Ferry of Grosvenor's "Monte Carlo Follies," "If England is going to turn our girls out, I think our Government ought to do something about English chorines now cashing in back home." In Manhattan next day correspondents, if they expected to find President Frank Gillmore of the Actors Equity Association up in arms, were in for a disappointment. "We don't have any competition in this country from English chorus girls," sniffed Mr. Gillmore. "I regard the action of the British Ministry as a ban on cheap labor. Such chorus girls as leave this country to appear in London go at extremely low wages. Often they are inexperienced, without professional standing, and their work comes under the class of labor rather than art. Generally this is true of American girls performing in night clubs of other countries. They do not present a burning problem to our organization."

This led to a rely from Le Roy Printz;
Specialty Girls

Sirs: In your issue of July 29, regarding an article you had entitled "Coolie Chorines," I would like to correct you to this extent. At the Dorchester House under the management of Clifford Whitley, I have a troupe of girls called the "LeRoy Prinz Hollywood Beauties." These girls were picked out of 600 of Hollywood's leading dancers, and are all what we call specialty girls —each one a soloist, and capable of doubling into a dancing line. The majority of these girls have also played good bits in various pictures.
I have only one idea in writing you this letter, and that is primarily because I want to be fair to these girls, and because Mr. Frank Gillmore of the Actors' Equity Association is apparently very misinformed.
These girls were given a contract, starting in Hollywood, for six months in London. They were given first class transportation from Hollywood to London. Each girl was in a lower and had two to a cabin, first class passage on the boat. Their return transportation was put up in the bank here, and the contracts agreed to, witnessed, etc. by the British Consul. These girls received a salary of $85 a week minimum, and several are getting $125 a week. As you know, there is a British taxation of 25% on American theatrical artists, and in addition to a salary of $85 to $125 per week these girls are having their British income tax paid. The Equity salary of American chorus girls is $35 a week, and until recently they were required to take four weeks of rehearsals gratis to the producer. The LeRoy Prinz Hollywood girls were paid $25 a week during rehearsals, and are all very lovely, very intelligent and very refined American young ladies. I sincerely resent their being referred to as "Coolie Chorines" and would be glad to send you a copy of the contracts that these young ladies have, proving how far you have been misled by the statement of Mr. Frank Gillmore of the Actors' Equity Association. . . .
LEROY PRINZ
Hollywood, Calif.

Let's meet these Chorines;





And for those of you wondering where the Fashion is look at some of the ads;

The Dorchester Hotel Presents The Hollywood Starlets - 1936

This is a program from the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London. In 1936 they were presenting "The New Midnight Follies", produced by Clifford Whitley. The cast included Florine McKinney, Acrobatic Control Dancer - Dolly Arden, Walter Dare Wahl and Emmett Oldfield with the Le Roy Prinz Hollywood Starlets. They performed numbers such as "You Took My Breath Away", "It's Fun To Be Fooled" and "Truckin' With The Teeth In".

Tomorrow we'll meet the Starlets and learn about some scandal!

Sewing with Cotton Bags - Teens and Ladies Dresses- 1952 - Part 4

"Would you like to have a smart, new 'round -the-clock wardrobe? Undoubtedly, the answer is yes! And that wardrobe need not be just a daydream. Use your fashionable and thrifty cotton bags as the answer to fabric needs for a complete new wardrobe, fresh and crisp for every occasion."
I'm wondering how thrilled a teen gal would be to have a feed sack dress...but maybe it was a great thing!

Sewing with Cotton Bags - Kids Clothes- 1952 - Part 3

Today it's the Dresses Little Girls Love...and Cotton Bag Playmates. You have to think that most of these bags got made into kids clothes...you needed less and who wanted to show up at church in the dress you made from fertilizer bags? Especially since every other farm wife had a stash of those same bags at home?

Sewing with Cotton Bags - 1952 - Part 2

Today we see Sun Togs, Dresses you can made using 50 lb. feed bags, and Aprons!

Sewing with Cotton Bags - 1952

Take a look at this Pattern Service booklet "for sewing with Cotton Bags", put out by Simplicity and the National Cotton Council in 1952. Often called Feed Sacks, these were sold holding products in the hope that the wife would insist on hubby buying the same brand so she could get enough of any one print to actually make something.
"Though your husband has been buying farm commodities in cotton bags and you have been sewing with them for years, it's possible that neither of you has realized what a bargain you are getting....And cotton bag fabrics this year are more beautiful than ever. There are smart plaids, florals, stripes, checks, modern designs, polka dots and conversational prints adaptable to a host of sewing needs...Dress print fertilizer bags have joined the fashion parade. And do you realize that with a ton of fertilizer, cotton containers bring you more than 20 yards of re-usable fabric?"
These patterns each list how many sacks you'd need to make the outfit. More tomorrow!

"Cover Dress- a smart design in crisp cotton bag fabric. Simplicity 3704 (35¢), sizes 12-20, 40. Size 14 can be made from 3 bags, 40 x 46.

Mystery Cards -Female Fashion Illustrators

I have seven on these mysterious cards. Each one has a female Fashion Illustrator featured with a New York address and a phone number. They are large 6" x 9", and printed on cardstock. Some are printed on the back "Please file this card under Fashion". The artists are Gladys Rockmore Davis, Helen Ketchum, Helen A. Johnson, E. Ann Quackenbush, Elisabeth Hughes, Inga Stevens Pratt, and Anna Nasvik. I am wondering if they were designed for a ad agency or magazine art directors or even sewing pattern companies? Each on seems to show a few different styles, like a mini portfolio. There are no dates, but the fashions look mostly forties. What do you know about these?

I just heard from Bill Higgins, who knows a lot about Inga Stevens Pratt. She lead a fascinating life and you can learn more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inga_Stephens_Pratt_Clark.
Thanks Mr. Higgins!

A Collection of Smart Aprons for the Coming Season - 1925

"The Pointed Effects and the Panels in These Patterns Give Slender Lines", Designs by Sadie P LeSueur

Full-Blown Skirts, Impudent Bows, Neat Checks - Simplicity Patterns - 1952

Perfect day-in-the-city dress in a sophisticated soft sheer with full skirt and sleeves. Simplicity Printed Pattern 3848. Sizes 12 to 20. 35¢. Size 14 requires 5 3/8 yards of 35" fabric. Perfect day-in-the-country dress in neat checks. Simplicity Printed Pattern 3851. Sizes 12 to 20. 35¢. Size 14 requires 4 5/8 yards of 35" checked fabric, 3/8 yard of 35" fabric for trim.

Full-blown skirt and great big, impudent bow. made in the kind of checks you see coming. Simplicity Printed Pattern 3850. Sizes 12 to 20. 35¢. Size 14 requires 5 1/4 yards of 35" fabric. Cool and uncluttered little summer dress. Simplicity Printed Pattern 3857. Sizes 11 to 18. 35¢. Size 13 requires 4 1/4 yards of 35" lengthwise-striped fabric, 1/4 yard of 35" fabric for collar. Horizontal stripes above vertical stripes, Simplicity Printed Pattern 3844. Sizes 12 to 20. 35¢. Size 14 requires 3 3/4 yards of 35" lengthwise-striped fabric, 3/4 yard of 35" fabric for trim.

No more tedious "hand hemming" for me... Modern Stylist Magazine- 1947

It's the Miracle Stitch Master..."as easy to attach as plugging in a toaster".

"White Collar Class" - Make and Mend - 1942 - Part 5

"It's a frame up to make you prettier"
Back by popular demand here's another installment from Make and Mend for Victory. The focus is on Vestees, Dickeys, and Collars. Some are just fabric, some are edged with crochet. Have fun...and remember it's all for the War Effort!