"Coordinated Plan for a Woman's Wardrobe" McCall's 1964

I think the emphasis here was on Woman...this was intended for the mature, older woman. You were to wear muted tones and "handsome tapestry" while your hippy kids were wearing rainbows and afros.

"The whole trick is starting with a congenial, fashion right color (not necessarily a basic) and resisting all temptation to change your plan on impulse."

Is that understood? Resist all temptation!

"You can buy this dress for $55.00 or you can enjoy making it for $15.27"

"It's great to save money, but there's a lot more to sewing than that. You can get better quality material. You can be sure of a better fit. And the more you sew, the more you enjoy it. " Discuss.

High Fashion For The Kindergarten Set - 1964

These are exactly what we little girls wore back in the day...I'm really old. ;-) The hats, gloves and purses would have been for church or something special like a party, but these were everyday wearables. And mind you they had to be ironed each time too!

Miserable Models in McCall's - 1964

These gals look like they stayed out way too late last night, or maybe these gowns are what they wore to the party and they haven't made it home yet.

Bows, Bands and Babushkas!

What's ahead for Fall? The most engaging bows, bands and babushkas to date. There no excuse for going bareheaded now, with these six easy to-make whimsies all in one pattern. You can have a stiffened velvet bow on a 3" comb, a soft velvet bow with a flattering veil, a reversible babushka outlined in fluffy fringe, a wide Chanel bow in sheer organza, a wrapped and tied turban to match any dress, or a wide double bow on an adjustable head-band. We made the babushka in coordinated cotton prints by Fruit of the Loom, outlined in bright red fringe by Franken; the wrap-and-tie turban in Wamsutta's daisy-patterned double knit cotton, Pattern fits any head size. 7559. 50¢.

Helen Lee and her Granddaughter

This is Helen Lee...her designs for children are so very charming...I always have liked her patterns and was delighted to find this article about her...and her granddaughter.


The doting grandmother at the left is our own Helen Lee, dean of children's wear designers and creator of most of McCall's children's patterns. The enchanting fur-hatted cherub is her granddaughter, Hilary Ball. Last winter Hilary went to Russia, and the clothes you see here went with her with all of her grandmother's love, creativity and tender care. When Hilary's father, an English newspaper correspondent, was sent to Russia on assignment, Helen Lee and Hilary's mother pondered the question of appropriate clothes for an active 20-month-old moppet in Russia's intemperate climate. They wanted clothes that were suitable for Hilary's tender year s but definitely not babyish. And above all-her clothes had to be warm. A complete young wardrobe had to be made on very short notice, so the designs had to be simplified and easy to sew. Helen Lee went to work ... then went to Russia to supervise photography of the charming result.
All three coats were made from one pattern: a simple, basic cut with easy unmounted sleeves. Searching for fabrics not usually found in toddlers' clothes, Miss Lee settled on bright red chinchilla for one coat, red-bound black and white wool checks for another, and furry beige mohair for the toasty "Teddy Bear" coat. Matching tapered pants to be tucked into high boots accompanied each version. A two-piece play outfit in plaid and plain corduroy, and long-sleeved school and party dresses with matching panties were other parts of the wardrobe. Everything was carefully accessorized for a complete young-fashion look - down to matching hats and mittens. Here, a brief description of the three patterns you see photographed below:
7355: Toddler's back-buttoned top and suspender pants. 6 months, 1-3. 50¢
7470: Child's coat in two versions with matching pants. Sizes 1-6. 50¢.
79717 Toddler's long-sleeve dress with matching bloomers. 6 mos., 1-3. 50¢

You've got talent. You've got taste. How can you go wrong?

Any sewing disaster stories to share?