A Fairy Princess Dress: Vogue 1931
This re-issued pattern from 1957 will make you wish you had a ball to attend. It has an enormous skirt, which really needs a stiff petticoat to make the most of it, and comes with two strapless bodice options. One, has decorative lacing down the front and is attached to the skirt. The other one, the fairy princess one, has a separate “overbodice” as they call it, which goes over the dress and which has a pleated frill added along the top edge, a draped apron below (although they call it a pannier,” French for basket) and then a great, big bow at the back which closes with 10 buttons.
The late 1950s was the era of the hour-glass silhouette, and while romantic looks in evening dresses had been popular since the late 1940s, and was clearly the selling point here, notice how spare the grey version was, a sign of change to come. The dress requires over 10 yards of fabric at 60″ wide for the dress itself (it is mostly the skirt) and the additional overbodice takes up around 3 yards.
Quite something. In fact, I am pretty sure you can’t even put it on by yourself in the bowed version. As to the making, remember that strapless dresses are built from the waist upwards. The boning which is inserted within the lining is what defies gravity for you, and you should definitely muslin the bodice to make sure it fits nicely. I don’t see any indication in the description, but most strapless dresses also benefit from an inner belt which helps hold the shape of the dress in and up as well.
The fabrics recommended are ones to make you sigh: silk organdie, taffeta, moire, faille, chiffon and crepe, as well as barathea which is a silk/cotton birds-eye weave with one fabric as the warp and one as the weft. No, I have never seen one either. Notice some are crispy, and some very soft and drapey, so first decide how big you want to appear and whether you want to add that petticoat. and then pick your fabric. If you compare the width of the skirts in the illustrations v. those in the line drawings and you see what a petticoat would do.
You can find it at your local fabric store or here online: https://somethingdelightful.com/vogue-patterns/v1931
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Actress Suzy Parker models an evening gown, New York City, 1951
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Josephine Baker models a creation by Pierre Balmain during her U.S. tour, October 19, 1951. The gown, made of tulle and gold lamé, was a special design for her new song ,"Black Magic."
Photo: Associated Press
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"Jolie Madame du Printemps"
"Antonia"
Pierre Balmain Haute Couture Collection Spring/Summer 1954.
“Antonia”, dress and stole. Long strapless dress, plunging behind, 2 petticoats, double petticoat, belt with tied tab at the back of the bustier, 2 back zipper closures. Long stole.
Pierre Balmain Collection Haute Couture Printemps/Été 1954.
"Antonia", robe et son étole. Robe longue à bustier, plongeante derrière, 2 jupons, double jupon, ceinture à patte nouée au dos du bustier, 2 fermetures dos à glissière. Étole longue.
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https://www.pinterest.com.
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Evening Gown, 1912. Ellen Helin.
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Oh, my eyes!!! That makes me dizzy.
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