Singer Sewing Machine Attachments from 1906

This little booklet is the "Instructions for Using The Singer Manufacturing Co's Attachments  - Style No. II for No. 27 Machine" and it was reissued in Oct. 17, 1906. The engravings are beautiful! 

The attachment case would have been wood and rolled into a square, with everything fitting in just so. 

For A Busy Life - What She Wore in 1955

McCall's Magazine had advice for the gal in 1955. "For a busy life at home or in the office, what looks freshest and takes the least care? The answer: summer suits and dresses of synthetic fibers, alone or combined with natural fibers."

Eleven Busiest Models of 1955

The April 1955 cover featured eleven of the most popular models of the day. How many can you name?

 

Use Your Maid's Old Uniform

In 1943 a lot of the sewing books focused on renovating and remaking, using what you already had to make what you needed. For this School Girl's dress it is suggested that you use a flowered cotton house dress and from a plain blue cotton "that was once a part of a maid's uniform."
If you didn't happen to have an old maid's uniform laying around they also say you could check your scrapbag. "Odd scraps of colorful fabric are combined with great success."

Make Warm Knee Caps for Our Soldier Boys

From 'Plain and Fancy Needlework', November 1917, this pattern shows how to crochet Knee Caps. They only take one half hank Germantown knitting yarn, and a No. 3 1/2 hook. And I'm sure the soldier boys will appreciate them! 

Directions

Chain 41, double crochet, always taking the back loop; 8 rows even.

9th Row - 17 stitches, 2 stitches in next stitch, 4 stitches, 2 in next stitch, 17 stitches.

10th Row - No increasing.

Repeat 9th and 10th rows until there are 27 rows. Then work 12 rows without increasing.

Then decrease in the way you increased until work matches first half. Sew up with yarn.

"If you have no one in particular to give them to, send them to the National Surgical Dressings Committee of America, 845 First National Bank Building, Chicago, Ill."

It's 1967 - Let's Wear Paper Dresses!

The Paper Caper - 1967 Paper Dresses

You can't clean them, but you can snip off the dirty parts.

"The Duchess of Windsor has worn it. Joan Kennedy, wife of the senior senator from Massachusetts, worn paper to a fund raising tea she gave last spring and passed out duplicate dresses to her celebrated guests. Pop painter Robert Rauschenberg has a tailored suit of grocery-bag paper. Princess Lee Radziwill owns a gold quilted mini-mini with gold collar and gold side panels to match her newly gold hair. Jolie Gabor lunches in paper after swimming in her pool. A number of brides have worn it to their own weddings. In the south of France a concert pianist beat the heat by wearing a paper dinner jacket designed by Paris couturier Pierre Cardin, after scissoring off the sleeves so they wouldn't get in the way of the keyboard."

If you wanted to get your very own you could check with Scott Paper Co. - two styles at $1.25 each to promote their toilet paper. You could send for paper dresses if you bought Johnston Frozen Pies, or sent two butter wrappers to the American Dairy Association. A Go-Go Light hair lightener box top plus $1.25 could get you two mini-skirted mod-styled paper dresses from the Breck shampoo people..." Air India offered a mail-order sari ("Be the first princess in the palace to own one").

 Lever Brothers offered a fireproofed "Swinging Dress" in three vibrant colors with matching hat for $1.00 plus two Dove, Lux or Lifebuoy soap wrappers. 

No need to worry about that rattling noise when you walk. Fashion expert Eugenia Sheppard thinks it's the most fun since taffeta.

The live paper doll above wears paper bracelets and a metalized paper 'lame' handkerchief evening dress by Elisa Daggs ($12.00) The wig is made of Aluminum foil.

Dressed like a party snapper, tomorrow's hostess may entertain with paper items such as these exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts.

The bikini, made of polycoated Kaycel, costs $4 and is usually a throwaway after four dips.

The slicker of polycoated Lexon ($8) is good for two dozen outings.

Paper haute couture includes a wiggy mini, a key-tag and Green Stamp shift, an 'ermine' cape, informal and glittery evening dress, colorful at-home slippers.

Dance Away A Bermuda Afternoon

"Each spring they flock to Bermuda like birds to a rookery, full of primordial purpose. As a Princeton freshman put it, "You can go to Jamaica for sun. We're here to meet girls." "My friends who came down last year, "said another boy, "told me there were two girls for every guy. That's why I came - simple mathematics."

Your Wig Wardrobe

The Complete Book of Fashion Modeling (1969) also shows what wigs you'll need to have if you are going to be a successful model.
"Yes, you definitely must have hairpieces. You could possibly start out with one or two and eventually work up to a whole wardrobe of spare hair goods. It will be a worthwhile investment, and just wait until you see all wonderful things you can do with them!"

"This is mid-length and is made to look shorter by styling with a lift at the crown."

"A long fall, this one is styled with flipped-up ends that just skim the shoulders."

"Ears are bared for this style."

"If you're very good with your hair, you can use a long fall for this."

"...a light and airy little wig...it can be styled in dozens of delightful ways."

"You can get this effect by tucking styrofoam balls in graduated sizes at intervals in the ponytail and tying each one with ribbon."

"Strictly for gala evening costumes, this do features a hairpiece that's intricately styled in an arrangement of strategically placed loops and curls."

Sit Pretty On The Washing Machine

The Complete Book of Fashion Modeling (1969) by Bernie Lenz is just the best guide for your future. "The world of modeling is widespread, it's citizens are legion, and it's advantages are enormous. There's glamour, excitement, money, and opportunity." All of which we can see in this example;

Full Fashioned Silk Hosiery - 1928

These were offered through the Gorcy Embroidery Journal- a monthly catalog from a Montreal based department company. This ad was in the August 1928 edition, so these fetching stockings would have been perfect for the daring flappers out there. They needed that "extra-wear" patch on the toe.

Bead Coiffure - 1865

This beautiful woman was in the 1865 Lady's Friend Magazine. She is showing her "Bead Coiffure". Imagine the elaborate work, not only with the beads, but weaving them into her hair. Lovely.

Aprons - Glamorous and Practical

McCall's Needlework & Crafts magazine from 1956 shows apron patterns worthy of your time. The Bavarian style asks for a lot of cross stitching. But the iron-on roses are easier and the pattern makes up for "mature figures".