Smart Dresses for Summer, 1928

This is a full page article from Delineator, June 1928. Seven Butterick patterns are illustrated in full color, as if the seven models were on a rather formal family outing to a park.

“New Smartness,” Delineator, June 1928, page 32. These are Butterick patterns for women and girls.

The blouson effect, with a wide, tight hip band — called a girdle — was chic in 1928.  If you want to make a dress like this, attaching it to an underbodice will suspend the weight of the skirt from your shoulders, keeping the blouson in place.

Closer views, followed by their pattern descriptions:

Butterick patterns 2074, 2078, and 2026. June, 1928.

Butterick patterns 2071, 2065. 2024, and 2068. June, 1928; Delineator magazine.

Pattern descriptions and alternate views:

Closer views of Butterick dresses 2074, 2078, and 2026. June, 1928.

The printed chiffon dress is an afternoon dress, worn for dressier occasions than shopping. This pattern could be purchased for bust measurements up to 46 inches. The corresponding hip measurement would be about 49″.

The pink dress could have long or short sleeves, and be gathered or pleated.

The print dress at far right is surprisingly “an afternoon frock of the more formal type” made in silk crepe, satin or rayon. More formal than chiffon?

These two dresses are for girls. The smocked dress on the left could also be made in a long sleeved version. Since smocking requires time-consuming hand sewing, machine shirring was also a possibility.

Closer views of girls’ dresses 2071 and 2065. Butterick patterns for June 1928.

Butterick dresses 2024 and 2068. June, 1928.

I suspect that many women made this print dress without the cape in back. Border print fabrics gave 1920’s dresses like this one their impact, although solids and small prints could also be used.

No. 2068 was a pattern that could be used for day (with long or short sleeves) or modified for evening wear by making it sleeveless, with a deeper cut neckline and armholes.

Bodice tucks on No. 2068 would allow for (modest) feminine curves. 1928.

The lines of tucks on the bodice front (right) remind us that by 1928 breasts were no longer being flattened by young women, although older women might continue to wear a foundation like this “Bien Jolie corsette.”

Ad for an “exquisite” “Bien Jolie” [“Very Pretty”] foundation garment. Delineator, February 1926. A garment like this shapes the body like casing shapes a sausage.

 You can read more about corsets and corsolettes by clicking here. For bust flatteners and bandeaux, click here.