Butterick Forecast Wardrobe for Spring, 1928

Butterick issued eight more “Forecast” patterns, at $1.00 each, in March of 1928. Although the illustrations were large, the accompanying text was quite brief.

The two-page spread was titled “The Forecast Wardrobe Lays Complete Plans for Spring.” Butterick pattern numbers 11 A through 11 H cost $1.00 each, twice as much as normal, four-digit Butterick patterns cost in 1928. L. Frerrier did the illustrations again, but there was no lavish background scenery. In fact, I find this set of patterns rather unexciting.

Daytime fashions: Butterick Forecast Wardrobe patterns 11C, 11D, 11B and 11A from Delineator, March 1928, p. 30.

Evening fashions: Butterick Forecast Wardrobe patterns 11 F, 11 G, 11 H, and 11 E, from Delineator, March 1928, pg. 31. Illustrations by L. Frerrier.

A “Wardrobe” pattern from the 1960’s or 1970’s usually included tops, skirts, trousers or shorts, and a jacket or coat, so that the buyer could plan a large, color-coordinated wardrobe. The daytime coat 11 B was intended to be worn with the blouse/skirt/vest pattern 11 A, but not necessarily with any other patterns in this series.

Butterick Forecast Pattern 11 A. March 1928. The wrap skirt does not have a waistband; instead it hangs from the shoulders on a slip- or chemise- like “underbody.” The “scarf” is part of the back yoke and collar.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 B, March 1928. Perhaps because it’s intended for spring, the coat cannot be fastened.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 C, March 1928. This “formal sport frock” is really a tunic and a separate skirt.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 D, March 1928. In the twenties, a “bolero” was often hip length, and, like this one, part of the dress, not a separate jacket. This would definitely look better with a fox fur “scarf,” since the neckline is very plain.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 E, March 1928. The diagonal “surplice” closing was often recommended as “slimming” to the woman who wore larger sizes. This pattern was available up to size 44 inch bust, with a 47.5 inch hip.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 F is a moire taffeta evening dress, March 1928. By 1928, snug hip bands like this, with a blouson effect above them, were quite chic.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 G, a lace evening gown, from March 1928. High-in-front-low-in-back hems hint that a change in length is coming. This dress would look very different with pleats (“plaits”) rather than ruffles. Note the tight hip.

Butterick Forecast Wardrobe pattern 11 H, an evening coat with raglan sleeves. March 1928. You can see a line of gathers (shirring) on the sleeves. 7/8 length coats were another sign that hem length was in transition in 1928.

 

 

Was Vionnet the First Couturier to Use a Zipper? Spring 1929

Vionnet for Spring 1929, Sketched for Delineator magazine, March 1929, page 27

Delineator Magazine Reports on Paris Fashions, March 1929

The Butterick Publishing Company, which published Butterick patterns and also the Delineator magazine, maintained an office in Paris for the purpose of reporting on couture and other Paris fashions.

“…Butterick keeps a staff of experts in Paris all the time. Wherever new modes are launched there is a Butterick expert noting each successful model.  Quickly that expert cables the news. Sketches, details follow by the fastest steamers. Immediately patterns are made for each of the successful new modes.” — Butterick Advertisement in Delineator, August 1924, p. 67.

Paris Fashions for Spring, 1929, Article in Delineator, March 1929, page 27.

The top left sketches show designs by Cheruit and Vionnet. Designs by London Trades and Mary Nowitsky at right. The evening gown is by Louiseboulanger.

Dress and jacket by Cheruit; Blouse, skirt, and coat ensemble by Vionnet, Spring 1929

The sketch and caption for the peach satin blouse by Vionnet show that it closes with a slide fastener – i.e., a zipper.

Delineator, March 1929, page 27.

Butterick Pattern #2526: Culotte Blouse with Zipper; Wrap Skirt

Left, design by Vionnet; Right, Butterick pattern #2526

When I turned to page 28 of the same issue, I found Butterick patterns which are nearly line-for-line copies of the Vionnet blouse, wrap skirt, and coat ensemble.

Butterick culotte blouse & skirt pattern #2526 on left, Coat pattern #2495 on right.

Back views, Butterick patterns #2526 and #2495

The name of Madeleine Vionnet does not appear on this page, but the idea for the culotte blouse is typical of her ingenuity. The problem of wearing a 1920s wrap skirt which rides far below the natural waistline (the skirt over a satin blouse would have a tendency to migrate around the body as you walk), and the problem of keeping the blouse tucked in when you sit and stand, or raise your arms, are both neatly solved by the “culotte blouse,” known much later in the 20^th century as a bodysuit, as popularized by Donna Karan. The 1929 blouse is made-in-one with panties, like a camisole & panties underwear “combination” or “teddies”, also called “cami-knickers;” the crotch keeps the blouse from riding up and twisting around.

Here are the pattern descriptions:

Pattern descriptions for Butterick #2526 and # 2495.

Photo Left of pattern #2526 “The Elegant Version of the Culotte”: This is Paris’ newest idea on the ensemble frock. The blouse is not only a blouse but a step-in, which gives it these advantages; it stays in place and it eliminates a piece of lingerie. It closes with a slide-fastener under the tied neck-line. The skirt is a graceful one-piece tie-around, holding the hips snugly. Designed for sizes 32 to 42. [bust measure]

Photo right of pattern #2495 “The Ensemble with Casual Coat”: The coat-and-frock ensemble has reached new peaks in the mode. There is no smarter example of it than this with a seven-eighths length coat, which hangs casually open, has moderately wide sleeves and a shawl collar, and the frock described above….Designed for 32 to 35 (15 to 18 years); 36 to 44. [bust measure]

The Vionnet culotte blouse was described on page 27 as ending “in brief trousers with the new sliding fasteners at each side.” The Butterick culotte blouse pattern described on page 28 only mentions a slide fastener down the front. It’s difficult to say from the tiny back illustration (unfortunately on the curve of a bound volume) whether we are seeing a side seam or a side zipper. [Using the Ladies’ Room while wearing a bodysuit was always awkward, but I’m not sure side zippers would help much.]

I have not searched the library for other reviews of Vionnet’s collection for Spring of 1929, but it certainly deserves more investigation.

If you search for “Schiaparelli zipper” you may find sites claiming that she was the first couturier to use zippers (then called ‘slide fasteners.’)  She was among the first; and she pioneered (and even encouraged the development of) colored plastic zippers in women’s clothing.  But, unless Butterick invented the designs sketched in its March 1929 issue of Delineator, Vionnet deserves the credit for the first zipper used in couture.

#2526 is not the first Butterick dress pattern to use zippers; # 2365 appeared in December of 1928, and no designer was mentioned.