What are the chances of seeing a child’s sunsuit pattern from the 1940s and finding a photo of myself wearing that exact outfit? It happened.
McCall Sunsuit pattern #1030, pattern catalog, December 1946. Witness2fashion wearing sunsuit, circa 1949.
I remembered that picture of myself wearing a sunsuit because the pose — so coy! — is so cringe-worthy. But it was quite a surprise to find that it not only resembles the sunsuit pattern, it is identical except for the choice of fabric.
McCall Sunsuit pattern 1030, McCall store catalogs, late 1940s.
I have seen this pattern, #1030, in three McCall Needlework Catalogues (December 1946, May 1950, and November 1950.) Like most clothing for children, styles remained constant over several years. It qualified for the Needlework catalogues because of its applique trim.
At first I thought I was wearing a different sunbonnet than the one shown, but another photo, although overexposed, shows the same squarish shape:
A squarish bonnet is included in pattern 1030.
You can see the bonnet’s dark band on this photo.
I have no memory of this playsuit. I don’t think many of my clothes were home-made, although my mother was a good seamstress. I would guess that it was a gift from my grandmother or my aunt; both of them had friends who sewed very professionally. Posing in a new outfit was a family tradition. My mother — whose friends called her ‘glamourpuss,’ loved the camera. I usually hated being photographed (note the resentful scowl in one photo) and still do.
“Glamourpuss” posing in a new dress, 1932. There sems to be a Marlene Dietrich influence….
