Crafts and Life

The mid-20th century was an amazing time for American women’s fashion! Following the war, women started looking to American designers rather than French couture houses for inspiration and to demand clothing they could move in, even play in. In this follow-up to Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing, Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch celebrates the classic casual styles that icons like Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, and Rosie the Riveter made famous—think wide-legged trousers, fitted capri pants, beach rompers, shorts, knit tops, jeans, and day dresses. In Part I, Hirsch introduces key techniques for sportswear construction—from working with knit fabrics to the intricacies of pant-making—and in Part II, she showcases a 30-plus-piece vintage-inspired casual wardrobe.

This is a wonderful book for any sewers who also like the classics of the '40's and '50's (granted in is US centric but still very good), the best thing about this is the fact that these clothes are designed for women with SHAPE and the first part of the book is a wonderful repository of clothes making information, with the latter part turned over the the patterns (and various "tweaks" thereof!) I cannot wait to lose just a bit more weight so that I can actually MAKE some of these!