I recently purchased a large number of vintage patterns from an estate sale. The woman, who had lived to be 102, had been an avid seamstress her entire life. The patterns I purchased spanned four decades ranging from the 1930's mail order to the 1960's. The patterns I am showing are from the 1950's.
While going through the patterns to check them to make sure all the pieces were accounted for as well as the directions, I started to notice an unsettling trend in the depiction of young teens. They didn't look like teens at all - more all a mature women in their 20's.
Let me give you a few more size 11 measurements: waist 24 1/2", hip 32", width across back - 4" below neckline 12 3/4".
Advertisers and merchandisers have long been giving unrealistic depictions of girls and women in their products! Why in 1950 would advertisers/pattern companies want young girls to look like women? I could reverse this question for today and ask why media and advertisers want mature women to look like young girls! In 1950, did girls want to look like their Mother?
