Monday, January 25, 2010

Retro Butterick Patterns!

I just noticed something else great about the new redesign of the McCall Pattern Group websites (Butterick, McCall's, Vogue)

They now have pictures of real garments worn on models to represent all of their current Retro Butterick collection patterns (They've also done this for their Vintage Vogue patterns). Now you can have an idea of how the real garment will fit as opposed to the aspirational drawings of the original time period. This is good and bad. Bad because one of my favorites doesn't look as good in the real life photo. If it doesn't look good with their styling, what can you expect at home?
From the good to the bad:

B5144

This one looks positively modern, doesn't it?

B5152

As you can see, this one could make an actual evening gown if done in the right fabrics.

B5136

Loving this one, though I know that Christina had a hard time with this one and since we have the same measurements I don't think I'll try it either. But check Pattern Review, maybe someone else succeeded, because it is a great design, especially the over-blouse piece.

B5214

This is alright but it just doesn't have the snap that the original does. Perhaps it's the fabric or the fact that the skirt has been shortened.

B5032

It's not that bad if you want to breathe. What is happening to her chest, it's all smashed down, not comfortable and not attractive. Something to keep in mind when you make your own.

B5281

Does not look like the same dress at all. What happened to the pleated drape on the right shoulder that sweeps over to the left? Well, it completely disappeared.

8 comments:

Nancy said...

I love the first jacket! That's a keeper!

And yeah, what's with changing the draping on that last dress and calling it a re-issue? Not the same dress at all!

Gretchen the Household Deity said...

It's nice to see these actually made up! Thanks for pointing it out.

jen said...

those vintage fashion illustrations seem to make anything llok cute. i have old patterns for dresses that i probably wouldn't like made up but the drawings make the clothes adorable.

for me i think the 2 biggest differences between the illustration and the made up clothing (particularly on the modern body) are 1. hair/makeup and 2. the tiny waist. my waist is relatively small but i still don't look like the illustration in my vintage clothes.

Kyle said...

for several of the pix, if i had looked at them only and not the drawings, i would have thought "80's pattern". !

Anonymous said...

I hate to say it, but now I don't *love* any of those now (well, except for the long-sleeved brown dress). They look so great in the retro-styled pattern pictures, but then made up.... meh.

julia said...

I am loving all of these patterns. Thanks for showing them. I actually have a piece of fabric that I think would be beautiful made into that first one. I never sew for myself, but I've been saving that piece just in case I find the time. I'm glad they are showing them on real people. Now, if they would show them on real people with "real" bodies!

k said...

The problem with that green suit is that the fabric looks like a sofa. All those horizontal lines make her look like a couch cushion. I think it would be cute done in just about ANYTHING ELSE!!!
It is interesting. I would have thought I would love the way that coat looked, by the pattern; made up, not so much. Everything really looked fairly modern.

A DC said...

I like the black one with the white toppy thing...very cool.