Advance 700The Advance company didn't date their patterns (bad company, bad company!) but from looking at the location of the logo and the font style, this was issued somewhere between 1947 and 1959. Doesn't look it though, does it?
Since this really puzzled me I did some research. First thing I found was that since the Advance company's first pattern was #1000, the fact that this number is so small (#700) implies that it was part of a special series or a promotion. After a look on the Vintage Pattern Wiki, I found that the next pattern #701 was a clown costume for adults, #707 was the same one for children and (dealbreaker!) #709 was a Peter Pan costume, so I am quite sure that this one was meant as a costume. Well, I sure hope so!
Because this pattern is so far from 1940-50s style as you can get. The ruffled banded collar, leg-of-mutton sleeves, faux weskit with basque waist, ruffled overskirt and simulated bustle detailing the back could be fine as individual elements, but together? The only thing that seems to be missing is a true back bustle. It looks a lot like an Edwardian restyling to me, but I'm not sure. Anybody?
Available both at Woodland Farms Antiques and Carynification's Etsy shop....if you dare.
* Pattern dating information from Cemetarian's site.
It is scary. To me it looks like the top half (bodice) is Edwardian but the bottom half (skirt) looks like a very bad attempt at a bad victorian bustle skirt.
ReplyDeleteWhy anyone would want this is beyond me.
I agree with Rita it is a horrible historical mish-mash...BUT, it is also SO like the period movie costumes of the time: sort of correct, but also sort of not. That is what makes it great, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if this were a modern pattern, I'd probably be extremely annoyed with what a mess it is. :)
yes, scary. i've seen other "historical" patterns like this from the 40s.
ReplyDeleteI NEED that Peter Pan pattern!
ReplyDeleteGabriella took the words out my mouth. This is exactly the kind of costume you would see in period films from the 40's & 50's. *shudders* I honestly cannot watch the 1940 version of Pride & Prejudice---not only because of how much the story was changed, but the costumes are so terrible! I've seen bits & pieces but I can't sit through the whole thing.