Vintage maternity and vintage clothes for kids

[NicolettaRose]

No, I am not pregnant, but I am just wondering, was there such a thing as maternity back in the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's, or did people just wear bigger clothing? Those of you who dress in vintage and have been pregnant, what did you do? Did you buy bigger vintage clothing, or just go with modern stuff? Also, I was just wondering if anyone dresses thier kids in vintage? If so I would LOVE to see pics!

 

[Cherry_Bombb]

There was definately maternity!! I have these patterns from the 40's:

I really love how the designers used pleats, gathers and belts instead of elastic and spandex. These styles would work all the way through your pregnancy, keeping conscious of the cloth rations- it's really ingenious!!

 

[Emmababy]

hey


those women don't look pregnant to me

 

[Lady Day]

hey


those women don't look pregnant to me

lol
They never do.

LD

 

[Cherry_Bombb]

hey


those women don't look pregnant to me

They don't look pregnant because it was taboo. Women weren't depicted as pregnant publically until Mary Kay on the "Mary Kay and Johnny" sitcom in the late forties. It was still taboo to even say "pregnant" or "pregnancy" into the mid-fifties.

 

[pigeon toe]

I just received a 1951 "glamour guide" type book in the mail today, and there's a whole chapter devoted to maternity wear and how to remain fashionable while pregnant. I can maybe take some photos of the drawings and photos if you would like (no scanner).

 

[Elaina]

When I was pregnant, the only patterns I could afford were vintage. (Read that as the only ones I got were free, and from old ladies, so they were vintage).

Big shirts in the 50's were really a big deal for pregnant ladies, ala Lucille Ball on her show. Lots of swing style shirts, pedal pushers and skirts with enough elastic to scare you (but form fitting everywhere from under the belly down.) I had one that actually started under the belly. But I looked like I was swimming in them.

My son loves Hawaiian shirts. He also likes the boxiness of the 50's style versus the modern ones. So I've got a man's sized one that I cut down for him. Other then that, he's really not into the whole vintage thing at all.

 

[pigeon toe]

I love the Lucy-style pedal pushers with the big blouse. That's gonna be my uniform when I get pregnant!

 

[ohairas]

I LOVE those vintage maternity patterns... genious is right!! I wish I would've thought of looking for them when I was pregnant!

I do try to find vintage items for my son, (he'll be 2 in April), but it's much harder finding something cute for him, vs. a girl.
Here's a pic in a little vintage balloon outfit I had found,
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ohairas/album/576460762343325161/photo/294928803642573208/40
It has little trains stiched on it.
I have many pics of him wearing "somewhat" vintage items that were his daddy's, such as his baptism outfit and booties (not a very good pic, but you get the idea), my husband was born in '68.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ohairas/album/576460762343327240/photo/294928803642633010/1

This little cowboy vest was my dad's from the 50's,
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ohairas/album/576460762343325161/photo/294928803642576324/46

He probably won't wear this till he's about 8 but I had to have it.. it is mint too, sooooo cute!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150063870874

I also have some smocked outfits, little shirts and shorts that button "onto" them. The lady that made my wedding dress made them, very cute and retro!

I'm currently looking for something cute for his 2nd birthday pics.
Nikki

 

[pigeon toe]

Nikki, you should check out the little kid section in Macy's. I know there's a brand that makes really adorable "vintage-inspired", I suppose, outfits for boys. Like little polo shirts with cars from the 30's embroidered on them with khaki overalls and little newspaper boy-type hats. Very cute stuff!

 

[ohairas]

Thanks Pigeon, I'll check it out! I haven't even been in our Macy's since they changed from Famous Barr.
Nikki

 

[Lauren]

There's a book on amazon I've wanted to see for a while. I have seen other books from this series which were originally published in Italy and they have been very good.
Maternity Fashion.
There's also a Children in Their Party Dress one from the same series.
And this is from Dover:
Children's Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs

 

[Elaina]

My son was standing here and reading the posts to me, so he could practice out loud reading, then wanted to talk about kids and vintage cothes. He said "Well, I like the clothes you wear, but sometimes people talk bad about you after you leave." (I asked what was said and nutshell was the impression I was snobbish.) "And I can't wear anything like that, because no one else does and I'd be made fun of at school."

So, this is why I never have forced my ideals onto him. They already have enough problems without the "weirdness" of strange dress, and unfotunately image is everything while they're dealing with any other person under the age of 18. But then again, I've said for a few years now, no little girl of mine is going to stand a chance. Under 5, she can't say anything, and until the fashions for little girls changes from hoochie momma tramp to nice children's clothing that's actually FOR kids, not to sexualize them, she's going to get stuck in vintage clothes, even the 50's patterns I wore as a kid (and no I'm not that old.) Over 5, she's still not going to wear anything unless there's a drastic change, but I'll at least compomise somewhat.

 

[Cherry_Bombb]

fftopic: OHMYGOSH!! I couldn't agree more! I can't stand seeing little girls walking around wearing makeup, highheels, and a shirt that says something like "Sexy" or "Stop Staring at My Chest". Meanwhile, I'm thinking to myself, "You're 8 years old!!" What does that say about their parents? It's not cute and definately not tasteful!!


When I was 10 I was totally in love with the little boy in my class whose parents were total 50's nuts!! they would dress him up in little plaid shirts and stovepipe cuffed pants. He even had a little pomp going on- but I think that was just his cowlick.... But I think that look is so cute on a little boy!!

 

[Mojito]

Still catching up on threads I missed while I was on hols...

There was certainly maternity wear available in the 1920s - advertised and available through catalogues. The loose shift style and ties at the side allowed for expanding waistlines. There were even maternity corsets available - advertisements touted the supposed benefits of 'supporting' the developing child through the mother wearing the garment!

 

[ohairas]

Boys retro clothing site

I just found this while looking for an Easter suit for my son. Very cute clothes, but pricey!
http://www.snipsnsnails.com/todboydres-3.html

Just found this site with vintage children's clothing archives, neat!
http://dept.kent.edu/museum/exhibit/kids/1930.htm

Nikki

 

[pretty faythe]

vintage maternity

Looking thriught the bay and a 30/40s maternity dress was one of the first listed.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

I have some lovely wartime utility smocks in beautful colours and patterns, my fave being a lovely red paisley!
I wore them with a normal wartime skirt, but used a 'button expander' (loop and elastic as used by women in the 40s!)

My son comes alongs to things with me, he loves it but didnt want to do 'evacuee' so he joined the scouts! I found the original uniform in a vintage shop (but had to make the shorts!)

http://www.wwiireenacting.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22799&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=384

 

[Kaela]

I've made dresses for myself that were from maternity patterns, they don't look like maternity patterns by the sketch on front, so they were resourceful, as always, by having a pattern you could use before, and during pregnancy. I just made a Sun Suit for a pregnant woman, since almost every outfit was worn at the natural waist, it's easy to adjust almost any vintage pattern to be a maternity outfit, if you're comfortable messing around with patterns some... of course the patterns that are actual maternity dresses are probably much more feasible, because most of them expand without any adjustments, just a tie at the waist.
I'm going to have a lil' half-sibling soon, and you better believe I'm going to make it some 1940's outfits! Some of those places I've seen vintage-style kid's stuff, it's so expensive! Especially because kids grow so fast! I might even include kiddie outfits in my clothing line. I've been looking for kid's stuff and never see anything that authentic. The day I have kids, I'll dress them vintage until they're old enough to tell me otherwise! ;o)

 

[GoldLeaf]

So, to advance my own interests, I am giving this a bump Anyone else have vintage maternity patterns? How about vintage knitting patterns for a baby?