Where Art Thou?

[Elizabeth.F]

Hello ladies! I'm looking for a bit of advice...

I really love all of the costumes in the movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" and I thought it would be fun to make a few movie-inspired outfits. You know - very simple mid-1930s cotton dresses in faded fabrics, low-heeled shoes, and plain cloches. The trouble is, I'm having a really terrible time finding a sewing pattern for some dresses and I was wondering if any of you ladies had come across some patterns that evoke the look? All of the sewing patterns I see look too formal.

I'm really sorry that I couldn't include any screenshots, but I couldn't find any on the web.

 

[SayCici]

I haven't seen the movie but I would check Eva Dress, Vintage Pattern Lending Library, Past Patterns and maybe the Vintage Fashion Library for reproduction copies of vintage patterns. Two examples from EvaDress:

 

[Amy Jeanne]

^^^^^

What she said! Ebay and Esty, too. I almost exclusively make and wear what you described and I have no problems finding patterns at all.

 

[LizzieMaine]

You've pretty much described my every day wardrobe -- there are lots of good choices for vintage patterns, and if you look long enough you ought to find some. Simplicity 2914 is a good example -- it's the one I'm wearing in this glamourous work photo --

Cotton calico fabric in thirties-style prints are easy to find at Joanns --- quilters use it -- and if your local Walmart has a sewing department, you might check there as well. If you want that authentic thirties faded look, hang them out on the clothesline in strong sun and nature will take its course.

There are some good suggestions for footwear in the Walking Shoe thread. And you should pick a few pairs of cotton stockings on eBay for the finishing touch.

 

[Inky]

Ditto what everyone has said - and I really enjoy that film, especially for the costuming and overall look of the piece.

Lizzie - you should posts pictures of yourself more often!!

 

[Lauren]

O Brother Where Art Thou has to be one of the best costumed movies for this time period out there. I guess the reason I like it so much is because it really is accurate for what people in their position would have worn then.
First thing I would suggest is looking back a few years in fashion from the date you're looking to recreate. If you're doing mid 30s, go to 32, early go to 29. Make do and mend- it is the depression and it was hard work back then, as you know. Mail Order patterns would be a great bet, too, as a lot of midwestern women would have had to mail away for their sewing patterns.
Look at photos from Dorothea Lange for inspiration.
Like others have mentioned, cotton prints are best. Many companies make reprints of feedsack prints now- what a lot of these dresses would have been made from. Companies actually printed the bags that feed came in so that ingenious homemakers could outfit their families.
Repro depot for ideas. There's cheaper fabrics at Joann that evoke this type of feel but it's a good place to start to look for what types of prints are period. If you can find some nice cotton voile or lawn with a print it would be nice for floatier summer frocks but still less fancy than most.
If you want to take the color down a knotch there's a few things I've done in the past to make things look "weatherbeaten". I've left yardage outside in the sun for about a week (as lizziemaine suggested)- wet it down every once in a while helps for some reason. You can put in a bit of bleach in the washer- but test it out on a scrap first and see how it takes. Apparently RIT dye also has something that will take out color but I haven't tried it yet. And then if you really want to go for "distressed" you can put it in a tea dye after you've made your garment up. And if you REALLY want to get into it you can lightly sand the fabric where it would have been worn down.
Here's a few patterns I think would work well for this.
https://vpll.3dcartstores.com/1930-Wrap-Around-Dress_p_38.html
https://vpll.3dcartstores.com/1930-Dress-With-Wrap-Around-Collar_p_135.html
https://vpll.3dcartstores.com/1930-Dress-With-Surplice-Front--42-Inch-Bust_p_147.html
http://www.evadress.com/6929.html
http://pastpatterns.com/2397.html
http://pastpatterns.com/3293.html
http://pastpatterns.com/121.html
http://pastpatterns.com/2858.html
http://pastpatterns.com/9122.html
http://pastpatterns.com/2303.html
Have fun and post pictures when you make up your frock! I'd love to see what you come up with!

 

[jetgirl]

What a great thread.
fftopic: Is there a pattern review thread? I thought it might come in handy for all the reproduction patterns out there.

 

[Elizabeth.F]

Thanks everyone for their really great advice! You are all so super! :eusa_clap

 

[SayCici]

What a great thread.
fftopic: Is there a pattern review thread? I thought it might come in handy for all the reproduction patterns out there.

I'm going to start doing it on my blog soon, but we should definitely have a thread for it if we don't already!