Directoire Revival Fashions 1888-1889

Directoire Revival Fashions 1888-1889: 57 Patterns with Fashion Plates and Suggestions for Adaptation contains an in-depth selection of high-quality women's clothing patterns from the end of the bustle era. This book contains practical patterns for undergarments and morning wear; wrappers and tea gowns; skirts and overskirts; ensembles consisting of a bodice, a skirt, and an overskirt or draperies; ensembles consisting of a polonaise and a skirt; house, street, and evening dresses; sports outfits; and outer jackets, coats, and wraps. The patterns are drawn from rare original issues of The Voice of Fashion magazine. They were used by both amateur and professional dressmakers to make up the mainstream styles of the day, and are very similar to patterns published by Butterick. These patterns are enlarged with apportioning scales, printed versions of which are provided in this book, along with step-by-step instructions. Apportioning scales are special rulers that enable you to draft custom sizes, from queen size to doll size, without doing arithmetic.

Many patterns in this book are accompanied by supplementary illustrations with detailed descriptions, drawn from Butterick's Delineator magazine. Each supplement shows optional style variations that can be produced by using flat pattern alteration techniques, or merely by substituting a garment section from a different pattern in this book or draping an overskirt pattern differently. The descriptions include information on construction and fabrics. Edited selections from fashion columns in The Delineator and Harper's Bazar, and from a circa 1890 dressmaking manual, add information on construction and on style trends. Also drawn from The Delineator are instructions and illustrations for 34 trimmings and 85 accessories. The book's glossary explains period fabric names and dressmaking terms.