Maternity mystery
I bet that’s got your attention. However, no, I do not have any news to announce (in fact, if I did have news of that nature, it would REALLY be a mystery, especially to me … I won’t go into any more details but refer to the post where I mentioned that at the moment my cat – and only my cat – shares my bed). So getting back to the point… a few months ago, I was foraging in an op shop (nothing unusual there) and found this sewing pattern, which is for a skirt. But not just any skirt. The back of the packet says that it’s for “ladies in waiting”, which in today’s elegant language translates as “being up the duff”. I love all retro patterns including this one which looks to be from the 50s, but I can’t for the life of me understand how it works. If it was made as a skirt to wear over something else, it would be weird, because you’d have a hole showing off your lump and highlighting what would have in those days been called your “condition”. I think it’s intended as an undergarment, from the pictures, but I can’t really see the point if a normal skirt just gets worn over the top. Can anyone enlighten me on this one?
One routinely wore smocks when in such "a condition" in the 50's I think, so the top of the skirt is hidden by the volumes of fabric of a top worn over it, but it is obviously expandable as one's "condition" advances.Ah those were the days – probably – not that old myself – just hypothesising. The white and pale blue in the lower 2 illustrations represent the "slip" worn underneath. One wouldn't go out without a petticoat, you know.
it's a bit odd really – the bit where it ties would end up above or under the bump as it grew, thus ruining the otherwise elegant lines of the skirt! Not something I'll ever have to worry about though…!
hahaha that is so funny looking! I guess elastic wasn't invented yet?I agree with m1k1's thoughts of wearing voluminous blouses over the skirt, or a housecoat
Those are amazing! I'd wear the red one, pregnant or not! (they don't look very… far gone. Still very slim 😀 I hope when I get pregnant I look like that ^^)Thanks for visiting!http://toruu-tania.blogspot.com/
My grandmother, who taught me to sew, has often told me about this sort of skirt. The hole was for your expanding belly, and the ties went above. Thus, it was a skirt that grew with you, and you would wear those giant tent tops over. She, however, generally made these skirts by cutting holes out of clothing she already owned and using the scraps to make the ties. 😉 I guess it would be more fun to make a new skirt after the baby to replace the old one!
Thanks everyone… the smock idea does explain things, but that doesn't explain why the model in the top pic is wearing a perfectly straight skirt with a slim-fitting shirt tucked in… maybe it's to illustrate that even non-pregnant women can use this pattern too? Yes, Lycra and elastic has changed our wardrobe in many ways!!
Haha- this post made me laugh!:) In a good way! It seems your question was already answered ;)If you make one, you should make a blog post about it 😛
Hi there, I noticed your link on Ric Rac's blog and thought I'd put my 2 cents worth in.I think the 'overskirt' picture in the top left is still trying to represent a preggers woman, but artists in those days weren't allowed to let their models 'show' (I think in real life the waist band of the skirt would've sat just below the boobs). I've noticed the patterns from the same era where they're wearing those tent dresses, they are literally wearing a tent because I've never seen an actual bump!Hope I've made some sense here…..
haha Magpie.. I doubt I will ever need to actually wear one of these skirts!!Good point Fer, I was trying to think of pregnant woman images from the 50s and although it's not like I made an effort to google them or anything, I couldn't imagine any. I think in those days the stork really did deliver babies!
How long before Miuccia riffs on your skirt find?
You heard it here first people… if Prada or Miu Miu is rocking this look next season, you'll know whose blog Miuccia's been following!! Aah Avi.. your imagination knows no bounds xx