Sewing a 1938s Style “Many Ways” Dress

The 1930s are quickly shaping up to be my favourite era for fashion. Their styles are so adaptable to modern day wear. Elegant, sophisticated and all so practical, how could I go past this “Many ways” dress with its clever collar changes.I took my inspiration from the dress on the far left – shoulder shirring, waistline pleats and elegant puffed sleeves. Here’s the video if you want to watch me make it…drafting notes below.

Oh No!!! I’ve lost my pattern pieces that I drafted! NO!!!!!!

Here are the pattern pieces that I’ve found so far…back facing and skirt pieces are somewhere else! Hopefully I’ll find them in time to make another dress, or I’ll just have to make a new version 🙂 (Just realised the skirt was a repeat of my other 30s dress…a basic 4 gore skirt made by spreading the dart fullness – check out the book instructions below)

I used my basic sloper based on the vogue fitting shell. I moved the darts around without adding too much extra fullness. The shoulder darts were changed to shirring and the waist darts to a number to tucks. Plain fabric would have shown off those details much better.

For the sleeve, I slashed an spread, gathering at the armhole, but bringing the fullness around bicep into another tuck…I really like how this sleeve sits.