| History Of Simplicity Patterns
Simplicity Pattern Company, Inc is the baby of the bunch regarding pattern manufacturers. Started in 1927 by Joseph Shapiro and his son, his goal was to produce an easy to follow and economical 15 cent pattern. Of the four major patterns companies in the world today, Simplicity believes it is the worlds largest. It is the most prolific. Logo items change periodically.
Notes about Dating Patterns: Numbers are important, but they are NOT the most important thing when it comes to dating patterns. You must look at things like the Style of the Dress, the Length of the garment , the Hair and attitude of the models and the various logos and prices listed on the envelope. Each company recycled their numbers. Different companies started over with different series every time. I hope I have made your research just a bit easier with this chart.
Simplicity patterns are often dated. Sometime the date is on the Instruction Sheet, sometimes it is on the envelope and sometimes it is not there at all. The dates here could be supposition so take nothing as fact but as merely a guideline.
The pattern number is only an indicator of the date on vintage sewing patterns. You can’t use the number alone because the companies would start over again when they got to a certain level. You must consider the general silhouette of the clothing along with other factors such as hair, price, sizing and envelope style and logo placement you can get pretty close to the issue or copyright date. Please be aware that even if a pattern is dated, it could have been in production for years and could even be a re-release of a previous number.
Style eras often crossed decade lines. For instance it is very difficult to tell a 1938 pattern from a 1941 pattern. The basic style and design elements were the same. The same thing applies for 1959-1961 and again in the 60s and 70's. There is more difference between 1964 and 1967 that there is between 1969 and 1971.
Besides the general look and art work of vintage patterns, the sizing can be a very good indicator. In the beginning of Home Patterns, the bust measurement is often the only measurement given. By the 1940s patterns gave bust and hip measurements but often the waist was not given (due to the fact that the sewist could change that element).
Until 1956 a Size 12 was for a 30 inch bust. In 1956 sizing changed and a Size 12 was for a 32 inch bust. In mid 1967 the standard changed once again and a Size 12 became a 34 inch bust and remains so today. So if you are trying to date something near the year of size change, the size can be a great clue.
All Numbers listed have been found either on a dated pattern, or in a magazine or other publication of the period.
These pages are constantly changing as new information and new publications are found. So check back often to see the current changes.
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