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1930s-1940's rompers

ohairas

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I believe many of them were called playsuits as well and would have a matching skirt that would go over them.. usually buttoned all the way up and you could button as little or as many as you liked. You can find patterns on ebay, etc.

I just picked up a vintage one, it's pink gingham.. so cute! Sleeveless romper with ruffled front and matching skirt and belt.

While on the subject.. is romper usually a term for garments with longer shorts? This playsuit has SHORT shorts.

Nikki
 

jitterbugdoll

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More examples can be found in this thread:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=9222&page=2&highlight=playsuits

I believe many of them were called playsuits as well and would have a matching skirt that would go over them.. usually buttoned all the way up and you could button as little or as many as you liked. You can find patterns on ebay, etc.

Not all of them had matching skirts; the optional skirt made a playsuit more appropriate for streetwear.
 

ohairas

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Skirt or no, it's still a one piece short-all outfit, correct? Or shorts with suspenders?

Nikki
 

Miss Neecerie

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Well you have to remember, this is a community of people who know stuff.

It is not the definitive place to find things out, being that if someone has not answered a query with the info you want to know, there is a chance that the members don't happen to have the info you particularly want.


Try Google, your local library, and historical fashion websites for more info.
 

jitterbugdoll

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Miss Neecerie said:
Well you have to remember, this is a community of people who know stuff.

It is not the definitive place to find things out, being that if someone has not answered a query with the info you want to know, there is a chance that the members don't happen to have the info you particularly want.


Try Google, your local library, and historical fashion websites for more info.

Exactly. Any the differences between 1930s and 1940s playsuits are not so great as to warrant a separate thread for each. Playwear is just that--an article of clothing that would be worn for sporty events, sunning oneself, and other such casual occasions. The best way to learn about the differences in clothing is to research them, and this requires studying books, magazines, patterns, and so forth; there is no simple answer.
 

jitterbugdoll

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NicolettaRose said:
Any specific books/magazines you would suggest? I have looked around a lot and have found nothing... :(

This information is not hard to find. Perform a basic search on Amazon, and you will find plenty of fashion books that may help in your search. There is no one right answer, and no one book or magazine that covers it all. A big part of collecting and researching vintage clothing means that you will have to read little scraps of information here and there to form a bigger picture, and fully answer your question.
 

ohairas

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See if you can find copies of Sears Catalogues, or other cats from the years you're looking for.

Nikki
 
G

GoldLeaf

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I love the Sears Catalog books on Amazon that compile images of everyday fashion. Its what a woman like me would have really been wearing. I got the generic 40's book until I knew if I liked the early, mid, or late 40's best. I still have to get the books that focus on just a few years, they have alot more images of each category of clothing.

Also, with the weather warming, I have seen more playsuit patterns on Ebay. When I see a pattern or article of clothing I like, I save the image for future reference. Building up my own little library of images. Slowly but surely I am teaching myself :)

Four I found quickly
1909-1920
Everyday 1930's fashions
Everyday 1940's fashions
1930's illustrations
 

Miss Neecerie

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GoldLeaf said:
I love the Sears Catalog books on Amazon that compile images of everyday fashion. Its what a woman like me would have really been wearing. I got the generic 40's book until I knew if I liked the early, mid, or late 40's best. I still have to get the books that focus on just a few years, they have alot more images of each category of clothing.

Also, with the weather warming, I have seen more playsuit patterns on Ebay. When I see a pattern or article of clothing I like, I save the image for future reference. Building up my own little library of images. Slowly but surely I am teaching myself :)

Four I found quickly
1909-1920
Everyday 1930's fashions
Everyday 1940's fashions
1930's illustrations




Indeed, these books are a great peek into how styles changed over a decade as well.

They are published by Dover, who also publish tons of even older fashion stuff and design books as well. Dover rocks!
 

Daisy Buchanan

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NicolettaRose said:
Any specific books/magazines you would suggest? I have looked around a lot and have found nothing... :(

I'm surprised that your searches revealed nothing in this category. I just did a quick yahoo search on "1930's 1940's fashion" and "1930's 1940's fashion books" and revealed quite a lot of information in the form of both informative websites and books that are still in print.

As Jitterbug said, " A big part of collecting and researching vintage clothing means that you will have to read little scraps of information here and there to form a bigger picture, and fully answer your question."

Although we here are a group of people passionate about vintage, a lot of our answers are based on personal knowledge but also opinion. The best way to get an exact answer is to research it. You will find bits and pieces all over the place, and have to form your own opinion based on those bits and pieces. Also, there really isn't a huge difference between the styles of the 30's and 40's when it comes to some things. Playsuits are one of those things. Picking an era to where one from is a personal choice and nobody can tell you which would be a better style for you.
 

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