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A 1930s ‘dazzling’ wrap halter

I’m writing posts in the wrong order, because I’ve already blogged my tutorial for a 1930s handkerchief halter, and really, the handkerchief halter came second, and this top was conceived, cut, and finished first – and helped inspire the later handkerchief halter.

The idea was to make 1930s beach pyjamas, with non-matching trousers (which done, and are my new favourite garment) and a halter top:

Beach pyjamas on the Cote D’Azure, colourized postcard, 1930s

For fabric I had this amazing cotton muslin I bought at Global-That-Was (when it actually was Global Fabrics) thinking I would make something for Art Deco Weekend 2013. It didn’t happen then, or for 2014, so it was well overdue by this year:

Isn’t it fabulous? I particularly love the eye-bending ‘dazzle’ design (read my article in Issue 7 of Glory Days for more info on Dazzle))

For the pattern I used Wearing History’s Chic Ahoy halter as a base, altering it to remove the collar, and to add long wrap ties to fasten around the waist:

I have two regrets about the top. There is a seam running down the centre front, and when laying out the fabric for the top I purposely decided NOT to match the pattern across the seam, because I thought it would look weird if I did, and I had this idea that not matching the pattern would play up the broken ‘dazzle’ effect of the fabric.

In retrospect, I was wrong. Unmatched it just looks sloppy. Sigh.

The other regret? That one was a staying-up-too-late-sewing mistake. Because I’d gotten rid of the collar, I’d altered the halter top neck bit to sit snug around the back of my neck. Then, at the last minute, I taped the altered pieces at the top of the neck on the wrong way round when cutting, so the bits around the back of the neck curve slightly away from the body.

Ack!

If I didn’t have scoliosis and sloping shoulders, I don’t think it would be a problem, but sometimes the neck gapes away from my body when I stand with the wrong posture.

I’m trying to figure out a way to fix it. This may simply involve unpicking the entire blouse, and re-cutting one front half to match the pattern if I have enough fabric, and doing some dazzling piecing around the top neck…

OK, those are my regrets. With them aside, I’m pretty thrilled with the top. It’s fun to wear!

For Art Deco Weekend I tied it with a rope cord, but somehow that’s gone missing, so I’ve tied the back with a ribbon for now.

And for those of you who are wondering about the practical mechanics of a practically backless halter top….

Yes, I am wearing a bra. Going bra-less would be period for a beach halter in the 1930s (there is lots photographic evidence of this), but I prefer a little more layerage (as opposed to coverage or support).

So I made a 1930s style dipped back bra by cutting apart a bra with reasonable ’30s cup shapes, and adding a new halter strap and very low, angled back straps, inspired by images of backless Kestos bras.

Here I am explaining to Kirsten how it works.

As you do.

The Challenge: #3 Stashbusting

Fabric: 1.2m of red, white & blue ‘Dazzle’ cotton muslin gauze, $15pm.

Stashed for: 2 years. Bought for Art Deco ’13, finally used for Art Deco ’15. (and the pattern was in stash for a year before I used it!)

Pattern: Adapted from on Wearing History’s Chic Ahoy halter pattern

Year: ca. 1933

Notions: thread

How historically accurate is it?: Period fabrics and techniques, but I haven’t found a period halter that quite matches the look of this one. It would probably pass the not-weird-in-period test. So, 60%?

Hours to complete: 2.5, even including the toile. So satisfying!

First worn: Sat 21 Feb, at Napier’s Art Deco Weekend

Total cost: $22

The HSF/M ’15: Favourite Foundations

Published by The Dreamstress

Ergh. It’s only three months into the Historical Sew Monthly 2015, and already I’m two months behind in favourite’s posts!

On the bright side, that’s partly because there are so many people participating, and so many fabulous entries, that going through them and whittling it down to just a few takes forever!

Because there were so many amazing things for Challenge #1: Foundations, I’ve picked five favourites, instead of the three I did for each challenge last year! (I hope this keeps up all year long!)

So, without further ado, five things that I thought were beautifully made, well thought out and researched, interesting takes on the challenge theme, and best represented the goals of the HSM: to push our boundaries as creators and as historians.

Wicked Stepmother’s 3rd quarter of the 19th c corded corset. Not only is her corset awesome, but it’s based on a period original from the museum she works with, and she took the pattern from the original, made it available to other seamstresses and led a sew-along to make it just in time for the challenge (meaning there were more than one of these in the challenge – so cool!) – a HSF hero in ever sense!
Rachelle’s handspun yarn (to be used for 18th c stockings). The materials we make things from really are the foundations of anything we make, so turning raw material into more processed material, so it can become a garment, is the perfect illustration of foundations!
Pauline’s 1860s cage crinoline. As she acknowledges, it isn’t period perfect, but I really empathise with the struggle to be a historical costumer from the ends of the earth. In some ways though, our attempts to get as close as possible to the fashionable look, with the constraints of budget and limited supplies available, exactly mirror what seamstresses in far-flung places experienced in-period. Also, her crinoline is actually pretty darn good I think!
Cate’s 1870s corded bustle. I have always wondered how well those ruffled, un-boned bustles work at providing the bustle silhouette, and Cate has answered the question. It looks gorgeous on its own, or under a skirt.
Anneliese’s mid-19th c undergarments. Anneliese showed us all up by making a more-than-complete set of mid-19th c undergarments, with a chemise, drawers, two bum-rolls, and FOUR petticoats. All beautifully made! What an inspiration!

As always, there were dozens more I could have featured, because there was so many fantastic submissions. I’m so excited about all the participants and the phenomenal things they are making! Go check out the rest of the entries for this challenge through the comments on the Challenge Page, and through the FB challenge album (which you have to be a member to see – watch out for a message from a moderator with some questions if you ask to join).

And see you in a couple of weeks for the round-up of my favourites from the Blue challenge!

Tutorial: How to make a 1930s style handkerchief halter top

Published by The Dreamstress

There was a fad in the 1930s for turning scarves of all sorts, but particularly souvenir scarves, into simple resort-wear halter tops

Beach pyjamas on the Cote D’Azure, colourized postcard, 1930s

Inspired by this fashion, I made myself a quick and easy scarf halter to wear at Napier’s Art Deco Weekend.

Photographs of 1930s scarf tops show a whole range of scarf shirt styles, but I made mine with a gathered top and a fair amount of back overlap, for maximum skin coverage, and so it can be worn over a bra.

It was super easy, and very satisfying. Here’s how to make one for yourself.

You will need:

– A scarf where the length of a side is at least as long as your waist measurement (or, in a pinch, a square of hemmed fabric with this measurement, with edges finished).

– Thread

– A meter of ribbon or cord for your neck tie.

Start with your scarf:

Fold it in half diagonally, right sides together:

Draw a line across the corner, 20cm/8″ down each edge from the corner.

Pin:

And sew:

Turn right side out and press, and sew another line 2.5cm down from the edge, to form a channel.

Using a safety pin, thread your ribbon or cord through the channel:

And you’re done! Gather up the top edge, tie the cord around your neck, the bias edge around your back, and you’re good to go:

And here’s the finished product:

You can either tie it in back:

Or fasten it with a brooch, if you’d like to be able to wear it over a bra:

I pinned the brooch through my bra strap as well, for extra security:

There are lots of other variants shown in old photos, and described in period magazine tutorials, so you can get creative and customise the look to your own taste and needs.

If you have lots of patience you can sew rings to the top:

McCall’s Magazine, c. 1934

If your scarf has distinct borders, a halter that really showed them off, like the one on the lady in white trousers in the second Cote D’Azure postcard, is a good option – especially if you have a smaller scarf.

Beach pyjamas on the Cote D’Azure, colourized postcard, 1930s via Adeline’s Attic

Jill at Adeline’s Attic made a cute version of this look.

With a large scarf you can achieve this double-tied version:

Woman in a silk scarf halter, 1930s, Deauville, via Ritournelle

Happy sewing!