"Make-Do and Mend Cape" Idea

Another tid-bit from What Every Woman Should Know comes from the reprinted "Answers to Correspondents" section in the back of the book. It's a bit like a little advice column.

Mrs. L. Salter from Birmingham writes, "I have an old evening skirt of very heavy satin in good condition. Is there any way of utilising it?"

The Daily Mail's Women's Bureau responds: "Why not make an evening cape of it, cut with two seams on the shoulders or one down the centre of the back? The neck can have a little upstanding stiff collar, a scarf, or a fur trimming."

What a fabulous idea! You could use a cape for those holiday parties coming up. Christmas fancy dress parties, and New Year's parties.

This is going to be my next project. My next trip to the second-hand store, I am going to look for a nice satin skirt to do this with. But on the other hand, I suppose it wouldn't really have to be satin, would it? I've been thinking of making an evening cape for sometime, and I'm not much at sewing, so this should be simple! I can hardly wait!

1930s Dreams--Part Two

These are some drawings of early 1930s evening wear (1930-1934) I found in the book, Fashion Since 1900: The Complete Sourcebook, by John Peacock. It's a great book, very thorough, and I love the fashion by the decades books he has, too. He gives quite extensive explanations of hemlines, popular fabrics and trims, which are helpful to someone who wants to know what to look for in modern clothing in order to imitate the look of a certain decade.

I really like both the green dresses here; I hope I can find something like this for my party!