How much did it cost to sew a dress in the 1950’s? || #vintage #sewing

[Dumpsterfire]

My mom talks about making her own clothes to save money in the 70s and 80s and wish that was true for me now lol.

[lindac]

In 1960's my mom went to Salvation Army and Good Will, purchased those big 1950 skirts and dresses. They meticulously taken apart with a seamwripper, then washed, dried on a line, ironed .. folded and manipulated for a more modern.dress for me. Buttons and zippers were always saved.. she never bought buttons!
My fave was a butter yellow dress with matching bolero jacket (age 8 .. very Jackie O!)

[nyotauhura]

to buy during the same era would cost $10-20 dollars so sewing your own would save some money and be a bit more fashionable and tailored, people did not own a lot of clothing back then so having a few nice pieces that cost more was better than fast modern fashion

[nikki_gbsd]

Goodness! I'm watching this as Joann exits the retail landscape. I never sew to save money. I sew for a unique item with a custom fit. Thanks for the memories ❤

[ruthannjones]

You forgot the cost of a sewing machine. Even then, there were probably not a lot of fully hand sewn garments. My mother was married in the late 70s and used her mother's sewing machine to sew her white velvet tea length dress with a sweetheart neckline.

[thespaceshuttlechallenger]

For reference, the corresponding (Spring 1959) issue of the Sears magazine lists a suspiciously similar dress for $18.50. And when I say "suspiciously similar" what I mean both Simplicity and Sears copying the same popular style and trying to make it as affordable as possible. The same style at a department store could easily have run around $30 or even $40.

I will point out that this is a pretty expensive dress for the time. Most other dresses in that same Sears catalogue fall into the $8-15 range, with some pretty cute budget house dresses as low as $6, but the fabric they're made of is $1-2/yard, so it's a little more questionable as to how much money you'd be saving by sewing it yourself.

So sewing then was a lot like today: When it comes to everyday garments, home sewists struggle to compete with the efficiency of wholesale manufacturers, but for higher-end garments, sewing for yourself can help you to avoid steep luxury markups.

[elizabethclaiborne]

In the Eighties I sewed constantly and had marvelous clothes. And NO money. We were in a severe regional depression in the Gulf South and I had this crummy job. Been wondering how I could afford all that fabric? It must have been way cheaper.

[LGSW-mhvz]

Here's a tip for the ladies who ACTUALLY LITERALLY CAN NOT AFFORD fabric 🙃 bedsheets at the thrift store are between $2-$10 generally. Happy thrifting!

[dcinrb]

My Mom would always head to the remnants corner when entering a fabric store. Once I started Home Economics (7th - 8th grade) that's where I would go first on our class field trips to Cloth World.
Good news. At the time I only needed less than 2 yds (35 in width) for any sewing projects.
I aced my final project. A full length, long sleeved gown in organdy with a crepe underlining. Including the pattern $22.00. This was an expensive move but my parents both approved....❤

[WthrLdy]

I just drafted a dress for my sister, so there was no cost there, and I saved on pattern money. 10 buttons, 4 pkgs at 2.50 a pack, and 5 yards of on sale nice cotton fabric- $40, and bias/thread $12, $8 for interfacing, which I purchase by the bolt, and the materials alone cost me - $70. Had I needed to purchase a similar pattern, it would have been $83 total. Then there is my time. I can make this dress very fast and it still takes me 18 hours (fully finished and all french seamed). While I'm sewing I'm not working on other seamstress work, about $400 worth in that time frame. GONE are the days of saving money by purchasing clothing. Now we do it for thing that actually FIT us, work with our style and coverage needs, and to have classic clothing that LASTS for those we love.

[catie]

I remember going fabric shopping all the time in the eighties (i was tiny, but very long memory lol) and there was fabric for sale *everywhere*. We had several sort of five and dime stores that sold discounted fabric, and a store that sold mill end cuts. If you shopped sales, especially considering how utterly inexpensive patterns were, it was cheaper than buying new clothes a lot of times.

I think ALL the time now, as a sewist myself, about how many more fabric stores there used to be. I grew up rurally, too, so it wasn't even like a huge urban area.

It used to be so affordable and ubiquitous. 😭

[SamIAm]

The way you loop your shorts dialogue is clever.

[marisameans]

60s thru 80s it was still cheaper to sew your own ....i quit sewing for a years at that point...now its so expensive, i have move to upcycling thrifted items.

[twinnish]

That dress you’re wearing is so pretty and the color is just beautiful on you

[CraftHarlot]

I think that one of the main reasons for sewing clothing back then was because RTW wasn't in the budget for many households. They HAD to make it if they wanted fashionable clothing. Today, we sew because we love to sew, it's a hobby more than a necessity.

[rneliv]

That dress looks really nice on you! Honestly that’s more expensive than I thought

[rmc]

I TOTES love what you're wearing in this Short!

[jasmindiaz]

I like the idea that back in the day you could look at magazine like these and find certain items or ideas and it would show seller/manufacturers. I still pick up a magazine or two when they catch my crafting eye at the store.

[thalinororcbreaker]

And here's me scrounging like a gremlin at the bargain fabric cuts shelf at Walmart for the 3 yards for $8 deal.

[smallfootprint]

I got married in 1958, and was sewing for everyone. I remember saving money by sewing, but sounds expensive to
Me too. I loved those magazines, and even would get the in store pattern books when the new ones came in. I loved sewing. Still do, but I don't do as much. Great video. I subscribed. Lynn