Well, I went looking, but I was typing "Gunny Sacks" or.. some variation there-of... Finally, after some more sleuthing I realized she meant the dresses by Jessica McClintock, The Gunne Sax dress, or "prairie dress" that some of the hippie movement made popular. Examples:
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| Buy here |
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| For Sale Here |
OMG... aren't those the most drool worth dresses ever? They are beautiful and well made, and I definitely can see why people would want one after seeing it in person. However, it looks like if you are over a modern size 6, you're probably SOL on getting one that fits unless you want to look matronly. But it did explain these patterns:
Those pattern covers look pretty hideous, right? No where near what the originals look like, and if you can't do the translating in your head you go "ICK!!". Then it dawned on me that my blue gingham dress is much in the same vain as these dresses. The wrong material and execution and you go from Romantic to Boner Kill (yes, I went there). Oui. I get compliments every time I wear my gingham maxi, so I'm going to assume I managed Romantic.
After seeing the orginal vs. the patterns, do you think you might be willing to try a hand at making a dress from these obvious knock-off patterns?
HAHAHAHAHAA... you, your blue gingham dress is definitely on the romantic side and not (pffft) 'boner kill'. I love that you went there.
ReplyDeleteAnd am now hankering for one of these dresses myself!
I'm glad you share my crude sense of humor! I thin there will be more prairie inspired maxi dresses in my future, too.
DeleteI see I did not comment on your gingham dress, soo... Well done!!!
ReplyDeleteI've always had a soft spot for 70s Romantic, so I may well go there one day. Except with East German patterns rather than these... I have a knit paisley blouse with lace and ties that looks very much like a modern knock-off, too.
Oh, thanks! And I would love to see a post about East German patterns and their differences/similarities. That's my kind of geek.
DeleteGunne Sax were bizarrely popular at my school. As were all the prairie looks. Like most designs, though, they do have to be made in the right fabrics. There was so much innovation happening in fabrics at that point that a lot of things got made that probably shouldn't have simply because the fabric was so new that nobody quite knew what the different ones could and couldn't do.
ReplyDeleteTim Gunn touched on the fabric of the 70's issue. Basically he was like "pure polyester is just hideous". Agreed.
DeleteI love the Gunne Sax dresses, but you're right, you kind of need to be tiny to get one. I've been pattern stalking etsy for vintage patterns like the one you show because they could be SO adorable! I think I would be willing to try to make a knock off. :-) I love your blue gingham.
ReplyDeleteThe largest I've seen in that pattern so far is size 12. I need at least a 16 or 18 to make it work. I will probably just paw through my extensive collection though.
DeleteThis looks brilliant on you!!
ReplyDeleteOh, oh! My 8th grade banquet dress was one of these homages! Oh, how lovely I felt- unknowingly in my boner kill frock ! heehee
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