Recently in-store, I have had a slowly-increasing number of customers come in and ask for advice on vintage Dressmaking – co-incidentally, this is one of my favourite themes when it comes to my own sewing projects. The most popular choice with our customers seems to be 1950s dresses, which just so happens to be my area of expertise! We sell quite a large number of vintage reproduction Butterick and Vogue Dressmaking patterns, which I am always sure to point customers towards, but quite a few of them are stumped when it comes to the right Fabric choice for an authentic 1950s look. In today’s blog, I’ll be talking about a few of the Dressmaking Fabrics that I recommend to these customers, and hopefully it might inspire you to take on your very own vintage style Dressmaking project. [caption id="attachment_6855" align="alignleft" width="150"]Spotty Dressmaking Fabrics at Calico Laine Polka dot fabric have been around for many years.[/caption] Polka Dots – Always my first choice of Fabrics when it comes to making 1950s-style dresses, polka dots are a staple of 1950s fashion and look fantastic with a co-ordinated plain colour or buttons. Our 22mm polka dot 100% cotton sateen Fabrics are definitely a great choice for a garment such as a swing dress (also known as a circle dress) or circle skirt, but polka dots of any size in our Dressmaking Fabrics will help to achieve an authentic retro look. Taffeta – If you’ve got a formal event coming up but still want to have a vintage style with your outfit, take a look at our Taffeta Fabrics. This is a great choice for gowns meant for prom, bridesmaids and even brides if you’re going for a totally vintage theme on your big day, and it looks wonderful when made into a swing dress paired with a full petticoat to give it some ‘poof’. Gingham – Another popular choice for 1950s dresses, I like to use our Gingham Fabric for tea dresses and day dresses. We have all kinds of colours available and several different sizes of Gingham, including 1/8”, ¼” and even 1”. Floral Prints – If you are after something floral, then our Cotton Spandex Prints contain many different Fabrics that have suitable patterns. Big prints were popular in Dressmaking Fabrics back then, usually with a white or black background colour, and look amazing as a swing dress with a co-ordinating bolero and waist belt. [caption id="attachment_6857" align="alignright" width="150"]Cotton Spandex Dressmaking Fabrics at Calico Laine Cotton Spandex is perfect for dressmaking with.[/caption] Cotton Spandex Plain – If plains are your thing, then this Fabric is perfect for you. Available in a number of bold shades, pastel colours and dark tones, our Cotton Spandex Plain Fabrics look fantastic as a wiggle dress or pencil skirt. They also look great when paired with a contrasting trim or piping. As you can see there really is a wide choice of beautiful different dressmaking fabrics that are perfect for creating that vintage look. I hope you have enjoyed my entry today and would encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas with us. Have you ever made any of your own vintage-style clothing? Do you have any tips of your own for achieving a retro look? Please do share your photos and comments on our Facebook page – we love to see what our customers come up with!