How to Look Well in Clothes

How to Look Well in Clothes
From the advice of New York designer Edwina Patterson







"If you have beautiful hair, play it up by going hatless, and specialize in dashing hair ribbons."   [Page 15].

Veronica Lake Minus the Peek-A-Boo Hair

[Source:  Quick Steps to Beauty and Charm.  Dorothy Cocks.  White's Book Company.  Westfield, Massachusetts.  1948.]
















Edwina Patterson (2 April 1915 - 27 June 2007)
Born in Seattle, Washington, was a New York clothing designer and seamstress.  She had shows shown in American, Pageant, and Life magazines.  For a while she was a fitter at Lord & Taylor in New York.  At the time of this advice (1948), she had a staff of 14 and her famous clients included:

Merle Oberon

Maggi McNellis

Arleen Whelan

How to Look Well in Clothes - For Thin Women

How to Look Well in Clothes - For Thin Women
From the advice of New York designer Edwina Patterson

Full-cut skirts

Dirndls

Peplums, tiers and ruffles

Dolman sleeve (3/4 length)

Soft Necklines

[Source:  Quick Steps to Beauty and Charm.  Dorothy Cocks.  White's Book Company.  Westfield, Massachusetts.  1948.]

How to Look Well in Clothes - For Stout Women

How to Look Well in Clothes - For Stout Women
From the advice of New York designer Edwina Patterson






No belts on coats

Dominant colors should be:

Navy

Black

Or

Neutral Shades

Flat fur coats ( like broadtail -  'the wavy, moirélike fur or pelt of a young or stillborn Karakul lamb'.[Source: Dictionary.com] )

Broadtail fur from the 1940s

No doll or pillbox hats.

*Bummer, because I love pillbox hats.  I didn't realize they were so popular in the 1940s.  When I think pillbox hat, I think Jackie O

Jackie O. Impersonators 1961

Wear off-side berets

Susan Peters 1943

Wear medium-size off to the side hats

Zasu Pitts, Paula Laurence & Celeste Holm

No peplums or tiered rulles, dirndl skirts, wide belts, and unpressed pleats

*Basically anything that adds volume








[Source:   Quick Steps to Beauty and Charm.  Dorothy Cocks.  White's Book Company.  Westfield, Massachusetts.  1948.]