McCall's 1560: 1950s Rare Uncut Girls Angel Costume MED Vintage Sewing Pattern
Original 1950 McCall's Pattern No. 1560 - Girls' Angel and Fairy Queen Costume
Original 1950 McCall's Pattern No. 1560 for a girls' angel and fairy queen costume. One long, softly gathered dress serves both characters: View A adds gold wings, a halo, and scattered stars for an angel, while View B adds a sheer tarlatan cape, an open overskirt, a crown, and stars for a fairy queen. Factory Folded and Unused.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: McCall's No. 1560
- Year: 1950
- Garment: Girls' Angel and Fairy Queen Costume
- Size: Medium 6-8 (24-26" Breast, 22-23" Waist)
- Condition: Factory Folded
Design
McCall's 1560 builds two costumes on a single foundation. The ankle-length dress is gathered into a bound neckline, with long sleeves that flare at the wrist, and is tied at the waist with metallic cord that falls in long streamers. For the angel in View A, wings are cut from gold metallic paper over crinoline and shaped with hat wire, then strapped on at the back, with a wired gold halo and paper stars applied to the skirt. For the fairy queen in View B, a sheer tarlatan cape and an open overskirt on a waistband float over the dress, finished with a crinoline-backed gold crown and more stars. The 14-piece pattern includes every accessory piece, from the wing facing to the crown.
A Moment in Fashion History
At mid-century, the Christmas pageant and the school play were fixtures of American childhood, and mothers were expected to make the costumes at home. Patterns like this one answered that need with ingenuity, turning everyday materials such as metallic paper, crinoline, and millinery wire into wings and crowns that could be made in an evening. This 1950 envelope also catches McCall at a moment of change: the front already carries the new "McCall's" name, while the back still reads "McCall Printed Pattern," just ahead of the company's full switch to the new branding.
Illustration
The cover illustration has been digitally restored and enhanced by Judy Yates to highlight the original fashion artwork while preserving the character and artistry of this historic McCall's pattern envelope.
Connections
This pattern is part of our limited-time exhibit, Costumes for All Ages from All Eras — masquerades, pageants and make-believe from the 1910s through the 1970s. Come take a look before it closes.
