1940s Vintage Hollywood Sewing Pattern 1480 Rare Uncut WWII Misses Beret & Purse
Original Circa 1944 Hollywood Pattern No. 1480 – Beret and Handbag Set, Factory Sealed
Original circa 1944 Hollywood Pattern No. 1480 for an oversized beret and two handbag styles, offered as a one-size accessory set. This envelope is especially notable: it remains factory sealed, meaning the tissue inside has never been opened or examined. The large beret is designed to be worn on or off the face with an adjustable headband, paired with a choice of a drawstring handbag or a shoulder-strap shopping bag featuring a roomy patch pocket with two compartments.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: Hollywood No. 1480
- Year: Circa 1944
- Garment: Beret and Handbag Set (Accessories)
- Size: One Size
- Pattern Condition: Factory Folded and Unused
- Envelope Condition: Factory Sealed — Contents Unexamined
Design
Hollywood Pattern 1480 offers a large beret with an adjustable headband, made to be worn on or off the face depending on the mood of the day. It pairs with two very different bag options: a softly gathered handbag with a drawstring closing, or a practical shoulder-strap shopping bag with a large patch pocket divided into two compartments — one clearly meant for stamps, the other for change, a small but telling detail of how women organized their day-to-day essentials.
A Moment in Fashion History
This envelope carries the "Hollywood Four Star Patterns" branding at 25¢, a step up from the company's standard 15¢ line — a fun detail for collectors, showing this budget pattern house occasionally packaged an accessory set as something a little more special. The shopping bag's built-in stamp and change compartments are a charming, practical nod to wartime life, when ration stamps were as essential to carry as cash. Because this envelope has never been opened, it offers a rare, untouched glimpse at exactly how Hollywood Pattern Company packaged this design for the home sewer.
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 Hollywood pattern envelope.
Connections
This pattern is part of our ongoing exhibit, Women of WWII — a growing collection celebrating the resourcefulness and everyday style of wartime home sewing. It's also part of our exhibit, Hollywood Glamour — celebrating the golden-age film stars who shaped Hollywood Patterns' vision of glamour through the Depression and WWII years. Come take a look at either.
