Hollywood Starlet 1042: 1940s Uncut Misses Dress 30B Vintage Sewing Pattern
Original Circa 1943 Hollywood Pattern No. 1042 – Coat Dress or Housecoat
Original circa 1943 Hollywood Pattern No. 1042 for a misses' coat dress or housecoat, featuring RKO-Radio star Jane Wyatt on the envelope front. The collar continues to the back of the neck, with a buttoned closing running the full length from neck to hem, two patch pockets, and short sleeves made with or without cuffs. Clever length variations let the same pattern serve as a smart day dress or a full-length housecoat. Factory Folded and Unused.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: Hollywood No. 1042
- Year: Circa 1943
- Garment: Misses' Coat Dress or Housecoat
- Size: 12 (30" Bust, 33" Hip)
- Pattern Condition: Factory Folded and Unused
- Envelope and Original Instructions in Good Condition
Design
Hollywood Pattern 1042 buttons the full length from neck to hem below a collar that continues around to the back of the neck, with two patch pockets and short sleeves, made plain or finished with cuffs. What makes this pattern especially clever is its dual length options: made short, as shown in the striped and polka dot views, it reads as a smart everyday shirtwaist dress; made long, as in the floral version, it becomes a full-length housecoat. One pattern, two genuinely different garments, depending only on how much fabric is cut.
A Moment in Fashion History
This envelope features Jane Wyatt, credited as "of RKO-Radio." Circa 1943 lines up with her work at RKO in films like The Kansan that same year, ahead of the more prestigious dramatic roles that would come later in her career. This pattern's day-dress-or-housecoat versatility was a genuinely popular wartime approach — with fabric rationing in effect, a single pattern that could serve double duty was both economical and practical, letting one design stretch across very different parts of a woman's day.
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.
