Hollywood Starlet 1796: 1930s Uncut Misses Dress Sz 34 B Vintage Sewing Pattern
Original circa 1939 Hollywood Pattern No. 1796 - One-Piece Frock
Original circa 1939 Hollywood Pattern No. 1796, part of Hollywood's "Pattern of Youth" line, for a misses' one-piece princess frock, with Paramount ingenue Mary Carlisle featured in the inset photograph on the envelope. Offered in three views with a high or open neck and two collar styles, this design can be trimmed with a series of bows down the bodice front, finished with a cascade jabot and lace-edged collar and cuffs, or kept simply tailored with a mandarin collar. Front seam pockets and short sleeves complete the design. Factory Folded and Unused.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: Hollywood No. 1796
- Year: Circa 1939 (Pre-WWII)
- Garment: One-Piece Princess Frock
- Size: 16 (34" Bust, 37" Hip)
- Pattern Condition: Factory Folded and Unused
Design
Thirteen pattern pieces build this princess-seamed frock, cut to skim the body through the bodice before releasing into a soft, gently flared skirt. The high or open neckline takes two collar treatments, and pockets set neatly into the front seams keep the silhouette clean. View 1 dresses up the bodice front with a trio of soft bows; View 2 adds a cascade jabot with a lace-edged collar and cuffs for a more romantic finish; View 3 closes with a simple mandarin collar for a tailored everyday look. Short sleeves are consistent across all three.
A Moment in Fashion History
By the late 1930s, the princess silhouette - fitted through the bodice via long vertical seams rather than a waist seam - had become a favorite for its flattering, unbroken line, and Hollywood 1796 offers three ways to dress that same base shape from simply tailored to romantically trimmed. The envelope features Mary Carlisle, a Paramount ingenue known throughout the 1930s for a string of musical comedies opposite Bing Crosby, including College Humor, Double or Nothing, and Doctor Rhythm. Carlisle's run of Paramount films through the decade lines up closely with this pattern's circa-1939 dating, capturing her at the height of her career as a Hollywood "girl next door."
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, including the Pre-WWII years leading into it. Also part of 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.
