Original circa 1912 McCall Pattern No. 4814 - Girls' Dress

Original circa 1912 McCall Pattern No. 4814 for a girls' dress with a dropped waistband, a four-gored pleated skirt, and a choice of square or rolling collar. The front buttons from neckline to hem, with a curved applied front panel, a belt, and a tie. Factory Folded and Unused.

Quick Facts

• Pattern Number: McCall No. 4814
• Year: Circa 1912 (date-stamped July 18, 1912 on the envelope back)
• Garment: Girls' Dress with Two Styles of Collar and Four-Gored Pleated Skirt
• Size: 10 Years (28" Breast)
• Condition: Factory Folded

Design

McCall 4814 joins a softly gathered body to a four-gored pleated skirt at a dropped waistband, the long, easy line that defined girls' dresses of the early 1910s. A curved applied front panel sweeps from the shoulder to the waist, and the right front laps over the left and fastens with buttons all the way down. The dress may be made with a broad square collar that falls deep across the back, or with a rolling collar, and the sleeves can be finished long with a sleeveband, cut shorter, or turned back into a cuff. A belt and a tie complete the look. This is an unprinted pattern in ten pieces, with seams, pleats, and sewing lines marked by perforations rather than printing.

A Moment in Fashion History

In the years just before the First World War, girls' clothing moved away from fussy Edwardian frills toward simpler dresses with dropped waists and pleated skirts, practical enough for school and play. McCall sold this pattern for 15 cents under its "10 and 15 cents, none higher" promise, in an envelope carrying James McCall's signature and the company's founding date of 1870. Like other McCall patterns of its day, it is unprinted, predating the company's move to printed patterns, and its envelope back notes a McCall patent dated April 21, 1908.

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 pattern envelope.

Connections

This 1912 little girl's dress has the same drop-waist, pleated-skirt construction as the dress Samantha Parkington wore when she first arrived in her American Girl box. With the right fabric and a velvet hat, no one will ask, "So who are you supposed to be?" 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.