Original Mid 1950s Marian Martin Pattern No. 9312 - Half-Size Dress

Original mid-1950s Marian Martin Pattern No. 9312, a mail-order pattern for a women's half-size dress with a square neckline, short puffed sleeves tied with ribbon bows, a fitted bodice, and a full flared skirt, finished with a wide sash tied in a bow at the waist. Complete in Nice Condition, with two pattern pieces repaired.

Quick Facts

• Pattern Number: Marian Martin No. 9312
• Year: While we have no confirmed date, the style and pattern point to the mid-1950s.
• Garment: Misses' and Women's Half-Size Dress
• Size: Half Size 22½ (42" Bust)
• Condition: Complete, Nice Condition (Two Pattern Pieces Repaired), Mail-Order Pattern (No Envelope, as Issued)

Design

Marian Martin 9312 pairs a crisp square neckline with short puffed sleeves, gathered on narrow elastic and finished with optional ribbon drawstrings tied in bows. The fitted front and back bodice leads to a full, flared two-piece skirt measuring about 2 5/8 yards at the hem in size 16½, with 2 inches more for each larger size, and a generous 3-inch hem. A wide sash defines the waist and ties in a soft bow, shown at the front on the main figure and at the back in the smaller sketch, with the sash facing and drawstrings offered in a contrasting fabric. The dress closes with a 9-inch slide fastener, and the pattern has just 7 parts. It was made only in misses' and women's half sizes, 14½ through 24½.

A Moment in Fashion History

By the mid-1950s, the fitted bodice, defined waist, and full skirt of the postwar New Look had settled into everyday American dressing. Marian Martin brought those lines to women through the newspaper, where readers ordered patterns by mail, and this design was offered only in half sizes, cut for a shorter, fuller figure rather than the standard misses' proportions. Puffed sleeves, a square neckline, and a big sash bow keep it young and cheerful, a summer dress made for a sociable afternoon.

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 Marian Martin instruction sheet.

Connections

This pattern is part of our ongoing exhibit, The Ladies of the New Look - a growing collection celebrating Dior's 1947 silhouette, remade for the home seamstress. Come take a look.