Hollywood Starlet 949: 1930s Chic Uncut Plus Size Coat 42 Bust Vintage Sewing Pattern
Original circa 1935 Hollywood Pattern No. 949 - Three-Quarter Length Coat
Original circa 1935 Hollywood Pattern No. 949 for a misses' three-quarter length coat, with RKO-Radio star Irene Dunne featured in the inset photograph on the envelope. Offered in two distinct versions: a tailored coat with notched collar, shaped patch pockets, and two-piece coat sleeves, finished with a center-back vent and suitable for lining; or a softer style with a rolled collar and seven-eighths length sleeves shirred at the top. Factory Folded and Unused.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: Hollywood No. 949
- Year: Circa 1935
- Garment: Misses' Three-Quarter Length Coat
- Size: 42 Bust, 45 Hip (Extra Size)
- Pattern Condition: Factory Folded and Unused
Design
Eleven pattern pieces build this versatile three-quarter length coat, offered in two distinct treatments. The tailored version closes with a notched collar and adds shaped patch pockets and two-piece coat sleeves for a crisp, structured look, with the center back seam ending in a vent and the option to line the coat fully. The alternate version softens the design considerably with a rolled collar and seven-eighths length sleeves shirred at the top for a gentler, more draped silhouette. Recommended fabrics span flannel, tweed, velveteen, velvet, satin, cotton tweed, taffeta, novelty woolens, and novelty cottons, suiting the coat to both everyday wear and dressier occasions.
A Moment in Fashion History
By 1935, the mid-decade silhouette favored a longer, leaner coat line, and Hollywood 949's two-version approach - one tailored and structured, one soft and shirred - reflects how a single pattern could serve both a woman's practical daytime needs and her taste for a more relaxed, draped look. The envelope features Irene Dunne, an RKO Radio Pictures contract star of the era who earned her first Academy Award nomination for Cimarron in 1931 and, in this same year of 1935, appeared in both Magnificent Obsession and Roberta alongside Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - placing her at the height of her RKO years when this envelope reached home sewers.
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, 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.
