Ladies Home Journal 3168: 1920s Uncut Misses Dress 34 B Vintage Sewing Pattern
Circa 1921 Ladies' Home Journal Pattern No. 3168 - One-Piece Dress
Circa 1921 Ladies' Home Journal Pattern No. 3168, worn by Irene Castle Treman in the July 1921 issue, for a ladies' and misses' one-piece dress, size 16, slipped on over the head with the upper body and short sleeve cut in one, plus a one-piece lower sleeve section forming full length. May be made with or without gathered side panels, and the skirt in either of two lengths. Factory Folded and Unused.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: Ladies' Home Journal No. 3168
- Year: Circa 1921, confirmed via July 1921 Ladies' Home Journal magazine
- Garment: Ladies' and Misses' One-Piece Dress
- Size: 16 (34" Bust, 25¼" Waist, 36" Hip)
- Condition: Factory Folded and Unused
- Envelope Condition: Worn, Professionally Repaired
Design
Pattern 3168 is a five-piece slip-over dress built for ease: the upper body and short-length sleeve are cut in a single piece, with a one-piece lower sleeve section extending it to full length. Gathered side panels may be added or left off, and the skirt can be finished in either of two lengths - one version turns the dress hem shorter than the panels beneath, letting the lining show through at the sides. A self belt, cut and stitched from the dress fabric, ties at the waist and fastens at the left underarm, or a leather belt may be substituted.
A Moment in Fashion History
This pattern was photographed for the July 1921 Ladies' Home Journal (page 53) on Irene Castle Treman, the celebrated ballroom dancer who, paired with her first husband Vernon Castle, had defined popular dance crazes through the 1910s. By 1921, remarried to Robert Treman, she modeled a black silk crepe version of this dress for the magazine - its long flaring sleeves embroidered in black silk, the skirt panels revealing flashes of a soft white crepe lining, finished with jet rope at the waist and emerald buttons at neck and waist. The magazine called it "decidedly out of the ordinary." Loose, slip-over dresses like this one, easy to wear and quick to get into, were very much in step with the era's newly relaxed silhouette.
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 Ladies' Home Journal pattern envelope.
Connections
View our entire Ladies' Home Journal collection for a rare glimpse of how sewing patterns were designed and marketed for the whole family.
