Original circa 1936 New York Pattern No. 739 - Ladies' and Misses' Dress

Original circa 1936 New York Pattern No. 739 for a ladies' and misses' dress in Size 16, with a high neck that can be cut to a U-neck, a draped bias scarf, long sleeves that can be cut off for short sleeves, and a four-piece skirt. Factory Folded and Unused.

Quick Facts

• Pattern Number: New York Pattern No. 739
• Year: Circa 1936
• Garment: Ladies' and Misses' Dress
• Size: 16 (34" Bust, 37" Hip)
• Pattern Condition: Factory Folded
• Envelope Condition: Worn Envelope, Professionally Repaired

Design

New York Pattern 739 is a ladies' and misses' dress with a waist that has a high neck, perforated so it can be cut to a U-neck at the front, and a seam at the center front of the waist. An attached one-piece scarf, cut on the bias, drapes at the neckline. The long sleeves are perforated so they can be cut off for short sleeves, and the waist is joined to an attached four-piece skirt. The cover shows two versions: at left, a short-sleeved dress in a bold floral print, with the scarf falling in long folds down the front and a contrasting belt, and at right, a long-sleeved dress in a solid color, with puffed shoulders, the scarf looped and knotted at a high neck, and a dark belt. Small sketches on the back of the envelope show a short button closing at the back of the neck. The pattern has six pieces (waist front, waist back, long sleeve, whole scarf, and skirt front and back), and a 1-inch hem is allowed. The skirt's width at the lower edge, for Size 36 bust, is 3 yards. The envelope's chart runs from bust 32 to 44 inches. For Size 16 (34-inch bust, 37-inch hip), the back length from neck to lower edge is 50 inches. Without nap, the short-sleeved dress calls for 4¾ yards of 39-inch fabric, and the dress with three-quarter sleeves calls for 5 yards of 39-inch. For the long-sleeved dress, the chart prints two rows, both labeled 54-inch, of 5⅛ yards and 2¾ yards, so check both against your fabric width. Suggested materials are satin, metallic crepe, silk and printed crepes, sheer prints, wool crepe, velvet, jersey, and taffeta. The instruction chart is printed inside the envelope.

A Moment in Fashion History

By the mid-1930s, soft, feminine details such as draped scarf collars and puffed shoulders gave a simple dress a flattering, fashionable finish, and the bias-cut scarf here could be knotted, looped, or left to fall in folds. The cover shows the same dress twice, in a bold floral print with short sleeves and in a solid color with long sleeves. The front of the envelope carries no company name, but the back carries a large stencil-style "New York Pattern" wordmark and the company's printed imprint, with the assurances that every pattern was manufactured in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Standards and guaranteed true to measure. We date it circa 1936.

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 New York Pattern envelope.

Connections

This pattern is part of our ongoing exhibit, In Name Only - a growing collection of New York Patterns and Own Name Patterns from the 1930s. Come take a look.