Own Name 121: 1930s Uncut Misses Evening Gown Sz 38 B Vintage Sewing Pattern
Original 1933 Own Name Pattern No. 121 - Ladies', Misses' and Juniors' Dress
Original 1933 Own Name Pattern No. 121, an Own Name pattern produced by the New York Pattern Company, for a ladies', misses' and juniors' evening gown that closes under the left arm. The waist has a round neck front and back with short set-in puff sleeves, and the circular six-piece skirt features a V-shaped inset at the top center-front, attached to the waist under a removable belt. Factory Folded and Unused, with its original glassine outer envelope included, a little worn.
Quick Facts
- Pattern Number: Own Name No. 121 (New York Pattern Company)
- Year: 1933
- Garment: Ladies', Misses' and Juniors' Dress (Evening Gown)
- Size: 20 Years (38" Bust)
- Condition: Factory Folded and Unused
- Glassine Envelope: Included, stamped Barron Bros. of Texas - a little worn
Design
The envelope's own illustration shows this as a floor-length evening gown, its round neckline gathered under a soft bow at the shoulder and echoed by a second bow at the hip - a matched pair of trims that frame the figure top and bottom. Short puff sleeves keep the shoulder light above the gown's long, bias-cut skirt. That skirt is where the real construction interest lies: a V-shaped inset is set into the top center-front, letting the six-piece circular skirt fan out into soft godet-like fullness at the hem while staying smooth through the hip, all held at the waist with a slim tie-string rather than a fixed belt. Eight pieces total.
A Moment in Fashion History
Long, bias-cut evening gowns were the defining eveningwear silhouette of the early 1930s, prized for how the fabric itself, cut on the diagonal, could skim and flare without heavy structure underneath. A center-front V-inset like this one was a favored way to build extra flare into the hem exactly where it mattered, without adding bulk at the waist or hip. Like its neighbors in this Own Name run, this pattern was produced by the New York Pattern Company but sold under an independent Texas retailer's own house label - Barron Bros., whose original glassine outer envelope survives with this copy.
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 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.
