Original circa 1939 Simplicity Pattern No. 3133 - Child's Dress and Panties

Original circa 1939 Simplicity Printed Pattern No. 3133 for a child's dress and matching panties, offered in two styles. Both open all the way down the front, with a flared skirt gathered to the bodice at the waistline and puffed sleeves bound at the lower edge. Style I buttons at front and may be trimmed with rick-rack or frilling; Style II closes with a slide fastener. Complete Nice Condition, with a worn and professionally repaired envelope.

Quick Facts

• Pattern Number: Simplicity No. 3133
• Year: Circa 1939
• Garment: Child's Dress and Panties (2 Styles)
• Size: 1 (20" Breast)
• Condition: Complete Nice Condition
• Envelope Condition: Worn and Professionally Repaired

Design

Simplicity 3133 is a nine-piece dress built from a shared silhouette across both styles: a flared skirt gathers to the bodice at the waist, and puffed sleeves are bound rather than cuffed at the lower edge. Style I opens with a full row of buttons down the front, optionally trimmed in rick-rack or frilling, with shirred patch pockets finished top and bottom and a tie belt available to cinch the waist. Style II simplifies the closure with a front slide fastener instead, worn with a ribbon belt. Matching elastic-waist panties complete either style, and both dresses open completely down the front for genuinely easy dressing.

A Moment in Fashion History

A dress that opens fully down the front, as this one does in both styles, reflects a practical late-1930s approach to children's clothing that prioritized ease of dressing over more elaborate back closures. Simplicity's own "Guaranteed Perfect" seal on the envelope speaks to the company's promise of a reliable, accurate fit - reassurance a mother would have valued when sewing for a growing child.

Connections

Sew it in yellow like the little girl in Style II, with her puff sleeves and full, flared skirt, add an umbrella, and this 1939 dress makes a darling Morton Salt Girl. Explore our ongoing exhibit of the sewing life around having a baby, Nursery Notions, and our limited-time exhibit of masquerades, pageants and make-believe, Costumes for All Ages from All Eras, before it closes.