Tuppence Ha'penny

There are two articles of especial interest in this issue of Everywoman from 1949. The first offers couture dressmaking tips from five prominent designers for a polished look in your home dressmaking endeavours. The second is a wonderfully strident critique of the movie industry and its assumption t

It's time for another Cahiers Bleus fashion trend report! Autumn/Winter 1960-61 was all about texture. The variety of tweeds, velvets, tartans, taffetas and lace in this Cahiers Bleus trend report and sourcebook is astonishing - there's even some quilted loungewear outfits - and accompanying fabric

A magazine from the First World War era, featuring delightful articles including "From chorus girl to star", "Should my fiancé give me presents?" and tips for staying "Cool and Fresh" in the summer heat. There's also a fascinating page of career guidance as a "handy girl", and a wonderful piece on t

We continue wedding season with a bridal book from circa mid-1920s, a Weldon's pattern catalogue including a variety of quite lovely gowns for the wedding party. The headline trend in bridal fashion was to take inspiration from the past: Living in the perpetual rush and turmoil of the twentieth cent

My favourite feature in this issue of Everywoman from 1947 is an article on how to be beautifully dressed! Different ways of wearing flowers is another fun feature, illustrated in colour. There are also some lovely fashion features (including one which employs my fave collage-style illustrations tha

While popular memory often celebrates the land girls and factory workers of World War II - figures who have come to symbolise women’s contribution to modern warfare through posters, films, and national commemorations - the role of women on the home front during World War I is far less widely recogni

Wedding season continues with this issue of Woman magazine from June 1949, which includes features for the bride and newlywed including bridal beauty, wedding planning, bargains for your first home, and recipes for "Fancy dishes for a bride's first party".

This fashion sketchbook provides the following trend analysis report for summer 1954: The look for summer is one of youthfulness. Open necklines, low waisted styles, short straight or pleated skirts, full ballerina skirts, details and ornaments full of fancy, cheerful colours all contribute to the c

This issue of Home Notes from 1915 declares itself a "special palmistry number", which provides a tantalising glimpse into fashionable entertainments of the era. Early 20th century society was fascinated with occultism, fortune-telling, and practices such as palmistry, phrenology, and graphology. Th

Another from my treasure trove of Cahiers Bleus publications, this summer 1959 edition features designs from such celebrated names as Dior, Nina Ricci, Jean Patou, Pierre Cardin, Madame Gres, Balmain, and more! Each design is accompanied by a swatch of the actual fabric, so you can experience the te

30-page "Bride Book" pattern catalogue and magazine dating from 1954. Packed with fashion and features for the bride-to-be including wedding planning advice, wedding etiquette, bridal beauty, the trousseau, fashionable bouquets, even recipes for home-catering the wedding breakfast!

Jay's of Regent Street started out as the London General Mourning Store, established in 1841. Mourning was a booming business during the Victorian era, with elaborate social rules and rituals surrounding the process of grief, and the store quickly grew to take up a substantial part of London's Regen

This pocket-sized magazine from 1945 features "Beauty and Fashion for the Bride" - along with much, much more including: - Spring wardrobe tips - Wedding Etiquette - Crochet and felt accessories - Clothes sense - creating your "personal uniform" - Interior design: wallpaper

I'm incredibly excited to share a rare find - I was lucky enough to score a small collection of fashion trade publication Cahiers Bleus recently. Cahiers Bleus, along with its sister publication L'Officiel de la Couleur, served as trend forecasting publications for the fashion industry in the mid-tw

Coincidentally, there's a skirt in the "Fashion looks forward to spring" feature on page 17 that looks remarkably like the Librarian skirt I've just published! Other features include the latest hair styles, recipes, Kitchen News, home dyeing, knitting patterns, and more!

I love how the designs in this Vogue pattern book is organised by fabric type - from plaids and tweed to stiff silks and nylons to crepes and satins. A treasure trove of late 40s fashion!

Illustrated fiction and last-minute gift ideas feature in this issue of Woman's Illustrated from 1945

60+ -page "Home Chat" magazine dating from December 1925 - Winter Wedding number packed with features including: - Wedding fashions - Beauty hints - Nellie Melba - Modern kitchen appliances - Manufacturing Christmas crackers - The Tragic Trousseau (how to put together a trousseau with practicality)

Fascinating women's magazine from the First World War era! 38 pages of social history and women's interest features including: - Hair styling - The Making of a Soldier - Our War-Year Christmas - Dressmaking hints and tips - How to Make Your Own Toys - Fashion: Some Really Smart Shirts - What the Car

Some fun DIY projects in this issue - accessories made of unrationed silk cord, and three draft-at-home hat patterns - two in felt, and one in straw - look out for the full size patterns, coming soon as a bonus pattern for patrons at Aficionado tier!

Full 50-page "Everywoman" magazine dating from November 1945, packed with social history and women's interest features reflecting the immediate postwar period: - Patriotic themed advertising and government PSAs - Feature article: What's it like to marry an American? - Feature article: When He Comes

I can't get enough of 1930s/40s cusp fashions, and this issue of Woman's sphere has a full illustrated fashion feature, including a double-page colour spread! There's also social interest ("are you a successful wife?"), war-time cookery ("potatoes are news!") and knitting patterns, as well as all th

Full 76-page "Home Chat" magazine dating from October 1938, packed with social history and women's interest features including: - Feature article: "How Fashions are Born" by Norman Hartnell - Man - the modern silkworm (article on rayon) - Recipes: Halloween party food - Eyeroll-worthy features on ho

There's so much to love in this issue! 1948 was a fascinating time for fashion, Dior's New Look having recently revolutionised the scene. This edition of Everywoman magazine shares runway looks, beauty hints, and styling tips for a little black dress. There's also a fabulous interiors feature on how

Halloween is coming - and if you haven't got your costume planned, there's a whole host of creative ideas in this fancy dress book from c1938. I always love the costumes representing abstract concepts like "electric light", "cocktail" and "shampoo" (what?) Trigger Warning Note: Please be advised tha

46 pages packed with postwar women's interest features including: - Knitting patterns - Superstitions - Beauty: Is Your Figure in Proportion? - Fashion: Suited for September; A New Way with Pearls; Hats are More Simple - and all the usual ration-book recipes, illustrated fiction, readers' letters, a

Our next magazine for September is a copy of of Woman magazine from 1963 - 52 pages of early 60s fashion, beauty tips and lifestyle!

Aaaand we're back! Pattern news to follow, but in the meantime we're kicking off September with a fashion-packed 34-page sewing pattern catalogue from the mid-1940s. My personal favourites include the bolero and capelet suits on page 6, and the make-do-and-mend feature on pages 20-21!

I seem to have a gap in my magazine library for May, so our first magazine this month is the April 1941 edition of Woman's Sphere, packed with women's interest features including: - Illustrated short stories - How the war has changed society - Beauty & fitness - Defences against germs ("this article

It's 1948. The New Look debuted on Paris runways just last year and is starting to gain traction in mainstream fashion - but you, the everyday woman on the street, are reticent to take the plunge into such a radical shift in the fashionable silhouette. Your trusted Leach-Way pattern catalogue helps

There's so much to love in this Butterick pattern catalogue from 1940 - it's got all the shirring, draping, and gathering late 30s / early 40s fashion dreams are made of, plus sportswear, skiwear, and children/teen fashions.

20 pages of fashion illustrations of sewing patterns for leisurewear, sports togs for everything from golfing to skating, and clothes for the country. A fantastic design resource of the styles of the late thirties!

If you like 1950s style you'll love the fashion features in this issue of Woman and Beauty from February 1957! Several pages are in full colour too. Other highlights include a feature on "brilliant young man" Givenchy, and a beauty article on selecting make-up for your colouring.

It's a bridal themed issue of Woman magazine from 1956, with everything from wedding hair flowers to dresses to a Bride's Cookery Course! It's a bridal themed issue of Woman magazine from 1956, with everything from wedding hair flowers to dresses to a Bride's Cookery Course!

Some fun features in this December 1945 issue of Woman magazine, including party hair styling suggestions with flowers, and advice on not over-accessorising.

Features include: Party hair styling ideas DIY gift guide for all the family (note: includes some problematic dolls) "Non-austerity" Christmas lunch recipes

Features in this issue include: - Christmas gifts to make - Knitting pattern for a holly design novelty sweater! - Christmas gift wrapping guide (as shown on the cover) - On Living, on Loving, and on being Loved - Beauty: the back (no mention of back fat!) - Fashion: Christmas party wear - Royal Wed

Heading into the festive season, maybe you'll find some outfit inspiration from the flowing designs in this early 1930s Leach's Eveningwear Sewing Pattern Catalogue. The book is undated, but from the loosely-defined waistlines and drop-waist ruffles and detailing, along with the Art Deco influenced

I think the sweet, painterly illustrations are one of the best things about this 1945 issue of Woman magazine! I especially like the novelty flower necklace worn by the gal on the cover - it looks like the sort of kitschy plastic jewellery I've been feeling very inspired by lately.

I can't believe it's November already! Our first read this month is the November 1943 issue of "Everywoman", packed with social history and women's interest features including: - Fascinating feature article on the WVS Clothing Exchanges - Beauty: how to improve your bust - Make Do and Mend features

Includes DIY instructions for a crocheted silk cord necklace and matching evening clutch bag (second pic), plus the usual selection of recipes, illustrated fiction, knitting patterns and recipes.

WW2-era autumn suit fashions, knitting patterns, humour, illustrated fiction, recipes and more!

Highlights in this issue include late 1930s fashions, an interesting article on taking in lodgers, and advice on what to do "if your dog is not quite as bright as you would like him to be"

This September 1951 issue of Home Notes features draft-at-home patterns for a pillbox hat, camisole evening blouse, and bolero. I've scaled and digitised the patterns (size 32-34in bust as in the magazine) as a bonus download.

We're winding it all the way back to the 1920s for our second magazine this month, featuring flapper fashions galore! Plus dating tips, beauty hints, cookery pages, and all the usual fabulous period adverts!

Our first magazine for the month is a copy of Everywoman magazine from September 1947. I love the multiple beaded necklaces on the cover model - they would be a great look with a telephone cord purse, I feel! Interesting articles in this issue include styling your hair for hats, and a longform piece

Highlights in this issue include articles titled "wedding superstitions" and "are you an optimist"!

The "Emphasis on Waist Drapery and Hip-lines" (page 13) of pre-New-Look fashion always gets me! I'm also getting ideas for future patterns from the beach wear designs on pages 20-21.

I can't believe it's August already - where has the summer gone?! We're going back to the 1940s for our first magazine this month, with the August 1943 edition of Everywoman. Highlights in this issue include make do and mend ideas, beauty, laundry tips, how to pack a picnic, and a feature article on

Late 50s summer fashions abound in this bumper 120-page issue of Woman and Beauty from May 1958! There are some fun novelty prints - I particularly like the "stage door" border print skirt on page 15 and the keys print on page 47. Travel-related advice also features, from what shoes to pack for diff