What to buy for your Spring wardrobe? In 1935 from May 18th to 23rd, London store D H Evans (once the flagship of the House of Fraser stores but now closed) was holding Silk Week. A wee booklet promoting it showed the newest patterns and suggested styles for making the cloth up.
The names of the fabrics are lovely – Tennis Tussore, Antung, Daisy Cloque. And, seen here – Crepe Daphne and Crepe Elise.
They certainly knew how to do a patterned fabric then. Stylised daffodils and chrysanthemums dance across heavy silk rayon, which was a ubiquitous fabric in the mid-1930s wardrobe.
These fabrics would have been made up into a Weldon’s or Butterick pattern. Small puff-sleeved blouses or below-the-knee dresses, cut on the bias. They would slide over the body with a flourish of colour and spring verve.
And of course the outfit would be topped-off with a hat, a picture straw or a small toque with spotted net. You’d grab your leather clutch bag and you’d be ready to go.
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