Suit with Optional Skirt The black silk suit has a matching skirt that could be worn over the bloomers.

Tru-Life Dress Models Girls (and boys, if their sisters allowed!) were to make these dresses using the enclosed patterns and paper.

Stella Blayly's Gathering Sample Schoolgirls made elaborate workbooks with sewing samples. This example demonstrates tiny, tight stitches used at a cuff or waistband.

“No More Whist” The temptation to play instead of sew was strong. Here the Jenny Wrens agree that it was bad form to play cards at meetings -- then proceed to do just that.

Students at the Manhattan Trade School for Girls The Manhattan Trade School for Girls offered year long training programs for young women headed for jobs in the garment industry.

Woman in Striped Dress The bold stripes of this dress do not line up at the waist. It is details such as this that comprise what magazines called “that dreaded home made look.”

Preparing to Ride Elizabeth Rosencrantz wore a simple skirt, white blouse with a tie, and a boater hat to ride her bicycle in turn-of-the- century New Jersey.

Interview with Margorie Durand

Interview with Patricia Gordon and Marian Goodman

Tru-Life Paper Dolls Box and “Fabric” Bradley's Tru-Life Paper Dolls came with paper “fabric” in different patterns.

Clothing Children Clothing children was an ongoing struggle for poor women. The identical designs of these outfits, one design for boys and one for girls, suggests that they were made at home.

Four Ways Patterns were designed to be made up in a variety of ways. Consumers would choose from the suggested designs but could also use successful elements from one pattern with another.

Choices, Choices! This pattern for a Ladies' Bathing Costume from 1894 contained eleven tissue pieces. The consumer would choose sleeve, neckline, and pant styles and whether or not to use the skirt. The pattern envelope included instructions. (For the sake of reading clarity the original sepia image has been rendered as black and white.)

Home Demonstration Exhibit for Alabama State Federation of Women ' s Clubs, 1923 At this exhibit, sewing patterns hang on the wall; the object directly to the woman's right is probably a home made dress form for fitting garments.

Interview with Winifred Byrd