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Companion YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/vsie3MrkkY0
Amelia Mary Earhart, born 1897, disappeared 1937.
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Most well known for her aviation legacy. An aviation pioneer. The first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a solo pilot. The first woman to fly across the United States nonstop. Known as a champion for women's rights. Author. Promotor of commercial air travel and co-founder of Northwest Airlines. Instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots.
What may not be so commonly known is that Amelia Earhart launched a clothing line in 1934.
Likely inspired by a visit from well-known designer Elsa Schiaparelli where the two women discussed the idea of clothes for active women. Earhart began her clothing line with a sewing machine, a mannequin, and a single seamstress. Amelia Earhart Fashions were sold at R. H. Macy & Co. in New York and 30 department stores nationwide.
The clothing was primarily separates using unconventional materials such as parachute silk. Buttons shaped like propellers showed her love of aviation.
And mindful of the financial impact of tge Great Depression, her sewing patterns were available in Woman's Home Companion Magazine. August 1934 contained a pattern for a two-piece dress.
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My 1930s wardrobe project absolutely needed an Amelia Earhart-inspired ensemble not only because of her influence in that period, but for a very personal reason which I will share with you later.
The Blouse
Lady Marlowe Patterns on Etsy offers # 6808, a reproduction 1930s Blouse. "Shirtwaist blouse with two styles of sleeves. Shaped collar, buttoned front closing. Very full sleeves shirred at top and gathered to wrist bands or regulation shirt sleeves with buttoned cuffs. Blouse may be tucked in or made shorter and gathered to belt."
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LadyMarlowePatterns?ref=reviews_header_shopname&listing_id=456309172#items
I've chosen the variation with a longer length allowing the blouse to be tucked in, and the very full and shirred bishop sleeve. The five pattern pieces for my version will be Front, Back, Sleeve, Collar, and Sleeve Band.
The full sleeves with shirring will lend themselves to my Amelia Earhart-inspired fabric - a French military surplus white parachute silk found on Etsy.
The fabric is very light and sheer and washes beautifully..
Sewing this fabric is a dream. The darts are sewn in the Fronts.
The Fronts are sewn to the back at the shoulders using a French seam because of the sheer fabric.
French seams are also used to sew the side seams.
A narrow hem is machine stitched on the lower edge.
The self facings are created at the front edges.
The collar is sewn and attached to the inside of the blouse neck.
The outside edge of the collar is folded at the seam allowance and slipstitched to the outside of the blouse neck.
Following Amelia Earhart's design I search for buttons inspired by airplane propellers. I find metal buttons in two different sizes with a design that reminds me of spinning propellers.
I machine buttonholes on the blouse right front and attach the buttons.
Time to sew those fabulous sleeves! The sleeve seam is sewn leaving 2" open at the lower edge. A French seam is used because of the sheer fabric.
The lower edge opening is finished with a 1/2" continuous fold of fabric sewn to cover the raw edge.
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The Sleeve Band is folded right sides together, the ends stitched, and the Sleeve Band turned.
Gathering stitches are sewn in the lower sleeve and the Sleeve Band positioned and sewn to the lower sleeve in the same manner as the collar was sewn.
Four rows of shirring are sewn at the top of the Sleeve.
The Sleeve is pinned into the armhole as marked, the shirring adjusted, and the Sleeve stitched to the blouse.
The seam allowance is finished with a pinked edge and a small zigzag stitch.
The shirring is such a nice detail and technique to control the fullness of the sleeve.
The blouse is finished!
The silk parachute blouse tucked into the 1930s culottes shared in a separate dress diary blog and video.
The Jodhpurs
Vintage photographs of female aviators show jodhpurs as a common uniform. They are both comfortable and functional. Amelia Earhart favored them for her flights.
What could be a more fitting pairing with my Amelia Earhart silk parachute blouse than a pair of jodphurs. I've chosen Butterick Making History B6433 with a jacket and choice of the shorter breeches View B or the longer jodhpurs View C.
I've enjoyed the Making History line of Butterick patterns for their attention to detail in both the design and the instructions. This pattern has 26 pattern pieces and 7 pages of instructions, 5 in English, 2 in French.
For my View C jodhpurs I will use pattern pieces 15 through 26. #16 Front, #19 Back, #20 Lower Back.
And all the detail pieces: #15 Inside Pocket, #17 Pocket, #18 Pocket Lining, #21 Patch (will I will not be using here), #22 Carriers (belt loops), #23 Front Waistband, #24 Front Extension, #25 Back Facing, and #26 Front Facing.
Section 1 - Front and Pockets
Sewing the jodhpurs is a very detailed construction divided into five Sections. I won't share in-progress photos of each of the steps in the construction but will give you a general idea of what is included in each Section.
The Fronts are sewn together and a small inside pocket is added to each Front section which will be just below the waistband on the finished jodhpurs.
The larger pockets which will be at the side of the finished jodhpurs require some preparation of hemming and facing and then are attached to the jodhpurs front.
Section 2 - Back and Inner Seam
The darts are sewn in the jodhpurs Backs.
The Lower Back pieces are prepared and attached to the Backs.
The Backs and Fronts are stitched together at the inner leg and the remainder of the crotch.
The carriers (belt loops) are made. Two are attached to the jodhpurs front near the openings for the small pockets.
The Front Waistband is prepared and attached to the jodhpurs front taking special care to keep the small pocket openings free.
The upper edge of the carriers is now attached.
The waistbands for the Front Extensions are prepared and attached.
The Back Facings and prepared and attached to the upper back. The side seams can now be sewn and the remaining two carriers attached.
We are nearing tge finish line! Section 5 - Leg Facing, Hem and Finishing
The lower leg facing is detailed in Steps 45 through 53.
The buttonholes have been marked and sewn.
And while we are creating buttonholes, we create them for the front waistband, front extensions, and side edges of the front, and sew the interior buttons.
I'm using ribbon-embroidered velvet buttons for the front sides and plain velvet buttons for the lower legs. (Thank you, Costuming Drama, for the plain velvet buttons received in the Costubers Fabric Swap!)
The cotton velveteen fabric was prone to fraying and I used Fray Check at the inside edges of all the buttonholes for this project.
The Finished Jodhpurs!
The dressform can't wear the jodhpurs but they can be pinned in place and here is the finished ensemble with the silk parachute blouse and the tie and knitted vest shared in a separate diary.
The Perfect Touches
The Necklace - Amelia Earhart was an author and editor. In this book, The Fun of It, published in 1932, Amelia speaks directly to other young women, urging them to test themselves, to go as far and high as they can -- and beyond.
I have a necklace with the Amelia Earhart quote: "Adventure is worthwhile in itself." Engaging in an adventure is valuable regardless of the outcome. Adventure can breathe life into our existence and allows us to experience the world with a sense of wonder and newness. It allows us to step out of our comfort zone without fear of failure since the adventure alone is enough.
The Scarf - During World War I pilots wore a silk scarf around their necks to prevent chaffing from the collars of their leather jackets and to block the cold winds that could seep into the jacket gap at their neck. White was the color of choice so that as the pilots used the scarf to clean their goggles they could find the cleanest spot to use. The white silk scarf became a tradition for pilots even into World War II.
While I haven't seen photos of Amelia Earhart wearing a white scarf, I have seen the photos of her multicolored scarf which went to the International Space Station on the shuttle Atlantis in 2009 carried by her photographer's grandson, astronaut Randy Bresnik.
I have this white silk scarf from my Steampunk air shuttle costume and it will be put to good use for this ensemble.
Vega Tribute Pin - Amelia Earhart set solo and non-stop records in her career. Among them her Atlantic Ocean crossing from Newfoundland to Ireland, 2,026 miles, in just under 15 hours. Over the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to mainland United States, 2,408 miles, in just under 18 hours. And across the United States, 2,477 miles, in 19 hours and 5 minutes. Her signature airplane, and one used in many of her record-breaking flights, was the Lockheed Vega 5B which she called her Little Red Bus. N7952 is now in the Smithsonian.
I will wear this enamel pin as a tribute.
Amelia Earhart Luggage - With all of Amelia Earhart's accomplishments it was inevitable that she would become an influencer. It was a natural that luggage would become popular under Amelia's name and would sell for decades even after her disappearance.
I scoured the markets and auction sites for just the right piece and found an overnight bag that was perfect for my upcoming trip with my 1930s wardrobe. It arrives!
Roomy and partitioned for all the essentials through multiple stops while travelling.
And something extra special to me, my Pilot Logbook.
The memory of the day, 28 November 1977, when I completed the course of study and flight proficiency in a Cessna 150 N704LR.
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A cold November Wisconsin day but wearing a big smile!
Private Pilot, Airplane Single Engine Land. Amelia Earhart would be smiling with me, I think.
The 1930s Amelia Earhart ensemble, perfect touches, and all our luggage is ready to fly! A commercial flight, that is.
Wearing the 1930s Amelia Earhart Ensemble
A black velvet beret, the white silk scarf, black with red stitching leather gloves, the Vega pin, the Adventure necklace, a Felix the Cat watch, and comfy boots for travel days and sightseeing.
Enjoying the Queen Mary 2 in Amelia Earhart-inspired very comfortable style.
"Everyone has oceans to fly,
if they have the heart to do it.
Is it reckless? Maybe.
But what do dreams
know of boundaries?"
Amelia Earhart
Historical Sew Monthly - December 2022
The Challenge: December: New Era: Make something from a decade or century you’ve never made from before, or make something that represented a new era in fashion in its time.
How it fits the Challenge: Amelia Earhart is known for her aviation legacy. What is not so commonly known is the clothing line she launched in 1934. Clothes that were for the more active woman. I made this blouse following the style of Amelia Earhart's new era line of clothing using silk weight parachute material and buttons which looked like propellers.
Material: Silk weight surplus parachute material
Pattern: Lady Marlowe No. 6808 1930s Vintage Repro
Year: 1934
Notions: Buttons for the front and cuffs
How historically accurate is it? A reproduction pattern and materials and buttons that resemble the original clothing line.
Hours to complete: The material was like sewing with cobwebs! The sleeves are very full and gathered with many lines of stitching at the armscye. 20 hours
First worn: Part of a full 1930s wardrobe for a future event. Shown here with a split skirt.
Total cost: $35
Material: Silk weight surplus parachute material
Pattern: Lady Marlowe No. 6808 1930s Vintage Repro
Year: 1934
Notions: Buttons for the front and cuffs
How historically accurate is it? A reproduction pattern and materials and buttons that resemble the original clothing line.
Hours to complete: The material was like sewing with cobwebs! The sleeves are very full and gathered with many lines of stitching at the armscye. 20 hours
First worn: Part of a full 1930s wardrobe for a future event. Shown here with a split skirt.
Total cost: $35
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