1 Hour Dress

Out of a table cloth and a curtain ...

It has been called the 1 hour dress since the 1920s.

I think I could make the one on the upper right in an hour - but that’s it. As soon as there is a sleeve, I need a day, not an hour.

For this show, these 1-hour dresses were meant to be bought, not made. But! these dresses are the rare exception to the rule that it is more affordable to buy or rent a costume than to make it. If they really do only take an hour to make ….

and you get the fabric for free! I opened a box at the costume shop labelled white cottons … and there were white cottons inside … A matching set of 4 white cotton curtains from the 1920s and a bed skirt. I had planned to buy white cotton vintage clothing from the 1920’s … but how often do you open a box that has enough fabric to make all 4 of the dresses for a scene.

It was meant to be.

A pattern like the above would have been wonderful, but some costume makers don’t need patterns - just the measurements and a clear sketch. Print out the above and say, “I’ll take 4 o…