Top Ten cases of vintage Resting Bitch Face

As I have mentioned before: here, here and here, I sometimes buy vintage knitting patterns for reasons other than wanting to make the featured garment. Some of the categories I also look for are: use of bonkers props, men smoking, odd backgrounds, scary children and the category that I want to share today - vintage Resting Bitch Face (RBF).

So, RBF is an unfortunate situation which occurs when someones ordinary face (at rest, not attempting an expression), is, well, bitchy looking. The person looks mean, angry, annoyed, irritated but that is not how they are feeling. It is just their face. Whilst RBF is a term that has only been used commonly in the last few years, this Top Ten shows that whilst the term may be newish, the look is pure vintage.

Enjoy!

Take a look at my book? Er, no.

Spare chair? Nope, can't see one.

Yep, the spit is still in her hair.

Me? Need customer service training?

Take me for a drink after? No way sunshine.

Just practising my death stare.

One little smile just for you? Creep.

Fashion modelling they said? I am so better than this.

I don't do cleaning.

This is my happy face.

Tip top summer tops

I realised that I have a big gap in my wardrobe where some warm weather appropriate tops should be. I have some t-shirts and vests but nothing at all in the knitwear department. My go to outfit is a dress and a cardigan so some summer cardigans are definitely needed. I also have a few lovely summer skirts that are just crying out for a lacy knitted jumper to go with them. As I am having a period of knitting for myself rather than other people (which I am really enjoying!), I thought I would work on filling up this wardrobe gap.

So, I spent a very happy time going through my patterns and pulled out everything that looked like it would fit the bill and that wouldn't need any resizing or tricky yarn finding to make it become a reality. These are what I found:

Lady's cardigan

Isn't she particularly glamorous?! Fabulous hair. Lovely shape, short cardigan, flattering V neck and lacy stitch pattern so that it would be cool.

Lady's jumper

She is so happy to have this jumper! Pretty stitch pattern, sweet cap sleeves, stylish neckline, nice bit of deep rib.

Summer cardigan and jumper

I like both of these. I like a nice rib pattern, the cardigan has a fabulous collar and I like the neckline on the sleeveless top.

Jumper with bead trimming

This is a pretty fitted jumper which looks good with a skirt. It is knitted in a lurex fleck which I wouldn't bother with but I do like the beaded neckline.

Lady's summer jumper

This pattern photo is lovely. I like the square neckline and the short sleeves. The lacy, trellis pattern is interesting and pretty.

Sleeveless jumpers

Four lovely tops to choose from here. The same basic shape but each has a different stitch pattern and I like all of them.

Quick to knit jumpers and cardigans

Another multi garment pattern and again I like them all. However, the cardigan would probably be a bit on the warm side for what I want so it is the two lacy jumpers that I am interested in. They both have a deep band of rib which would give a flattering fit.

Lady's jumper cardigan

This is a very good shape, it fits so well. I like the deep rib button band and neckline. She is very glamorous too, maybe it will rub off on me if I knit this one!

Easy knit jumpers

I love the shape and the lacy stitch but I can't decide if I would find the high neckline a bit irritating if I was hot.

Lady's jumper

I wouldn't be snuggling up to that man in the bad blazer if I was her. This jumper has a pretty scoop neck and an attractive pattern.

Three delightful economy garments

I particularly like the jumper on the top right. Again it has a pretty scoop neck, nice little sleeves and a cool lacy pattern.

Summer jumper

Isn't she lovely with her nails and her pearls?! This looks like a perfect summer jumper to me.

Lady's summer jumper

More pearls! A pretty boat neck. I imagine she is wearing a pencil skirt, which suits this jumper.

Ladies' economy jumpers

These are gorgeous and the photo shows you how nice they will look with skirts! A scoop neck and a V neck, both lacy but with different patterns. I really like these.

Figure trimming jumpers

Three tops to choose from, with mock cable panels, with lacy motif panels and with lace insertion panels. I think I like the lacy motif panels most.

Summer jumper

Excellent hair flicks! I like the pattern, the boat neck and the sleeves.

Summer jumper

The pattern states that this jumper only takes 8 hours to make so I think I will have to try this one to see if it is true. The neck and sleeve edging is really attractive.

Lady's summer jumper cardigan

I like everything about this one which is a very good job as I am making it at the moment! I happened to have exactly the right yarn in the right quantity in my stash so it was meant to be! I have completed the back and am shaping the armholes on the right front. If you wan to follow my progress do pop along to my Facebook page.

Do you have a favourite tip top summer top?

Maybe one day - knitted dresses

If you have read some of my posts before it probably won't come as a surprise to know that I have a thing for vintage knitting patterns. I collect them; some I wish to knit, some I really don't, I just want them as they are a piece of fashion history, or they have comedy value, or I like the picture on the front or I like the props that were used. I catalogue my patterns into women's, men's, children, accessories etc but also into groups like men smoking, scary doll's clothes, bed jackets, 1940's models with great eyebrows, kitsch household items and so on. It is one of these categories that I want to have a look at today - women's knitted dresses.

Marvellous dress with a shirt bodice and lace stitch panels

I really enjoy a great knitted dress pattern like the one above and I am partial to knitted suits too so will also feature them here. As is so often the case with dresses they look elegant, glamorous and well put together whilst being quick and easy to pull on and style. Really, you can look very well dressed for minimum effort if need be which has got to be a winner. But, whilst I adore a knitted dress and have many patterns that I love I have never actually made one and I don't even have one lined up in the 'must make this next I NEED IT pile'. I have questioned myself about this and it seems it is down to two main issues. The first is whether I have the patience and stamina to complete a knitted dress. After all, it would be an enormous amount of knitting. The second is whether, having made it, would it be flattering on my shape? I am not convinced that even with all the greatest underwear in the world, a knitted dress wouldn't highlight any surplus lumps and bumps that one might not wish to draw attention to. It is hard to judge from pattern covers, after all, models are models for a reason.

What a beauty, a belted cardigan and A line skirt, with a
marvellous hat.

A teal V neck dress with a pencil skirt and pockets.

Gorgeous patterned jumper and flared skirt. It looks
like it could be very flattering.

'A slender, elegant dress in a new tweed texture'.
From a Vogue pattern book.

So, at the moment the knitted dresses and suits remain on the 'maybe one day' pile whilst I keep on picking up the patterns when I see them. No reason why we can't take a look at a few though! These patterns from the 1940s-1960s are all for hand knitted garments. Obviously many commercially available knitted dresses would have been made on knitting machines, making the process much quicker. Throughout the period home knitting machines also became more popular.

Great cable detail on the skirt and a blouson jumper to
match.

Scoop neck dress with pencil skirt and moss stitch
panels.

Dress with a pencil skirt and a crossover
V neck top in rib.

Pink dress - ' a deep tuck outlined bib with tiny
round collar and mock gored skirt'.
Blue dress - 'trim blouse with shawl collar and
skirt with can't come out pleats'.
From a Vogue pattern book.

I was inspired to hurry up and write this post after reading a recent post by the wonderful Joanna from Dividing Vintage Moments. It was an Ode to Vintage Knitwear and it features Joanna wearing a fabulous piece of 1950's knitwear. She also features some fantastic knitwear available on Etsy and Ebay. Take a look! It made me go through my patterns and admire all the dresses again!

From a Vogue pattern book. 'A three piece set worked in
boucle wool in broad ribbing for a slender effect'. 

A lace pattern mini dress with matching cardigan.

 A cream suit consisting of a hip length cardigan and
a straight skirt.

From a Vogue pattern book. A ribbed button
through blouse and a straight skirt.

A suit with trim on the shoulders and pockets.

A straight ribbed dress with a matching cardigan.

I think my favourites are the lace panel dress, the belted cardigan suit and the skirt and top with cable details. How about you?

Knit and crochet away for your wedding day.

It is our first wedding anniversary tomorrow which is a great reason to both celebrate and look over and reflect on the events of the past year. In the last couple of months I have been doing quite a bit of 'this time last year I was.....' thinking. Because our wedding had several handmade elements such as the bouquet and posies, the cake, the table centres, and the photograph bunting there was a lot of crafting, making and doing going on throughout the year. Not just by me, by some very kind and wonderfully creative family and friends. For example, this time last year my mum and I were completing the knitting and sewing up of the buttonholes, my sister and my bridesmaid were sewing together hearts knitted and crocheted by friend into bunting and my fiancé and my sister's partner were making up the children's activity bags and the table plan!

There was a point at which I was considering making my dress, either knitting one or sewing one. I found a 1950s Vintage Vogue dress pattern that I really liked but couldn't make up my mind. I saw some knitted dresses that were beautiful but I couldn't decide how well they would work on. Several people told me I was crazy to even think about it and in the end I had to agree that in order to keep a clear head and to enjoy myself I would need to buy a dress. So I did, and I loved wearing it.

I thought it would be interesting to look through a few patterns for knitted and crocheted wedding dresses. I would like to point out that with the exception of the first one these were not on my possible contenders list!

 This is the cover photo for Modern Knitting Magazine - the monthly magazine for machine knitters, March 1957. I think this dress is gorgeous and it fitted exactly with what I had in my mind. Except, I am a hand knitter not a machine knitter. And this only came in one tiny size. I could probably have found a machine knitter to do the honours. I could probably have found someone to re-grade the pattern. But what if it hadn't fitted or suited me or I didn't like it after all that? So it stays as a lovely dress in a magazine.

Here is a view of the lovely full skirt of the dress, the top is actually a fitted jacket. It is knitted in 2-ply and fastens down the back with 18 pearl buttons.

The dress without the jacket. The pattern suggests that it could be worn like this for parties and dances after the wedding.

The pattern also includes an outfit for a bridesmaid, not including the dress.



The shawl is known as a hug-me-tight which is such a delightful name. I have seen patterns for small fitted baby cardigans known as these too. The muff, mittens and socks are also knitted.

 The next pattern is Emu 2816 from the late 1960s/early 1970s. I know this as the price is in both shillings and pence. Decimalisation started in the late 1960s with the official date being in 1971. Dual pricing was run for a while to help people get used to the new system.

 

These maxi and mini dresses are crocheted in either 4-ply or double knitting, to fit bust 34-38 inches. I like the frilly jabot and think the mini version is the nicest. I am not sure about the black shoes though. The pattern does not specify that they are wedding dresses but I think they look like they could be, especially styled with a vintage 'wedding car'.



This is another Emu pattern, 2914 from the 1970s. It is a 4-ply crochet pattern in 34-40 inch bust sizes which is an unusually good range. The bridesmaid's dresses are also included in the pattern. I really like this little group. The detailing around the bottom of the wedding dress adds a pretty touch.

This dress pattern is from Sewing and Knitting magazine, February 1975 edition. The caption says 'long, lovely and lacy. A dress to charm everyone on that great day'. 'It is the kind of wedding dress every girl dreams about - soft and feminine and beautifully designed'. It is knitted in 4-ply so can you imagine how long it would have taken?! I like the drape, the skirt and the lace pattern but the top half just doesn't do it for me, too reminiscent of a Victorian nightgown. I think the woman kneeling is the mother of the bride. I rather like her suit and corsage. 

 

I was overjoyed when I found this pattern book from 1973 as it features a whole bridal collection. This is another 4-ply full length wedding dress. I don't like it all that much, it has a hint of dish cloth.





I do think that her simple bouquet and floral headband are pretty though. The blue bridesmaid's dress that you can see in the first picture is included in the book.

The next pattern is for a Victorian blouse in 4-ply.

Look at that 1970's blue eye-shadow! This blouse is designed to be worn with the going away suit.



This cardigan suit can be knitted with a long or short skirt. For many year's brides changed their outfits towards the end of the day into their going away outfit which would be worn when leaving their party and for travelling to their honeymoon destination.



This crochet shawl or stole is a lovely cover up for any of the outfits featured.

This is such a pretty outfit, the twinset is knitted in a lovely rib and the colours are gorgeous together.













Apparently this is a negligee. It is not what springs to mind when I think of that word, especially for a honeymoon. To conclude with the wisdom of my husband - 'too much packaging'!