I’m on Etsy & Pinterest a lot for my blog and during my searches for content, I consistently come across vintage patterns from ‘HOLLYWOOD PATTERNS’. Now what made these patterns stand out for me? Well besides the stunning fashions, they also feature a movie star on the top left corner of the pattern. FUN!

So this got me to thinking, why? Were the stars wearing these outfits in a movie? Or was this a collaboration of some sort with the studios to get their movie stars names out into the public? Well let’s find out and then lets see the fashions!

1940s Vintage Sewing Pattern for VINTAGE HOLLYWOOD SKATING SKIRT AND SHORTS SEWING PATTERNS ELLEN DREW Paramount

1940s Skating Outfit Sewing Pattern. Source: eBay

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Note: If you click on an item and it is no longer available, don’t fret! The websites I have provided are updated daily with 1000’s of new & vintage items. Just do a quick search and see what you find.

The 1930s / 1940s Movie Stars & Fashions of Hollywood Patterns

History of Hollywood Patterns

Hollywood Pattern Company was started by Condé Nast in 1932. They were known for printing photos of Hollywood stars on some of their patterns, quickly making them very popular. They continued production through the end of World War II (1946) (Source).

Many of the patterns from this now defunct company, featuring stars and starlets on their envelopes, are highly collectable. Those featuring Lucille Ball are particularly desirable. This company did beautiful dresses and suits throughout the 1940s into the 1950s (Source).

Note: I found another website that stated that the patterns were created by a clothing company in the 1930s. From So Vintage Patterns:

“In the 1930s a clothing pattern company launched its Hollywood Patterns, cashing in the public hunger to have that Hollywood movie star look.”

“The fashions were taken from the famous and popular movies of the day, everything from day dresses, evening gowns to beach wear, tennis outfits to the Katharine Hepburn wide trousers to aprons. A gem for the collector is finding the Vivienne Leigh ‘Scarlett’ pattern with an evening gown from Gone With The Wind, any with Lucille Ball for the I Love Lucy collectors and Joan Bennett for the Dark Shadows fans.”

1940s vintage sewing pattern featuring an image of Lucille Ball and early 1940s dresses.

Lucille Ball Hollywood Pattern. Source: Pinterest

If anyone has any more info on what is correct on the history of these patterns, please let me know in the comments section below. THANKS!

Let’s take a look at the vintage sewing patterns & the stars that graced their covers:

1940s vintage sewing pattern for a women’s waistcoat, skirt, and blouse. This is Hollywood 1199 and the pattern is date stamped 1943. Hollywood patterns often featured pictures of popular movie stars; this one features Bonita Granville (who BTW was the producer for Lassie from 1959-1973.WOW COOL!).

Purchase the Pattern HERE.

Source: Etsy

1940 vintage sewing pattern for blouses and slacks with a young Betty Grable of 20th Century-Fox. LOVE THIS!!

Purchase Pattern Here

1940 WW2 Vintage Sewing Pattern B34 SHIRT & PANTS SLACKS (1491) Hollywood Patterns 402 featuring Betty Grable

Source: Etsy

Olympe Bradna of Paramount is on this vintage sewing pattern for 3 different styles of late 1930s dresses. Long, short & dirndl style. So pretty!

Purchase the Pattern HERE.

Source: eBay

1940 Vintage Sewing Pattern for a 40s one piece dress. The pattern features Linda Hayes of RKO-Radio.

Purchase the Pattern HERE.

Source: Etsy

1930 Vintage Sewing Pattern for 1930s dresses and 1930s blouse and skirt, featuring Jean Parker of Columbia.

Purchase Pattern HERE.

1930s Vintage Sewing Pattern for women's 1930s dresses and 1930s skirt and blouse featuring Jean Parker of Columbia

Source: eBay

Brenda Marshall, Star of “South of Suez” a Warner Brothers Picture. The 1940s sewing pattern features fantastic Shirtwaist Dresses.

Purchase Pattern Here

Source: eBay

1930s vintage Hollywood Pattern for women’s 1930s jackets featuring Lola Lane Warner Bros.

Purchase Pattern Here.

Source: eBay

1940s Hollywood Pattern for a fitted jacket and skirt . . .Starlet endorsed . . . Marguerite Chapman of Columbia Pictures.

Purchase Pattern Here

1940s Hollywood Pattern for Fitted Jacket and Skirt featuring Marguerite Chapman of columbia pictures

Source: Etsy

Dreamy 1930s Dresses are featured on this sewing pattern with the lovely Betty Furness as the featured star.

Purchase Pattern Here

1930s Vintage Sewing Pattern for 1930s dresses featuring Betty Furness on this Hollywood Pattern. ==> See more 1930s / 1940s Movie Stars & Fashions of Hollywood Patterns at the Vintage Inn Blog

Source: Etsy

1942 Vintage Sewing Pattern for a dress & blouse featuring Dorothy Lovett of RKO-Radio.

Purchase Pattern Here.

Source: Etsy

I need more vintage blouses in my life and these 1940s beauties are just perfect! Also can we take a moment to admire the 40s hairstyles on both the fashion illustrations AND the lovely Ruth Warrick fo RKO-Radio (who’s big break was in Citizen Kane)? Beautiful!

1940s Vintage Sewing Pattern featuring women's blouses and Ruth Warrick of RKO-Radio on the Hollywood Pattern

Source: Pinterest

Hope you enjoyed the 1930s and 1940s fashions as seen on these fantastic Hollywood Patterns. Who was your favourite movie star and pattern? Share in the comments section below.

Thanks for stopping by!

FURTHER READING: Vintage Fashions 1920s-1960s (Archive of Blog Posts)

Liz

GECO (General Engineering Company of Canada)–Canada’s biggest WWII munitions plant — which employed over 21,000 Canadians, predominantly women courageously working with high explosives around the clock (Source).

Note: Scarborough for those who are not from Ontario is just East of Toronto and is part of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). By car it would take me around 30-40 mins to get to their location from my home.

1940s Vintage photo of Bomb Girls in ontario Canada. Performing an ammunition quality inspection, GECO munitions factory, Scarborough, c. 1943. Courtesy of the Hamilton Family. — Performing an ammunition quality inspection, GECO munitions factory, Scarborough, c. 1943. Courtesy of Heritage Toronto

The Bomb Girls Of Scarborough, Ontario Canada

High Level Summary of Life at GECO

A woman measuring piece of munitions at the General Engineering Company 1940s vintage photo from Archives of Ontario

1943 photo of a woman measuring piece of munitions at the General Engineering Company. Source: Archives of Ontario

GECO was a shell filling factory – empty shells were sent to GECO, and its workers would have the dangerous task of turning them into explosives, and shipping them overseas. The workforce comprised mainly young women with no factory experience, and at times, no work experience at all. Dubbed “Munitionettes,” “Fusiliers,” or “Bomb Girls”, they had a half day’s training and took a secrecy oath before being put to work.

An estimated 21,000 people worked at the factory during its four years of operation, creating a unique community. The company had its own newspaper, called the GECO Fusilier, and for $1 a year workers could join the GECOcites Recreation Club which hosted softball games and built a mini-putt green and a lawn bowling area. There were sold out monthly dances, Victory bond drives and gardens, talent shows, and bingo was so popular that they had to stagger seatings. Workers took breaks in a massive 2000 seat cafeteria where the kitchen served 3000 meals a day, and an annual Christmas dinner of 400 turkeys. With the help of a Canadian Government incentive, the factory even provided childcare for working mothers (Source).

Working in the GECO munitions factory, Scarborough, 1940. Courtesy of Heritage Toronto

Some of what we are going to see today, includes pages from the factory newspaper, “GECO Fusilier.” In addition to photographs of women working with munitions, there are pictures of leisure activities in the 1940s, wartime nurseries, clothing recycling during WWII, fashion of the era, pin-up girls, and beauty pageants.

Special thank you to the Archives of Ontario for uploading this fantastic images! Can’t wait to see more.

Let’s see what life was like at GECO!

Vintage Photos of 1940’s Life at GECO

Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to the General Engineering Company 1940s vintage photo — Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to GECO-June 5th, 1943.

Clothing salvage centre at the GECO munitions factory-1943. I love the 1940s fashions in this photo! From the hats, the dresses, the little girls dress to the Simplicity sewing patterns on the mantel, it’s all wonderful!

1940s Vintage Photo of Clothing salvage centre at the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory

Two adorable children at the war time nursery-1943.

Having a daycare / nursery was a must at GECO with nobody at home to watch the children.

Two Black children at a war time nursery at the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory-1940s vintage photo

A young girl all dressed up playing the accordion for the kids in the nursery -1943. I love accordions so I just had to add it!

Girl playing the accordion at a war time nursery at the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory. 1940s vintage photo

“Miss War Worker GECO Finals” (to pick the ladies who will go into the main competition)-1942.

ABOUT: On July 18, 1942, more than 100 contestants from Canada’s major military manufacturing plants vied for the title of “Miss War Worker.” The winner, Dorothy Linham, starred in a Palmolive Soap advertisement (Source). The purpose was to keep spirits up and let everyone have a bit of fun.

Further Reading: Vintage Canadian Beauty Pageants

Miss War Worker Finals" - "Fusilier July 18th, 1942. Image features a group of women in their factory outfits standing in line to be judged.

Group photo of the GECO Miss War Worker Content Contestants-1942.

Group photo of the GECO Miss War Worker Content Contestants-1940s Vintage Photo

Let the Miss War Worker Contest Begin! Go GECO!

1940s Vintage Photo of the Miss War Worker Contest in Toronto, Canada

The Final 3 of the Miss War Worker 1942 Contest. GECO made it into the Top 3. Yay!

YOOZA!!!! Who knew that factory uniforms could look so darn fantastic?!

The Finalists of the Miss War Worker 1942 Contest. 1940s Vintage Photo of a WW2 Beauty Contest

Our ladies of GECO posed for Pinup photos in 1943. Here are some of the images…

1940s Vintage Photo of a young woman from GECO Munitions factory in 1940s fashion.

I just found out about a month ago that the lovely lady posing below, is the mother of one of my swing dancing friends! How cool!

1940s Vintage Photo of a young woman from GECO Munitions factory in 1940s fashion. She is dressed a pinup sailor

Fans of 1940s Hairstyles will love our GECO lady with the hair flower (I know I do!).

Further Reading: A Vintage Guide to 1940s Hair Accessories

1940s Vintage of a group of integrated ladies swing dancing together by the Jukebox in 1940s fashions (spot the Saddle Shoes!!).

1940s vintage photo of Black Women and White Women sharing a dance floor together in 1940s fashions and swing dancing.

Fun at the Bowling Alley! So many wonderful 1940s hairstyles on display.

1940s Vintage Photo of Workers from Geco Munitions factory at a bowling alley . Super 1940s Fashions

What a great group of photos! Now here a few pages from the GECO company magazine, “Fusilier Magazine”- Vol. 1 No. 2 Cover (April 11th, 1942).

1940s Vintage Magazine from GECO featuring a cartoon talking about the War work women did during WW2 in Canada.

Here is the article from the Fusilier (August 1, 1942) on K. Russel from GECO who made it into the finals ouf the Miss War Worker contest. She tied for 4th and received a beautiful pen and pencil set. Congrats! See more magazine pages at the Archives of Ontario HERE.

1940s Vintage Magazine 1940s Vintage Newspaper from GECO talking about the Beauty Contest Finalist a war worker from GECO

For a longer history lesson of the women of GECO, I will encourage you to read Barbara Dickson book (& visit her website) “Bomb Girls–Trading Aprons for Ammo“. Barbara has interviewed many women that worked at this plant and documented their stories and images. Its a fantastic read!

If you are on Facebook, check out the page “Bomb Girls of Scarborough“. It’s also a gold mine of fantastic images and stories of these amazing women keeping the boys overseas safe while doing their work for the WW2 Homefront.

Share what your favorite photos were in the comment section below.

FURTHER READING:

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Category: 1940s