Art Deco Button Blouse

I'm constantly surprised by what I find in 1930s fashion--some of it looks incredibly modern, and without a date on some photos, I would be hard pressed to date them to the mid-1930s.  Case in point: Witness2Fashion's post from today: One Suit with Many Blouses.  

I recently made a Portrait blouse and I played around a lot with the fit and style, ending up with something that was quite different from my usual semi-fitted silhouette.  With its asymmetric hem, slightly boxy fit, and color scheme, it read a little more 1960s than 1930s to me initially, but after seeing the photos from the blog post, I'm revising my opinion! 

I do think this blouse will look better with a slimmer cut skirt, or even slim clam diggers, but I'm sort of gratified to learn that my instincts about this blouse were correct for the period, even if I didn't have a specific example when I made it!

On to the blouse.  I found the fabric on ebay a few weeks ago.  It was kind of a random find, and only included 2 scant yards, so I knew it would have to be a blouse.  Given the body issues I'm having lately, I wanted to make something I could wear tucked or untucked.  

I also thought that the geometric design of the print lent itself well to an asymmetric closure.  I  received these four rectangular buttons from the 1940s as a gift with purchase from an etsy seller last summer.  I've struggled to find the right project for them, and this seemed to be the winner!  

I did cut a facing, but ended up finishing the edges with bias tape and hand finishing the insides once I decided on the diagonal closure.  I realized I could get it on and off without working buttonholes, so I just tacked down the corners and sewed the buttons straight on.  It was a really fast and easy project, something I really craved the week I made it.

The fabric is a nice light weight, so it was good for the warm summer day we had today (I did a bunch of baby wearing outside this morning, and it held up like a champ)

I also fixed the issue with the sleeves that I made on the other blouses I made this spring, so the sleeve opening is much more generous.  I ended up overlaying the bodice pattern from my dress sloper to get the sleeve opening right.  It was a little clunky but worked out in the end.  I also graded out the hips slightly to give a bit more wearing ease.  I probably didn't need to, as my original grading still fits fine, but I really wanted a blouse I could wear on a bad belly day; on those days, maternity wear is sometimes best.  This blouse definitely has enough ease!

I think it will also work well with my white linen skirt, particularly as it is a slightly slimmer fit than this green skirt (which was a perfect color match!  I love it when things like that work out).

Details:

Art Deco Button Blouse: vintage fabric via ebay, Portrait blouse pattern base, modified with dress bodice sloper and some flying by the seat of my pants. :)  Buttons via etsy

Cotton-linen skirt: Hollyburn, me made earlier this spring.  Kaufman Essex fabric from fabric.com

Camera necklace: Modcloth

Earrings: gift

Headscarf: Frenchie's Antique Mall in Jefferson City, MO

Shoes: Naturalizer via ebay