Friday, January 13, 2012

Mini Pantjumpers from the 1960s

What happens when skirts get ridiculously short the way they did in the late 1960s? You end up with something like this. The micro mini lengths of the 1960s created the need for the pantjumper. This cute girls' pattern allowed you to show a lot of leg while keeping those panties covered. Some patterns had  micro miniskirts but provided a bloomer pattern to go underneath.

I had a handy little cottage industry in my dorm room hemming up skirts for the other residents. Skirts got shorter and shorter each season. I remember that as a college girl, there were always boys congregated at the bottom of stairwells during class changes. Wonder why?

We weren't allowed to wear pants on campus (yes, believe that or not) but pantdresses (Or pantjumpers as in this pattern) were okay.  Go fig.

I adored my pantdresses. They were so cute. Mom made me one in a forest green floral print with a big beige middy collar. My boyfriend (who's about to celebrate our 41st anniversary with me this month) dubbed it my Scout uniform. It was adorable.

When skirts couldn't go any higher in the early 1970s, guess what happened? Right. The maxi dress. Hems fell to the ankle or mid-calf. It's refreshing today to go shopping and find skirts of all lengths. You get to choose today. We really didn't back then unless we wanted to look completely dowdy.

You can find this pattern in girls' size 14 in my shop here.

1 comment:

  1. I too am grateful for the variety of lengths in dresses & skirts. Loved the blog post. I am looking forward to re-establishing an apparel design & clothing construction room...Our daughter Heather is now serving in the New Jersey Morristown Mission and not living at home. Mike's sister who was living with us temporarily has relocated to Orlando, FL. Our daughter Naomi & son Spencer are shifting bedrooms and I am getting my room back. I am so excited! I will be able to once again locate & use clothing patterns, textiles, sewing notions...O happy day! Hope your day is wonderful too!

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