“This hot, humid August is almost unbearable and we’re still in its early days of the month. The heat this year, much more humid than last summer. 1928 is bound to be the hottest year on the calendar. I’m so thankful, that I can lounge in our summer beach house, on this wicker chaise, with the ocean breeze against the cool linen of my beach pajamas. It was clever of Mother to pack all of my large brimmed straw hats and paper umbrella’s, along with my best linens. The heat would be unbearable otherwise. If I could only catch the attention of our cabana boy, my Sidecar was finished at least ten moments ago.”
Oh, to be alive during the late 1920s. Life was filled with abundance, frivolity and clothing styles that made living a dream, especially summer fashions. The lazy, hazy days of summer indeed.
Introduced in 1922 by fashion designer Coco Chanel, the Beach Pajama very quickly became the wardrobe staple of those fashion forward ladies spending time at seaside resorts or just enjoying the lazy hazy days of August. Long hot days spent lounging on a yacht, by the pool or in a folding lounger alongside the sandy beach. As with most fashion trends, when starlets such as Joan Crawford were seen wearing them as casual wear, they became a Flapper staple in movies such as ‘Our Modern Maidens’, ‘Our Dancing Daughters’ and ‘Our Blushing Brides’ and in every young woman’s wardrobe. Many other stars such as Clara Bow and Louise Brooks seemed to live in Beach Pajamas. Who would blame a dame for wanting to wear them? They were not only fashionable but incredibly comfortable on those days that sizzled.
I became obsessed with Beach Pajamas after seeing Miss Fisher wearing them in a variety of episodes of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and more recently, whilst re-watching Poirot episodes that take place at seaside resorts, such as ‘Triangle at Rhodes’, ‘Peril at End House’ or ‘Lord Edgware Dies’. Obsessed, that would be an understatement. I am currently on the hunt for a pattern(s) and because originals are either hard to come by, delicate and likely missing pieces or darn expensive, I will be more than happy to use a replica pattern in a .pdf format. There are a variety of designers out there that offer exactly this format for patterns. I am including the links below. At some point soon, I am hoping to knock off a few pair and will have a blog post about the finished results.
Mrs. Depews — https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/270866171/vintage-sewing-pattern-reproduction?ref=market
Vintage Sew Bee It — https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/512359296/chic-1930s-vintage-sewing-pattern-beach?ref=market
Vintage Pattern Girl –– https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/204485242/1930s-ladies-lounging-beach-pajamas?ref=market
Eva Dress — https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/285604543/1935-3-piece-beach-ensemble-evadress?ref=market
Old Time Patterns — https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/512643833/fw252-late-1920s-early-1930s-beach?ref=market
Lady Marlow Patterns — https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/469803195/30s-1930s-repro-vintage-womens-sewing?ref=market
Wearing History — https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/223658136/e-pattern-lounging-at-the-lido-1930s?ref=shop_home_active_5
Paired with a loose camisole or a halter top Beach Pajamas, a floppy hat and a pair of espadrilles will be perfect for the days in August when I feel as if I am melting. I won’t be near a seaside resort anytime soon, but a girl can dream. Now place a cool beverage in my hands, in a chilled highball and I’m ready to beat the heat.
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