Interpreting the Trends: A Bow Tie Blouse

Mary Richards [accepting her Teddy Award after a particular bad day] :  " I usually look so much better than this."
Who is NOT a fan of the Mary Tyler Moore Show?


From the website, Vintage Fashion Guild    "Evan-Picone was formed in 1949 as a partnership between Charles Evans and Joseph Picone. Their first product was a fly-front skirt designed by Evans and produced at Picone’s shop. Their skirts were a success and they added ladies pants as well. By the 1960s they were a major manufacturer of sportswear. In 1962 the company was sold to Revlon, but Picone bought the business back four years later. The wardrobe for Mary Tyler Moore in her 1970s television program was provided by Evan-Picone. In the 1980s Evan-Picone’s focus changed from sportswear to clothing for the career woman, and the company was acquired by the Jones Apparel Group."

According to the tag, I think my blouse is from the seventies, so indeed, it is very Mary Tyler Moore-ish!  While this is a typical better department store blouse ( certainly not high end, but certainly well made...something Mary could afford and would wear! )  How cool is that?  Tie front blouses are so trendy right now, and when I saw this one, I also loved the color, the polka-dots, the almost metallic sheen, and the fact that it was roomy enough for me to play with it. When I was reading Girls with Curves , I feel head over toes for this gorgeous blue tie blouse, which has a peplum waist. I wanted to create the same effect from my vintage blouse.

So, here's what I did:
I took in the sleeve head to make it fit better on my shoulder.
I altered the neckline to create a V neck, which is a more flattering neckline for me. This was SO easy to do.
First, I marked my changed neckline with pins. Next, I removed the collar/tie back to the shoulder seam.

 And cut away the excess to re-shape it.

 After opening up the tie seam, I repositioned it along the new neckline. Sewed the tie to the new neckline, and there you have it...a v-neck bow tie blouse! Does that make sense?

For the waist shirring, I had fun with elastic thread. Oh, elastic thread...I love you so! You make a boxy, blah blouse have shape and interest, and you are a blast to work with!
It was so easy, using a tutorial I found on line.
After marking the area I where I wanted shirring, I simply stitched along the lines and like magic, I have this wonderfully shirred waistline!

How cool is that????

If you were (are) a fan of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, you must read this great article on styling the cast wardrobe. The Mary and Rhoda Magazine. It also includes more interesting facts about the Evan-Picone company.