1940s dress shoulder pads - original or replacement?

plousia

plousia

Registered Guest
When I first saw this dress I thought it might be 80s because of the shoulder pads, which have serged edges. They're also larger than I would have expected? The material feels like it may be a synthetic. The filling does not feel like foam; it feels like wadding, but it's not visible anywhere.

Everything else about the dress checks out for 40s. Are these likely to be original or later replacements? Were there commercially-available shoulder pads in the 40s for home sewers? (I'm pretty sure the dress is homemade).

Just checked another 40s dress I have and the shoulder pad edges are serged; however, they are triangular and smaller and more what I would think of as right for 40s.

I don't have enough experience with 40s shoulder pads to be sure. Thanks in advance!
 

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Hi plousia, you mention that the fabric feels synthetic: if you mean polyester, it's likely an '80s does '40s.

I've seen '40s shoulder pads that have been serged but only when the whole garment was made commercially. Some '40s dress patterns include a pattern piece for the shoulder pads but by '46, the home seamstress was adept at making them from scraps and so not all patterns included the piece.

If you're unsure about the pads, I recommend that you open them: cotton wadding is found in '80s shoulder pads for jackets and coats, but most dresses have foam padding I find. The 1940s shoulder pads are much more variable and I've found all kinds of things in there, including fabric scraps and sawdust to soiled bandages. I hope that helps.

Nicole
 
Thanks. The dress itself shows every evidence of being 40s, but I'm just not sure if the pads are original or a later addition. The filling feels like that cotton wadding stuff from the outside, but I don't really want to open them to find out as I don't have a machine with serging to fix them again.

I am making a blouse from a 1940s pattern and there is a piece and instructions for shoulder pads but the instructions are very confusing! I sort of just mudged my way through the first one as I couldn't quite make out what I was supposed to do.
 
The dress looks very 1980s to me, the shoulder pads look right as well as the colorway, very bright colors on black.
 
Yes it does look similar to 80s styles, but materials and construction (other than maybe the shoulder pads) are all very 40s. Rayon crepe, pinked seams, hem tape, no zigzag stitch or serging, side metal zipper, two smocking panels on the front waist drawing the skirt in. 40s also did bright colours on black and the print looks more 40s to me than 80s. But as always if someone has evidence otherwise I'm all ears.
 
Are there any closures- zippers, snaps, buttons etc? I do see some pinked seams and what looks like hand stitching on the shoulder pads holding them in place I believe? The grain of the fabric in the close up looks like possibly rayon, and some smocking at the waist? more photos would be very helpful!
 
BlackLotusVintage said:
Are there any closures- zippers, snaps, buttons etc? I do see some pinked seams and what looks like hand stitching on the shoulder pads holding them in place I believe? The grain of the fabric in the close up looks like possibly rayon, and some smocking at the waist? more photos would be very helpful!
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It has a left side metal zipper, that's the only closure. All the seams are pinked and yes the shoulder pads are hand sewn in. It has two smocking panels at the front waist (identical to a 40s dressing gown I have) and yes, the fabric is rayon crepe. Everything about it says 40s, I was just unsure if the shoulder pads may have been added later. I can add some construction photos at some point but likely won't be able to get to it today.
 
Didn’t see the bit about side metal zipper. That would definitely have been rare in the 80s. I’d still be interested to see the inside though that detail is changing my mind!
 
plousia said:
It has a left side metal zipper, that's the only closure. All the seams are pinked and yes the shoulder pads are hand sewn in. It has two smocking panels at the front waist (identical to a 40s dressing gown I have) and yes, the fabric is rayon crepe. Everything about it says 40s, I was just unsure if the shoulder pads may have been added later. I can add some construction photos at some point but likely won't be able to get to it today.
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Yes, when you have a chance a few extra photos would be great and be sure to include the zipper as well! I look forward to it! It's a beautiful dress!
 
I can see why people are wondering if this is 80s but all the construction details you’ve described sound 40s as you say.

i have seen older garments where the only serging was around the shoulder pads, I recall a circa 40s Jaeger jacket with exactly this. So I don’t think the serging rules out the shoulder pads being original to a 40s dress, especially if they are filled with wadding and not foam.

I’ve also seen 50s garments where most seams were pinked, but serging was used on the waist seam. So older garments with some serging but not serging everywhere, this definitely happened. Serging has been around a long time.
 
Retro Ruth said:
I can see why people are wondering if this is 80s but all the construction details you’ve described sound 40s as you say.

i have seen older garments where the only serging was around the shoulder pads, I recall a circa 40s Jaeger jacket with exactly this. So I don’t think the serging rules out the shoulder pads being original to a 40s dress, especially if they are filled with wadding and not foam.

I’ve also seen 50s garments where most seams were pinked, but serging was used on the waist seam. So older garments with some serging but not serging everywhere, this definitely happened. Serging has been around a long time.
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Yes I have another 40s dress with serged pads and another with serged... Shoulder seams maybe? I can't recall.

I am certain this dress is 40s. I will try to post some construction pics at some point since some people were interested.
 
Here are a few photos for those curious. Inner hem with hem tape, two shots of the skirt side seam (pinked), the shoulder seam with seam/hem tape, side zipper (probably can't be read, but it's a Talon), front waist smocking panels. It has belt loops but the belt is missing.
 

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plousia said:
Here are a few photos for those curious. Inner hem with hem tape, two shots of the skirt side seam (pinked), the shoulder seam with seam/hem tape, side zipper (probably can't be read, but it's a Talon), front waist smocking panels. It has belt loops but the belt is missing.
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100% 1940's and incredible!
 
Thanks for posting the inside pictures. Goes to show that (for me, anyway) a picture of the whole garment isn’t always adequate to tell. I like to be able to actually handle a garment, since the fabric itself is often the giveaway for me, or, as in this case, the construction details. Too bad it doesn’t fit you!
 
Well, as for the original question I asked here, I found a 1940s pattern which gave the yardage to make the shoulder pads and added "or purchase pads". So it does appear commercially-made shoulder pads were available to buy in the 1940s for home sewers. It makes sense as lots of other trims and notion-type things were available to buy.
 
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