Where have all the Darts gone?

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Growing up, all our blouses, shirts, dresses had "darts". For sleeveless blouses and for most dresses the dart came in from the sides an inch or two below the arm hole. For western shirt or blouse it sometimes came in from the side and sometimes from the hem. I don't remember a single SImplicity Pattern that didn't have darts unless it was a pattern for a "Shift".

Is it my imagination or because the big name brand discount store (Walmart) is setting the concept for women's clothing now? Darts seem to be gone the way of the Doo Doo Bird. Maybe it is the fault of our fast food society where women's curves are sadly lacking as inches are packed in places they shouldn't? Darts emphasized the female form by gathering the excess material in so the piece of clothing followed the contours of a woman's figure. I didn't watch the Oscars but saw pictures of the women who attended. I guess if one is letting "IT" all hang out, there is no need for a relic of the past like beautiful dresses which accented the person wearing them.

This morning I put on a shirt which had no darts, tucked in the excess material into my jeans, and got to thinking about what I used to look like wearing a different kind of shirt. I might be going out to feed the animals or plow the fields but sometimes I want to look nice even if no one is there to show off for. Hey, it is the female prerogative even if it is us, to tell ourselves we "used to" look wow. The only traffic I stop now is the livestock as they wait for me to pass out the feed but..., I dug down into the past, pulled up a blouse with darts, and changed. Damn, there is something left in what used to be! All it took was a couple little darts to make me look like a woman instead of a hired hand. I love the styles of the past that made a woman look all woman without letting it all hang out. Leaving nothing to the imagination about what she has isn't sexy. Maybe we can blame National Geographic for women hanging it all out for Show and Tell. Those pictures of native women didn't leave anything to imagination.

Have fun with life, it's too short to take it seriously
always,
Barb

Comments

Fashion

I think princess seams are more common than darts these days.

A lot of it is that the

A lot of it is that the clothing is not sewn, but knitted. T-shirts, sweaters, and so forth. Sweat Shirts were always intended to be baggy.

Thinking about my wife's clothing, most of the shirts she has that have no buttons are made of a knitted fabric. The ones with buttons are often darted, but I know she's complained about that in the past. At almost six feet tall, the shirts made in her size for the top seem to all be oriented towards women with HUGE busts, so you end up with ugly sag in the front.

If you want a properly fitting blouse/shirt, you'll have to get it tailored, or stitch it yourself. It's very difficult to make a darted outfit that fits everyone. Mass production keeps the costs down, and the only way to mass produce and sell most everything is to make sure that they can fit as many people as possible. Thus, stretchy, non-tailored tops/shirts.


I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.

It's been years since I've watched a Hollywood award show...

and I remember quite distinctly an actress coming down the red carpet, stopping for interviews in an evening gown that had darts. The fashion hacks and morning gabfest 'news' shows were all quite alarmed that the actress had been seen in public with her nipples bumping up the fabric.

It seems that people can't tell the difference between a seam and female anatomy.

Just one more reason I fear for the continued survival of the human race.

I don't get fashion ,But

Have fun with life, it's too short to take it seriously . The last line is so true just had to comment on that.
Be happy , don't worry and enjoy everyday LAUGH
HUGS