When I saw this article titled “Too Young to Go Steady” in the March 1957 edition of Woman’s Day magazine, I expected it to be about young love. Instead, it was about something much better–Friends, Fashion, and Sewing!
The Junior-high set thinks sewing is the most
The article told about a group of Junior High girls who got together to sew dresses. They all used the same sewing pattern, but choose different fabric to suit their individual tastes. The friends would meet at one of their homes. Sewing machines would be set up and mom would be around to help, instruct, and supervise.
I enjoyed reading the article and reminisced back to my days as a 14 year old who had not yet discovered boys. Instead my love was fashion. Shoes, clothes, purses, and jewelry. I loved it all. I spent all of my babysitting money on fabric and spent my weekends and summer vacation sewing. Of course, I had to fight my mom and sister for the Singer. Sewing was a household obsession.
Where did we buy our fabric? JC Penney’s. Yup. In those days, Penney’s sold fabric and since my dad worked for Penneys, we got a discount. The article referenced buying fabric at JC Penneys. I found this picture to be a familiar site.
Here are more photos from the article.
More Information
Original ad showing our Singer Sewing Machine
Mid-Century Page 
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