Patterns For Smartness - 1940s/1950s Sewing for Girls (AVG-BF3429)

February 12, 2009 · By admin

A young lady espouses the knowledge she gained in her home economics course (grooming, posture, diet) that have resulted in her having what her boyfriend refers to as “know how look”. She explains to her boyfriend the advantages of sewing one’s own clothing and how to use sewing patterns and other sewing tools. She models some “quick change magic” for him by putting on scarves and belts over the dress she has just made which inspires him to suggest that the girls put on a fashion show to earn money for new equipment for the basketball team.

med shot - teen girl and guy in living room
Guy - Aw, just like a girl…
MCU - teen guy - always thinking about new clothes. (22:01:37:00)
med shot of teens standing in living room
Teen Girl - What do you mean, that know-how look?
Teen Guy - Well…it s what we fellows like a girl to have, and you have it, plus! It s sorta like…oh, look out of the window there, quick! (22:01:55:00)
med wide shot of dorky teen girl walking down sidewalk
Teen guy VO - Now there s just the opposite of what I mean by the know-how look.
MCU of prim teen girl framed by ruffly curtain, window
teen girl VO - Once I looked like that myself… (22:02:06:00)
med wide shot of dorky girl outside on sidewalk dressed badly
teen girl VO - …grimy shoes, my slip showing, a sweater big enough for Babe Ruth, and all those crazy gadgets… (22:02:13:00)
MCU of Teen girl in window - …and the way I walked, scuffing along the pavement, head down, leading with my chin. My skin was horrible too, not enough milk and clean vegetables, not enough outdoor exercise either. I m glad I took the home economics course. We learned so much more than just how to make clothes: good grooming, how to take care of our skin and hair, how to carry ourselves so our clothes look really smart on us. All those things that make Johnny say I have the know-how look.
med shot of Teen guy in living room - See what I mean? Now take you your figure s cute…
same shot - Teen girl walking toward Teen Boy
Teen girl - MY figure? That s all done with a book! They sit on couch (22:02:57:00)
MCU of Teen guy - You mean your grandmother made you walk…
CU of girl s hand drawing a female figure
Teen Guy - … with a book on your head to make you stand up straight?
Teen girl - maybe I d been better if she had!

CU of page in book with title - Are you a brunette?
sequence of CUs of girl with different colors of fabric held up around face
male VO - What is your type? What colors make you your most exciting and attractive self? Experiment with actual fabrics.
Teen guy - You re right after all. Make it red.
Teen girl - That s what I decided. Every body can wear some shade of red.

med wide shot of teen couple dancing in the living room
MCU of couple dancing
Teen guy - Do you make all your own clothes?
Teen girl - Sure, lots of us girls do
Teen guy - But your clothes look so..professional!
Teen girl - Johnny, don t you know that the most professional looking clothes are those made by hand, individually. You don t think that people like movie stars buy their clothes off a rack do you?
med wide shot of coupled dancing
teen guy - But the people who make their clothes are professionals…
MCU of couple
Teen guy - …you re just a high school girl!
MCU of woman designing clothes
sequence of MCUs of women designing clothes
MCU of pieces of patterns being measured in pattern factory
CU of girl s hands pinning pattern to fabric
CU of hands pinning pattern to fabric
CU of Teen girl measuring waist with tape measure
MCU of girl s hands arranging pattern on fabric
med shot of teen girl pinning pattern to fabric
CU of hands pinning fabric
CU of hands cutting pattern and fabric
CU of hands holding complicated part of pattern, cutting
sequence of CU of hands basteing fabric
med wide shot of teen girl sewing at table
MCU of teen girl sewing framed by ruffly curtain
CU of girl s hands sewing at machine
CU of girl s hands sewing
male VO - How does a girl know where to begin?
CU of pattern instructions - very detailed
female VO - She just follows her instruction sheet.
MCU of teen girl sewing in living room in front of fireplace with Old Master painting over mantel
med wide shot of Teen girl sewing in living room, stands and holds up dress to herself. Shot framed with ruffly white curtains
med shot - teen girl tries on dress in front of full-length mirror
med shot - blond teen girl enters to help brunette pin dress
female VO - After all, a good pattern is one of a girl s best friends.
fade in - MCU - teen girl hunched over sewing machine - framed by ruffly curtains
male VO - Must a girl tie herself up in knots in order to stitch?
female VO - Betty, straighten up! Remember, correct posture at the machine!
CU of woman’s hands using sewing machine
med shot - brunette trying on dress, blond teen girl helping her
brunette- My home economics teacher says to make skirts the most becoming length
CU of measuring of hems
female VO - Naturally you don t want your skirts to be so much shorter or longer…
MCU of blond teen pinning up brunette s skirt
female VO - …than the average that you ll be conspicuous,…
CU of female hands stitching hem
female VO - …but an inch or so one way or the other won t matter.
CU of female hands sewing
Male VO - Is that all there is to making a dress?
MCU of teen girl ironing
med shot of teen girl modeling dress for teen guy
MCU Teen girl, looking anxious - Do you like it Johnny?
Teen guy - I ll say I do!
Teen girl - Want to see some quick change magic?
CU of female hand picking up scarf
med shot of girl putting on scarf
MCU of girl knotting scarf
smiling and turning
med shot of girl modeling dress with scarf and hideous belt
MCU of teen guy with completely blank look on face
CU of teen girl with different collar, red beret
Teen girl - Quite a fashion show, aren t I?
MCU of teen guy - Betty, I ve got it! Why don t you and the other girls …
med shot of teen girl modeling dress for teen guy
Teen guy - …put on a fashion show to raise money for new equipment for the basketball team!
MCU of teem girl - Wonderful, Johnny, the girls will be crazy about it. I m going to call up my home economics teacher right now to see if she ll help.
MCU of teen girl walking toward phone
MCU of book of patterns, pages turning
male VO - Your pattern catalog is a book of magic, for it transforms all who use it into creative artists.
wide shot of teen girls at outdoor fashion show
MCU of teem girl introducing fashion show with college building behind her
teen girl - Hello everyone, thanks for coming to our little fashion show.
CU of teen girl - You ll be glad to know that the basketball team is $112 richer because you came. Now don t expect anything grand, these clothes are just what we ve made in our clothing class this past semester. I hope you ll like them.
med shot of teen girls seated on grass, clapping
wide shot of fashion show from back of audience
med shot of young woman in white dress with guy in suit - girl models dress
male VO - Wouldn t you like to look this cool on a summer day? White does wonders for your suntan, and takes any color …
med shot of young woman in white dress against college building
male VO - …accessories.
med shot of audience of other young women
male VO - …This basic dress…
med shot of young woman modeling
male VO - …goes smartly to sports events, to school, or to the movies with a boyfriend.
Guy in suit helps her on with jacket
med shot of audience clapping
More fashion show
wide shot of fashion show, audience
male VO - And so, Betty s fashion show ends, but everywhere sewing machines are humming, preparing for the fashion shows girls put on every day.
med shot - girls in audience clapping
MCU of two young women smiling, hugging