Weekend Doll Threads by Yuriko
At Weekend Doll, many of our designs begin with a fascination for the elegance of the late 1930s and early 1940s. It’s a period of fashion we always come back to. Clothing during the period went through many different phases, from the fashions left over from the 30s at the opening of the period to wartime utility wear before Dior’s New Look in 1947. Fashion consequently saw lots of change, yet remained elegant and practical for the lives different people were leading at the time.
The Vivien Dress was inspired by tea dress silhouettes from the 1940s; softly structured through the shoulders, tapered through the waist, and flowing gently through to the skirt. Dresses from this era were designed to flatter the body while still feeling comfortable enough to wear day to day.
When designing the Vivien Dress, I made sure to keep this in mind. I wanted to recreate that same harmony: a vintage-inspired dress that feels elegant but is still easy and enjoyable to wear whilst navigating modern life.
The 40s are recognisable for the emphasis it placed on the shoulders, which remained strong throughout the period. This started as a puff left over from the late 30s and developed into a more structured shoulder, taking influences from uniforms worn both by men and women. This shape found its way into trends of the time to emphasise the waistline and to keep silhouettes synchronised across civilian and wartime wear.
For the Vivien Dress, we followed this structure closely, incorporating elements such as gentle shoulder gathers, discreet shoulder pads hidden inside the dress and a shaped waistband panel.
These small details helped create the line that makes 1940s-style dresses so flattering on all body types.
The image from Pinterest
The 1940s tea dress remains a timeless staple because of its flattering and favourable shape, whilst still being comfortable to wear more casually.
The Vivien Dress features a fitted waistband that gently defines the waist before flowing into a skirt that flares softly and femininely. The skirt drapes beautifully and sways effortlessly with every step.
It’s a silhouette that flatters many different body types and is one of the reasons vintage-inspired tea dresses have remained so popular today.
The 1940s Tea Dress Image from Pinterest
Another standout feature of the Vivien Dress is its floral prints, an original print designed by us.
Rather than selecting ready-made fabrics, we make sure to design our prints from scratch. I often take references from the period and then redraw the floral motifs myself, so they feel authentic to the era whilst still looking fresh and vibrant.
For the Vivien Dress, we created two prints:
Both prints were carefully designed to look beautiful while perfectly complementing the 1940s silhouette.
Designing prints for Weekend Doll is always a process of refinement.
We begin by drawing the floral motifs and arranging them into a repeat pattern. From there we experiment with colour combinations and play with scale until the design feels balanced.
I always consider versatility, aiming for prints that can be worn effortlessly with a variety of colours. We adjust the tones carefully so the dress can be styled with a range of cardigans and knitwear.
A vintage-inspired floral dress should make the wearer feel they can wear it again and again, while still feeling excited each time.
Once the print has been finalised, the next step is developing the fit.
During our fittings, we carefully review the dress on the body, making adjustments where need be. Finer details such as the neckline, waist placement and how the skirt falls are refined during this stage also.
Dresses worn during the 1930s and 40s fell beautifully, but they were designed for women living in a time very different to ours. At Weekend Doll, we aim to recreate the elegance of the past while ensuring the fit works comfortably for the modern women of today.
The Vivien Dress went through several fittings to achieve this balance. The goal ultimately was to create a dress that feels comfortable to wear, while maintaining the elegance of a 1940s silhouette that inspires and defines many of our designs.
The Vivien Dress was designed to be worn often, not just kept in your wardrobe for special occasions. After all, we want to emphasise just how re-wearable our pieces are, as women in history would have re-worn their clothing until they could no longer do so.
However you choose to style the Vivien Dress, whether with knitwear for colder days to wrap around your shoulders in the evening, or topped with a jacket for more formal occasions or paired with wedged 40s style sandals for the summer, I made sure to keep this in mind so she is as versatile as she can be.
For me, this is what vintage-inspired fashion is all about: timeless pieces that can bring a little elegance into the lives of those who want to carry the elegance of the past with them in a sustainable and considered way.
We are determined to deliver excellent customer service and are on hand to help from Monday-Friday. Please contact us at info@weekenddoll.co.uk if you have any questions.
