Large Scale Central

Thoroughly modern Millie (and friends) - ca 1925

Like most men, I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to CLOTHES. As long as they fit, and don’t smell too bad, we’re good to go. Unfortunately, women do. Anybody who’s had daughters can tell you of the drama and horror associated with trying to buy your little princess LAST year’s fashions… I’m trying to do a public layout for our antique machinery club. I settled on 1925ish because I could have both horses and cars, and steam tractors and gas tractors, etc. Now, I’m sure many of us work real hard to make our consists and vehicles period correct, right? But what about those little people? I have Preiser’s master catalog, but they don’t have much for the 20’s. The commercial choices seem to be mostly 1880’s, 1940’s, or modern… Nice, if you model those time periods, or don’t care, but not if you’re going to be weird like me… A little research was in order. So what WERE people wearing then? I found there actually IS a SOURCE for this ‘fashion’ stuff online… A website called “Fashion Era” of all things http://www.fashion-era.com/index.htm with lots of vintage clothing pictures from magazines like McCall’s – score one for the home team! Then I found out that the popular style for women in the mid 20’s was the no hips, no breasts, bobbed hair, 15 YO girl look… ewwwww! But we’re still committed (or need committed) to doing this right. Right?

The main fashion accessory of the period seems to have been the cloche hat (cloche is French for bell), it basically looks like a helmet or maybe a bucket on their heads (actress Louise Brooks)

What I have to work with is a bunch of cheap figures from that guy in Hong Kong, so I’m not out much if I botch them

I spent about 20 minutes to half an hour on each one carving away hair, and giving them mastectomies, before starting to rebuild their outfits with spot putty…

Will I be able to turn back time? You (and I) will have to wait for the putty to harden so I can sand and paint them to find out If you’re curious, the men of that period seem to favor 3 piece suits and straw hats, and “Oxford bags” or “plus fours”… ie long baggy knickers and a pullover sweater… weeeeee!

Interesting project. At least those 20’s outfits are pretty simple so they shouldn’t be too difficult to model.

I found that site too when I was researching period fashions for my layout.

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/figures/PB200001.jpg)

only about a dozen more to go… I hate cloche hats

Great start Mik