This summer I was going through some old photos to find some for my Mom’s 60th birthday. While I was looking through the albums… I found some real jewels! Grab a cup of tea and enjoy this peak at my childhood and my moms amazing sewing skills {and fabric choice!} Here are the awesome homemade outfits from the 80s that my mom made for us.
I now have a PART 2 with great 80s/90s homemade cothes HERE.
First thing that stood out to me was the fact that my brother and I are always dressed matching… I like to sew matching {see this raglan shirt pattern for 5 kids} so I think she passed the matchy jean on to me… I also love that my mom has a matching skirt! don’t we look thrilled to be taking this photo? My mom is the only one into this photo {ha!}
Check out the awesome sailor outfits! I love the cross stitch detail on the back.
Same sailor outfits with Grandpa… Looks like mine is a dress and my brother’s is a romper?
Here’s my brother wearing my mom’s version of footie pjs… I think she just made rounded legs.. but it certainly works for kids who can’t really move yet. My Grandfather owned a dry goods store while my dad was growing up… I was never able to meet him, but when the store closed my mom got her hands on yards and yards of this long-underwear type material…. we wore it in all shapes and forms growing up.
How cute am I? I love that my mom not only made me this coat.. she also made it all cute and butterfly! Remember when I made this Dino Jacket?
I’ve never tried smocking, but I really want to try! I’ve seen this cute dress in person and it is lovely! This was one my mom saved…
And now #3 entered the picture… oh and look! My we are all still matching! I remember this day… my sister was being a pill and the photographer gave her this apple… we didn’t get any good photos with out it… reminds me of the many times I’ve had to use a prop to get a good photo!
This dress looks a bit short, but its cute! Almost reminds me of the I Heart Marcel Marlier series looks…
Wow, outtake material for sure with this face!! I love the cozy red outfits though!!
AND… my Easter dress! With a real rabbit! I do like how mom set up the photoshoot with the tablecloth and the barn wood background!
AND… once again the whole happy family is together! We look a bit happier in our awesome brown velour tracksuits!
and oh wait!!! Here’s the same outfits, same fabric… another color!! I love it! {apparently my brother doesn’t love it!}
I remember the matching Christmas outfits SO well! When we got older we made Christmas sweatshirts… complete with lots and lots of puff paint.. I remember having such a hard time choosing the iron on transfer to use… Oh I thought I was cool in my puff paint shirt! These bear shirts are pretty great too!
And here’s the whole family! All four of us… Don’t we look awesome in our matching pastel outfits? I’m not sure how much of these outfits are handmade, but I know my superb doily dress is homemade and my sisters too! I imagine in the 80s you could buy pink pants… so my mom probably didn’t have to make my brothers. I love the mullets, the crazy bangs on my Mom and my butterfly pin… WOW!
And that’s a wrap… Are you inspired to sew crazy and colorful outfits now? I think my next time I’m going through photos I’ll find all the awesome outfits I sewed for myself in the 90’s…. oh wow… oh the styles… yikes!
Kate says
This was a trip back in time …. I so remember those times – I’d be the parent, not a child, in the photos. ^^
Emily says
did you sew for your kids? I’m sure the styles are familiar even if you didn’t sew ;o)
Lorrie says
Awesome mom! My mom had a tailor/seam stress shop when I was growing up and I spent the days there sitting on the floor, snapping up her fabric scraps and sewing them together on my own real kids sewing machine. She had a rack of kids clothes she made and people came from far and wide to have matching outfits made. She made most of mine and my siblings clothes as well as my wedding dress and all of the girls in the wedding.
I sewed for my kids in the 80’s as well, and I have to say, I appreciate your mom’s clothes from a different perspective. The choice in patterns were pretty sparse then and not too many choices in fabric either. It was the time that we all started realizing that sewing our own clothes used to be cheaper, but it suddenly became more expensive then buying off the rack. So if you did sew an outfit, it was a real labor of love and budget. maybe that was when a lot of people chose to stop sewing and the next generations of sewers were lost.
Emily says
I know that patterns and fabric were really limited when my mom started… actually she starting sewing for us because store baby clothes were all poly and she wanted cotton… It’s very much true now that sewing is more expensive than buying, but I love it!! the sewing that is…
Amy mayen says
Omg! I love this post way too much. I posted my 80s pic on my facebook page, I tried to tag you but couldn’t figure out how. You gotta check it out tho- I want to remake that dress so bad! P.S your mom is basically awesome.
Emily says
thanks! i saw your photo on FB… LOVE it!! We should do a sewing series, eh? Maybe in the spring? Want to co-host? ;o)
Pam @Threading My Way says
Awesome post, Emily!!! Brings back memories of many outfits. It was OK to wear short skirts/dresses in the 80s. They were getting longer by then, but still short compared to today. You are lucky your mum sewed so much for you. Love the smocked outfit and the sailor outfits and the photo shoot with the rabbit – just perfect for a blog!!!
Cathy schroeder says
Well, I have to say…..as the MOM here, this was fun to see. And yes the clothes were a labor of love and sewing with 4 little ones was my sanity. Yes, grandma schroeder had a clothing store, and lots of fabric. But mostly poly so most of those bolts were tents and do what you want with them. BUT the long underwear fabric came from your PAPA (MY dad). The fabric was lining for the winter work gloves made at BOSS MANUFACTORING. He have me about 50 yards, and last month I made a newborn for baby bella. Still have some fabric left.
Emily says
oh! I didn’t know that about that fabric!! thanks for letting me know!! love you!
Maggie Dinsmore says
This was awesome!!!! Smocks are still super popular in the south still. Both my girls wear them 🙂 Loved the pics, thanks for sharing