By the mid-nineteenth
century, mass production of paper patterns, the emergence of the home
sewing machine, and the convenience of mail order catalogs brought
fashionable clothing into the American home. By the early twentieth
century, home economists working in extension and outreach programs
taught women how to use paper patterns to improve the fit and efficiency
of new garments as well as how to update existing ones.
Teachers of home economics traditionally made home sewing a critical
part of their curriculum, emphasizing self-sufficiency and resourcefulness
for young women. However, with the increasing availability of mass-produced
clothing in catalogs and department stores, more and more women preferred
buying garments rather than making them. As a result, home economists
shifted their attention to consumer education. Through field study,
analysis, and research, they became experts on the purchase and preservation
of ready-to-wear clothing for the family, offering budgeting instruction
targeted at adolescent girls. Modern home sewing made it possible
for American women to transcend their economic differences and geographic
locations with clothing that was increasingly standardized. The democratization
of fashion continued through the twentieth century as the ready-to-wear
market expanded and home sewing became more of a pastime than a necessity.
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