The Answer Dress

While sorting through my Mother's sewing basket I found an old pattern from the 50s or 60s, Simplicity 2390, the Answer Dress.  A sleeveless jumper with a v-neck back, it is depicted on the cover in four views, belted, unbelted and with or without a puffy sleeved blouse (pattern also included.)

My first thought went back to the early 60s, and I tried to recall one of my sisters wearing this to her first office job.  My second thought was why is this called the Answer Dress?  The drawing of the model on the front reminds me of the working version of June Cleaver, demure in her jumper over a white blouse accented by a big white bow at her neck.  (Oh, and in three of the four views she's wearing white gloves.)

What had me curious was the name - Answer Dress.  I couldn't help but think that whoever wore it (and in my mind, she's in an office in 1963) was a secretary, floating around the office, steno pad in hand, ready to have a letter dictated at a moment's notice, but she had all the answers.

A little research places the pattern in 1957, a chemise with a bateau neckline and a  v-neck back.  My sisters were a ways off from office work at that time and I was relieved to be rid of that vision of them in white gloves at their respective workplaces.  Really it isn't a bad dress, a little sexy (maybe that's the answer,) easily dressed up and it's not hard to imagine it worn for a night out as well.

So maybe this was my Mother's dress after all.  I'll have to ask her.  She's in between the mild and moderate stages of Alzheimer's now with a memory much more in the past than present so she may have a good story to share.