Walk A Way Dress And Its Rockabilly Cousin

In 1952, Butterick Pattern Co experienced a phenomenon it had not known since the 'Garibaldi Suit' of the late 1860's. They released pattern #6015, and dubbed it the 'walk-away' dress, because it was so easy you could "Start it after breakfast... walk-away in it for luncheon!". It's simple yet flattering wrap design and easy construction were what made it so popular.


The envelope back states: Here’s the smartest idea of the season….a dress that has only back, waist and shoulder seams, that has its back wrapped around to the front for a sheath-and-overskirt look. Binding finishes the edges. Wear it for any occasion.

Sales of the pattern were so great, that at one point manufacturing of all other patterns ceased, and only the 'walk-away' dress was produced until all back-orders for this dress could be filled.

The pattern was reproduced and released in the 90's under Buttericks "Retro" line, but the originals remain elusive to most collectors. Of the thousands of patterns I have collected and sold I have only had two.

And later that year Advance tried to steal Butterick's thunder with this lovely creation. It too is a wrap dress and very simple to make with only three pieces. So versatile you can whip it up to wear to the market, wear it over a sweater as a jumper, leave off a piece of the bodice and wear over a sexy jumpsuit for at home occasions or a strapless underslip for the fanciest cocktail party.

Both are available right now at cemetarian on ebay.