Anne Sheridan's Trouser's



I recently caught 'I Was a Male War Bride' on telly, much to my enjoyment. I've always been aware of the film, but had never managed to see it. A quick summary of the plot: Anne Sheridan is a feisty lieutenant in the U.S. army, based in a chaotic post-war Germany, who falls in love with a French officer, played by Cary Grant (who makes no attempt at a French accent, but then he's Cary Grant, so he can do what he likes!) They decide to get married, and realise that the only way to negotiate all of the red-tape and beaurocracy thrown at them is for Cary Grant to declare himself Anne Sheridan's 'wife'.

Watch it if you need cheering up, as the chemistry between the two leads is infectious - there are some scenes that seem to be totally improvised, as they're so natural. The locations are real, so you get to see the destruction suffered by Germany first hand, and to reinforce this upheaval, there is a large chunk of the film featuring Anne Sheridan in charge of a motorcycle, ferrying around Cary grant in a sidecar, much to his discomfort.

And so to Anne Sheridans trouser's......



Trousers!

I haven't been able to stop thinking about them, and so have resolved to make a pair as similar as possible. As you can see from the pictures above and below, they are quite wide, flared from the waist with a single pleat, and best of all, a button fastening at the left side.



Side closing detail

Side view

I've trawled through my patterns; unfortunately, I don't have any trouser patterns from the late 40's (the film was made in 1949), but I think if I adapt some wide flares from the 70's, and adjust them in the fitting stages, it could work out. I know they look horrible, but I've decided to use these patterns:





Detail of simplicity pattern

I think if I combine the waist/fit of the Burda with the flare of the Simplicity, it could work out. At the worst, I'll end up with a pair of 70's Bowie-style flares, but that won't be such a bad thing:



The Thin White Duke



Actually, that waistcoat is quite cool - maybe a future project......

I've been to my beloved Dalston Mill Fabrics, and picked out a lovely red twill - total cost £8.50. Why red? Well, I already have a few pairs of wide black trousers; navy would have been too nautical; I don't like brown (I had a brown school uniform, hence the dislike); green or khaki would have been too army-surplus. And besides, I don't have any red trousers!

So now I have to decide on buttons......