The 80s called, again

Vintage jumpsuit

I promised it wouldn’t be long before I sewed vintage again. On a different tack completely to my ’60s dress, here’s a 1980s romper.
M9077

The pattern is McCall’s 9077 from 1984, a year older than me. My Roberts dungarees are amongst my most loved and worn garments and I was definitely seeking to replicate their comfort and wearbility here. I love all 3 views of this pattern and reckon I’ll be sewing up the shorts and dress version before too long as well.

Vintage jumpsuit

Vintage jumpsuit

I made these up as wearable toile, doing a bit of fit adjustment along the way. The pattern came in a single size, small, but it’s quite oversized and I had to take it in along the torso sides. The bit of stretch in this lightweight denim (a Woolcrest Textiles bargain – my current #1 fabric shop) makes them super comfortable. To finish the edges, the back and straps are self-lined and the front has a facing.
Vintage jumpsuit

One of my favourite features are the huge patch pockets, which wrap around the side seam. Such a neat detail which look cool but are very easy to sew.

Vintage jumpsuit

Something did go a bit wrong while sewing the placket. Those things are just a mystery to me, I swear I just seemed to end up with flaps and angles all up in the wrong places and just couldn’t make it do what the instructions said. I fudged it and wound up with an okay result, but the buttons do not sit correctly at the exact centre front. I can live with it.



I’ll definitely use this pattern again, if only just to have another crack at sewing the placket correctly! I’ve been collecting jumpsuit inspiration and have dreams of a really minimal version in a drapey viscose, like this, or one in linen with a tie belt like this.

26 thoughts on “The 80s called, again

  1. Angela

    My mum made me this in cream in 1984. Wore it with a fluoro orange short sleeve top and a fluoro mesh sash belt thing and necklace made fro very large orange plastic beads. I was so on trend.

  2. Jane

    I had a very similar jumpsuit in 1984, which I wore with pride to a Tears for Fears concert!! You’ve made it look totally contemporary Katie. x

    1. Katie Post author

      Love it! Luckily I didn’t partake in this trend first time round, but I see 90s fashion coming back too which is a bit close to the bone…

  3. Rebecca

    I think this might be the pattern I used back in the 80s to make dungarees. Do you know where I can get the pattern from to make myself another pair?

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