The Development of American Menswear Pattern Drafting Technology, 1822 to 1860

Abstract

Between 1822 and 1860 American pattern drafting technology changed from a direct system of drafting to a proportional system, enabling the menswear ready-to-wear trade to develop standardized patterns. The emergence of standardized patterns coincided with the transformation of the American menswear tailoring industry from a handmade customized production system to a mechanized ready-made manufacturing system. This study examined 41 American pattern drafting systems to determine trends in drafting technology. Besides their technological value these systems also provide information on regional specialization, the conveyance of pattern drafting technology, and the level of skill artisans needed to remain competitive in the early industrial American menswear garment industry. The development of standardized pattern drafting systems in early 19th-century America provided one of the catalysts to transform the menswear ready-to-wear tailoring trade into a large scale factory production system.