20s Feed Sack Fashion: A Quaker Oats Dress, The Great Depression, Marilyn, and Dolce!

1920s Sack Dress, Sarara Vintage. Shary Connella photograph.

I'll be honest I remembered in the corner of my mind the potato sack dress- from sayings such as "oh you'd look good in anything, even a potato sack". I really hadn't thought of the literal incarnation, until I ran across a 1920s feed sack dress that made me smile. Both potato sacks and feed sacks were repurposed, though most dresses were made of the cotton muslin animal feed sacks. This one was reportedly found in the attic of "grandma's" house.  The fact that the owner had thought enough to save it was intriguing, as it could have been viewed as something to be ashamed of.  Seeing this cotton muslin dress,  I could see why she had preserved it- while utilitarian and basic in form, the dress was fun and colorful with a flirty flapper cut, pocket, and ruffle. It had seen better days, but again still it was saved. This piece has the 20s straight cut that was so popular and that flapper style but with simple finishes like a slit neck. This Quaker Oats co. FULL-O-PEP EGG MASH has won my heart! I mean just look at the fighting roosters and stripes.

1920s Sack Dress, Sarara Vintage. Shary Connella photograph.

The potato sack or feed sack dress was born of necessity during a time when people just didn't have the extra money to buy clothing.  Many farm families used these sacks to make clothing as a form of reusing and economizing and they were most certainly born there.  I find it inspiring that women created whimsical dresses and held on to some of their personal style, using something that was intended to be functional. The sack companies themselves started making prints with florals and these women in mind in the mid 20s.

Percy Kent feed sack ad, 1949.

They knew that they could actually sell more of their products based on the pretty prints on their bags.
In the 40s during the War they made a comeback, due to necessity as well. Even Marilyn herself threw one on, as the story goes after someone told her she could make a potato sack look good. (The other version says a woman told her she looked like a hussy and that she'd look better in a potato sack). Whatever the real story is, it's now history, which repeated itself at Dolce and Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2013 fashion show!

Marilyn photographed by Earl Theisen in a potato sack, 1952.

Dolce & Gabanna 2013 runway show image, Dolce & Gabanna image, rights reserved.

I wanted to add my version to the image archive so that collector's and vintage lovers could enjoy seeing my not so shy feed sack dress.  So next time you are looking at a vintage dress in a pretty cotton pattern from the 20s-early 50s, just think maybe it was once a feed sack! Below you can see more examples of these versatile fabrics and dresses.

JWVintage Closet's 1940s feed sack dress, image jwvintagecloset.

FabGabs 1930s Sack dress, FabGabs image. See it here.

Sharon's Antiques Vintage Fabrics swatch. See the collection here.