a closeup of Shelley from the cover
of Budget Sewing magazine, 1971
Sewing was a popular hobby or pastime for women and girls in the 1970s. Many magazines that catered to women and young ladies would usually contain instructions and patterns on how to create the latest outfits right in their very own homes. It would also include fabric recommendations and tips on how to handle the materials needed to create the fashion pieces. Simplicity, McCall's, Butterick and several more companies specialized in it and even came up with their own sewing magazines as well as patterns, booklets, leaflets. They also came up with many ads to promote them. And many of the top models and Supermodels of the era would wear them on those various printed promotionals that were regularly released - Cheryl Tiegs, Beverly Johnson, Patti Hansen and Shelley Smith, just to name a few. And, of course, so did Shelley Hack.
Shelley in a spread
for Budget Sewing magazine, 1971
Shelley appeared on the cover and pages of Budget Sewing's September 1971 issue. The issue contained instructions on how to make no-pattern quickie outfits, patterns that made you look thin, how to make a bikini as well as the 1st lesson in a complete home sewing course. Shelley appeared in the spread called "3-Way Hot Pants." It featured three versions of the most sought after fashion item for that summer season - Hot Pants. McCall's pattern number 2800 contained not one, not two, but three of the most popular hot pants styles. View A was a fly-front, mock-cuffed version with a belt loop waistband (which Shelley wore on the magazine's cover as well). View B was a sleek version with no waistband but with a fly-front. View C had cuffed legs and an elasticized waistband. And in all of them, Shelley looked fabulous as always.
Shelley on the cover
of Budget Sewing magazine, 1971
