“…mostly, sewing is done because someone wants better-looking, better-made clothes than the same amount of money could buy; or a high fashion look at low budget figure; or a unique custom-created garment. They sew because it’s fun! They sew because it’s the thing to do. It is the proud and fascinating leisure-time effort of women of all walks of life–and some men, too.”
(From a textbook published in 1970, Hi-Fashion Sewing and Tailoring. I was trying to find fitting info for taking in a dress bodice, but the book assumes the reader knows how to do that already and just provides detailed fitting info for pants–pants which were just starting to be as acceptable in all social situations as a dress in the ’70s’s.)