author
Jane Warren Wells
1886–1981
A prolific early-20th-century writer on sewing, dressmaking, and style, she turned practical fashion advice into clear, approachable guidance for everyday readers. Writing as Jane Warren Wells, she also explored how clothing choices could shape confidence and appearance.
1 Audiobook
Dress and Look Slender
by Jane Warren Wells
About the author
Born in Kansas in 1886, Mary Brooks Picken became one of the best-known American writers on sewing, needlework, and textile arts. She wrote dozens of books across her long career, and her work helped make dressmaking and home sewing more accessible to a wide audience.
She was also an educator and founder of the Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in Scranton, Pennsylvania, a school that taught sewing and related skills to women around the country. In addition to instructional works, she published style advice under the name Jane Warren Wells, including Dress and Look Slender.
Picken remained an influential name in fashion education for decades. She died in 1981, leaving behind a large body of practical writing that still interests readers drawn to vintage sewing, dress history, and classic style guidance.