author
Jane Warren Wells
1886–1981
A prolific American sewing and fashion writer, she helped generations of home dressmakers feel more capable and creative. Writing under the name Jane Warren Wells, she shared practical advice on fit, style, and the small design choices that can change how clothing looks and feels.
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 and teachers in sewing, needlework, and textile arts. Over her long career she wrote or co-wrote dozens of books, and her work reached a wide audience through clear, hands-on instruction.
She also played an important role in fashion education. Picken founded the Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in Scranton, Pennsylvania, taught at Columbia University, and became a respected authority on dress, fabric, design, and sewing.
Jane Warren Wells was one of the names she used for her writing. Under that name, she published books such as Dress and Look Slender, bringing together fashion advice and practical guidance in the friendly, helpful style that made her work so popular. She died in 1981.