Hello, I received this dress as a part of a 1930's dress lot. It is really intriguing for me. -The top is made of a thin mesh. It has two front darts and two back darts, which make it really fitted. The bottom is a full-length skirt made of black crepe ( I think). There is pleat around the waist, that you can see on close up picture. -the dress has raw edge seams, a metal zipper on left side, no label. My really question is : HOW would it have been worn? I can hardly imagine a slip underneath; the top seems to be really fitted and I think it would have look really unsightly. I could be wrong. My second hypothesis is that something was maybe worn above the mesh part. If it is, what kind of top? What would have been the interest of these top? Why not simply wearing a skirt? My third (odd) solution is that the dress could have been a really risque one, but It seems really weird, I don't really believe it. What are your thought on this? Thank you ! PS : Sorry for the pictures, the dress is way too short for me ( like a lot , as I am 175 cm) and I keep my shoes and pant underneath. I'm sorry for my english too, if it's too bad. That's not my mother tongue.
It definitely would have had a jacket over it, most likely a shorter bolero style. I've never had a 30s dress before with this sort of top structure. Did you check the side seams on the skirt for any sort of label?
The brand of zipper (usually found moulded into the tag) can be a clue as to country of origin, perhaps more detail if a smaller company. I *think* I've seen or heard of a similar garment before, and it was something like an extention of a shorter garment, to turn a day garment into evening wear? the top is thin and fitted because there would have been another fitted garment on top, so the top is minimal as to not be seen. In the 1930's a woman would still have worn a slip or some sort of undergarment underneath that I would have thought. It's generally always more layers than we would risk today
I think it was likely part of a two piece dress, so agree that there would have been a matching jacket to wear on top - and also agree that the wearer would have worn lingerie beneath (bra and slip). Here are a couple of tops that might give an idea of what was worn on top. Basically, it will be made of the same black crepe perhaps with some embellishment and worn together they make a dinner dress.
