50s or 60s vintage lilli ann dress

J

Jluthye

Registered Guest
UPDATE *** Hahaha Im looking at the lable resource and perhaps I went the wrong way.... not 50s 60s but I am looking at a 40s/50s piece? that thought entered my head briefly but the belt loops made me rule that out lol.... hmm I'm confused now lol!

Hello all 2 questions, date and display help... I am pretty sure it is a 50s, late 50s?

But I just noticed a few things that made me think cusper or early 60s.

First... When I looked at it and put it on mannequin, it didn't look like a crinoline would fit or look good under it. So that was the FIRST thing that threw me off. It is a heavy Lame' brocade with a leaf like pattern in black and gold. Velvet trim on bodice. ALSO, there are belt loops that are about 4-5 inches wide. no belt but hey. low neck line, and the zipper. It is a side metal zipper but LONG.... i didnt measure I am guessing 16 inches? it goes well below the waist and all the way to the arem pit seam. Is this common with lilli ann? never run into one that long on side.

Ok well done with the dating. Next. Obviously a crinonline looks way better and I think it was meant to be worn with one once I put one under it. But the neck line... Should I pull it off the shoulders like the pick top far right? It looks a little odd from the front and causes a slight bulge at teh bust but look at the next pixture of the back. When I pull it to the edge of the shoulders the back line up beautifully.

So what do yall think..... Display both ways?

Thanks in advance ladies!!!

Jennifer
 
Hi Jennifer,

You have an interesting dress - firstly, I would place the collar where it sits the best, I think that is not pushed wide on the shoulders! The first pic looks the most comfortable.

Secondly, I would say the style is '50s, I don't think it's designed to be worn with a crinoline, not all '50s dresses were. The zipper sounds like it's a replacement. I generally associate metallic brocades with the '60s but your dress looks very '50s to me.

Now - the tricky bit - I wasn't aware of Lilli Ann making dresses at this time! Your label is the sort usually found in jackets and coats of the late '40s- early '50s. Does the construction look professional or home made? I suspect that someone has sewn the label into a non-LA dress.

Nicole
 
I passed on a LA 50s dress some time ago...it had the same label and I was thinking the same thing, Nicole, but now I'm not so sure,
 
Ok I will uplaod the pictures right now as soon as I can get them resized

But answers to your questions....... it is perhaps a label that has been sewn in... Im not that good yet to know original stitching from newer. As far as the thread,,, it appears to match the thread in the neck line and that too is broken (the label is institched in two corners) and comming out. So maybe they cut the old label or its just falling out? I don't know on that one....

The zipper I do not think it is a replacement, I cant tell for sure but It doesnt look resewn if so they were good.

Deffinately professional construction or an expert seamstress... lol.....ribbon on all seams in bodice and bodice is lignes. no linning on skirt but still ribboned and very nice construction,

Ok here are the pictures... sorry so long but I wanted to keep them close up... last one is the broken stitches in the neck.... I lightened them all to help show the stitches... Hope that helps....
 
Ok last post from me other than thank yous!!!

anywho... I am now confident that lilli ann made dresses in the 1950s... but they were a couture line? so says this a advertisement... here is the blog link and the pictures... they are both 1954 advertisements
http://vintagegoddess.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html
lilliann1954.jpg


and....


1.jpg
 
I gotta say that all the Lilli Ann's that I have scanned out of those Vogue's have huge crinis under them, so I would think that if that dress is 50's it probably needs to be poofed.
Her dresses were either super tight OR huge in the ads.
Dramatic too and the reason it bulges might be the lack of arms.....
 
Pretty dress! I agree with the 50s dating. I don't know if it was originally meant to be worn with a crinoline, but there is not harm in having it pictured both ways. That way the prospective buyer can see what it would look like with and without. I think that would be referred to as a portrait neckline. You don't want to pull it off the shoulders and the neckline should stand out slightly when it is sitting correctly.
 
I have had two fabulous Lilli Ann 50's dresses. They were as substantial and as fabulous as the coats! Your's is beautiful! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top