50s Shaheen with dry clean only label?

L

Lucitebox

Registered Guest
I would most definitely say this is '50s to early '60s. However, the "Dry Clean Only" label is throwing me.

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I do have another Shaheen that's in my own closet (worn regularly) that's black silk with a classic '50s shirtwaist style to it. I always thought maybe mine was later than '50s and posing as '50s, but seeing this fiery, full skirted sundress I've posted, I now feel pretty sure these labels must have existed before the 70s.

I had previously been operating under the assumption that the dry clean only label was a post 1970's convention. Have you seen this label in older (pre-'70s) garments?
Thoughts?
Thanks.
Holly
 
hey holly, how goes it?

generally i associate these sundresses with the straight-across cut bodice with the 70s, but yours is earlier. by the 70s shaheen was doing something very different, and even in the later 60s.

yes, i've seen dco tags earlier than the 70s. they became common after '74, when manufacturers were required to put in care tags, but you don't see them often.

i'd put your lovely shaheen in the 60s, early to mid.
 
Hello, Joan--doing great, thanks! I hope you're doing well. I always notice your listings when browsing etsy--the photography is unmistakably you!

I know just what you mean about '70s Shaheen dresses--quite a different sensibility. I guess that's the thing--mandate versus the desire to just say--DRY CLEAN THIS! It's silk. The real issue is the under skirt which is that thick acetate taffeta. That or the silk would shrink leaving one with a mess of a dress.

I really lucked out with my black silk dress which is around the same era. Found it on shop on sale for cheapish. I love that thing. Wear it with stripey socks and tall boots where the socks peek out and always feel young (ish) in it.

Thanks.
Holly
 
hi holly, glad to hear you're doing great, and it's good to hear you're occasionally on etsy and that my photos are still recognizable :)

right, even past the mid 60s shaheen started on a different road, then another in the 70s. neither of which was this road, lol!

heh, good point. it is saying 'hey, you'd better dry clean me, i'm silk. you're going to regret it if you don't!'

you know, i just realized i can't see the bodice very well. is that some draping i see? not just a plain bodice? (those are the ones i associate with 70s. not that i think this is at all 70s.)

that sounds interesting - black silk dress, boots, stripey socks peeking over the tops.
 
I wear that black dress frequently. It's so easy to make into different looks.

The bodice has gathers at the bust just above the waist to emphasize the boobage. The waist band is ruched. The back--ooh la la! Hope these photos work. I have to sleep now :)

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Hi, it's been forever and a day that I have been on here as well but I saw your Shaheen and I just wanted to note I too have a silk Shaheen and I would date it to the 60s (mid sixties) based on the style, mine too has similar bow detail and based on the cut and the straps of the dress I would date to 64-66. perhaps other's could confirm or give you more detail

lovely dress!
 
the earliest dress i have ever seen with a dry clean only label was a 1953 dress by Susan Small. It was definitely 1953 because the original owner remembered buying it for a ball in that year!

I think it just depends what the fabric is, like if you are going to wreck it by trying to hand wash it, whenever it was made the manufacturer is going to want to tell you to watch out.

If i remember rightly the dress i am talking about is silk jersey knit...
 
Oh, no! Marty...I'm sorry that your dry cleaner ruined the dress. I am also sorry to say that in the entire city of Chicago, I don't know any dry cleaner that doesn't ruin things occasionally. My friends and I all have a horror story to tell about somebody or another who didn't do the dry cleaning properly.

Thanks for posting your dress--a beauty!

And, that's interesting to note that a 50s dress would have a DCO label. This is something I should know, but how was everything cleaned prior to the invention of dry cleaning? (things like suits and crepe and the like)
Do you guys have an article on the site about that? (I bet you do!)

Holly
 
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