60s Mini Go Go Dress

[*~Eli!]

Hi Everyone,

I have a couple of questions about a very simple dress. I know I should know some of this but once again... my brain has gone blank.

1) The faux belt in the back... what is that called? Half belt?

2) Are not 'Scooter Dresses', dresses with shorts underneath or skorts? There are a ton of definitions for Scooter dresses I have found and they all conflict.
3) A Line or Shift? This dress has a very subtle nip at the waist, does that mean it is not a Shift Dress and A Line is the best definition?
4) Ohh and the buttons. They are like French cuff buttons. What are buttons with a string attaching them like that called?
5) How could one person have so many questions about such a simple dress?

Thanks

*~Eli

 

[MyVintageCocktail]

Hi Eli, love the color of that dress! Hopefully I can help answer some of your questions....

1) I call those belts, which were omnipresent, it seems, in the mod era, half belts; not sure if that's technically what they're called, but it's what I've always called 'em!

2) Scooter dresses are, from what I remember from "back in the actual day" and from what I've read since, a dress that "was or could have been" worn when riding a scooter--although too-great liberties have been taken with the term. That would include dresses with shorts underneath or those cute drop-waist dresses with flared skirts (example below). A dress with a skirt wide enough to allow a gal to comfortably ride a scooter. I personally don't put skorts or culotte dresses into that category--although I'm not sure why. I guess I've always thought of it as an actual dress, and that culottes and skorts already have their own terminology.... I wouldn't call your dress a scooter dress, though some folks probably would. The skirt doesn't look flared or wide enough to sit astride a scooter without it riding up to nearly one's waist!

Scooter Dress (sold from my inventory a couple of years ago):

3) Shift, A-line, etc. So much variation in what people call what, it's no wonder there's ambiguity! My take on it, FWIW, is that I'd call this a "skimmer" shift. "Skimmer" is a term that we used bck then. That is, a dress not as wide and shapeless as a true shift, but not fitted and not as A-line a skirt as a true A-line. They skim the body. Your dress looks slightly A-line in the photos, but I always think of a true A-line as being more "triangular" in shape. I don't have any of my vintage patterns handy, but I have a couple that show a really good A-line profile.

4) Can you show a photo of the buttons? I'm not quite understanding the question...

5) It happens to all of us--LOL! In fact, 4 questions pales in comparison to the number of questions I've had on things over the years!

 

[*~Eli!]

Thank you so very much. It always makes me feel better when the answers are what I thought. *smile*

Here is a picture of the buttons. You cannot see it here, but there is a thread between the buttons, like French cuff links (although they are purely decorative)

Again thanks so much.

That's a great dress you shared with me!

*~Eli