Elaine Higgins
Registered Guest
I have a vintage wedding dress with sequins that look different colors. I believe they are called aurora borealis sequins. I was told the dress is from the 1940's. When were these sequins first made?
Aurora Borealis Sequins
- Thread starter Elaine Higgins
- Start date
Circa Vintage Clothing
Alumni
I've seen sequins with this look dating all the way back to the 1850s, when they were actually made of beetle wings. Not sure when they were made in the plastic form but if you post pics of your dress we can help date it.
Elaine-
It will help if you could show us the dress and a close view of the sequins. The aurora borealis vacuum coating on rhinestones was perfected in the early 1950's. I've seen the dates 1953 and 1955 for this. Most jewelry with a.b. stones is post 1955. Irridescent finishes were used earlier, (in costume jewelry) and possibly on sequins but I do not know if you'd find a true aurora borealis finish on sequins in the 1940's. Perhaps someone else will know what the sequins are called if you can show them to us.
It will help if you could show us the dress and a close view of the sequins. The aurora borealis vacuum coating on rhinestones was perfected in the early 1950's. I've seen the dates 1953 and 1955 for this. Most jewelry with a.b. stones is post 1955. Irridescent finishes were used earlier, (in costume jewelry) and possibly on sequins but I do not know if you'd find a true aurora borealis finish on sequins in the 1940's. Perhaps someone else will know what the sequins are called if you can show them to us.
Elaine Higgins
Registered Guest
Circa Vintage Clothing
Alumni
Sorry Elaine, but we'll need a little more than that - it's hard to tell much from the small photo, it could be '40s, '50s, '60s or even '70s.
Best if you can show it to us on a person or mannequin so that we can see the shape - also if you can describe the fabric. Is it silk satin, rayon crepe, polyester? Also if you have any information about openings: side metal zipper, centre front self-covered buttons etc? The more you can tell us, the more we can tell you.
From the pic, it looks like it's beaded and sequinned over lace appliques but I can't tell any more than that and I can't even be sure it's got lace but from those, it's probably not '40s. Please tell us more!?
Best if you can show it to us on a person or mannequin so that we can see the shape - also if you can describe the fabric. Is it silk satin, rayon crepe, polyester? Also if you have any information about openings: side metal zipper, centre front self-covered buttons etc? The more you can tell us, the more we can tell you.
From the pic, it looks like it's beaded and sequinned over lace appliques but I can't tell any more than that and I can't even be sure it's got lace but from those, it's probably not '40s. Please tell us more!?
Elaine Higgins
Registered Guest
Here is the dress. It is made mostly of tulle and tafetta. The tulle train is cathedral length. It came with arm covers and a veil. The veil is made of net and the headpiece is made of some fragile flowers that are discolored. Oh, and taupe-colored seed pearls at the neck and embellishing the lace. It buttons up the back with taffeta and tulle covered buttons with tulle loops. Please bear with me. I am brand new at this.
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Circa Vintage Clothing
Alumni
Thank you for the pics Elaine - it's a beautiful gown!
I think (on the available information) it's probably late '40s to early '50s and I hate to sound pushy, but if you can tell us more it will help. I'm sorry if I'm being too rough with you: I appreciate that newness takes a bit of time to get into the swing of things. I'm just being enthusiastic and want to know more!
If you bought it from the family of the original wearer they should be able to give you a date but I'm guessing you've already tried that.
I think (on the available information) it's probably late '40s to early '50s and I hate to sound pushy, but if you can tell us more it will help. I'm sorry if I'm being too rough with you: I appreciate that newness takes a bit of time to get into the swing of things. I'm just being enthusiastic and want to know more!
If you bought it from the family of the original wearer they should be able to give you a date but I'm guessing you've already tried that.
joules
VFG Member
More about Elaine's dress, from her previous post:
http://forums.vintagefashionguild.org/threads/lace-dissolves-with-distilled-water.41696/
http://forums.vintagefashionguild.org/threads/lace-dissolves-with-distilled-water.41696/