baby frocks - advice on dating?

Better Dresses Vintage

Better Dresses Vintage

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Hi,

I have several baby dresses -- handmade in Phillipines by Alfred Leon and others. Each is a tiny work of art. But how to date them? They are all similar, but unique. Batiste, organdy, and whatever plain-old smooth, woven cotton is called (the sort that feels like a nice, crisp bedsheet). Styling is typical: Peter Pan collars, high waists (right under the sleeve), short (by today's standards, but that's how I wore mine) full skirts, short puffed sleeves. The details are nearly ridiculous they are so labor-intensive. Faggoting, tucks, embroidery, piped shoulder and waist seams. I'd like to eat this pink dress, it's so delicious.

How can I differentiate between 30s, 40s, and 50s baby clothes? What are the clues to look for, if any? These could be from anywhere in that range, based on the other items in the estate.

Thanks for advice. - Liza
 
Baby clothes are hard because the styles don't vary much through the '30s-60s - the details you've described don't make it any easier but perhaps photos will? I generally date using fabrics and construction techniques when the styles don't give me the clues I need.

Of more interest to me is the country of origin - please correct me if I'm wrong but I've only seen Westernised clothes made in the Phillipines fairly recently, since the '70s-80s? I'm not familiar with this label but I take it your garments are much older.
 
Oh, these are old, Nicole, there is no doubt about it. The only question, which isn't even all that pressing, really, is HOW old. The children in question are already geriatric themselves (I met them)! The mom was a seamstress, specializing in baby and children's clothes. She had GOBS of them (I probably left 400 pieces of clothing at the sale, and bought only 5 or 6 items I couldn't resist, two of which I gave as new-baby gifts to a family friend). There were even home-sewn matching sets for siblings. All were high quality. The bulk were home sewn, but there were also a slew of super high-quality imports with well-known labels (according to research, anyway). Photos to follow...
 
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OK... here we go ("pin-up" suit stains have been improved significantly in the interim)
 
You'll note, Nicole, that it doesn't say, "made in The Phillipines," but simply "Phillipine" (singular/adjective). Don't you just love the fonts on the "KANE" outfit?
 
Those playsuits are adorable! I know for a fact that baby and children's clothing was made in the Philippines in the mid to late 1950s because my mother saved several pieces of my baby clothes, including dresses and playsuits from that era which are marked Philippines and are hand worked similar to yours. Based on that, I would date your collection to the mid-1950s although they could be earlier as well. The dresses look very similar to those worn by the child actress Shirley Temple in her movies made in the 30s.
 
Funny, Catseye, I just watched a documentary on Shirley Temple last night. Quite a remarkable child. I've been listing them as "50s, possibly earlier" just to be safe. I would seriously doubt any are more recent than that, based on the age of the people who wore them! It's amazing the work that went into these tiny treasures. I bought my own baby a Ralph Lauren dress not so long ago at Macy's. It started out at nearly $100 (I paid about $15, I'm not insane), and the entire dress doesn't have the finishing that went into the cuff of one sleeve on these little gems.
 
They are all adorable and I agree with 1950's - could be a little earlier but I think the labels look like '50's. I think the pink and white swimsuit label and the swimsuit might be the most recent. I wore little smocked dresses as a child - and actually had a little romper number that was much less frilly than the red and white one. I'll have to dig up a baby picture!
 
Liza, I'm sure you've already tried this, but perhaps if you've met the original wearers, try estimating (or asking) their age and work out when they were the right age to wear them - I've dated quite a few old baby and kids clothes that way. Of course, it only works if the clothes were new when they were worn, rather than second hand.
 
I love hearing of the stories behind the outfits too.
I'd agree in saying that they're 50s, the pin up style one made me think that the most.
Either way, they're all gorgeous, just so cutesy. Much nicer than the ones around today!
 
During my vintage hunts, I cannot resist purchasing well-made traditional baby clothing when I see it and have quite a lot of the Philippines stuff, it's gorgeous. Feltman Bros./Friedknit Creations were popular and are still in business, celebrating their 100yr anniversary in 2016. I especially love your swimsuit and polka-dot playsuit. :wub:

Since the styles haven't really changed much (that I can tell) and, as Nicole says, the ages of the original wearers is probably your best guide. Unfortunately, there's not much info available about infant/kids clothing labels. I haven't yet found a comprehensive guide to vintage children's clothing.
We had a children's clothing and linens shop nearby that stayed open well into the 1990s. I bought a few finely made Philippines dresses for my oldest daughter there in the late 1980s, they look very similar to your dresses. I don't know if the dresses were actually still being made then or if the store was simply selling old stock.

A rather long video with some old photos of the workers at approximately 2:38:
 
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