Brocade Dress?

foofoogal

foofoogal

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This is a homemade dress with metal zipper.

I was thinking 1960s but any help appreciated.

Cleaning? Found in an antiques shop and a bit dusty?
 

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A lot of us prefer older zippers, I have a big supply and you can still buy them new too (or at least you can in Australia). It looks like a metallic lame' chiffon, probably polyester and dry clean only - if it's dusty, you can hang outside on an overcast but breezy day, that should shake most of the dust out. Mind you, I automatically clean everything because you just don't know what lives in older fabrics that may have been stored badly.
 
I agree, the fabric is the sort I find on 1960's cocktail and evening gowns so I wonder if it was remade from a period maxi dress, but we still sell that trim today on the market and the sleeve line, combined with the drop waist and boat neck all look 80's.
 
I'm not seeing 80s - it looks good to me for that transitional period in the early-mid 60s (63-65) when fashion is between two style periods. The boat neck is popular then and A-line skirts are around, although not as popular as straight skirts, and that lame chiffon is perfect for the early-mid 60s. If it were 80s, that nude chiffon lame would be used for drapey matronly styles, not tailored cocktail dresses. I see this with a turban and low-heeled pointed toe shoes and big costume jewellery by Kenneth Lane...
 
I thought it may be 1960s for the flower power design to be honest.
Maybe a few more photos. It really has an older overall feel than 1980s when I hold it.
Thank you all.
 

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I still see '80s - here are more reasons:
  • this slightly fluffy polyester chiffon/lame' fabric is of the '80s, not '60s - the '60s fabrics are heavier and more often silk or rayon. I saw a lot of this sort of fabric when I worked in fashion in the '80s. It was expensive and hard to sew.
  • The style of sleeves are also '80s, with the very slight puff at the top and a simple sewn cuff - a '60s version would probably have no or short sleeves.
  • The shoulder line is more '80s (especially seen from the back). Any signs there were shoulder pads there once?
  • The slightly dropped waist, with the bodice curved into it - and the circle skirt. A '60s one would have a natural or high waist, with a gathered, pleated or full skirt.
  • The lining looks like a polyester: can you confirm the composition? I'd expect a '60s one to be acetate. A '60s one would have the same lining for the bodice and skirt, whilst this one looks like different materials have been used - suggesting that the lined bodice is mostly about hiding your bra.
  • Is there braid trimming the neckline too? That's a more modern touch, as it could irritate your skin - you don't see a braid like this on necklines (or waistlines either on older dresses). It could have been added though.
It's nicely made, and I'm sure it was worn for a special occasion. I agree with Jonathan that these were worn by older women. Have you clipped it on the mannequin? If it's a larger size, I think it was for an older woman too.

Can you tell us more about the seams and hem: how are they sewn? Are they french seamed or overlocked (serged)? I'll consider '60s if the fabric and construction can put it into that era, but all of these points look to a '50s revival style in the '80s - home made dresses can be the hardest as they don't follow general fashion rules and older fabrics and techniques can be used. Thank you.
 
it looks 80s channeling 60s to me.

reasons:

- the large abstracted gold floral fabric looks very 80s
- the gold braid at the waist and cuffs (which doesn't match; a 60s seamstress would most likely match the golds) is something i've never seen on a 60s dress, but have seen on a number of 80s home-sewn dresses
- it's drop-waisted - not 60s channeling 20s flapper sort of drop-waist - and i've only seen that on 80s-channeling 60s dresses
- the construction on the lining does not look 60s, does look very 80s
 
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