can you help dating this stunning black lace dress?

littlebluecottage

littlebluecottage

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Hey guys, been at a 2 year olds birthday today but just managed to catch a couple of hours of sunshine to photograph this amazing black lace dress!

It is made of lace, has belt loops and a silk satin underskirt.

I was thinking 1940s due to the shape of the sweetheart inset and the buttons at the cuff, which are also at the nape of the neck, but as the skirt is very full, could it be 1950s?

Any help is appreciated!

Also, can anyone identify the lace type?

Many thanks x





 
It's hard to know exact dates for sure. Later 40s -early 50s spans about 4 years. Think of modern clothing that was on the racks 4 years ago. Some of them are the exact same styles as today. A change over in decade does not usually radically change styles. To determine an exact date might require looking at a number of clues and it's hard to be absolutely sure unless you have documentation like photos, ads, articles, catalogues or a manufacturures/designers archived info.

I LOVE vintage magazines for this reason. If I find a dress that looks exactly like one I have in an old magazine I check magazines and newspaper ads from the years prior and later just to see how long the style lasted. Also keep in mind that a high end dress will probably (but not always) be ahead of the curve in regards to style and mainstream mail order fashions were often a little slower to evolve.

Clues can be gotten from the style and silhouette ie hem length, sleeve treatment, waist placement
Constuction of the garment helps... we are always looking at things like seam finishes and closures, and where they are placed
Fabric offers a wealth of info. Color trends for different years. Labels of course and designer/manufacturer names.

THEN after you put this all together you go with your gut, based on experience. I love the process of dating and researching vintage. Hmmm..... maybe I'll write to Parker Brothers and pitch them an idea..."Unraveling the Mystery"...Wouldn't that be fun! Probably not much of a market though :( OK I'm rambling..over and out
Melody
 
You're quite right Melody - I have a dress in the shop at the moment that looks exactly like a '40s dress but a couple of small construction and design elements put it into the early '50s. It was probably worn by an older lady who was fond of the earlier styles.

littlebluecottage, your dress has a '50s silhouette rather than '40s, which would be more structured, especially with the skirt. I find that '40s dresses usually have more flared or pleated skirts rather than soft gathers like here. Although it does have a structured shoulder line, it's softer and has no shoulder pads.

Funnily enough, I had a very similar dress in the late '80s, although mine was completely modern at the time. It had the same sweetheart bodice, and lace treatment.

Nicole
 
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