So - I happened to come across this evening cocktail dress at a thrift store today for 99c! As I'm relatively new to the vintage world, I had not heard of Ceil Chapman before but when I did some research when I got home, I see she is amazing! Now, in my opinion this dress is relatively boring compared to a lot of the other dresses that I have now seen, but it's still pretty exciting that I found this! Based on the label on the database here, I'm assuming that this dress is late 1960s - would you all agree? Thanks!
Thanks Do you think it could be on the cusp - 1969/1970s or later? I don't think that the dress has been taken up as the original lace around the hem is completely intact.
The daring plunge neckline and silky "disco" feel all say 70s to me. But I don't know for sure, of course. It's lovely.
Do you have a photo of the hem allowance? I ask because hem lace was usually a home sewing addition. You don't see it in factory construction. You woudl see rayon hem tape, or by the 1970s, serging.
I am not sure it's a cusper but very early 1970s. I'd like to see a pic of the hem too... I think that's sign of it having been taken up not factory original.
Thanks for the replies I finally got around to taking some photos .. and now I'm a little confused. So, I'm no expert in dress-making or construction, but the hem doesn't look as though it's been done very professionally which does suggest that it was taken up from it's original length. However, there is also this lace at the sleeves .. do you think that the sleeves were also taken up because they were to long for whoever owned it? I began to wonder if someone had made this dress themselves from a Ceil Chapman pattern (as I found that there were such patterns for making yourself) but there is a union made label which made me re-think that (I'm not sure that they would come with an actual Ceil Chapman label). Any input would be great
Thanks for the extra pics: I agree that the hem has been taken up, I'd expect this to be either midi (mid calf) or full length. The union label indicates commercial manufacture and puts the dress between '63-74. I agree with an early '70s date for this dress.
Lovely dress. The proportions would be much more flattering if it were its original length. But, to repeat, a lovely dress. Marian