Confused by this Vanity Fair slip

[plousia]

I found this VF slip and thought it would be an easy date as the label matches the 50s labels in the Label Resource....

BUT the first thing I noticed about it was the fabric didn't feel like nylon. Burn test indicates definitely not nylon, closest match appears to be rayon (it's a taffeta).

Also, the tag doesn't say nylon on the reverse, as I've seen with other VF tags.

And, most of the seams are pinked, which I've never seen before - all of the 50s slips I have, have all serged seams. This one has overlocking only on the seam which joins the bottom embroidered panel.

According to the LR, VF announced in 1948 that it was going all-nylon. But this tag doesn't look like the 40s tags.

Did VF ever produce rayon slips after 1948? Or, does anyone know if this font and label style was ever used pre-50s?

*confused*

 

[dollsntrolls]

Is the waistband elastic? That would be a later date, not earlier than 50s. This style has more of the 70s look, just going off of first glimpse.

 

[plousia]

It is elastic. According to the label resource VF started using elastic in the 30s?

 

[retro ruth]

I wonder if @NylonNostalgia can help with this.

 

[dollsntrolls]

It is elastic. According to the label resource VF started using elastic in the 30s?

There’s using elastic interwoven to give stretch to the body of the fabric, and there are elastic waistbands. I saw that, too, and I wondered which it was referring to. I have knit dresses and sets from the 40s with elastic waistbands, but my earliest half slips have closures or even just half elastic on the backside. That’s is just one more piece to the puzzle!

Either way, I prefer silk, rayon, celanese and acetate for a slip - less static clingy than straight nylon!

I don’t think anyone has handled more vintage slips that @NylonNostalgia so hopefully she has a moment to weigh in!

 

[plousia]

Either way, I prefer silk, rayon, celanese and acetate for a slip - less static clingy than straight nylon!

Oh yes, I wish this fit me, sadly it's a very small size! It's such lovely material. Thanks for this perspective from more experience. I did check out the nylon nostalgia blog when trying to date this and she has a nice post on dating VF slips from the 50s with numbers, which this one doesn't have.

 

[NylonNostalgia]

Hi everyone - sorry for my late arrival but I have only just noticed this thread. VF did produce rayon slips after '48 but they were sheath slips (see my article here: https://nylonnostalgia.com/f/the-spirit-of-the-age-the-suit-slip ), the situation being that the more robust rayon performed much better under pencil skirts and suits than clingly nylon. It is hard to say for sure as VF labels don't give much away in the way of indicators and tbh the slip looks 'well used', but I'd say it was firmly established in the 1940's at a reasonably informed guess. It certainly has the shape and length of a sheath. Pinked seams too - a quality indicator that you'd never see in later VF slips. Well worn pinks too, which is a good indicator of age. Nice find - jealous - grrrrr!!! lol

Have a fab weekend!

Emma x

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[plousia]

Thanks very much! Much appreciate the knowledgeable verdict. Have a lovely weekend as well.

 

[ssosslau]

I like nylon slips better