Confusing pink gingham dress

emmapeelpants

emmapeelpants

Alumni
Hello!! I'm new around here, posted this over on VCA and thought I would see if I could get any opinions over here!

Handmade, cotton, metal zipper.....my query was if this is 70s doing 30s or something else? *baffled*

Thanks!!

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Yep.

I vote for 70's, as well.
 
Well, I'll cast a vote for 70s. The bodice is sooo 30s in style. I'm going on the back zipper and what I'm somehow seeing as minimalistic gathering of the fabric at the sleeves and the bust.

Glad you're here! ...and it's cute as 'all get out'.

Steph
 
I HATE it when I get dresses like this! I'm positive they
are 70s, but where did that metal zipper come from? But if it was 30s, it wouldn't have a
back zip.

I think this is early 70s - I had several dresses like this
around this time period, same bodice treatment, and the fact that it is handmade would account for the metal zipper. In fact, I had a blue gingham that I got for my rehearsal party
in 1973 that was almost identical to this.

It is really cute, kind of a DaisyMae Countried Hippie Princess.

And, good to see you here!

Sue:)
 
Another vote for cute 70s dress!

Probably seeing it was homemade the only solution I can come up with is maybe these home sewers either had a lot of metal zips to use up and continued using them or maybe they just liked the metal zips better than nylon.
 
Hi, and thanks for the welcome!! I think it's possible that the zip was either pinched from an older garment that had fallen to pieces or one of those many things you buy and never use. I know I've got bits and pieces given to me by my Nan when she was still alive, things from my mum's foray into dressmaking in the 60s and from other people's family clearouts. I suppose that's why home dressmaking can really fool you into thinking it's from another era!

I've got a beaded 20s panel which I inherited and would love to use in reproducing a 20s dress - but I almost feel I should put a label with the year it was actually made inside! ;)

Such is the joy of dating clothes though! :)
 
Hi EmmePeel -

Good to see you around here!
Zippers - how many discussions have we had on those? (And Velcro)
I started sewing in the late 50's and these closure discussions always have me intrigued.

Metal zippers were very common in sewing stores until fairly recently. (i.e. - "recent", in geezer-time . . . :)) I don't see any problem with that being in a 70's dress.
Home seamstresses eschewed nylon coil zippers for a great many years because, frankly, they were pretty stinky. :) You couldn't put them in any stressed seam for at least a decade after they came out - they separated too easily. (Does anyone besides me, remember that?)
(Actually, thinking back, coil zippers were a bit of a horror, for some years. . . separation problems from bending, excessive heat, etc.)
"Invisible zippers" were far better made but much pricier. The lower cost alternative was usually chosen. The metals were just stronger and more reliable.
I can't help but think that that might have been the way clothing manufacturers felt, as well.

Talon metal zippers got smaller, sleeker and were a very good alternative to nylon coil for many years . . . so I, personally, used metal zippers well into the 70's and 80's.
I never get too hung up about "The Great Zipper Question" for that reason.

I love the waist/midriff cut on that dress. Very cute. :)
C
 
And to not help dating matters, metal zippers were still available in fabric stores well into the 80s. We preferrred them for theatre use because they are sturdier and let likely to break than the nylon ones.

I think 70s is right too - 30s influence, but 70s fabric and construction.

I had a buyer once insist a blouse was 70s, not the 30s I had on it until I pointed out the side snap placket closure, which no one was doing in 1975.

Hollis
 
Valuable information and welcome emma. Good to see you here.<p>I would say 70s, too. This would be great to sell around Halloween as a Daisy Mae type costume. Had one last year that did quite well.<p>Linda
 
I was married in 1977, and my bridesmaids wore very similar dresses. I'm just surprised that there are not ties sewn in at the side seams to tie in a bow at the back!

I love your idea of putting a label in modern clothes made with bits of old ones. That would be a BIG help to vintage collectors 30 years down the road!

Lizzie
 
Yes, as one who did her first contract sewing at the age of 15 (1967) and had a little home factory going for several years (pageant & dancewear), I can tell you that I avoided nylon zippers. Metal was always my choice until I quit sewing for others...let's see....still available in the 80's & 90's (more limited). Talon is a great zipper now, but they were buggers for a long time.

Just can't use that zipper as a guide. Does look very 70's to me too.

Brenda

Of a family line who always removed buttons & zippers for reuse before disposing of a garment. Disposal never came until there was no one younger to receive it as a hand-me-down or it was threadbare - this meant a new life as quilt pieces.
 
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