Hi! I've recently acquired this two piece set and am stumped as to dating it. Here's what I know: the dress is European-made and home made/custom made. the fabric is a thicker variety of cold rayon. The construction on the dress is very interesting as there is only one side seam (!), and one seam in the back and there is a longish and thin dart going from under the sleeve to about waist level on the other side. The neckline is like a convex V. The back zipper is metal Koh-I-Noor with KIN engraving. The sleeves are set in. There are bra strap holders sewn on. All seams are hand-finished, both on the dress and the jacket. Jacket has a peter pan collar and small shoulder pads and metal buttons and bound buttonholes. It's a bit boxy and fitted in the back with two rager dats. It looks like it has been shortened by about 5 cm / 2 in as an afterthought... but if the hem were to be let out, the hem is only turned once and stitched so that would leave a raw edge. I hope you can help! Let me know if you need more photos, please, I'll be happy to take them.
Thanks for the suggestion! Here are more photos, I described some of them because it's hard to see what's in the photo with the busy print. Hope this is helpful!
The boxy jacket with small shoulder darts make sme think early 60s and custom made for an older woman who didn't want to give up the shoulder emphasis of the 50s.
Thanks Hollis! I was thinking early 60s too and your train of thought makes sense to me! This is likely a friend's grandma's suit. I think she would have been in her thirties in the 60s. Ah, the elusive meaning of 'older' ;). I admit the fabric got me weirded out, it doesn't look very typical for the era, I think...? Btw, did you mean small shoulder pads? Or is there something about darts that's worth knowing re: dating?
Yes, I meant the shoulder pads. That might have been older fabric, as well. Something set aside and finally made up.
