Dating a vintage Hawaiian dress

I just clicked on the link to the sewn in label to the Aloha shirt that DeLabelle posted in reply #15 - and to the left under Rayon. The label has Japan on it - so it appears that the hand screened print fabric is from Japan. Some of the fabric that was used in the early Aloha shirts made in Hawaii was imported from Japan - but I don't know exactly when S, M, L were used as sizing on tags - but I am pretty sure it wasn't the '50's!

It is possible that the dress has been altered but I don't think it is too early - as Maggie said in reply #17 -earlier clothing was marked with a specific size.

I looked through three books on Aloha wear/Hawaiian clothing and that didn't find that label. It doesn't mean as Mary said that it is not from Hawaii - but it very well could be from California. I don't think it has anything to do with the link that Joules posted.

I had some rayon elastic waisted dresses in the '80's - and a two piece outfit made of rayon with a really fun tropical print that I think was a Carol Anderson. This "look" has been very popular for a long time.

Maybe additional photos will help but I still get an '80's feeling from it.
 
I wonder if it's a '60s muu-muu that was adapted later - I agree that the dress has been altered, as the interior seems to show work done and the elastic does not look original. If it's made in Japan that can make it even harder.

Nicole
 
Just want to weigh back in on the Aloha Shirt being or not being '50's. I really don't know - it could be '50's. When I looked at a lot of labels in some of my books on Aloha Shirts some of the labels (on the men's shirts) do have S, M, L - and even ML so that sizing has been around for awhile. We don't know where it was made but we do know that the rayon fabric is from Japan. I have tried searching Paradise Isle and hand screened print and haven't gotten anywhere!

I looked through Sear's Everyday Fashions of the '50's and of the '60's - and none of the women's clothing including shifts were sized S, M, L. They were still sized 8, 10, 12, etc. I don't think S, M, L sizing has been around too long in women's clothing but maybe it was used in the '60's. If the dress was altered which it appears it was, that makes it harder to date.
 
with the fabric being Japanese rayon, and the (original) silhouette being a front/back scoop curved yoke shift with raglan set sleeves, I'm pretty positive this is a dress from the 60s that was altered to add in the elastic at a later time.
 
Originally posted by vintagemerchant
with the fabric being Japanese rayon, and the (original) silhouette being a front/back scoop curved yoke shift with raglan set sleeves, I'm pretty positive this is a dress from the 60s that was altered to add in the elastic at a later time.
Click to expand...

I can totally reconcile this in my little vintage loving brain!

I wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone for helping me figure this out and for all your time and expertise :)
 
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