Dating 'oriental' style dress by "Golden Gate Dresses"...50s 60s?

[laurenm]

Hi Everyone, long time no see. I've been running around getting a 'real' shop started here in Peterborough. Has taken me WAY longer to get set up than I would have thought but it's been a huge learning experience and a lot of fun. We shall see.....anyway, hope everyone is doing well.

I wonder if there's any way to date this rather 'traditional' dress....I've seen a lot from the 70s and 80s but this one is a tad different...the bodice has this little extra 'fold' for lack of a better word and the material is a better quality than the 'sheeny' fabric usually used. The dress has a much more soft turquoise color than the photos show.

Thanks for any help.
Lauren

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

I think it is earlier as in late 40s or early 1950s. The length of the item, that fact that it is not as fitted as cheongsams usually are and of course the label is what makes me feel it is earlier. I am sure some others will come in with their opinion.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Hi Lauren

Congrats on your "real" shop! I think you've summed them up with a lot of work and a lot of fun.pillowfightemoti

I think your dress could be '40s to '60s so I'd like to ask the measurements as that will narrow down the date - except that you can see someone's added chunky big darts to give it more shape! It's hard ask, but using your tape measure around the inside and adding length for the extra darts, are you able to come up with a bust-waist-hips?

Sadly, I think they've chopped some of the fabric off, plus added some wacky darts around the bust so you'll need to do a bit of forensic sleuthing. The back seams the most original, with curved princess seams - and the centre back metal zipper.

What you have looks like it's probably a '50s chinoise brocade fitted dress (not cheong sam, dress that reflects current fashions) that someone has "upcycled" (oh, unhappy word) in the '80s or more recently.

If you can tell us something about the hemming, we can narrow the date down a bit more.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Cross posted MJ! Glad to hear you're seeing '40s in there too. The fabric looks very '40s to me, but the back shaping puts it into the '50s for me.

 

[Jonathan]

That fabric looks very late 40s - early 50s to me too