Delighted and Confuzzled by a Fringe Shift Dress

NinaN

NinaN

Registered Guest
Okay ladies, it must be my lucky week b/c in addition to the Laura Ashley dresses I found on Tuesday, I just scored an adorable dress at a thrift store near my dentist (just a cleaning today, no root canals) that has me SO excited but also scratching my head. So I rushed home to query you all.

It has no tag, and the zipper says 70's to me but the sheath style says 60's. What's really interesting is that it looks to be hand sewn--REALLY hand sewn. Even the zipper is hand sewn in as well as the yoke of the lining and the armhole lining (all shown in the pics). Yet the lining of the hem is machine sewn. And it's beautifully done! So why would someone take the time to hand sew things they could serge (or zigzag) if they have access to a machine? Perhaps the zipper was hand sewn b/c they were concerned the fringe would get caught in the foot of the machine?

It's classic and the fabric is so unique and I was thrilled beyond belief to find it so I'd love your help dating it.

"Vintage Fringe Sheath" is not providing any answers on Google.

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pic 2 (inside lining of shoulder and armhole)
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(zipper photo shows the tan thread used to hand sew the zipper in)
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Pic below-hand sewn
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(LAST PICTURE IS THE HEM-MACHINE SEWN AND THE LINING SIDE SEAM EDGES ARE ZIGZAGGED TO PREVENT FRAYING)
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Agree with '60s - when you say "hand sewn", do you mean entirely hand sewn (apart from the hem) or that the seams are machine sewn and it's hand finished (facings, zipper etc)?

I love hand sewing and have constructed several garments entirely by hand but it's pretty rare.
 
Agree with '60s - when you say "hand sewn", do you mean entirely hand sewn (apart from the hem) or that the seams are machine sewn and it's hand finished (facings, zipper etc)?
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Agree! There's a reason for hand-stitching down facings, seams and zippers. I do that always when I sew myself. Zippers because I'm no good at putting in zippers by machine. Not that I didn't learn it, but it always ends up looking wonky. But if I do it by hand, it's almost invisible. Ditto for stitching down facings along their edges, and bottom seams.
 
I can also chime in that when I make my own clothes, I often do the facings such as around the arms and the zip by hand. I enjoy hand sewing and you can often get a better result. Also the further back you go, machines did not even have zig zag. I have sewn a dress on my 1933 Singer and it can only do straight stitch. That may also account for the lack of machine stitching.
 
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