Dress Date Help Please!

awaywiffairies

awaywiffairies

Registered Guest
Hi everyone!

I bid on a clothes lot on Ebay and so far I've encountered broken zips mainly etc which wasn't mentioned. I haven't opened all the boxes but not a happy bunny.

This quite large sized dress is a bit creased after it's journey, but has press studs down the side. I'm a bit thrown cos of the large size, but any idea re dating? Also thrown re press studs, but a recent homemade job could have those.

Sorry about the piccie, poor light in the afternoons in the ol UK this time of year & when I use my flash I just get a flash of white as a photo.

Sarah

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wow... yes very large size lol i see hand made and early 50s?.... but unsure.... wish i could see the fit better? lol
 
I'm gonna take better pics tomoro Jennifer....yeah sure is large size...it's even too big for me! Could be 1950s maternity......:scratchchin:
 
That's awful that the ebay vendor didn't mention anything about broken zips, Sarah. Very, very naughty. :angry22:

FWIW I've seen press studs on 1930s dresses, possibly even 1920s too (but I'm not certain about that!) I am sure they've been around for quite a while.

Looking forward to seeing more of this intriguing dress . . . the proportions are so odd its hard to get a handle on it at all!
 
yes i normally see studs on early early 40s and below.... but if this was hand made for a bigger gal...the studs wont help too mch ;-0 kinda like metal zips in the 70s..... but the shape is all off because of the size.. more pics will help!!! pics of the studs and seams will really help!
 
Right here are some piccies, there are double bust darts and darts on the sleeve and on the back etc, some french seams and some not. The press studs have two flower type markings and B and then N if that means anything to anyone!

Clearer pics of the dress:

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Dress inside out so you can see the construction (looks like an older construction i think...??):

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There is a market for large size vintage dresses. They sell them on my website almost as soon as I get them listed. This one looks like it was home made (ahem - custom made). We in the US call the side closures snaps. They have been around for a long, long time, at least since the 1910's and probably earlier. Lots of home seamstresses from that time period knew how to sew on snaps, but were unsure of how to put in zippers. The shoulder and neckline look late 1940's or 1950's to me. After it is ironed, I would emphasize the portrait neckline, becoming color and interesting fabric. Is it silk, or a slubbed rayon? Good luck,

Marian
MariansVintageVanitiesClothing.com
 
Could the higher waist you think you are seeing be because it is meant for a petite woman? If it was a maternity dress, it wouldn't be big all over. It would be same as a regular, non maternity dress through the shoulders, arms, etc. If it were a plus sized maternity dress, it would be bigger up top, but then proportionately larger in the stomach area as well and this just doesn't follow that to me. Also, try clipping the dress in, not to take a photo of but just to see where it falls. It is also possibly an optical illusion - because the dress is wider it makes the waist look like its short?
 
yes i was thinking raw silk.. but slubbed rayon looks more accurate huh? a burn test should easily decide.... and i still see early 50s :-) I agree its not maternity and the waist line is not off....

are you selling it online or at a shop/booth.

if online i suggest getting a model closer to the dress size so it looks more becoming :-) A ghetto way to do this is about 20 t-shirts layed on your mannequin using a soft color that matches you manequin last an tape the sleeves/shoulders nice and smooth. you can even use masking tape and bring in the waist... ive done this but I don't think I needed such a healthy size. these pieces are harder to come by and its a supply and demand thing!
 
Thanks everyone for feedback. I think I will take it along with me to my next vintage fair. Easier that way and the fabric is nice and tactile so better at a fair.

I did pin it back and yes the dress was more obvious in shape to me...does have a late 40s early 50s feel, though more late 40s especially the colour and slub.

I'll try and do a burn test tomorow though I'm not the best person to be let alone with a match lol! (serious, I'm very very clumsy!).

Actually I'm very pleased to have obtained (not this one under discussion) a gorgeous 1940s dress that actually fits me nicely...I'm a plump size but do go in and out at the right places so for my next vintage fair I'm gonna wear the dress and be proud of my curves!

Sarah
 
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