Hi all, Came across this little black dress today. I can't get it on the mannequin because of the placement of the zipper and the annoyingly large mannequin shoulders. The label (Betty Barclay) looks to be from the 50/60s (and there are no other labels in the dress) but the material is quite thick .. almost like a light denim but not. The metal zipper in the center back but does not go up to the neck. It has a built-in polkadot neck tie. Could anyone help me date this and could anyone lend me a hand in trying to determine what the fabric is? Thanks
I believe that this is a repro modern dress not vintage. Hard to tell what the fabric is... a cotton blend with, possibly, some stretchy 'ingredient' like a lycra-isa something?
I think you have a '50's/ very early '60's dress. The style, the way the seams are finished and the lack of any care tags - and even the odd placement of the zipper makes it look earlier to me. The label matches the 1950s label for Betty Barclay in the VFG Label Resource: https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/barclay-betty/
See, I don't think it is. As Linn said, the seams are not finished in a way that appears to modern and there are no other tags and no evidence of any tags having been there before. Plus, the zipper is a Conmatic zipper which seems to date in the 50s and 60s. I just wish I was better at identifying fabric! I wish there was some sort of course in my area that I could attend lol
Cute dress! I see early '50s, and this would look great on, with all of those seams. Really cute. I would have loved this dress when I was in my early twenties, and worn it with white stockings and black ballet flats. The fabric looks like it could be hopsack cotton or linen. This style has been much copied by modern repro labels, which is probably what Cin is seeing.
Yes, exactly what I was seeing and still do but this may just be one I need to actually hold and sniff. It happens. lol
Absolutely. Some of the repros are really good. Heck, some of them have used vintage fabrics and vintage patterns so it's only the construction techniques that gives them away!
Thank you so much What would be the best way to wash this? It looks a little dull - is there anything I can do to 'freshen' it up?
I would handwash in warm water and mild detergent - remove the scarf tie first, just in case the dye runs. Then rinse well in cold water and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
yes! techniques! As a former home sewer who learned from old ladies when in the 1970s, I can see that kind of work and it goes into my identification arsenal!
