Edward Abbott dress (without Wilson Folmar)

Steph

Steph

Registered Guest
Hello!
I have (what I think is) an absolutely gorgeous black dress with the maker tag Edward Abbott. There is no sign of Wilson Folmar on the label, so I am stumped as how to date it. I can't seem to find any info on Edward Abbott before/after Wilson Folmar. Does anyone have any ideas on dating this lovely lady? Also, what would you call the material on the right side? A side bustle?
Any info would be great!
Thank you so much!
 

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Lovely dress Steph - can you confirm whether the length is original or the hem has been taken up? Based on the style I believe it will be from the late '50s to early '60s, the skirt length can help narrow that down.

The side drape is lovely - I would call it a ruffle or swag.
 
Hi Nicole! I do think the hem has been shortened. I am not a sewer, so I have a bit of a hard time determining things like that (it's embarrassing to be so uninformed; I have plans to learn), but the stitching on the hem doesn't look very professional- there aren't right angles where there should be, things like that. I hope that helps. Thank you so much for responding! I like the word "swag" to describe the draping :)
 
Thanks Steph - don't worry about being uninformed, there's so much to know in vintage and we're all constantly learning.

I'll go with late '50s for this one then.

One last thing: can you have a close look at how the swag attaches at the top? It's unusual to go above the waistline so I wonder if someone has stitched it like that. Generally these dresses highlight the small waist so wouldn't cover it at all.
 
The swag is clearly attached inside the seam on the side, but on the top of the swag, it is just stitched in, what looks like by hand. It looks like the same thread that was used for the rest of the garment though. That is a good point about normally not wanting to cover up the smallness of the waist! I wonder what the dress looked like originally. This is fascinating and you are so helpful! Thank you!
 
It seems like Edward Abbott was a small enough operation in the 1950s that they probably didn't have a bunch of other designers. Abbott started the company in 1955, so it could be anywhere from 1955-1957 (or it's also possible Folmar's name wasn't put on the label immediately in 1957). From a 1957 article in the Syracuse Herald Journal:

"Seeing all women as a blend of lady and siren may seem a paradox, but it has paid off handsomely for young Edward Abbott and his designer-associate Wilson Folmar. Their definite ideas on how a woman should – and likes to – look has built an outstanding successful dress business in just three years.

A soft-spoken, unassuming man, Edward Abbott started his career in Hollywood. After a brief encounter with the film industry, he decided that business was more to his liking and switched to a job with a Wall Street brokerage firm.

But that didn’t provide the creative outlet he needed, and eventually he turned to the world of fashion to give him the blend of theater and and business for which he was searching.

After working with a noted designer-manufacturer of evening clothes for some time he opened his own firm in June 1955 specializing in late day and evening dresses. In January 1957 his successful designs brought him the Burdine Award."

I would love to know who the "noted designer-manufacturer of evening clothes" is!
 
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