"Flapper" dress - help with dates?

\"Flapper\" dress - help with dates?

Hi folks,

I bought this pink dress (sold as a '20s dress) recently - no worries, not from one of you - only a couple photos in the listing and it seemed unlikely to be actually from the '20s since the description mentioned a zipper. I bid low and ended up with this little enigma.



My theory is that this is a flapper costume made in the '50s or '60s. But I'd love to learn what I can from the wonderful, knowledgeable minds of the Guild.

The satin is a real silk crepe and the ombre-dyed fringe seems to be rayon (by burn test). I didn't test the flowers that have been hand-tacked to the skirt, I think they're silk though.

The piecing is bizarre! Have a look at the photos - I picture someone throwing it together at the last minute and maybe running out of fabric, and not caring for fabric nap:







But, then again, I look inside and there's a lot of handwork - not as nice as my handwork perhaps ;), but someone went to a lot of trouble to finish some of the seam allowances by hand, etc. Most of edges are simply pinked, however. There's no machine overcasting that I can see:



The metal zipper, by the way, is a Talon, of the make I associate with the '50s though I'm by no means an expert in zippers.



The silk is starting to shatter on one shoulder - should it be shattering already, if it were made in the '50s or '60's?



The odd seam finishing and piecing on top of potentially fragile silk also makes me wonder if it was an older piece that someone worked over later for a costume.

Many thanks!
Jen

 

With that zipper, piecing and dart placement, it could well be old fabric or a reworked garment used in the 1950s/1960s to make a costume.

If it is 1920s fabric reused, the weight of the fringe skirt would speed the shattering if it was hung on a hanger.

Hollis

 

It's a mysterious piece, but I'm going to agree with 50s costume piece, maybe reworking an earlier frock or using old fabric. It's a pity about that piece of fabric that is cut incorrectly: apart from that it could be restored to be quite beautiful, but there isn't much you can do about that and it will never look good.

If you wanted to wear it, you could patch that shattered shoulder and move the corsage of flowers or add a beading applique over it to cover. That assumes that it is only that one spot that is shattering.

 

Gosh, in the 50s a 20s dress would just be "some old thing" hanging out in a bin somewhere. Sorta like we think of our maxi skirts and hippie clothes now.
Gads!

 

The fringe almost looks to have been taken from a piano shawl.

 

My first thought was that the dress had been altered. The original had the hand overcasting and the alteration was pinked. This was before I read the costume angle. Claire

 

Thanks so much for your thoughts! They are much appreciated! I do think the pinked seams, zipper and darts came from the more recent alteration/costume refit.

nicolejenkins - you've thrown the gauntlet :D - I'll have to try for anything I can do to make it look good again now. Though I know you're right, there's nothing I can do to bring it back to former glory, I'll look at your suggestions for sure and see what possibilities present themselves.

hatfeathers - I know! It makes me want to treat my own clothes with more kindness. I do try to pick a couple of my quality or iconic contemporary outfits to set aside instead of cutting them up or giving away, even if I can never imagine liking them again - just out of respect for the future vintage lovers to come

Jen

 

Yes, I agree with everyone- it's a "vintage reproduction" :D

Lei

 

I like Nicole's idea of putting a beading appliqué on the shoulder - I think that would make a great costume, still.

 

Please, please, rescue it and wear it. It's such a lovely dress.

Sandra