Hi everyone, new here! I’m wondering if there’s anyone knows about Saks Fifth Avenue vintage and the construction of their dresses. I found what appears to be a vintage Saks Fifth Avenue dress but the sewing on the inside looks almost like a mockup. And the tag is sewn on by just a couple strands. I’m wondering if it was someone’s sewing project and they just sewed in a Saks Fifth Avenue tag or if this is an actual dress from SFA. Any input would be greatly appreciated
Found a dress at the thrift store Saks Fifth Avenue
- Thread starter RoseDeSi
- Start date
theopshoproc
VFG Member
I think it probably is a dress from Saks! Saks is really just a higher end department store and it does look like there is another tag in your #3773 photo so doesn't seem like a home sew job to me. Looks to be a super pretty 50's piece (someone more knowledgeable in that era might be able to narrow it down even further).
I agree, this is a commercially made dress and it looks fine for that. But it must have been worn a bit and it looks like some threads are coming loose. I'd say cleaning (I'm sure it'll need dry cleaning) and steaming will probably make it look fresh again. One can't really see how full the skirt is, but I assume it's late 50s or maybe very early 60s. It's cute!
dollsntrolls
VFG Member
I always think of that cummerbund waist as early 60s - because of Breakfast at Tiffany's, and because most of the dresses I've had with that treatment were very late 50s into the mid 60s. I believe we have quite a collection of Saks labels in our resource:
https://vintagefashionguild.org/resources/item/label/saks-fifth-avenue/
The department store labels are added when the dress gets to the shop - so they often are not as well-sewn in - often just corners. Saks was definitely the place to get your prom dress, if you had a nice, sizable budget to work with!
Editing to add - the inner workings never look as good as when first purchased. This dress has gone to a school dance, had a blast, looks great on the outside, but just needs to rest on the inside. I'd say most of the party dresses I have handled were similar, because they'd been worn.
https://vintagefashionguild.org/resources/item/label/saks-fifth-avenue/
The department store labels are added when the dress gets to the shop - so they often are not as well-sewn in - often just corners. Saks was definitely the place to get your prom dress, if you had a nice, sizable budget to work with!
Editing to add - the inner workings never look as good as when first purchased. This dress has gone to a school dance, had a blast, looks great on the outside, but just needs to rest on the inside. I'd say most of the party dresses I have handled were similar, because they'd been worn.
Shusteroo
VFG Secretary
Pretty dress, from the style, label and pinked seams I would agree with late 50s/60s... I can't tell from the photos if the zip is metal, if it was then I might be inclined to lean a little more towards the 50s but I think they were still used in the 60s anyway, so that's not definitive.
Last edited:
bycinbyhand
VFG Member
Saks and other department stores would order a line of a particular item from the manufacturer and then request their label be sewn into the garment, someone's along withe the manufacturer's label but someotimes not. This dress looks to be right on the 50s/60s cusp.
It is not a home-sewn dress. I would guess it was manufactured in the garment district where there were varying degrees and quality of finish work.
This was a spring dress that probably had an accompanying bolero or little jacket.
It is not a home-sewn dress. I would guess it was manufactured in the garment district where there were varying degrees and quality of finish work.
This was a spring dress that probably had an accompanying bolero or little jacket.