Help Dating Dorsa dress

[igotbuttons]

Hello everyone! I found this dress the other day while antiquing. I think it's lovely but am wondering about age and whether or not you think it would be okay to give it a good soaking in oxyclean to brighten up the lace yoke. I'm still not very good at identifying fabrics (I need to find a resource for burn test results...can anyone help me out?) but I think that it is rayon. Very nicely constructed, side metal zipper, pinked seams and hand stitching in areas

All of the lacy areas are yellowed. The yoke buttons up with genuine pearl buttons and the bow at the top snaps closed. It has a numbered tag that reads "1323" sewn near the label.

Can anyone help me pin down the age of this one? I'm still such a beginner with anything before the 60's and I love all the help that you guys give me!

The "shine" in the body is a reflection of the plastic form I used. I'm going tomorrow to get that dress form I found and I can't wait!

Thanks in advance! Patti

 

[Hattysattic]

Hi Patti!

Cute dress - it looks later 40s to me. I am a bit scared of rayon as it does crazy things when wet so I usually wimp out and dry clean, so I would wait for someone else to advise on the cleaning thing...

 

[fuzzylizzie]

It looks like rayon crepe, in which case, do NOT wash. It will shrink to the size of a Barbie!

Dry clean only, I'm afraid.

If it can be easily removed and reattached, you could take the lace off and soak it. But I'm not sure you would want to invest that kind of time in it.

Love that color! 40s.

Lizzie

 

[igotbuttons]

Thanks Lizzie and Harriet! I'm glad that I didn't get ambitious and just toss it in to soak last night! A trip to the cleaners it is! I had guessed that it was 40's based on the rayon but I wanted to get confirmation from you folks with more experience. I had a pleasant dream last night that I stumbled upon a stash of vintage clothing and accessories at a family reunion and I was in heaven! LOL

Patti