Help dating dress + some questions

[Vintagiality]

Hi all,

I believe this dress is from the 30s but wanted to get a second opinion from the experts. There is a side zipper.

Also, three other questions:
- does this type of embroidery have a special name?
- is this satin or charmeuse?
- what would you call this color?

Thank you
Victoria

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Hi Victoria, your dress looks '60s to me: it's the long vertical bust darts that give it away, but the silhouette is also of that era.

Is the zipper metal or nylon? I don't know of a particular name for the supersized embroidery but I wonder what it's made of: it almost looks like raffia. I'd call the colour peach and the fabric satin. Charmeuse is a softer fabric, and not as good for a structured style like this but excellent for bias cut and draped styles.

 

[Vintagiality]

Hi Nicole,

It’s a Talon metal zipper which runs from right below the armpit to about hip level on the side. I guess I don’t typically see dresses with side zippers from the 60s but it may be just me.

Here are a few other photos.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Thank you! The side zipper might be because of the centre back detailing. The zipper and construction is consistent with '50s-60s dates.

 

[Vintagiality]

Thank you!

 

[Jonathan]

The silhouette is around for a while, but I am thinking this dress definitely dates into the 50s - the wide straps and large scale embroidery is, I think, a part of the Edwardian 'My Fair Lady' revival style that was popular in 1957. If it were 60s I would expect the straps to be much thinner, and the fabric not so heavy.

 

[Vintagiality]

Thank you, Jonathan!

 

[Robin of Frocksley]

Just wanted to say that it is GORGEOUS!!

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

That is a gorgeous dress. I love the oversized embroidery and the back treatment. I can see a late Edwardian influence, that column silhouette, as Jonathan has suggested. Aside from the embroidery being just oversized, the type of stitches look to be a combination of French knot embroidery (the plump round knots) and a satin stitch embroidery (the flat stitches).

Hard to define the color, in your first photo grouping it looks like a salmon pink on my computer monitor.

 

[Linn]

I agree the dress is gorgeous and I keep coming back to it. I agree with Jonathan that it is not 1960s, and I can see an Edwardian influence but think it may be earlier than 1950s. I see late 1940s. The zipper looks 1940s to me - the sweetheart neckline and wide straps look '40s. The embroidery seems like a nod to Schiaparelli. It looks like a salmon pink on my monitor, too.

It's a fabulous dress!

 

[anothertimevintageapparel]

No labels or tags at all? I would think something would be hidden in a side seam with this quality.
Very pretty and hard to date without seeing it in person.

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

The fabric does make me think of the sumptuous heavy silk satins from the late 40s / early 50s. They were often used for dressing gowns as well.
It looks like a peachy pink / salmon color on my monitor as well.

Could we see some photos of the seams especially on the skirt. Also, are there any stays in the bodice?

I keep looking at the bodice and can't help but wonder if it was actually restyled at some point as it looks like it may have originally been a strapless bodice and perhaps had a fuller skirt that was cut and tapered in to create the slim silhouette at a later time when they would have added that ribbon effect to the garment.

It is gorgeous!!!