Help needed dating velvet or velour evening dress

[Sarah Boice]

Hello,

I recently picked up an evening dress which I need some help with dating. It is made of velvet or velour but I'm not very good at identifying the difference between those materials. I think it is is synthetic.

It has an a-line skirt, a halter neckline, and a matching bolero. The center-back zipper has metal teeth, and the zipper pull says MARK on the front and USA3 on the back. There are many raw edges inside, and the only tag present is the red, white and blue version of the garment workers union tag. I was not able to find any evidence of other tags being present at some point in the past, but there have been some alterations made which may be hiding any signs.

Lots of pictures below. Any help you can give will be much appreciated.

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

Your photos are not showing.

 

[Sarah Boice]

Hmm, that's interesting. Everything appears to be showing on my end. I'll try again.

 

[Sarah Boice]

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

I would say 1960s.

 

[Linn]

The Union label in the gown was used from 1974-1995:

https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/union-label/

It's possible, since you say it was altered, that the metal zipper is a replacement, and whoever did the alterations used what they had available.

 

[MagsRags]

Good catch, Linn! So it can't be any earlier than 1974.

The weave looks like velvet BTW. Velour also has the plush surface, but on a knit base, so there's stretch. A fiber burn test should help sort out synthetic vs natural fibers, but I suspect you are correct about synthetic.

 

[Jonathan]

I could see this being 1974, although I don't think it could be much later - even for 1974 its a bit old fashioned but that seam that peaks in the centre front between the breasts is popular in the early 70s.

 

[Jonathan]

Here are some 1974 images that have all the elements of this dress:

 

[Sarah Boice]

Thanks to all for your helpful info.

 

[The Vintage Vendeuse]

My homemade school formal school dance gown of 1976 had the peak between the breasts... not that I had any at the time!