Help w/ Dating Description of Frankie Welch Maxi

TrickVintage

TrickVintage

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hello all,

i have this very unique vintage "wrap" dress made by Frankie Welch; Alexandria, VA.

it is made of 2 complementing navy & white fabrics.
The front is polka-dots and the back is vertical stripes.

boatneck, kimono-style elbow-length sleeves, back-zipper and an unusual attached apron kind of wrap design. it's either a cotton or cotton-poly

to be honest, i've never seen a design quite like this.

I believe it to be from the 1970's. What I'd like some help on is if it is meant to be versatile in that you can wrap the front to the back and vice-versa ?

there's a tad bit of fabric fade on the top of the left sleeve. Do you think it will still sell ? If it fit me, I'd be rocking it !!

thanks in advance for your help in dating and the description
 
I agree that it could be '80s - navy and white polka dots were popular then. Is that how it is worn, as you have it displayed with the ties just tied in front (requiring an under dress) or does it wrap properly? If so, can photograph it as it worn have been worn so that we can see the shape?

Nicole
 
thanks for the replies.

well, i was hoping someone could help describe how it would be worn.

it doesn't require an under-dress because the wraps are attached. the wrap detail just seems to be just that - a style detail.

the attached wrap design seems to allow the wearer to wrap the back to the front and vice-versa..

let me try to photo on a mannequin..
 
As far as your question about the fabric fade, it would depend on how severe. Does it look merely like it had been washed before? Folks buying late 70s through 80s are often way less forgiving about flaws on everyday type of clothing unless they are going to upcycle them or unless its an extreme bargain. That goes for online buyers. I find that if something has a pinhole or a little fading that's not severe, it does better "in person" at a shop if its still in the condition parameters that you'd sell it in because someone can handle it and decide for themselves. They may not notice the fading or feel its something that already looks like one of their own favorites, whereas online unless you have a really awesome camera and lighting, you aren't going to see that in a photo, even though you describe it to a T. If it truly is minor, I would try to show it to folks to let them decide and price it very accordingly. If its obvious when worn that one shoulder is very dramatically lighter, then I'd be cautious. It's tricky when the fading isn't "all over" or symmetrical. But someone could just love it - you just never know.

As far as the wrap - it is going to be way more obvious the way it should go when its tried on a person. I have seen dresses and skirts where it looks like it can go either way, but on a body (or even a mannequin) once its on its really obvious that the fabric doesn't quite lay has nice one way, etc., or just looks odd. From the photos it LOOKS like it is supposed to wrap to expose more polka dots than stripes, but it will be very obvious when not on a hanger but tried on.

Anyway...that's just my two cents.
 
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