Is it 1930s or 1940s on knit dresses?

Adoredvintage

Adoredvintage

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I came across quite a few knit dresses from a label in San Francisco and I was told they are from the 1940s, but now after seeing several 1930s knit design books I am wondering if these actually date to the mid 30s instead? In the same lot I also got a few knit tops and knit cardigans with peplums.

I attached some of the 1930s pictures I found from the knit book... any help would be appreciated!

Both these dresses came from the same label (Hand Knit Kermit's San Francisco)

vintage1940sdesignerknitcrochetstripeddress.jpg vintage1940sdesignerknitcrochetstripeddress_07.jpg vintage1940sdesignerknitcrochetstripeddress_02.jpg

vintage1940shandknitblackcrochetdress.jpg vintage1940shandknitblackcrochetdress_02.jpg vintage1940shandknitblackcrochetdress_07.jpg

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poppysvintageclothing said:
What beautiful dresses! That 1st one is especially stunning!
I would be more apt to think they are 40s, I think they would be longer in length and more of a straight cut if they were from the 30s.

I am sure a few others will have opinions on these.
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They're both quite long, they just look a bit shorter on my dress form because "she" (LOL) doesn't have feet/legs. They're both about 48"-50" long and when not on a dress form they have a straighter cut.

I'll post a photo of the label since that might prove to be the most useful. Although the dresses don't have labels, just the cardigan from the same lot. Does the exposed zipper on the striped one indicate age? I've never seen exposed zippers like these on vintage before.
 
Here is the label. The label looks more 40s to me... I'm having such a hard time with this one! I just want to make sure I have the right era before listing it.
 

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I know that the color is not the real determining factor here. But...by an odd coincidence, I just was looking through a Fall Winter 1938-1939 fashion magazine and they had several garments and hats in those colors...sort of a deep salmon pink and forest green, if I see it correctly on my monitor. It was one of the color combination for the coming season.
 
I see late '30s - '40s. Is that a shoulder pad in the cardigan? The little zipper and shoulder pads put them into the '40s, although I agree that the colours look more late '30s. I love the stripey dress.
 
Circa Vintage said:
I see late '30s - '40s. Is that a shoulder pad in the cardigan? The little zipper and shoulder pads put them into the '40s, although I agree that the colours look more late '30s. I love the stripey dress.
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The striped dress actually had a label too! And yes, it does have small shoulder pads...duh that should have been my first indication. LOL!

The other dress and the cardigan (not pictured) does not have shoulder pads.

I suppose I could list it as late 1930s/early 1940s?
 
Exposed zippers were used in the 1930's as a decorative element. Later unskilled seamstresses often did (still do) them because they lacked the knowledge of how to conceal them. I think your exposed zipper is authentic for the late 30's, early 40's.
Marian
 
Vinclothes said:
Exposed zippers were used in the 1930's as a decorative element. Later unskilled seamstresses often did (still do) them because they lacked the knowledge of how to conceal them. I think your exposed zipper is authentic for the late 30's, early 40's.
Marian
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Thank you so much!!
 
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