Need Advice on this Martha Weathered Dress

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Ashley

Registered Guest
Hi there - I was hoping someone could help me out with this dress.

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I have found a little bit of information on Martha Weathered, but not much. I have had a bit of trouble dating this piece because the few pieces by the same designer that I have found have been from the 1920's and have had a different style label. I really am not sure how to start in describing it for a listing because I don't know what you would call this style of dress, and I don't know what era it is from.

I also would like some advice on the hem. The hem has fallen out of the skirt, but there is a clear crease where it had once been folded, and the hem of the lining inside is intact. Should I have the hem professionally sewn back to how it would have been? Would that lower or raise the value? I don't want to make any repairs and have them done improperly, but other than the hem, this piece is in perfect condition.

Let me describe the dress a bit for anyone who might be able to help me date it:

* The label pictured is the only tag/marking in the dress. There is a light colored pen/paint marking on the label reading G (c?) 9. I am unsure what this means.
* The fabric burns like silk, but feels like it could possibly be a blend of silk and...rayon or wool? It is very thick.
* The dress unbuttons only down to about hip level - the opening does not continue to the hem.
* The buttons are a thick, opaque plastic, not like bakelite or acrylic.
* There are tiny black metal snaps that hold the openings around the buttons closed, and that hold the bow in place.
* Sleeves are bracelet length, hem is calf-length.

Any comments at all would be much appreciated!
 
It appears Martha Weathered owned a dress shop, or several dress shops

Martha Weathered learned the fashion business from many sources. First there was her mother Beatrice who was a dressmaker; then she worked as a buyer of women's suits at Marshall Field until 1918 when she became a buyer of misses dresses for Charles A. Stevens. In 1921 Martha borrowed money from relatives to open a fashion shop in the famous Drake Hotel, selling millinery and clothing. She advertized in 1921 to hire a professional seamstress in the Chicago Tribune as well as placing display ads for the shop. She described the shop as an importer of fashion. It is claimed that Martha was one of only two suppliers in Chicago that had won the trust of French Designers to represent their designs. The dresses were originally designed then the patterns and fabrics were sent to Martha's shop for fabrication, this way avoided high taxes on imported goods and purchases of custom fitted dresses. By 1923 Martha had expanded the retail business to a second location across the street. Martha died in 1941 but the family kept the business continued until 1971 when the building burned and was torn down.
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http://weatheredlegacy.wikispaces.com/Martha Weathered

Your dress looks 60 to me, and I would probably have the hem re-done.
 
Thanks very much for the link! Wow, 60's would surprise me - I thought for sure it was 30's or 40's because of the modest cut, and the fabric type... Do you, or does anyone else know of a label resource for this brand?
 
Ashley said:
Thanks very much for the link! Wow, 60's would surprise me - I thought for sure it was 30's or 40's because of the modest cut, and the fabric type... Do you, or does anyone else know of a label resource for this brand?
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Hmmm... I see absolutely nothing about the style of this dress that would indicate 30s or 40s. As far as modest cuts, the 30s in particular were often quite risqué. As far as the label, that looks quite later than 30s or 40s too, the font used, the black and white format...

The material used appears to be some kind of twill, but I couldn't guess the fabric content.

I would suggest searching for 1960s Martha Weathered and compare the label if you find one.
 
Sorry, I do not. But again, if you can find a 60s dress with this label and compare prices. Obviously it was a pretty exclusive dress shop and this was probably an expensive dress at the time.

The style is a bit mature as you pointed out, and I dont know if there are collectors for this label.
 
It being the Queen's diamond Jubilee this year I'm pretty sure you could find some pictures of the Queen wearing a dress like that in the 60's!
 
I had a quick question. Here is a jacket I recently acquired with the same label. It is a wool flannel,with crepe lining. I believe the buttons were added later. It has no button holes or other type of closures. The buttons are silver metal. 03062015ab.jpg gray.jpg I am thinking it is probably late 40s or early 50s. Does that seem right?
 
Hi susandco - your jacket looks to be '60s too. It seems to have the boxy shape that was popular in the early to mid '60s.

You have me curious: if it has no closures, how does the front fasten?
 
It just holds together by itself it seems. I put it on the mannequin for the picture and it stayed closed. I wondered if it had hooks and eyes originally, but did not see evidence of that.
 
I suspect it's a larger size than your mannequin - the princess seams look too close together in proportion to the other panels to me - perhaps it should lie edge to edge? Can you get a photo of it laid out? I would probably remove the buttons.
 
Good point Melanie - you can see how the shoulder line is wider than the mannequin suggesting it is several sizes larger. If it was lain flat with the side seams lined up, you could see how the front opening should sit.
 
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