need help dating dress--1930s?

[persephone60]

I need help dating this dress. The style reads early 1930s to me, but since it's home sewn (without tags), I wanted to double-check and see what others thought. It's a sleeveless shift style with a large collar that covers the shoulders. I've attached quite a few pics. The lightweight woven fabric feels like it might be rayon.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Lovely print - can you please help with a few details? Are there any openings, eg, zippers, buttons, side or back etc. or does it pop straight over your head?

The lace on the hem looks like nylon, so that puts it post WW2 unless it's been rehemmed but the fabric reads more like a synthetic to me than a rayon. Perhaps try a burn test to help? Are the seams pinked?

The style and neckline look more modern to me - if you were able to photograph it being worn, or perhaps list measurements it will help. My feeling is that it's probably '30s inspired from the '70s but additional information will be a great help. Thank you.

 

[retro ruth]

I had a 70s dress with a similar cape collar, so I'm also wondering if yours is 70s but 30s-inspired. It's a hard call though.

Here is my 70s one, so you can see what I mean. The print, fabric, and zip on mine meant there was no question of its date.

 

[persephone60]

No fasteners. It just slips on over the head. And I did a fabric burn test, and there wasn't any melting or hard bead, so I don't think it's a synthetic. It wasn't as flammable as rayon usually is, but there wasn't any bead. So hence my uncertainty about fabric. I'm not sure that it's 1930s (the lace was what had me asking questions), but it "feels" older than 1970s, if that makes sense? No pinked seams. I'll post measurements and/or take a pic of me wearing it when I get home. I'll also try another burn test to double-check fabric.

 

[retro ruth]

Slipping on over the head with no fasteners does make 30s more likely, if the lace at the hem was added later.

 

[Pinkcoke]

I just wanted to add that in the 1970s several companies made new garments from old fabrics, so it'd not out of the question that it is old fabric but constructed later. I agree photographs showing it worn may well clear this up.

 

[persephone60]

Okay, so I did another fabric burn test, and it was a bit confusing. There seemed to be a tiny bit of melting going on, but no beads left (either hard or crushable)--just ash. And it was self-extinguishing. Thoughts? Maybe something like a nylon rayon blend?

I've attached a couple pics of me wearing the dress--sorry they aren't great. I don't have a good full length mirror, and the dress is too big for me. The measurements are:

Bust: 44"
Waist: 37"
Hip: 50"
Length: 49"

The dress has been constructed without a serge/overlock machine. And I'm not sure if the hem tape was added later--the hem is done with the same color thread as the seams (though, admittedly, it's black).