Need help dating mid-century housewife duster dress in wool gingham fabric

[Andrii]

Hi everyone! I would appreciate any input on dating this Soviet era Ukraine house dress. Shirt waist, half buttoned. The dress feels handmade so surged seams make me think it’s 50s or later, maybe 60s. However it could be as well a factory made dress altered by hand. As for the style I am not sure - to me it looks like a mix of 40s and 60s elements. The matte grey buttons look like some old type plastic, but I don’t have much experience. The woven fabric is wool or wool blend, warm and quite itchy. It is also a short fit and size large, definitely for a petite person. My best quess is late 50s / early 60s, but I could be wrong. What do you guys think?

 

[bycinbyhand]

Serged seams have been seen on commercial garments going as far back as the 1910s so I'd not use that to date this probably. The style appears more 70s, early.

 

[The Vintage Vendeuse]

My immediate impression was early 1970s, too.

 

[Andrii]

Thank you for your input. I do consider 70s too. This dress however just feels older than those 70s dresses I’ve come across, but then again it is a Soviet dress so it could feel different to European or US made dresses of that era. What confuse me though is that this dress doesn’t have a pronounced waist, kinda like shift dresses of the 60s. And I would assume 70s dresses to be more reminiscent of the 40s and have a pronounced waistline

 

[dollsntrolls]

No, a lot of 70s and 80s casual dresses were shapeless and came with a sash belt. Choose-you-own-adventure size. The collar is very late 70s - early 80s. However, many Eastern block countries were around 20 - 30 years behind on fashion. So, someone's grandma could have whipped this up with a pattern and fabric left over from the 70s, like more recently. And, with mod fashion block shaped mini-dresses coming in style for some hipster modern alt-country singers, it may make a comeback with a bouffant hairstyle.

 

[Andrii]

You’re right Soviet Union was behind in fashion because of the iron curtain. That’s why I can justify why this dress may feel a bit different. Just not really 20-30 years behind, realistically maybe 5 or 10. My grandmas had german fashion magazines in 70s with patterns and stuff, they also had some super cool imported 70s clothes. I really can’t imagine someone make it recently, it’s just too old-fashioned even for a Ukrainian grandma ;-) But I see what you mean, the collar is indeed looking a lot like late 70s / early 80s, so that’s a good guess, thank you