great dress for late summer into fall...Pauline Trigere (black label) It has a unique construction with a sundress bodice underbodice with attached capelet type sleeves that can be folded back 1 or 2x on themselves to form a sundress. Sorry for all the pics, but it is hard to describe. with collar flipped back 2x back views: Now...from you guys, I need some way to title this and describe it so I get lots of bids! :D Sue
that is extremely unique! so unique that i don't think there is a specific "name" for the style....but i am sure someone would come along and prove me wrong on that. or that Trigere had a name for it. Convertible, or 3 Looks in One comes to mind but i don't necessarily think someone would search by those terms.
Hi Sue! Just thinking out loud here.... are you sure that the sleeves are supposed to get flipped over? It just looks like they are meant to be down to me. Are there any snaps or other thingys that hold the sleeves up? And you say the capelet is attached? Very funky, never saw anything like it. Kat
Sue, that is really unique, and since it's a Trigere it's surely superbly made! Since we're coming into the fall season, I wonder if you may want to call the inner dress a Cocktail dress? Or something along those lines? It would be perfect for supper, with cocktails and dancing after. Sleek and Chic during supper, sexy vixen later. Vintage Pauline Trigere Office Supper Cocktail Dress w/ Cape?
Thanks guys...this really is a puzzler. I went to the Trigere website but did not see one like this. Kat, I'm not sure if the sleeves are supposed to be folded up or not (must be the latent designer in me ). No, there are no snaps, etc, and the capey sleeves are attached at the side front and back. I can't figure out why there is a sundress bodice underneath the sleeves though? Lynn, the construction shaping details are really excellent in this dress. Good idea for the cocktail dress. I was thinking also, ease into Fall. I hope to list this tomorrow night. Sue
Sue, Can the whole top fold down over the skirt portion? Maybe like an attached overskirt, I'm thinking something you would do on a sunny day, unbutton the back, slide your arms out, let the capelet fall over the waist and hips and viola! Convertible sundress. Kat
Kat, no :( That would make sense esp. with the underdress, but there is no way those sleeves will go any lower than what I show in the last pic. Weird huh? Sue
a lot of illusion dresses have a full strapless/spaghetti strapped dress and then the sheer illusion fabric is over it...but can't be just pulled down. i have one like that. but that is the only time i saw a full under bodice really have a purpse.....unless, the goal was to have that full drapey look in the bodice and the under bodice kept you "all strapped in" so to speak so you didn;t have any silhouettes of bra parts or obvious contents of bras outlined or peeking through. these are the days before the "T shirt bra" so to speak. and also #2 and probably the better reason.., the designer wanted to keep that amount of material free for aesthetic purposes so was limiting the size of the lady that would fit into it,. if the looser part was the edge of the bodice, lets just say for example its 44"...so someone with a 42-43" bust would pull it on and fill it out, and it would not give the same silhouette to the piece as if it has the inner bodice fitting snuggly around someone with say a 36-37" bust, and then have the overbust fabric for effect. like trying to design a dress that will look as intended on people vs people who inevitably "make it fit". did i wake up all discombobulated or am i actually making sense today?
I just did a more thorough search on the Kent University site timeline on Pauline Trigere. In the 1960s section....Fall 1963 is a drawing of a dress that looks very similar to this one (with the cape sleeves down). 1960s Trigere Collections What do you guys think? Sue
oh...sorry Chris! That site is really graphic extensive and even loads slow for me and I'm on cable. Sue
Thanks Carol! I'm trying to pinpoint a date on this, and I wondered if I was seeing more in that sketch than was actually there. Sue
Totally looks the same, Sue. The shape of the dress and those patch pockets are a dead ringer. Good detective work! Her stuff is really quite nice and the design is very creative. I didn't know that much about her. Thanks for turning me on to her stuff! I just spent a while at the Kent State site looking. kj
Whew.....SO glad to have my suspicion that this was the same (or at least close to the same), confirmed, as I really wanted a date for it! Thank you Carol and Kevin! Kevin - interesting site isn't it? Good to 'see' you back! :D Sue
Thanks Sue. I'm happy to be back! Now lets hope that the ultimate Pauline Trigere fan spots that lovely dress! ;) kj
Oooooo that is lovely! I really love the fabric, it's beautiful. You should do well with that! ~Maureen
