Possible 40s or 50s dress. No zipper

[LousyLoversVintage]

So i have had this dress for a while. It seems to be made of rayon.

No lining pre 60s most definitely. Since there is no zipper and i havent tested the buttons to see if they are bakelight. Im not sure if this is older than 50s ? But the no zipper is making my curiosity grow....did some dresses in the 1940s and 50s have no zipper? Could this be 30s?

I have only found online that 30s dresses rarely had zippers and that metal zippers are common for the era of 40s and 50s.

My whole thought of this dresses age could be wrong and of course N O TAGS.

 

[carla rey]

Mid 50s to early 1960s summer dress.

 

[Linn]

Your dress looks like a '50s dress to me. It doesn't need a zipper since it buttons. The buttons look like Mother of Pearl. What is the length of the skirt?

Zippers were not common in women's clothing until the late 1930s and were then used again after WWII. (Zippers were not used during the War.) If you haven't already read the "Quick Tips to Dating Vintage on our website it's a great resource!

https://vintagefashionguild.org/tips-tricks/quick-tips-for-dating-vintage/

 

[LousyLoversVintage]

Your dress looks like a '50s dress to me. It doesn't need a zipper since it buttons. The buttons look like Mother of Pearl. What is the length of the skirt?

Zippers were not common in women's clothing until the late 1930s and were then used again after WWII. (Zippers were not used during the War.) If you haven't already read the "Quick Tips to Dating Vintage on our website it's a great resource!

https://vintagefashionguild.org/tips-tricks/quick-tips-for-dating-vintage/

Hi, thank you! The dress hits a few inches below knee. Was it common in the fifties to just have a button up shirtwaist dress with no zipper? Also would a crinoline be worn with this ?

 

[denisebrain]

I believe the buttons are plastic in imitation of mother-of-pearl. I'd guess early 60s on the era—probably a little late for a crinoline. The fabric looks like crepe-embossed nylon to me.

I love the name LousyLoversVintage BTW.

 

[Midge]

I agree, probably early 60s, and if the front opening goes fare enough down, it doesn't necessarily need a zipper, though there are many 50s and 60s dresses of this shape around that do have both.

Also, even if zippers weren't in common use until the late 30s, that doesn't mean that 30s dresses that had a front opening never had a side opening, but that side opening would usually close with a small row of snaps for example, instead of a zipper. Especially those slim-skirted 30s styles simply needed more openings . However, if the skirt is full enough and the front opening goes a little below the waist, the front opening may be enough to pull it on over your head. I guess a move towards that probably also meant less cost for a commercially made garment.

 

[anothertimevintageapparel]

Yes, early 60s and a sweet dress