Robe de Style -"It's an ELF"

[Lucybelle]

I don't have proper support under this dress, but it has the fullness over the hips that is characteristic of a 1920s robe de style. It is made of black "paper" taffeta and has net, lace and ribbon sleeves. It has a snap placket on the left side seam. I was wondering if anyone has ever come across this label before? I've done some searching, but haven't found anything (except a bunch of elf costumes!)

(The ribbon at the waist appears to have been added later - it was pinned on with 2 different types of safety pins and does not match any of the other trims on the dress)

 

[lkranieri]

In a super-quick look I found THIS 1941 reference to It's an Elf.

 

[lkranieri]

In 1937 It's an Elf, Inc. leased space at 1385 Broadway in NYC and it seems they were still there in 1941. From a 1941 NY article: "Declaring that more than 95 percent of the dress manufacturers in the city were opposed to the (New York Dress Institute), Dalton E. Perper, chairman of the forum and president of It's an Elf, Inc..."

 

[lkranieri]

Oh...and the 1920 census apparently notes that Dalton Perper's wife was named/nicknamed "Elfie."

 

[lkranieri]

OH..and according to his 1942 draft registration, the E in his middle name stands for "Elf."

 

[lkranieri]

I couldn't find the date of this NYC directory after I clicked on it, but I thought it was from 1949 and it included the Elf Dress Co, owned by Dalton E. Perper. The 1958 Santa Barbara (CA) directory recorded artist Dalton E. Perper (and his wife Elfie N.) on Oriole Road.

 

[Lucybelle]

And I just found a reference from 1923 in the "Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office"

 

[Better Dresses Vintage]

Looks very 1920s to me, Elf or no Elf, LOL.