Seeking help with an old dress

[acceber]

I found this dress in a second hand store, kind of balled up with the antique wedding dress I just posted. I don't know what to make of this and would love some input.

It's sheer, kind of gauzy, with ruffles made from the same material. There are snaps at the shoulders which appear to maybe help secure it over another dress or something. The snaps didn't snap to something but around something, as both sides to each snap are on the dress with a little loop-like assembly. It is Very tiny, floor length with 15 feet of skirt going around the hem. It's also rather fragile.

Excuse the pictures. It's very hard to get a good pic of it.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

That is beautiful. What a lucky find. Looks like a mid to late 1930s evening gown to me.

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

I see 30s on this one as well, simply gorgeous!

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Agree with the others: the snaps might be for the straps of a petticoat.

 

[Midge]

Fabulous find! This would have been worn with a full slip underneath of course and those snaps and loops at the shoulders would have held that in place I guess.

 

[acceber]

Thank you! It amazes me how tiny this person must have been, to fit into these little dresses. Here is a pic of a beheaded me. lol I threw on something white to make the dress stand out and tried it on. Even though I'm a bean pole, I couldn't get the side snaps done up. But just look at that skirt!

 

[bycinbyhand]

I can't stop looking at this dress. Sigh.

 

[acceber]

When I got it, I discovered someone had sewn a zipper in it, a modern day bulky horrible zipper -and- they sewed it on with a fine stitch and went over it a few times in places, and right over some of the snaps. It was terrible. I knew it had to come off but was nervous removing it would rip the fabric. I just went soooo slowly and carefully and managed to remove it without damaging anything. I tried it on just to get a good pic of that fabulous skirt, but it will never be worn again, not as long as it's with me. Now I'm wondering about how to store it. I did take it off the plastic hanger and neatly folded it. There is so much to the skirt, I didn't think leaving it on a hanger was a good idea with that skirt weight.