use of overlocked edges in the 50s

velvetpinvintage

velvetpinvintage

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hi everyone. I feel very hopefull that someone can help me solve the mistery of two (50s?) dresses . I will try to add photos..But basically everything about them from the cuts, structure, fabric feel tells me they are from the 50s. However bothe have couple spots were the egdes were overlocked and I looks like it was from the begging not just done later. I read that overlocking was sometime used then but there is soo little information about it. Please help, im getting crazy..thank you in advance . Im sorry for misspelled title, my phone is acting up and wont let me change it:(
 

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Although the technology for overlocking has been available since the Victorian era as Maxine says, I think it's very rarely seen in garments before the 30s/40s, and even from that point you only see it very very occasionally at first. It becomes more common as the decades progress, and by the 50s, although it is still unusual, you certainly do see it.

A garment being overlocked in some places but not others, eg only on the waist seam or where the arms join, or only around shoulder pads, is an earlier phenomenon in my experience, than a garment that has each and every seam overlocked.

Therefore some overlocking on a garment, would not rule out a 1950s date.

However you don't see it on home-sewn garments, until the 1960s at the earliest, I believe.
 
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I can only add that as your gown is commercially made it is less unusual for it to have overlocking in the 1950s, as Ruth indicated. I also have a very similar dress that is 1950s :)
 
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