This is a really beautiful example of a late 50s or early 60s design in silk. The large rose print is a blend of pinks and reds which gives the print a painterly quality against the plain nazy background. The dress boasts the most beautiful sculptural sleeve design with folds and pleating of the silk on the shoulders. There is a keyhole element too that may have been added to narrow the arm opening but remove the holding stitches and this opens up if you prefer a wider arm hole. The dress has an elegant but simple pencil line skirt whilst the bodice is darted at the waist with an integrated belt that is semi attached at the waistline. There is a cross over tie detail at the front too and the dress has a centered rear zip.
There are no labels but this piece has clearly been made by a design house and would have retailed in a very high-end department store in America. Construction wise, there are higher end elements such as the silk organza lining, generous seam allowance and under garment fastenings on the shoulder. The condition is very good to excellent - the fabric retains its lustre and sheen and the dress has seen little use in its life. One or two small seams have minor strain marks but this is very common in vintage dresses. Fundamentally the dress has not sustained any damage and these are not noticable when worn. We did notice that the dress has been re-hemmed and importantly the new hemline, which is higher, has not been made permanent. There is not even a crease so it could very easily be returned to its original length (around 3 inches longer). That said, there is a reasonable amount of skillled work in the invisible hem and we have left this for the new owner. The updated hemline is more modern and probably more appropriate for today's wearer. Another minor alteration has taken place along the shoulder seams to lift the shoulders but is very easily reversible.
These dresses are becoming increasingly scarce, especially in this timeless style. Measurements reflect modern sizing today at around a US 6 or UK 10.
MEASUREMENTS: BUST - 35 in. ( 89 cm) WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm) HIP - 37 in. (94 cm) LENGTH - 40.2 in. (102.1 cm) SHOULDERS - 14 in. ( 35.6 cm)
