This is a great piece from a quantity of glamourous clothing I found at an estate sale for a woman who had been both an avid collector and entrepreneur with shops in the southwest. Most of the clothing had been stored for some time; just about everything survived well.
You cannot believe how heavy this dress is the first time you hold it! Then you realize how much beading went into the making of this dress!
It is done is the softest yellow in what I think is a very heavy crepe, totally lined for shape and added strength. It is done very simply..the slightly raised waistline of the era.
scoop neckline in front and a dramatic squared neckline in back. The zipper is even set into a seam to the left to keep the back line of the dress totally elegant. The waistline is accented with a band of the beadwork and the skirt hangs dramatically...even the back slit is to the side in line with the zipper.
The beading is stunning. from the medallions of silver seed beads and clear rhinestones to the accent rows of design on the skirt with a center of the silver seed beads outlined on either side by silver bugle beads. The rest of the dress is covered with trails of the silver bugle beads.
I thought at first that many of the bugle beads had darkened as seems to be their ageing process, but I'm just not sure whether the original color might have been more of a "dark" or gunmetal silver. That might have been the case, simply so the beads would stand out more against that soft yellow. You have to admit that, even if they have darkened, the design value is still remarkable! It's also a very heavy dress as you might imagine!
The bustline measures a comfortable 40", the waistline at the trim is 31". The length of the is 16"; the skirt length from the waistline trim is 41".
There are some condition issues that need to be addressed...first of all, the dress should be dry cleaned. I have not found a cleaners in our area that I trust with vintage or very special clothing; that seems to be an art these days that needs a special touch!
Also, there are places where the beading has come loose and some where there are some bugle beads are missing. (The seed beads have fared better!) I will secure as many of the loose threads as I can find before shipping, but unless I can find some bugle beads the right shade, I'll not try to mix and match. There is one photo closeup of the worst loss area. It's evidently a dress that needs to be handled carefully!
I've adjusted the price to reflect what needs to be done.
This is such an incredible dress that it needs to find a home where it will be appreciated for its style and its beauty...not to mention the workmanship! If you ever have wanted a vintage dress that is simply beautiful to look at, this is one to have!