>My good friend Addi is down and we’re puttering away working on her wedding dress and such, but we took a break this afternoon and went to an estate warehouse- a little shop that buys out entire estates. It’s pretty hit or miss there, but she snuck in the back and found two charming dresses for me! I nearly squealed with delight when she pulled out this one! There were a few other folks right on the same trail- other clothing found new homes before we could get to them, but this one found a home with me! It fits perfectly. I’m so excited about it I put it on (tags and all) and had her snap a few shots of me in it :) I added a few detail shots to show why I love it so much!
The inside is lined with the strangest, almost foam-like synthetic interlining to make the skirt hem stand out with a lot of body. If anyone has any info on what this was called I’d love to hear! It looks and feels kind of icky on the inside but it makes the dress flow so well- and I bet it would be even better once I steam it out and add a crinoline!
The neckline and the sleeve are cleverly made by using a zig zag to bind the edge of the print. It looks so couture! Just that little touch makes all the difference in the world! And the neckline has clever tiny little tucks to make it fit the body but still keep the pattern in harmony with the rest of the bodice.
Yay for new frocks and dress up! Can’t wait for an excuse to wear it out!
Comments
16 responses to “>A New to Me 1950s Dress!”
>what an darling frock. That neckline is amaaazing! best of luck with the wedding dress creation process! Oh, and what I wouldn't give to go to an estate WAREHOUSE. WOW!
>What a fabulous dress! I just love the neckline.
>How divine! it is very much like a Horrockses dress. I have the same book. Wonderful to flick through :) Wait until you get that crinoline underneath. fabulous!Vintage Belle Blog
>Absolutely lovely – what a great find, Lauren!
>Yes, a great find, I so just want to go to America just to go to an estate sale and Buffalo exchange.
>What a beautiful find!
>very nice, I love thos smudgy flower prints
>Gorgeous dress! No idea what the stuff lining it is called but I've had one or two dresses in the past with the same stuff in them! Also, I have that book on Horrockses dresses too – they're to die for.-Andi x
>Oh my–what a glamorous dress! :) I love the way it's cut and the way the neckline is done… so fantastic. Great find, Lauren! :)♥ Casey | blog
>I just nominated you for a blog award on my site:The Hem M A BlogAlso I love the edging on the neckline of the dress!
>Wow, what an incredible dress! I can see why it made you squeal with delight. The print and details are just gorgeous. And you are a great model! – Susan
>That lining is probably Pellon. It was used to help the dress hang correctly, and is still available today, in various thicknesses.Cute dress!
>Wow what an amazing dress. I have been looking endlessly for a dress with such character but have had no luck ….Enjoy your beautiful frock it looks so cute on you like it was meant to be yours ~Love Heather
>That is indeed a lovely dress and it looks so great on you!I might have an idea as to what the lining is. My mother was a teen in the 1950s and she made a lot of her own dresses, so she's shared a lot of tips and tricks with me. As you know, one of the things the girls were obsessed with back then was adding as much fullness as possible to their circle skirts. They not only wore 5-6 crinolines at once, they also experimented with materials for crinolines. My mother once made a crinoline from upholstery foam, which was about 3-4 milimeters thick, so I think something similar might've been used to line your dress. If the lining is foam, it would also explain why it feels icky, as it's probably been stored in a damp place and not been exposed to fresh air for ages :)- Leyla
>What a gorgeous dress! Lucky you! The detailing is just fabulous!I've seen quite a few 1950s and early 60s dresses with exactly the sort of interlining you describe. I even have a quarter of a metre of the stuff that I found in Nana's stash. Oh – I see someone has a name for it!
>Thanks so much, gals, for your comments on the dress! I'm really excited to hear about the uses of foam or pellon for interlining. I think I'll have to try that on a sewing project!Thanks again :)