Description
Made of lustrous, lightweight black rayon velvet, this circa late 1920s evening dress is an almost 100-year-old, antique beauty that is still quite wearable! The sleeveless dress has a loose-fitting, scoop-neck bodice. Below the diagonal, dropped waist/hip seam, 3 draped tiers of bias-cut velvet overlap to the calf-length hem. In back, the rounded, V-shaped neckline is lower than in the front, with a floppy bow trimming its center.
This elegant black rayon velvet 1920s dress is overall sturdy and in good condition, wearable with reasonable care, as it is nearly 100 years old!
- There are some slightly lumpy mends along the front of the diagonal dropped waist/hip seam, not likely to be noticed.
- The dress bodice is unlined, with 2 small mends at the upper left shoulder, where a brooch was possibly pinned on it in the past.
- There is a black silk taffeta lining under the middle tier only of the 3-tiered skirt, from about hip-height to knee level. This lining panel is torn at the right side seam, which is not visible when the dress is worn. The rest of the dress appears stable, but this silk taffeta panel inside seems a bit too fragile to mend, so I have left it as is. (It could be easily cut out, if you prefer, since it is not seen, or entirely necessary.)
- This middle tier of the skirt has also been hemmed up about 2 inches by the original owner. I have left this hem intact, but it may be let down again.
- There is 1 pinhole at the hem (see close-up photo).
The dress has no fastenings and will need to pull on over the head, so please keep this in mind when looking at the measurements. The shoulders and arm openings are relatively small: the armscye is 15 inches around (7.5 inches measured flat and doubled). The dress fits fine on my mannequin, but she is probably the max size for best/loose fit. She has a 32-inch bust and 35-inch hips, for reference.
Size: XXS-XS
- Bust: 34.5 inches flat, to fit approx. 30 to 32.5 inches max.
- Waist: 34 inches flat.
- Hips: 38 inches flat, to fit loosely for 35 inches or smaller.
- Length: 45 inches from shoulder to hem, at both front and back.
- Underarm to diagonal hip seam: 14 inches on left side, and 21 inches on right side.
- Shoulder to shoulder: 13.5 inches from outer edge to edge of wide straps.
- Armscye: 15 inches flat.
- Label: none
