Description
A fabulous 3-piece early 1950s skirt suit in blue and green plaid wool flannel, this ladies’ suit includes a tailored, hip-length jacket, a fitted vest or waistcoat, and a pencil skirt. The Black Watch tartan plaid wool fabric is soft to the touch and medium-weight. The jacket features large shoulder pads, long sleeves, notched lapels, and 2 double-welted pockets with flaps. It closes in front with 3 gray shell buttons in a rather unique, soft square shape. The matching fitted vest fastens with 5 smaller square shell buttons. The pointed-front vest hem ends at about the natural waist, where it just meets the skirt. It has 2 small but functional double-welted pockets in front. Both the jacket and the vest have darts shaping their bust and waist, for an hourglass silhouette. Both also feature bound buttonholes. The pencil skirt has a fitted waistband closing with a snap and hook, and a nylon zipper with metal pull at the side seam. The skirt has a deep 4-inch hem; it was likely shortened when hemlines rose in the later 1950s or early 1960s. It could easily be let back down if you prefer the longer, original length. The unusual zipper is possibly a late 1950s or early 60s replacement, added when the skirt was taken up. The jacket and vest are fully lined in pine green, twill weave rayon satin. The vest has 2 narrow sections of a slightly different color satin lining at the side seams, where it has been skillfully let out. The skirt is unlined. In very good, near excellent condition, the suit has 1 minor issue to note: 3 faint marks on the back lower section of the jacket lining fabric only, not seen when it is worn—and very hard to see in person. I have lightened the close-up photo to show them more clearly. My last 2 photos show the suit unclipped from the mannequin, to give a better idea of its actual size. The lovely plaid wool suit is freshly dry-cleaned and ready for many more years of wear. Although without a label, this true vintage 1950s skirt suit was made by a very skilled dressmaker/tailor or home-sewist.
SIZE: M.
LABEL: none
JACKET.
- Bust: 42 inches flat, to fit up to approx. 40 inches or smaller, over vest.
- Width at hem: 45 inches flat.
- Total length: 24 inches from back of neck to hem.
- Underarm to hem length: 15 inches.
- Sleeve: 24 inches.
- Shoulder to shoulder: 15 inches.
VEST.
- Bust: 41 inches flat, to fit up to 40 max.
- Width at hem: 34.5 inches flat.
- Length: 17 inches from back of neck to hem.
- Underarm to hem length: 7.5 inches.
SKIRT.
- Waist: 33 inches flat, to fit up to 32.
- Hip: 44 inches flat, to fit up to 41-42 max.
- Length: 24.5 inches, with 4-inch hem.
