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Circa: Mid to Late 1920s
Condition: Excellent
Size: Small to Medium
Type: "Black Cherry" print Silk Crepe
Manufacturer: handmade
Vintage20s "BlackCherry"Print Day Dress
This sweet little "Black Cherry" print "pull-on" dress is quite fetching, with ruffles on the collar and on the turn-back cuff. The dropped waist and shortened skirt is a dead give-away for the mid 1920s. Made of a beautiful, soft probably silk crepe, this dress is the epitome of the feminine and fashionable day dress of the period.
Contrary to the popular image of the 20s young woman, day dresses of the period were generally quite modest. The higher neckline of this dress is a case in point. Although evening wear had its own modesty issues, in the daywear, flirtiness came from other elements, such as ruffles and lace, the sensual nature of the fabrics and shortened skirts.
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The cream ruffles on the bodice and sleeves of this dress is connected to the collar with (a stitch called) fagoting and are trimmed in black. (Fagoting gives a delicacy that just can't come from anywhere but those amazing French hand-sewing techniques). The ruffles, also made of a lightweight crepe, gently frames the face and wrists and have a double snap closure. Although rayon, called "artificial silk" at the time, was introduced during the twenties, this little dress itself seems to be made of silk crepe and has the nice drape and flow of that fabric.
This is a fresh and flirty little day-dress, worn probably by a woman or teenager for church, garden party, shopping, or other social daytime events in the early twentieth century.
What is generally thought of as the "Roaring Twenties" style--the slim, boyish fashionable look of the flapper--complete with the short skirt and dropped waist--lasted only a few years. In 1925 skirts were below the knee, and in 1926 and 1927 they were knee length. By 1928 dresses began to lengthen again, and by 1930, the natural waistline was beginning to come back into vogue.
When the styles of the twenties were at their most extreme, as little as a yard of fabric were enough to make a skirt. The fullness needed for the curves of the body were made by shirring or careful pleating. The maker of this dress uses both: shirring--at the dropped waist, and pleating at the shoulder.
The belt, used originally at the dropped position, later was adapted at the natural waistline, which brought these little pull-on dresses into the 1930s when the natural waistline became popular once again.
The condition is excellent. There is one very small worn spot on the back of the bodice, which I can re-inforce for you if you like. It does not mar the appearance of the dress at all. The size is Medium. It measures 38" at the bust-line, and, gradually enlarges toward the 44" hipline where the dropped waist hits. This dress could very easily be made to fit a smaller woman by taking in the sides, but I would not recommend going below a 34"Bust or 38" waist, as it would be very difficult to put on since it must go over the head.
Bust:38"
Natural waist area:38"
Hips at dropped waist area:44"
Sleeve length: (with cuff turned back)25"
Underarm to hem:30"
The belt would have been used as a tied accessory and to adjust this size for a smaller person. Sometimes a corsage of ribbon and small flowers would be placed at the side-tied belting, or a hankie tucked across it. The belt might have even been used in the hair of a woman who had not yet had her hair bobbed. In the thirties the belt would have been placed at the natural waistline.
Clean when it comes to you, dry clean this dress to keep it fresh. Originally it would have been worn with a cloche hat, short crocheted gloves and one or two strap or t-strap pumps--Now you can make it your own style, and wear with today's cute little flats or any more rounded toe shoe reminiscent of the era.
This dress would be lovely for a portrait.
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