Vintage Early 1960s Horticultural Print Cotton Dress - NEW!

Regular Price
$260.00 AUD
Sale Price
$260.00 AUD
Regular Price
Sold Out
Unit Price
Translation missing: en.general.accessibility.unit_price_separator 
SKU

Measurements

Size: Small

Dress

Bust: 36 inches + 91 cm

Waist: 27 - 28 inches + 69 - 71 cm

Hips: Open

Outside Shoulder to Outside Shoulder:  14.5 inches + 37 cm

Bodice Length from Outside Shoulder: 15 inches + 38 cm

Total Length from Outside Shoulder: 40 inches + 102 cm 

Hem Length : 2 inches + 5 cm

Zipper Length: 21 inches + 53 cm

Seam Allowance: Minimal

Note: Measurements are taken from outside, flat and stretched from seam to seam. This is the maximum size allowable, so please consider individual fit and comfort.

 

Description

* Early 1960s cotton commercially made dress

* Printed fabric design features a horticultural theme

* Classic silhouette with a fitted waist and wide skirt

* Contrasting solid green cotton bodice

* Sleeveless with a scooped neckline and pin-tucked front

* Front hidden nylon zipper fastens the dress

* Skirt has knife-pleating and is moderately full

* Back has elastic at inside waist

* Unlined, serged seams with hand-finished hem

* Labels read Swirl and Hovland-Swanson (department store in Nebraska)

Swirl was established in Philadelphia by L. Nachman and Son in the early 1940s. Swirl was originally conceived as an apron but quickly became the wrap-around dress. The basic design was always the same: a wrap-around that tied and fastened with a one-button closure. The dresses were made in hundreds of variations using printed cotton fabrics with embroidery, appliqué, and colorful trims such as rick-rack. As lifestyles changed, so did Swirl. In the 1960s Swirl began making women’s loungewear and developed different lines for a more diverse consumer base. In 1964 they developed a trendier line – Park East, and in 1965, a line for teens – Swirl Girl – was launched. In 1975, Bill Tice was hired as designer at Swirl. He remained there until 1984. Betsy Bloomingdale did a line of dresses and loungewear for Swirl beginning in 1977. By the 1970s, American was becoming more and more designer-crazed, so Swirl hired Geoffrey Beene to create designs for them in 1978, and Oscar de la Renta in the 1980s.

By the end of the 1980s, the main product at Swirl was the Models Coat. In 1990, the first real signs of trouble for the company came when sewers were laid off and production curtailed. The reason for the first cut-back was given that they could not keep the workers busy, due to a lack of fabrics. By this time, many of the textile makers were pulling out and moving to Mexico or Asia where labor was cheaper. The decline of the company occurred slowly through the 90s, and in 1998, Swirl announced that it would be closing its main facility. The remaining jobs were phased out, and the company closed the Easley factory for good in 1999. (curtesy of the VFG)

 

 

Condition 

Excellent vintage condition.

No notable flaws that I can see, it is in great condition for its age. 

Please note that these are vintage items that have been used and loved over the years, As such, they may display slight evidence of their age. Any notable flaws will be highlighted here.

 

Comment 

Great cotton beauty with a magical print. I would think this was meant to be a house or gardening dress. Please drop us a line if you require additional information about this listing.

The listing is for the dress only and does not include any other accessories that may have been photographed with the item. 

This item has not been pinned to the dress form.

 

Shop Policies

COVID-19

Unfortunately, the pandemic has resulted in a backlog of parcels worldwide. Our local Postal Service continues to operate at increased capacity and assures us that packages will arrive at their destination, albeit with a noticeably longer timeframe.

We now offer an alternate express delivery service via DHL for those of you who want your packages more expediently. This option is currently delivering packages within a seven-day timeframe from pick-up.

Availability
This item is within our selling stock. In the unlikely event that two buyers purchase this item concurrently, payment will be immediately refunded to the latter purchaser. We apologise in advance should this rare circumstance arise.


Postage
We make every effort to post your item within 1-3 days of payment. Should a circumstance arise where we are unable to post within this timeframe (eg we are away at a fair) we will contact you immediately. Please note that our postage charges are based on standard international and domestic air packages - all with tracking. If you want to upgrade to express postage or require insurance, please contact us prior to checkout and we will adjust the rates accordingly.

LayBys/Layaways
Yes we do offer flexible layby/layaway options and are open to negotiation as to the time period. Obviously, the more expensive the item the longer the time you will have to finalise payment. Contact us to see how accommodating we can be :)

Alterations
Obviously, as these are one-off pieces, the fit may not be quite what you need. To this end, we also offer an alteration service by professional seamstresses. Please shoot us an email outlining what you want and we will quickly respond with a quote and timeframe. Costs are kept to a minimum for this service.

Special Orders
If you are looking for something that you don't currently find in our shop - let us know we may be able to help you with a special listing!

Photography
Our photos are taken with a mix of studio and ambient lighting. Whilst we take care with the colour balance of our photos, individual computer monitors register colours differently depending on their calibration. If you want the exact colour shade drop us a line and we will give you the Universal Pantone colours that match the item.