Early 1960s Claret Red Rayon Draped Designer Dress- New! (ON HOLD)
Please note this dress is on hold and not available at this time. Thank you for understanding.
Measurements
Size: Small
Bust: 36 inches + 91 cm
Under Bust: 32 inches + 81 cm
Waist: 27 inches + 69 cm
Hips: 38 inches + 96.5 cm
Bodice Length from Outside Shoulder: 16 inches + 41 cm
Sleeve Length from Outside Shoulder: 24 inches + 61 cm
Total Length from Outside Shoulder: 43 inches + 109 cm
Hem Length: 1.5 inches + 4 cm
Zipper Length: 13 inches + 33 cm
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
* Stunning late 1960s red rayon commercially made dress
* Classic silhouette with a cinched waist and straight skirt
* Long-sleeved bodice with oval neckline
* Sleeves are tapered with turnover cuffs
* Dress is cinched in at the waist and has a gathered swag with tails at the hipline
* Plunging back with ruching around the hip area
* Fully lined, bodice in crepe and skirt in acetate
* Back metal zipper
* Label reads Mr Blackwell
Mr Blackwell was renowned for his flamboyant yet classic designs styled for women with confidence. He told the Los Angeles Times in the 1960s that designers were forgetting that their job 'was to dress and enhance women'. He quickly established himself as an important fashion designer and during the 1960s he became the first in history to present his line on a television broadcast. In addition, he was the first to make his line available for plus-size women. His designer dresses sold for over $1,000 and were keenly sought-after. During the nearly two-decade existence of the 'House of Blackwell', he was designer to such stars as Yvonne de Carlo, Jayne Mansfield, Dorothy Lamour, Jane Russell and California first lady Nancy Reagan. Perhaps, nowadays he is equally remembered for his Worst Dressed Lists, complete with biting commentary. The first "Ten Worst-Dressed Women" list premiered in 1960, to moderate media success, but as the House of Blackwell became more successful, the list took off. By its third year, every television and radio network and virtually all news services worldwide began to cover it. In 1997, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.
Condition
Excellent.
One lighter spot on the lower skirt front, hardly noticeable.
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 above and beyond this will be highlighted here.
Comment
Incredible dress featuring a movie star silhouette. Designed to make the most of your figure. The colour is fantastic too, a claret colour! Cleaned and ready to wear. Please note rhinestone brooch available separately. Drop us a line if you require additional information about this listing.
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 collection.
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.