1950s Black and White Wool Designer Wiggle Dress - New!
Measurements
Size: Small
Bust: 36 inches + 91 cm
Waist: 26 - 27 inches + 66 - 69 cm
Shoulder Edge to Shoulder Edge: 15 inches + 38 cm
Hips: 39 inches - 99 cm
Bodice Length from Outside Shoulder: 15.5 inches + 39.5 cm
Total Length from Outside Shoulder: 44 inches + 112 cm
Hem Length : 4.5 inches + 11 cm
Zipper Length: 26 inches + 66 cm
Seam Allowance: 0.75 inches + 2 cm (per side)
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
* Late 1950s wool designer wiggle dress
* Classic silhouette with a fitted waist and straight skirt
* Bodice is two-toned with sleeves and upper part in black wool jersey
* From bust to waist the fabric is a woven wool in a black & white geometric pattern
* Faux breast pocket flaps
* Skirt is straight but shapely with darting
* The black jersey sweeps down at back and is lightly gathered at the waist to give a blouson effect
* Internal supporting waist band
* Partially lined, pinked seams and hand-finished hem
* Mollie Parnis New York
Mollie Parnis began her career as a designer for David Westheim in the late 1920s. In 1933, she and her husband, Leon Livingston, formed Parnis-Livingston, for which she was the designer. By the 1940s, she was designing under her own name. From this point on, Mollie Parnis’s designs were characterized by quality, fit, and the essential use of refined fabrics. . She was fond of patterned fabrics, which became more geometric and bolder as time went on. Her unique styling gave women the opportunity to dress with elegance and beauty without compromising the integrity of the form and function of the dress. She was a popular designer for several First Ladies. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, and even until the early 1980s, Parnis’s creations graced the style and advertising pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and Life, among other magazines. Her designs were photographed by fashion giants such as Horst P. Horst, Toni Frissell, and Louise Dahl-Wolfe. By 1966, a Parnis dress had made the cover of Harper’s Bazaar with the caption, “50 great American dresses for the year of the dress. Contributing to the increasing recognition of American fashion designers, Parnis often worked with noted publicist Eleanor Lambert Parnis was a founding member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and also served on its board. She was also known for her philanthropic work and, although she never realised her dream of completing college, her Livingston Awards Trust made it possible for others to achieve their educational goals. Mollie Parnis died on July 18, 1992.
Condition
Excellent.
No notable flaws that I can see - in fabulous condition for its age. The label is located in the lower bottom seam and, although has some additional hand-stitching, it is in the typical location for a Mollie Parnis dress of the period.
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
Stylish and sophisticated wiggle dress by a well-known US designer. The dress has typical styling for this coveted label, including the geometric print. Please 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 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.