Breathtaking bark cloth Hawaiian dress from the late 60s - early 1970s. I see lots of Hawaiian printed dresses but this one is exceptional. I love the earth tone print against the black background. I also love the way the pattern is placed to one side instead of in the center. This is so much more interesting to the eye. The cut is a simple and elegant long column with a sleeveless scoop neck bodice with elasticized empire waist line. The waist has a delicate cord in olive which ties just under the bust. The inside of the bodice is faced with the same olive green. The back of the skirt is vented to the knee for ease of movement. There are two labels in this dress one reads Made in Hawaii the other has the RN number size style and reads 100% cotton. The company on record with this RN # is Stardust Inc.The size is Medium and it has the following measurements.

Bust 36"
Hips 42" (the waist stretches)
the length of the dress from shoulder to hem is 53".

Excellent Condition

 

1970s Retro 'Silver Screen' gown in Cranberry satin.

Fashion has been "doing Vintage" off and on for years. In the 70s many designers borrowed from the 1940s. This is a perfect example! The surplice neckline plunges daringly low. There are deep shoulder pleats creating that broad shoulder look. It has dramatic sleeves with pouffed pleated caps and tapering to a narrow fit at the wrists. The skirt is gathered at the waist and flows to the floor. There must have been a belt at one time but it is gone now. It does not need one but you can certainly wear any coordinating dressy belt to cinch the waist. The only remaining label is the Union Label. The size in a Med/Lg It has the following measurements

Bust 40"

Waist 29"

Sleeve length 26"

Skirt length  47" from waist to hem
This is a good dress for a taller woman since the sleeves and hem leghth are so generous.

Excellent Condition

 

One of the more unique (and flattering) vintage Maxi dresses I've come across. Thin ribbon stripe print on silky polyester jersey. Colors are Azure blue, pumpkin, and lime on a white background. The dress is cut with a sleeveless drawstring neckline, sort of a modified halter. Empire waist with fixed ties and column skirt.

The size is small with some range, will fit the following measurements

Bust 34"-36"

Rib cage just beneath bust - 30"

Waist free up to 30"

Hips free up to 40"

Length of dress from shoulder to hem approx. 54" (was hemmed slightly by original owner

Excellent Condition

Exotic evening gown circa 1970s. The silhouette is elegant and simple...sleeveless fitted bodice with stand up collar and floor length column skirt (deep box pleats front and back)....however the simplicity ends there... 

Black double knit bodice with midriff definition, trimmed in metallic gold braid and burnished brass paillettes. The skirt is done in rich, contrasted fabric, combining the shimmer of gold threads and a swirling floral pattern borrowed from the Far East. Black velvet flocking outlines the imagery highlighting the gold and making the saturated fall colors glow. 

There is no makers label, just a union tag and no fabric content but I am certain the bodice is a polyester knit and the skirt, an acetate and lurex blend. The dress is a medium size with the following measurements.

Bust 38"

Waist 29"

Hips up to 40"

Skirt length from waist to hem just over 40"

Length from shoulder to waist 16"

Excellent Condition - no flaws

Beautiful velvet and chiffon gown circa 1970s.

Wear it lformal and ong or have it hemmed  knee for a pretty cocktail dress. There are so many lovely details in this dress I don't know where to begin. The front and back of the empire bodice are done in a golden safron chiffon over taffeta. The side panels of the bodice are velvet. It has a high neckline edged with dainty ruffles and sweet flower embroidered trim. The bodice panels are also edged with the same embroidered trim. There is a long plain, satin ribbon tied just under the bust. The sleeves are wonderful, they are done in the same chiffon with tiny set in accordian pleats. Just lovely. They end in a velvet band with embroidered trim then pleated ruffle cuff. The long straight skirt is a deep golden velvet, fitted at the waist. The only lable left in the dress is a dry clean lable. I do not know the maker. The size is Med/small with the following measurements.
Bust 36"
Waist 28"
Hips 37"
The dress was only worn once and is...

Excellent Condition
 

Pretty "milk maid" style dress by Gunne Sax circa 1970s.
Nobody made retro romantic dresses like Gunne Sax. Jessica McClintock purchased the company in 1969. Her dresses were all about romance and fantasy. The designs borrowed from Early American, Victorian and Renaissance styles. Some were simple others quite fancy. They were worn to school dances, as prom dresses and even as alternative bridal gowns. Many girls just wore them for everyday.
This Gunne sax is done in calico cotton with a black background and dainty floral print. A clever combination of renaissance and prairie chic, it features a very fitted bodice with peplum, V neck and lace up decollete. In back it ties at the waist with long narrow sashes. The sleeves are slim and long with a slightly puffed cap. The outline of the bodice is defined with ecru lace and a coordinating fabric band. Attached at the waist is a long gathered skirt with lace trimmed ruffled hem.
The size is an Extra-Small.

Bust 33"
Waist 25"
Hips up to 37"
Length from shoulder to hem 58"

Excellent Condition

Stunning 1970s vintage Hawaiian print maxi dress or gown by Malihini Hawaii.
Self belted Empire waist....sleeveless bodice with square neckline. Center front inverted pleat in long narrow skirt.
The print is exceptionally beautiful. Oversized hibiscus blossoms in luminous shades of oranges, yellows and browns. The fabric is cotton "bark cloth". As a full length dress it is quite dramatic and would make a bold statement. Not so brave? The dress could easily be shortened for more versatility. Use the extra fabric to make a matching bag!
The size is Medium.

Bust 36'
Rib Cage below bust 31'
Hips and waist free size...

Excellent Condition

Sexy 1970s halter gown

Silver screen chic - by Lillie Rubin. The Lillie Rubin label has been creating glamorous attire since 1948. This 70s era gown has a plunging halter neckline with low open back and slinky straight skirt. A thigh high vent opens on the left side of the skirt. It is covered with flat black sequins giving it a sleek almost wet look. A very sexy dress.

The sequins are sewn onto a matte jersey material with jersey lining the top. There is a center back plastic zipper and hook and eye closures at the back of the neck. I found a few sequins missing and replaced them with extras from the underhem. It is now in beautiful condition.

The size is med/small with the following measurements.

Bust 36" plus
Waist up to 26"
Hips up to 38"
Length from shoulder to hem 57"

Excellent Condition

Very Lilliesque hand print cotton dress from the 1960s. The label is missing from this dress but I am fairly certain it is Lily Pulitzer. If not then another equally talented designer. The cotton has a lilac background with green, white and magenta "Mod Tropics" flower print. Sleeveless fitted bodice with novel notched collar. Thick white cotton lace defines the center front and waistline. Nicely cut A-line skirt.
The dress is constructed in the Lily tradition with white cotton batiste underlining and lace hem binding.
The size is Large.

Bust 43"''...
Waist 33''....
Hips 44''...

Excellent Condition

Medieval Fantasy!
Medieval inspired gown from the 1970s.
The dress is all one piece but made to look like two. It has the appearance of a brocade underdress with gold trimmed, velvet over bodice.
The brocade in this dress is just beautiful. It is a combination of midnight blue and pale metallic silver AND gold threads , woven in a complex medallion pattern. The top of the dress has a midnight blue velvet bodice with gold braid trim, an attached collar and full bishop sleeves done in brocade. The long skirt gathers at the waist and falls to the floor. There is no label but it is beautifully cut and constructed so I am guessing it was a custom creation. The size is med/ small.  It has the following measurements.

Bust 36"
Waist 26"
Hips 35"

Excellent Condition

 

Folksy and psychedelic, a winning combination in this wonderful 1970s dress from Saks Fifth Avenue.

The fabric feels like an acrylic and cotton blend. The print is done with vertical bands of bold patterns with a vaguely ethnic feel. Black and orange... purple and white and just a hint of pale mustard
The dress has a shirt style bodice with oversized pointed collar and long cuffed sleeves. The skirt is gathered at the waist and finishes at the hem with a generous row of bias cut ruffles. The ruffles are a beautiful touch!

The original belt is gone but you could easily substitute with one of your own ,or you can cinch the waist with a length of ribbon or a sash.

The size is a Smaller Medium. It has the following measurements.

Bust 37"
Waist 28"
Hips free
Length of skirt23"
Sleeve length 24"

Excellent Condition

 

Sweet n' oh so feminine!
Ruffle tiered gown in antique print,  flowered voile circa 1970's. This dress is composed of three ruffled tiers with a separate flounce over the empire bodice. Each layer is trimmed with black ribbon and lace. The sheer voile has a black background with multi floral print. It is sleeveless and has fabric ties at the shoulder. The dress has a full attached underslip in black.

Romantic, in the spirit of the Gunne Sax dresses, the label inside reads On The Rocks a Div. of Rock Candy inc. California.

Excellent Condition

Victorian Inspired dress from the 1970s.

This vintage dress was styled after the mourning attire from the Victorian Era. The fabric is a black taffeta. The bodice is cut to fit with leg O' mutton sleeves and a black lace yoke. The yoke is trimmed with black glass beads on gross-grain ribbon and edged in black lace.The opening down the front of the bodice has little black ball buttons and loops and is also trimmed with the faux jet beading. There is a zipper in back, the buttons in front are really just for show. The fitted waist is trimmed with black satin ribbon and there is a full skirt of black taffeta. The label inside reads Gunne Sax by Jessica, San Francisco. The size is Med. with the following measurements.

Bust 36"
Waist 28"
Hips free size
Length of skirt 29"


Excellent Condition
 

Unique "bubble sack" dress in black on black poly crepe jaquard. The jaquard is a rectangle dot pattern..Scoop gathered neckline, peasant style. Full bishop sleeve with long narrow cuff. The body of the dress is loose and poufs at the hem. Deep black ruffle finish. It can be worn belted or loose. Judging by the design label I think the dress is from the 1970s or early 80s. It is hard to tell because of the unusual cut, a vintage dress with a very contemporary look! Lizzy and Johnny by Lucero..

Nicely made, a chiffon lining anchors the gather at the hem so it holds the bubble shape. The size is VERY flexible since the only fitted area is under arm. .
Flexible will fit from smaller to larger sizes. I would put it in the modern 6-10 range.

Excellent condition
 

A rare style Gunne Sax dress from the late 70s.
Most Gunne Sax from the 70s and 80s borrowed from "Prairie", Victorian or Renaissance fashions but other nostalgic styes were used for inspiration as well.
This darling dress is very similar to the frocks young or adolescent girls wore during Edwardian times. White cotton batiste with dropped waist and gathered skirt... Pleat tucked bodice has oversized ribbon and lace trimmed collar...elbow length, full sleeves, heavily adorned with cotton lace
Never worn, it still has the original Gunne Sax hang tab (pictured above). It is in excellent condition but since it has been hanging in storage for almost thirty years you may want to clean it before wearing. Dry cleaning or gentle hand washing and hang drying is recommended.
Med in size it has the following measurements.

Bust up to 37"
Waistfree
Hips up to 37"

Excellent Condition

 

Old World, Egyptian Inspired cocktail dress circa 1980s by KRIZIA.

Beautiful (and expensive) silk face, wool back satin in a luscious shade of fuchsia. If you are a fan of gorgeous fabric you will LOVE this vintage dress.
The design is stunning. The bodice has a pintucked, asymmetrical wrap which borrows from ancient Egyptian design. The sleeves are long and narrow also with pintucks. The body of the dress is a simple sheath style with side vent.
There is a side metal zipper. The condition is beautiful but while I was steaming it I thought I noticed what looked like a faint watermark on the skirt. You have to hold it a certain way in bright light to see it. I am not sure what it is, the dress was cleaned. It is not something that can be seen easily and would not be noticed when worn. This would make a lovely holiday,dinner or even cocktail dress. It's unique design and sumptuous fabric is sure to turn heads. The size is a smallish Medium

Bust 36"
Waist 30
Hips 37"
Length from shoulder to hem 39"

Very Good Condition

Nina Ricci "Boutique" for Bloomingdales, Made in France

The house of Nina Ricci has been designing elegant, sophisticated and classic clothing since 1932. The dress we have here was done in the Early 1980s. During this time Nina Ricci's son Robert was managing the business and Gerard Pipart was head designer. Pipart had worked with Pierre Balmain, Jaques Fath and Jean Pateau.
This handsome vintage dress is done in the most luxurious silk jaquard. The color is a rich olive brown. The cut appears simple and unstructured but this is deceiving. The front of the dress has five rows of vertical pleats which are stitched flat down to the hip where they then fall free. The sleeves are full , cuffed at the wrist and gathered at the shoulder where they set into decorative black velvet insets. These velvet insets are edged with two simple rows of black bugle beads and sequins. An elegant touch! The high neckline sports two generous self fabric sashes which I have tied in a bow. There are a number or ways they can be worn. Perhaps knotted and cascading over the shoulder or loosely wound around the neck for a cowl effect then fixed with a fabulous brooch.
Suggestions:  If you belt the waist or even the hip with any beautiful belt. it will update the look OR if it is to be worn loose, shorten it to above the knee. Since this is a designer example of vintage I would not cut the hem off but create a deeper hem and carefully hand stich it. This way the original design is preserved. I think a sexy shoe is a must with this dress.
The size is medium  and the measurements are as follows.

Bust 38"
Waist free size
Hips up to 39"

Excellent Condition
 

Beautiful couture daywear by Yves Saint Laurent circa 1980s.

Fine houndstooth wool dress designed with a nod to the early 1920s era.
The dropped waist, oversized pockets, rounded collar and slim silhouette were surely inspired by the transition period from the later teens into the 1920s. YSL blended these retro elements with modern padded shoulders and a shorter skirt to create a handsome versatile daydress. Perfect vintage couture, business or lunch attire. Skillfully tailored as couture always is, and fully lined in black silk
The size Medium/Small. The hips are quite slim in comparison to the bust so keep this in mind. It is designed to fit loosely on top and fitted on the bottom. It has the following measurements.


Bust 38"+
Hips 36"
Shoulder 15 1/2"
Sleeve length 23 1/2"

Excellent Condition

 

Late 80s, early 90s wool crepe and lace cocktail dress by Carolina Herrera. Herrera designs are always elegant and in the best of taste. This "younger vintage" cocktail dress is from her CH line which was started in the later 80s. The CH line was created to be a bit more affordable but NEVER skimped on beautiful design or construction. All Herrera clothing was (is) treated with the same couture sensibilities.
This classically styled dress is done in black wool crepe (a favorite fabric in the 1980s-90s) and rhinestone studded lace. The rhinestones are black crystal with bezel settings and the lace is backed with neutral silk organza. The cut has a distinct 1940s feel with sculpted shoulders and nipped in waist. The lace sleeves are long and narrow. It has a round neckline in front which dips to a moderate V in back. There is an inset midriff section in lace and the skirt is narrow. The body of the dress is lined in black silk. A beautifully made dress as lovely inside as it is out!

It's an older size 6 which is small.
Bust 36"
Waist 28"
Hips 38"
Skirt length (from natural waistline) 26"
Sleeve length 24"

Excellent Condition
 

Stunning ball length gown from the very early 1970s.

This amazing vintage dress is fashioned from a lovely organza sari cloth in deep coral pink with metallic gold design.  The gold  paisley border of the cloth  was used to define the midriff and neckline... also as a center design focus on the skirt.

The dress is long and elegant with a sleeveless fitted bodice, modified nehru collar and open vented neckline. The slightly flared column skirt falls to the floor from a fitted empire waist line. Beautifully tailored... the bodice is double lined for stability and the slip-lining under the skirt is a soft and comfortable cotton batiste.

The label inside reads Dorothy Bullitt Ardmore Chestnut Hill. It is a smallish medium size with the following measurements

Bust  36"

Waist 28"

Hip 40"

Length from shoulder to hem

Excellent Condition... no flaws inside or out

 Simply stunning three piece set with layers upon layers of luscious tie dyed panne velvet.  The velvet is hand dyed in shades of dark plum, purple and midnight blue with highlights of mango and tan. The set consists of a bias cut, cowl neck halter top and four gore skirt with a draped cocoon over jacket. The jacket has deep batwing sleeves and a long, self fabric scarf that is attached at the neck. It can be tied but I photographed it hanging loose. The pieces are un-lined and drape beautifully. The skirt has an elasticized waist and the back of the halter top is elasticized as well. There is no belt and none is needed but you can certainly wear one with it. I did take one photo with a belt (belt not included).

Worn all together, as a set, it's definitely a special occasion outfit but each piece is lovely on it's own as well.  The possibilities are many for mixing and matching mix with the rest of your wardrobe.  I'm not 100% sure of the era on this one. it has elements of the 70s and 80s and the maker, Whispers of San Francisco is one I am not familiar with. With the help of my friends at the Vintage Fashion Guild, we decided it is probably from the 80s. One of my colleagues thought it had a Stevie Knicks vibe while another compared it to Norma Kamali. Sometimes it's hard to tell era with artisan labels. Their work tends to focus more on creative textiles and silhouettes and less on mainstream fashion trends.

Besides the makers label, there is another that was put in by the shop it was purchased from. This one reads Tommy DeMaio Boutiquier, The Sheraton Center NYC. I was able to look up Tommy DeMaio and discovered he has been in business since the mid 70s. The company is now a salon and boutique, still located in New York City but not the same location.

The size is marked medium and it has the following measurements.

Skirt

Waist - is elasticized and with fit a range from 27" -32" comfortably

Hips - 40"

Length - 33"

Top

Bust - is elasticized in back and will fit a range from 36" to 40"

Waist -is bias cut, with give, so it will fit the same range as the skirt (see above)

Length from under arm to hem of top 16"

Jacket

Free size, will fit the same range of measurements as the other pieces. It is 32" long in back and the sleeves measure 26" from the neck to the edge of the cuff. Note : I am measuring the sleeves from the neck NOT the shoulder.

Excellent Condition no flaws to be found,