#1701 $1,250
Beaded silk velvet evening ensemble, c.1940
The super chic velvet evening ensemble shows why the 1940s were synonymous with glamour. I love the haunting beauty of the deep rich green hue, which appears almost black. The ensemble makes a sophisticated, dramatic fashion statement. There is nothing so memorable to a man as the first time he sees a woman whose manner and dress capture his imagination once and for all.
The strapless dress features a softly draped skirt with a provocatively deep slit. The unlined bolero style jacket, open in front, reveals the low-cut neckline of the dress. The bodice of the dress is boned and lined with silk for support. The dress closes on one side with a metal zipper. The dress is fashioned from luxurious silk velvet.
The jacket and dress bodice are embellished with sparkling bouquets of rhinestones and clear crystal beads. Such vintage glass beads do not have the rough, jagged edges found in modern beads.
The dress brings to mind Veronica Lake in the 1940s film noir, The Blue Dahlia (1946). She plays a seductive, mysterious stranger. On first meeting Alan Ladd, her memorable line was "Practically all the people I know were strangers when I first met them." But they won't forget her—or you in this dress!
The condition is excellent. It has been cleaned and is ready to wear.
The dress measures: 36" bust, 28" waist, 38" hip, and 45" skirt length.
The jacket measures: 40" around 15" from sleeve cap to sleeve cap, 24" sleeve length and 15 1/2" from shoulder to hem.
