#2603 $750
Bill Blass jeweled silk cocktail dress, 1960s
Bill Blass was an Indiana boy who made it big in New York fashion and society. He designed for high society New York debutantes and grande dames, and he dressed movie stars and Presidents' wives. Blass' designs were always wearable at a time in high fashion (1950s) when "wearable" was more an epithet than a compliment.
The dress is actually a versatile two-piece ensemble. You can wear the understated little white dress casually with your favorite accessories. Add the jeweled top, and the dress is ready for an elegant evening; or wear the top as a separate with a long skirt or pants. The ensemble would be a great choice for an informal wedding.
The lovely winter white dress is fashioned from substantial weight silk shantung. The jeweled top is lavishly embellished with faux pearls, silver paillettes, glittering rhinestones, and clear plastic novelty beads set in a diagonal grid of roped silver beads. The lower edge of the top is bordered with bands of white mink.
Both pieces are totally lined and hand finished in the couture manner. The dress closes in back with a hand-stitched metal zipper. The jeweled bodice closes in back with a separating metal zipper.
Bill Blass pioneered the American casual style of fashion. His high-quality, expensive pieces were offhandedly sophisticated; and his stunning eveningwear was both glamorous and tasteful, a style known as "polished classic."
I well remember a photo spread that epitomized Blass' design gift in his own words. He was standing under the Brooklyn Bridge with two machine-gun-toting hit women wearing fedoras, kitten heels, and tasteful "little nothing" dresses: "Next time you want something knockout that won't be knocked off . . . invest in Bill Blass."
The condition is excellent.
The dress measures: 35" bust, 28" high waist, 46" hip, and 33 1/2" center-front
length. (The shoulder straps can be let down or shortened).
The jeweled top measures: 35" bust and 13" from shoulder to hem.
